"What do we want to achieve together?"

Methodist leaders from the countries of the Central Conference of Central and Southern Europe met in Vienna from March 13 to 18. Reports and consultations, times of joint celebration and a theme day on working with children and young people were on the agenda. But something else also happened.
 
"It was clearly noticeable that there was a will to make a new start," write Lea Hafner and Serge Frutiger about the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Central Conference of Central and Southern Europe.
 
Many previous meetings of both the Executive Committee and the delegates from the 13 countries of the Central Conference had been characterized by the struggle over questions of human sexuality. The fact that the handling of these differences has now been clarified, that it is clear which church areas remain part of The United Methodist Church and which do not, and additionally the change from Bishop Patrick Streiff to his successor Bishop Stefan Zürcher - all these are factors that have supported a new beginning, says District Superintendent Serge Frutiger.
 
"In our discussions, the defining topic was once again the question: What do we want to achieve together?" Despite all the differences, there are many similar challenges and topics in the Church's work in the individual countries, he continues. This became clear not least on Saturday at the theme day focusing on the ministries with children and young people.
 
Those responsible for the ministries with children and young people from eight countries came together for this theme day. They exchanged views with the delegates of the Executive Committee on mutual expectations and hopes - and on the challenges and realities that they experience as members of their respective generations.
 
The "Children and Youth" working group was re-established at the meeting after not having existed for several years. It is made up of those responsible for working with young people from most of the Central Conference countries. Ivana Pastor from Serbia and Cedric Zangger from Switzerland are co-chairing the group.
 
"There was a great willingness on the part of the Executive Committee to support and promote work with children and young people," says Cedric Zangger, describing his impression of the exchange. This created a constructive and benevolent basis for further cooperation between the working group and the Executive Committee.
 
"For our work in Switzerland, I take away the fact that international cooperation leads to mutually valuable impulses for our work with children and young people," says Cedric Zangger. Serge Frutiger underlines the importance of this experience. It is important to make networking in the countries of the Central Conference tangible for young people.
 
"Many of those who are involved in the Executive Committee today had these experiences in their youth," says Serge Frutiger. They were influenced by international Methodism beyond national borders. "Many of us suffered from the fact that this didn't happen for a few years." The new start was therefore also a very emotional moment. "I think that touched us all quite deeply and outshone the whole conference as a highlight."
 
Another focus, also very much in the spirit of a new beginning, was the continued work on new working methods within the committee. This had already begun at the last meeting of the Executive Committee. "We started to ask ourselves fundamental questions about the working groups: How did they come about? What is their task? Why do they exist? How do they work together?"
 
The discussions took place in small groups. "It was very relaxed and also more fruitful than always having discussions in large groups," says Serge Frutiger. It was also easier to participate in the small group. After all, English is a foreign language for everyone at the table. Especially for people who speak English less well, it is easier to take part in a discussion in a group of five than in a large plenary session.
 
Time and again, the exchange has shown that The Methodist Church faces the same challenges and questions, despite the differences in the individual countries. Social issues such as migration, new lifestyles and family models, generational issues, the widening gap between rich and poor, ecological issues and the prospect of an uncertain future, dealing with social media and other topics pose a challenge for church work in all countries.
 
In all countries, The United Methodist Church is also faced with the question of how people can be recruited for the pastoral ministry. "What has long been an issue in Switzerland is now also becoming increasingly challenging in the Eastern countries: recruiting young or older people as pastors." This is linked to questions about appropriate training. "How much theology is needed - and how much 'heart or character building' - for these people to be able to lead a congregation?"
 
The interaction between younger and older people in the worship services was also a major topic, continues Serge Frutiger. How does that work? What is important? - He gives the example of a young woman from Hungary: this young adult repeatedly attends a Roman-Catholic worship service. This service is organized in a classic liturgical way. This does not correspond to what she would otherwise choose.
 
However, the sermon is appealing and the priest offers a special feature at the end of the service: "There is a 'question and answer session'." Visitors can then ask their questions. "And what impresses the young woman is that the priest doesn't have an answer for everything." The Methodists she knows are different. They often have an answer to almost everything. "But it's good for her that this priest doesn't always have an answer," says Serge Frutiger, "and that's typical for young people in our context, too."
 
The special way in which the joint devotions were organized was also an important part of the new commonality. Bozena Daszuta from Poland and Pastor Erica Stalcup from Lausanne had focused on three countries from the Central Conference each day along the four cardinal points. "They had requested songs from these countries in advance. We then sang these songs - sometimes from Albania or North Macedonia or Poland..." In each case, the people from the respective countries led everyone else. "Those were very beautiful and unifying moments," says Serge Frutiger. "These spiritual celebrations brought us together as a community and touched us deeply." A new beginning.
 
Authors: Sigmar Friedrich, Serge Frutiger, Lea Hafner (Switzerland)