In late February two Methodist leaders from the United Kingdom visited New Zealand. Deacon Kerry Scarlett, Vice President Designate for the Methodist Church in Britain and Sheila Norris, Partnership Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific for the British Methodist Church, spent time with MCNZ President Peter Taylor during their brief stay in the South Island.

Kerry, an ordained Methodist Deacon, currently working as Learning and Development officer within the Methodist Learning Network will take on her new role at the 2023 Annual Conference in June. Kerry met Sheila in Samoa and they travelled together for their NZ visit. The UK President and Vice President of Conference undertake a visit to global church partners in their designated year. “This provides an opportunity for the Presidency to learn from our global partners, and allows an opportunity for renewing relationships, “ Kerry says.

Kerry said despite being here just five days, her visit had a significant impact. “We heard how church communities have supported one another following the trauma of the earthquakes and other recent severe weather events. Stories about the impact of Covid resonated deeply with our own experiences in Britain. What will stay with me most of all are the stories of what happens when people are noticed, valued, and treasured. We saw how intentional relationship building is building church communities in ways that may look different to that which we are used to but show by the fruit they bear that they are good news.“

Sheila visited Singapore, the Solomon Islands and Fiji before joining Kerry in Samoa. In Christchurch Rev Peter Taylor, Sheila and Kerry attended a meeting in the Connexional Office to discuss options for selling/redeveloping church land in Timaru. “Although the underlying problem of what to do when congregations are no longer viable is the same for us, the need for earthquake proofing and the possibility of using land for social housing are aspects that would not usually arise in the United Kingdom,” Sheila says.

The Christchurch stopover included a visit to the Aldersgate Centre and a meeting with staff from Christian World Service where Sheila was delighted to reconnect with the team she met on her visit to NZ last year. A visit to Crossway Community Church was inspiring. “We were particularly impressed by Rev Joohong Kim’s approach to keeping children fully involved in worship, the use of church property by the community, and by the way the church shares the location with the Delta Community Centre, working with the vulnerable in society,” Sheila says.

In Wellington, they visited Ngaio Union Church to learn about the community engagement work being done there and also met with leaders of the multicultural congregations in Wesley Parish.