By Charles Gbayor, maorethason1997@gmail.com
HARPER, Liberia- Over 300 members of the United Methodist Church from Harper district in the southeastern Maryland County and lower River Gee Counties have gathered in the port City of Harper to take part in the 179th Annual Session of the of the Cape Palmas District Conference.
This comes ahead of the United Methodist Church Liberia Annual Conference expected to be held in February of next year.
The event is been held under the theme: “Keeping the Church alive,” with text from 1 Corinthians 1:10-17.
The Conference, which started from Wednesday December 15, ends on Sunday, December 19, 2021 and it is being held at Samuel J. Quire United Methodist Church in Harper , Samuel J. Quire United Methodist Church is named after the Liberia Bishop of the United Methodist Church and Liberia Annual Conference Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr.
District Superintendent Rev. Jelly K. Perkins
According to the Cape Palmas District Conference District Superintendent, Rev. Jelly K. Perkins, about 33 churches have been invited to participate the just ended Cape Palmas district 179 Annual session Conference and they are from Maryland and Lower River Gee Counties.
“We also invited the Liberia Bishop of the United Methodist Church in J. Liberia Bishop Samuel Quire Jr. to attend and delivered the first sermon during the opening of the district conference, which was done on Wednesday,” Rev Perkins explained.
Rev. Perkins also said that the Liberia Bishop, Samuel Quire, Jr. has toured Maryland County schools and churches under the Methodist network in Liberia.
According to him, out of the Bishop’s goodwill, he donated hands washing buckets ,soap ,hand sanitizers and food items to both Jasper Grant United Methodist and J.S. Pratt United Methodist Schools in Harper and Pleebo Cities.
“As we celebrate this 179th annual session on the let there be no division in the body of Christ and let our time of prayers, praise, thanksgiving and fruitful discussion that will bring glory to God,” Rev Perkins noted.
Delivering his sermon during opening of the 179th Annual Session of the Cape Palmas District Conference the Liberia Bishop UMC/LAC Samuel Quire Jr preached on theme: “ingredients in keeping the church alive”
Liberia UMC/LAC Bishop Samuel J. Quire, Jr.
In his sermon, the head of the Methodist said, “I’m overwhelmed to be in Cape Palmas and to be the opening preacher here at this occasion in Maryland where hundreds of Methodists have gathered to participate in the Conference.”
Bishop Quire named tolerance, love and humility are the most greatest ingredients in keeping the church alive and he preached on them clearly .
“We need ingredients to keep the church alive in Liberia and Maryland , In the name of our lord Jesus Christ agree with each and don’t be rivals I encourage. Don’t be divided, Jesus Christ our lord has not been divided. When you found group in the house of group the Church will fall, only in Unity we will succeed,” Bishop Quire said.
“Cape Palmas district keep the church alive,Members keep the church alive,” the UMC Bishop said.
Below are the other points he preached on.
Ingredients of tolerance
“We are all from different ethnic backgrounds and combined under the Methodist network and we must work together.
We are all created in the image of God and we must have the ingredients of tolerance. Work with all other and keep the church alive.”
Ingredients of humidity.
“Humble yourself as you served your people and God.
Your Education shouldn’t be you to feel and take bigotry as the order of the day. Humility takes where proudness can’t take you.
Ingredients of Love. Show love for your brothers and sisters and let’s keep the activities of God going with unity and peace.
Don’t separated people always welcome them with open heart?
Love is the greatest of all.”
Bishop Quire to visit Grand Kru & Sinoe
Our Maryland County Correspondent gathered that Bishop Samuel Quire Jr. will visit Grand Kru and Sinoe Counties in where he will also be the opening preacher at the United Methodist Church in Garraway Down beach Grand Kru South Eastern as part of his tour.
The Pastors Wives Association of the Cape Palmas district Conference for their part gown the Liberia Bishop of UMC as a sing of appreciation for his high work and coordination of the Liberia United Methodist church activities.
The colorful district Conference was climaxed with songs of praises by both dialect and English choir and wonderful and inspirational message brought to the congregation of the Samuel Quire Methodist Church.