Methodist Church Makes History
(From the July - September 2021 issue of VOX)
The Methodist Church in Ireland made history when the Rev. Dr. Sahr Yambasu was installed as President - the first national leader of colour in a ‘mainstream’ church in Ireland.
Born in Sierra Leone in 1957, Dr. Yambasu trained as a minister in Ireland. His wife Clodagh Yambasu from Longford is also a Methodist minister. They returned to Sierra Leone after their marriage but came back to Ireland in 1995 at the time of the civil war. Dr. Yambasu ministers in Waterford, while his wife oversees a parish in Birr, Co. Offaly.
Rev Dr Yambasu said, “The Bible tells us that all human beings are created in the image of God. That means all human beings are created equal, with the same innate dignity, worth and sanctity of soul. Accordingly, no human being is more human than another because of their colour, nationality, gender, social, economic and religious status, intellect, education or accomplishments.
“As a church, we are often more exercised about the shade of paint on a church wall, what doctrines we teach, what denomination we belong to, what interpretation is correct than we are with the value and equality of every human being.
“The Black Lives Matter movement, the rise in popularity of right wing thinking, the hostile attitude towards migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and Muslims, the continuing disparity in pay and leadership roles between men and women and the rampant discrimination and racism in the workplace point to the fact that some human beings are not recognised, respected and valued in the same way as others. If by the end of my Presidential year, people begin to think a little bit more about these themes in the light of their calling to follow Christ, I will consider it a success.”
In his inaugural address, Dr. Yambasu reflected on the example of the late Senator Gordon Wilson’s message of forgiveness after losing his daughter Marie in the Enniskillen bomb of 1987.
“What would our church look like if she worked for the healing of divided nations and peoples; if she only thought, desired and did things that glorified God, her Father; if she only spoke the words God gave her to speak to heal the wounded, broken and scarred hearts and lives? What would our church look like if our primary concern was with the welfare of people?”
