“…be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10
MARCHA is the national Hispanic/Latino Caucus of The United Methodist Church (UMC) and the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico. Its mission is to be an instrument of advocacy and support to guarantee that the contributions and cultural values of the Hispanic/Latino community are appreciated in the church and the society. MARCHA advocates that the UMC focus on the poor and racial ethnic ministries. MARCHA works in partnership with the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches in Latin America and the Caribbean (CIEMAL) to advocate for and represent the voice of the autonomous Methodist Churches of the region in relationship with the UMC.
MARCHA LAMENTS, the irreconcilable positions that have divided our church to the point of schism. Nevertheless, MARCHA welcomes the Protocol of Grace and Reconciliation through Separation as an opportunity for the UMC to move beyond disagreements on the issue of inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, and as a necessary step to end the harm caused to those individuals in our church’s history. As in previous separations such as the autonomy of central conferences of Latin America, it is an opportunity for contextualization and collaboration in mission, despite differences in practices or doctrines.
MARCHA BELIEVES, that the UMC Post-Separation will be a church fully inclusive of our rich diversity of cultures, ethnicities, traditions, backgrounds, gender identities, theological perspectives and biblical interpretations. Therefore, MARCHA encourages the Hispanic/Latino churches to remain part of the UMC, yet it supports the self determination of those churches to make their own decision.
MARCHA SUPPORTS, the financial agreements recommended by the Protocol. MARCHA believes that the financial support proposed for racial ethnic ministries is a necessary step to continue to address the historical participation of the UMC and its predecessors in institutional racism. This commitment started with the creation of the National Plan for Hispanic Latino Ministry and continues through this day. MARCHA believes that the allocation of financial support for Africa University is a step to address the ongoing need of leadership development in the continent of Africa. MARCHA will continue to support equitable sharing of resources throughout the UMC to benefit groups and regions that have been under supported, including the proposal for creation of additional episcopal areas in Africa.
MARCHA AFFIRMS, the principles of the Christmas Covenant legislation introduced by central conferences to establish a self-determining and equitable structure for the UMC by transforming the Central Conferences into Regional Conferences. MARCHA supports the legislation introduced by the Connectional Table (CT) to create a US Regional Conference. MARCHA believes that this structural change creates the opportunity for contextualization of the ministry of the UMC in the United States in parallel with the contextualization of ministry already in place through the central conferences.
MARCHA ADVOCATES, for the voice of minorities to be heard and valued in the UMC. MARCHA will continue to advocate and support the Hispanic/Latino churches in the UMC and in other Methodist denominations to be created as proposed by the Protocol. MARCHA will continue to work with racial ethnic caucuses and white allies to address the issues of institutional racism, white privilege and white supremacy in the church and the society.
Executive Committee, MARCHA Consejo Directivo
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