ADDRESS/REPORT BY THE CHAPLAIN TO THE NIGERIAN METHODISTS CHAPLAINCY, UK/IRELAND GENERAL MEETING ON SUNDAY 26TH JUNE 2016 AT RAINHAM METHODIST CHURCH, RAINHAM.

THEME:   A CALL TO AN EVANGELISTIC AND RENEWING CHAPLAINCY

 Introduction: We give thanks to God for the outcome of the EU referendum. God is not author of confusion for all things God works for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28). As agent and a platform of renewal within the Methodist Church in Britain, the third year of the Chaplaincy/the second year of our inauguration anniversary, and end of the second year of our Management committee calls for a rethink of our purpose in such a time as this. Using the words of Walter Brueggemann, our ‘vocation is finding a purpose for being in the world that is related to the purposes of God.’ The Chaplaincy’s vision and the five year Mission Action Plan (MAP) actually emphasised a call to personal renewal as against practice of nominal Christianity in the prevailing secular political climate. Just as charity begins at home, our personal renewal begins at homes ‘where family living space doubled as a sanctuary.’ Our personal renewal is to enhance family and community renewal, and  encourage more commitment and  mentoring of our youths to become natural evangelists and a new generation of lay leaders.

Our vision which goes beyond cultural or social inclinations calls us to a renewing witnessing, an evangelistically effective Chaplaincy. We are called to be a witnessing Chaplaincy which is beyond the concept of an exclusive cultural community gathered around a cultural clergy. The new Chaplaincy year calls us focus on increasing ‘every members witnessing’ through the  Chaplaincy Management Team Renewal, Prayer/Counselling ministry, Pastoral Care, nurturing of members (especially the Youth). ‘Every members witnessing’ has the potential to increase our commitment and punctuality to our Major missional/ outreaches – OnetoOne band/network, Monthly vigil/Reflection, Lent community Hymn and Praise Singing, Nigeria Independence Praise and Hymn Singing, Chaplaincy’s anniversary Love Feast, Annual Harvest Celebration, Mission on the Street, Christmas Carol/End of the Year Prayer Rally, and the publications of Tracts/the quarterly magazine – Worthy is the Lamb. The Mission on the Street with Gospel banner in major locations in London in December 2015 was well received with good testimonies. I think we can improve on this during the annual Easter and Christmas celebrations.

Mission purpose: The Chaplaincy is a renewal and mission platform/agent within the British Conference seeking to equip and nurture Nigerian Methodists and other Christians in their discipleship and engage them to enrich Methodism in UK and beyond by enabling members to integrate and use their gifts within their local churches and fellowships.

 Achievements:

Chaplaincy Management Committee (CMC): Due to initial logistic problem l was not able to settle down until mid – 2014 when we elected the Chaplaincy Management Committee among the pioneer members. All the officers are in different position of leadership in their respective Methodist local churches. Some achievements include:

  • The CMC periodic retreat and general monthly vigil in London continues to offer a deeper understanding and renewal of our calling within the British Methodism..
  • Women’s Fellowship: A recent milestone in the Chaplaincy was the inauguration of our Women’s Fellowship in July 2015 with over 400 in attendance at Wesley Chapel.
  • Men’s Fellowship: One of our major focus in 2016 is the inauguration of the Men’s Fellowship.
  • Pastoral Care: The Chaplaincy complements the care offered by local congregation by providing a unique pastoral care for Nigerians, engaging them in their distinctive language and cultural expectations and celebrations.
  • Youth/Children Fellowship: One of our priorities is for the Young people to have their say in the Chaplaincy. Under two young facilitators, over 20 young people met for the first time in 2015 at Walworth Methodist Church. The CMC is working with the two facilitators for their inauguration in 2017.
  • Patrons’ Forum: In order to spread and further the mission and vision of the Chaplaincy, we appointed Sir Chief Bode Akindele as the Grand Patron and two Patrons – Sir Kehinde Smith and Mrs Nwabueze Nwokolo for guidance and encouragement.
  • Camp Meetings: We held the first Chaplaincy Renewal/Coming Alive Camp Meeting on Saturday 30th January, 2016 at Chigwell Convent, London. The plan is to have it in diffferent regions in UK periodically. We hope to have next Camp in London before the end of the year.

Finance: The Treasurer will give us the update on this, but members response to the monthly subscription needs to be improved upon. I will also like to thank some individuals for their generous givings towards the Chaplaincy.

Plans:

Inauguration of Regional Fellowships: In line with the Chaplaincy Mission Map on expansion, from 2016, we intend to inaugurate more local and regional fellowships of the Chaplaincy in different churches and regions of UK/Ireland. We are presently working with some of our members in Dublin, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, and Aberdeen. We need the Nigerian Conference home support and awareness in this regard.

Contributions to Methodist Church in Britain – Enrich-British Methodism (EBM) – EBM is a mission plan on how the Chaplaincy is enriching and promoting renewal in our mother church, the British Methodism. With close contact with our home (Nigerian) Conference, we plan to collate a list of youth and professional Nigerian Methodist members residing or coming into the UK/Ireland for studies, holiday, medical tourism, and business. This is to promote integration of Nigerians into different local churches across the British/Irish Methodist Conference. I was also a part of London district leadership training and tour of the Holy Land between June 13-20, 2016, led by a London district co-chair, Rev Nigel Cowgil.

Contribution to One Mission Forum in Germany: My recent trip and participation at the Leadership Training Seminar for International churches and migrant congregations in Europe has open another mission window to encourage Nigerian especially with my conversations with United Methodist Church leaders in Germany, Italy, and Austria. My meeting with a young Nigerian missionary in Germany, Kefas Sabbath is to promote the emergence of Nigerian Fellowship in Germany. I hope to follow up these opportunities before the next Seminar in Germany in 2017.

On the wider British Conference: We plan to encourage our members in local preaching and ministerial training. We also have a good numbers of our members serving as presbyters and in different lay positions, some as local church stewards, Circuit treasurers, members of Synods, and we hope to disciple and support more qualified members.

Contribution to the Circuit: With my 50% appointment based in Romford Circuit where l am presently pastoring two churches, mostly with few aged members, the vision is to integrate more worshippers. As part of our renewal mission in UK, we hold Prayer-Rain in Rainham, a monthly prayer meeting for revival in United Kingdom every second Sunday evening of the month. I also write periodic scriptural reflection in my local churches newsletter and to other circuit members.

Support to Nigerian Health Care Project (NHCP):  We agreed to support the NHCP as one of our projects. Presently the Patron of NHCP, Chief Bode Akindele is the Grand Patron of the Chaplaincy and we have about five members of the Chaplaincy on the NHCP board of trustee including Mrs Susan Solanke as the Vice Chairman.

Wesley Pilgrimage: We have plan to facilitate an annual WESLEY PILGRIMAGE in form of ministerial, laity and youth exchange programme between the British and Nigerian Methodist members. This is still open to modification by the members. We also plan to produce exercise note books for all the Methodist Theological Seminary in Nigeria.

NEEDS: In order to promote the general understanding of the role of the Chaplaincy, we need to raise awareness both within the Nigerian members home and abroad about the renewal mission of the Chaplaincy in UK.

Bearing in mind that the Chaplaincy is still at the pioneering stage, we hereby solicit for the following:

18 seaters bus, Nigerian Chaplaincy House/Office, Bible and our hymn books in different Nigerian languages, Choir gown/musical equipment, Chaplaincy uniform, Membership drive: Contact to Nigerian Methodists in UK and Ireland.

Conclusion: I will like to thank all the outgoing CMC members for their contributions and supports, and l pray, the good Lord will never forget their labour of love in the Chaplaincy. Special thank to my wife for her support and especially Bro Leke Dada for his contribution in printing the programme for our our monthly vigil free. I will like to thank Bro Sam Lewis and Sir Yemi Sanya for their generous support to the Chaplaincy.

Dear people of God, let us therefore prayerfully wait on God as we elect a new Management Team in this meeting bearing in mind that we are at the growing stage and there is still a lot to be done to meet the expected result of the Chaplaincy’s vision and the five year plan. Kindly bring on board your suggestions to advance the Chaplaincy’s mission and spirituality in spreading the Gospel and service to people. Let us pray and prepare for the surge of new growth we believe God will give us from this Leap Year. Your presence and participation could make the difference, ‘let us lay aside every weight … and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to JESUS…’ (Heb 12:1).

RENEW us, O Lord, that we may renew the face of the earth.

Your friend and pastor

Deji Okegbile,