Methodists dedicate new centre

Today is a big day for the Methodist Church. A flag raising ceremony was held this afternoon to honor the 8 countries represented in the church’s 32nd Connexional Conference, which Belize is hosting for the first time. And today the church laid the cornerstone of the John and Charles Wesley Educational, Social and Cultural Centre. It is hoped that before the end of this year, everyone will be able to use the new multi-purpose building.

Brenda Armstrong, Lay Delegate, Belize/ Honduras District

“This centre is for the community. We hope that we will be able to do adult education here at the centre, provide classes in things like food and nutrition, home economics. It will house a medical clinic, which will be open to the public, which is a service that the Methodist Church is hoping to expand its work into and it should have rooms for rental. I hope business places will come in and use the space that is provided. It is centrally located and it is also an aesthetic gift to Belize.”

“This project is the result of the effort of Methodists and friends of Methodists across the globe. We have had contributions from the British church, the Irish Methodist Church, United Methodist Church of the United States. Several work teams have come. If you would have passed through, you might have seen people laying bricks and here in Belize, our own Methodist congregations across the length and breath of the country have shared. The Wesley congregation has particularly been supportive of it, but if you would know for instance, that $150,000 is below the ground alone in piling and so on, and that has come to us from the British church. So we’ve had the help of a lot of people and we’re truly grateful for that.”

And perhaps guided by the religious spirit, Prime Minister Said Musa and Leader of the Opposition, Dean Barrow were on hand for the ceremonies on Albert Street today.