A Statement on the Judicial Council’s Cote d’Ivoire Decision from R. Randy Day, General Secretary, General Board of Global Ministries

In the wake of the Judicial Council decision regarding the status of The United Methodist Church in Cote d’Ivoire, the concern of the General Board of Global Ministries is for the wonderful United Methodist people of the West African country. Regardless of the issue of the size of their 2008 General Conference delegation, the United Methodists of Cote d’Ivoire are part of the people called United Methodist and we love and respect them.

I deeply regret that the internal United Methodist contest over general conference delegates came to focus on a people of such spiritual vigor and cooperative faith. Bishop Benjamin Boni and the church leaders in Cote d’Ivoire maintained a dignified silence as the United Methodist legal bureaucracy made decisions about them without ever consulting them.

The United Methodists of Cote d’Ivoire are our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus! Their initial and only request was to be a part of the global United Methodist Church, and by God’s grace they are. The General Board of Global Ministries thanks God for Bishop Boni and his people. We shall continue to work enthusiastically with them in Christian witness and service. They too are disciples, co-workers with Christ through the church.