A CHURCH WITH A MISSION

Just as Methodism in the Philippines emphasized the moral life as one of the essential elements of Christian discipleship, so did it emphasize missionary outreach. It was not only a missionary Church; it was also a Church with a mission. Like Methodism's founder John Wesley who had said, "The world is my parish," The Methodist Church has always had a vigorous program of Christian outreach. The Philippines proved to be no exception to this tradition.

The beginnings of missionary outreach in the Philippine Church are told in an interesting report of the Domestic Mission Board, given by its chairman, The Rev. D. D. Alejandro, at the Annual Conference of 1924 at Knox Church:

On a Saturday afternoon in 1915 in the little chapel at Atlag, Malolos, Bulacan, Mrs. Cottingham and the Rev. Esteban T. Cruz with Miss Leona Marcelino, the deaconess, and some good women of the church, met for prayer and consultation. A crisis had come in Central District. The Lord had opened the hearts of the people and they were asking for the gospel, but there was no money to send to them. Out of this prayer meeting was born the first Domestic Missionary Society, and from this insignificant beginning the work grew and spread througout the bounds of our Conference.⁹⁵

This concern for extending the work of Christ included not simply new, yet familiar, areas but also the regions inhabited by tribal groups. In 1916, the Pampanga and Pangasinan Districts began sustained efforts to minister to the Negritos and Igorots. Tithes from the pastors and deaconesses themselves enabled this work to start. Godofredo Diwa was the first missionary to the Negritos, and Marcelino Alvarez was the first one sent to the Igorots of Nueva Vizcaya. Brother Alvarez succeeded in organizing an Igorot congregation on top of Mt. McDew where the natives themselves built their own chapel and a parsonage for their pastor, who had not only learned their dialect, but had taught them some hymns which he had translated into the dialect. Later, work was started by a Brother Rojars among the Negritos near Olongapo. This outreach expanded, until by 1924, the Rev. Alejandro was able to report 103 regularly organized societies, with 68 congregations giving Domestic Mission help, amounting to over P4,000 annually. This kind of concern has continued through the years, so that Methodism after World War II expanded still further, reaching not only outlying areas in Central and Northern Luzon, but down into the Bicol region, Masbate, Mindoro and Mindanao, as well. It now has its own Board of Missions, which is a Central Conference office under Mrs. Elisa Ocera, its first executive secretary.

It is not surprising to note that this missionary concern has not been confined to the Philippines. As early i as 1919, The Methodist Church in the Philippines sent five of its choice young teachers, Normal graduates and consecrated Christians, to teach English in the Methodist school in Penang, Malaya.⁹⁶ In 1954, the first Filipino Methodist missionary went to Okinawa and by 1960 Philippine Methodism had missionaries in Sarawak and Malaya, as well.

Go to Next Section: Methodism and its Ecumenical Relations

Back to Table of Contents