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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
November 2001 |
UMC growing in spite of Latvia's troubled past
By Robert Epps
Special to the Hoosier UM News
In the early spring of 2000, the Rev. Robert Epps of Bloomington served as a trainer for a GBGM mission team being sent to Latvia. In July of 2001, he visited Latvia to review the team's progress. This is his report.
The 20th century was difficult for Latvia, a small country on the Baltic Sea. It began the century under the rule of Tsarist Russia, experienced the Soviet revolution, had a brief time of national independence, followed by successive Soviet and Nazi occupation. In 1941 there was a Soviet re-occupation. 1991 brought the collapse of the Soviet Union and national independence.
The experience of United Methodism and its predecessor churches paralleled those tragic events. Following a failed attempt prior to World War I, work was begun to re-introduce Methodism in the country during the first period of independence. It was brought to an abrupt end when the Soviets deported thousands of Latvians on June 14, 1941. All the ordained Methodist leadership were exiled or killed.
In 1991 when the second period of independence came, a few Methodists sought to reestablish the church. They have been amazingly successful. In ten years, the United Methodist Church in Latvia has established 12 congregations and enlisted 11 pastors. It has recovered two buildings, and has involved hundreds of people either in worship or in Sunday school and youth experiences.
None of the Latvian pastors presently have a background with the Methodist Church. They have come from the Lutheran, Salvation Army, Pentecostal and Baptist traditions. The strong sense of grace and freedom, the stress on active discipleship and the presence of a vital sacramental ministry drew them to Methodism.
Arys Viksna, the superintendent of the Latvian District and pastor of the largest congregation, is from a Lutheran background. Because of the newness of the church and its leadership, Viksna is anxious to foster a growing Methodist identity.
The resurrection and growth of Latvian United Methodism has spawned a need for missionary resources. Bishop Hans Vaxby of the Northern European Conference asked the General Board of Global Ministries for personnel. In response, the GBGM provided a mission team of three commissioned missionaries: Rev. Patrick Friday and his wife, Hannah, are from the North Alabama Conference; Revs. Kevin and Carol Seckel are members of the Oregon-Idaho Conference. The long-term goal of the team is to enable a strong, indigenous Latvian Methodist Church.
The newness and success of Latvian United Methodism is exciting and provides many opportunities for growth. There is a need for partner congregations in which an American church is paired with a Latvian one. Volunteers with Latvian language skills could be helpful in translating the "Discipline" and other Methodist and Wesleyan materials.
Last updated on 01/14/2004