Simon Mafunda has been active in The United Methodist Church for much of his adult life. He has capably and conscientiously served. Recent developments in Africa leave him concerned about the institution he has given so much of his life to. In this talk, we address concerns around African bishops who seem to have lost loyalty to their constituents, especially Muyombo and Wandabula. We also look at the somewhat overt efforts to exclude the African voice from denominational discourse, whether that be by ‘regionalization,’ or by simply not getting invitation letters to them quickly enough to make it through the visa application process. Finally, we discuss examples of overt power being used to exclude people from the UMC in Africa who do not toe the line and quietly let themselves be taken advantage of.

Africa needs to be understood. If you are invested in the UMC maintaining any semblance of righteousness, then you need to learn about what is happening and work to mitigate the damage. Otherwise, next year’s General Conference is going to look so racist that all will walk away in shame.

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