Following a Consultation in Panama, the General Secretary and staff of GBGM and GBHEM are engaged in a Roundtable and discussions with the leadership of the United Methodist Church in the Philippines. This event, taking place between August 5 and 7, 2025, in Manila, involves Bishops, heads of educational institutions, and leaders of ecumenical organizations. Participants in the Roundtable are presenting their reports on their needs and opportunities while representatives from GBGM and GBHEM listen attentively to discern about unique opportunities to partner in the region. The discussions involve the themes such as mission, education, social justice, health and environmental work, work with youth and young adults, support to women and children, peacebuilding, migration and humanitarian aid, and poverty alleviation.
The Roundtable also involves discussions with the Philippines Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Seminaries (PAMSCUS), an organization that brings together 43 institutions in the Philippines and is now expanding to reach out to more than 300 Methodist schools in the country. This Roundtable, like the Consultation in Latin America and the Caribbean, has emphasized the importance of “listening” to partners and empowering them to lead with contextual sensibility. For more details, please contact GBGM’s website: https://umcmission.org