Author: nafaum

NAFAUM Young Leaders Summit: An Invitation

Kamusta!

On behalf of the NAFAUM Young People, I’m inviting you to the NAFAUM Young Leaders Summit. The theme is “God is on the Move…” and more information can be found on our website and FAQ.

General information:

What: NAFAUM Young Leaders Summit
When: Wednesday-Saturday, August 2-5, 2023
Where: Christ United Methodist Church in Honolulu, Hawaii
Who: Filipino United Methodist youth (rising 6th graders-rising 12th graders) and young adults (ages 18-29) based in the United States and Canada
How: submit the registration form and pay the registration fee on our website

This will be the second time the NAFAUM Convocation will be held in Hawaii since 1993, and the very first time the NAFAUM Young Leaders Summit will be held. The purpose of this event is to gather young Filipino United Methodists from around the United States and Canada. For Christmas Institute (CI) locations who participated in the CI USA Worship Service in 2020, this is a great opportunity to reunite in person. Young people who submit the registration form and pay the early bird registration fee will be considered for scholarships.

If interested in leadership opportunities, then we’re looking for other young people to be members of two leadership teams: the NAFAUM YP Exec Team, and the NAFAUM YLS Activities Team. They’re responsible for working together to represent the NAFAUM Young People before and/or during the NAFAUM Young Leaders Summit.

Lastly, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

God bless,

Kristina De Jesus
NAFAUM YLS Overall Coordinator

A CALL FOR UNITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD

We, the National Association of Filipino American United Methodists, are committed to the mission and unity of The United Methodist Church. The basis of our primary commitment to unity is Jesus Christ who prayed for the unity of His Church in the Gospel of John 17.

We join with the Council of Bishops in affirming that “Christ’s prayer for our unity and command to gather all to the table, to make space for one another, appreciate one another, and look for Christ in each other, prohibit us from creating individual tables only for those who think, act, look, and perceive the world like we do. We cannot be a church that fractures its identity and commitment to Christ by aligning itself with political parties. We cannot be a traditional church or a progressive church or a centrist church. We cannot be a gay or straight church….”

Instead, “we must be one people, rooted in Scripture, centered in Christ, serving in love and united in the essentials.” Those who claimed exclusivity that their theology is the only correct theology and push the rest to the margins or even silence those who disagree, is the way of the world.

We are saddened by the decision of some of our Filipino-American colleagues and friends to leave The United Methodist Church to join the Global Methodist Church (GMC). We all know that even before the GMC was launched as a new denomination, the NAFAUM already gave birth and organized the Global Filipino United Methodist Movement (GFUMM). We still have our leaders of the GFUMM all over the world.

Therefore, we encourage our NAFAUM community including our Filipino churches in diaspora not to join the GMC. For while they are still sisters and brothers in Christ, the GMC is no longer part of The United Methodist Church connection. We wish them well, but we will continue to strengthen the NAFAUM and the GFUMM all over the world.

As we move forward, we are committed to keep the main thing the main thing– the centrality of our faith in Jesus Christ who draws us into profound community with one another in love and unity to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to participate in God’s on-going mission to redeem and restore a broken and a hurting world.

We are “committed to strengthening every local church, where the Word is preached and Christ is offered, and where the table is set before all who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”

As Pentecost people, may the power of the Holy Spirit unleash into us as we commit to remain together in “one big tent” called The United Methodist Church as we embody the radical love of God in Christ Jesus where everyone including “traditionalists, progressives, centrists and LGBTQ persons will find a home.”

Rev. Edgar De Jesus

President, NAFAUM

2023 Convocation Theme: “God is on the move…”

NAFAUM 2023 CONVOCATION Overall Theme: “GOD IS ON THE MOVE…”

NAFAUM 17th Convocation
Overall Theme: “GOD IS ON THE MOVE…”
Biblical Text: Matthew 14:22-33

As we gather on the Hawaiian shores for such a time as this, Matthew’s narrative calls each of us outside the places we feel comfortable, to leave the shore behind, and go onto the open seas with Jesus. As we go, Jesus is never far away. We are called forth as to discover and re-discover God who is on the move!

Day 1 God Is On the Move—Pagdiriwang “Leaving the Shore Behind” (Matthew 14:22-24)
Day 2 God Is On the Move– Paglago “Discovering Jesus” (Matthew 14:25-29)
Day 3 God Is On the Move– Pagkakaisa “Trusting Jesus” (Matthew 14:29-31)
Day 4 God Is On the Move– Paghayo “Following Jesus” (Matthew 14:32-33)

Despite the uncertainties of our time and the current turbulence within our denomination, we as a movement of Filipino American United Methodists, are moving forward and declaring “to keep the main thing the main thing” – the centrality of our faith in Jesus Christ—His life, death and resurrection. We will gather in Hawaii for the NAFAUM 17th Convocation affirming the foundational mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ so that the world will be transformed.

From the very beginning, the Wesleyan movement’s missional charge is, from the words of John Wesley, “to reform the nation and, in particular, the Church; and to spread scriptural holiness over the land.” At the very core of who we are as a people called Methodists and whose we are as people of God, we are mandated to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to participate in God’s ongoing mission to redeem and restore a broken world. We will gather in Hawaii challenging our movement that we are indeed called to be the “people on the move” with God!

Registration

Please take note of the following dates:

  • Early Bird Registration up to May 31, 2023-$100
  • Regular Registration from June 1-July 15, 2023-$125
  • Day Pass Registration-$50
  • NAFAUM Membership Dues-$20 (2023-2024)
  • July 15, 2023 – Last day of regular registration and payment.

Registration Fee

Early bird registration fee is $100 until May 31, 2023. After that, registration fee will be $125 until July 15, 2023.

The registration fee covers program materials, access to entire convocation including Talks & Leadership Workshops, meals (3 lunches, 2 dinners & Hawaiian Luau) and NAFAUM membership fees for 2023 & 2024. Convocation participants are responsible for their own airfare, lodging, breakfast and transportation to and from the convocation venue.

Please note that those who register online that are Youth & Young Adults are automatically registered for the Young Leaders Summit. There is no need to register separately.

Scholarships will be offered to Youth & Young Adults who will attend the Young Leaders Summit.

Payment may be made via PayPal, which also accepts credit cards. To use this option, please click on the PayPal button after the registration form.

Payment by check: Write a check to NAFAUM and send it to NAFAUM Treasurer, 1908 Firethorn Court, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Each adult participant is responsible for hotel accommodation, airfare, and transportation to and from Honolulu.

Continue reading “Registration”

Join us at the 17th NAFAUM Convocation & Young Leaders Summit

Warm greetings in the Name of our Risen Savior Jesus Christ! The NAFAUM 17th Convocation & Young Leaders Summit will be held on August 2-5, 2023 at Christ UMC, Honolulu, Hawaii with the theme: “God Is On the Move…” (Matthew 14:22-33).

Hawaii is a global destination and home to the second largest Filipino population in the United States. Missionally, we have thriving Filipino congregations in Hawaii and 1993 was the last time we held the Convocation on the Hawaiian shores. We are excited, resilient and hopeful about our future as Filipino and Filipino American United Methodists. We will gather in Hawaii for the NAFAUM 17th Convocation affirming the foundational mission of the church “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

Therefore, I would like to invite you, your family and your congregation to come join us for the NAFAUM 17th Convocation & Young Leaders Summit. Early Bird Registration ends May 31st and Regular Registration ends July 15th. Please register now at www.nafaum.org. Limited number of rooms are available in Pagoda Hotel https://pagodahotel.com at discounted rate (group code: NAFAUM). Daily transportation between Pagoda Hotel and the Convocation venue will be provided. Make your hotel reservations now while rooms are available.

Your prayers and support signify the strength and resolve of our shared mission, ministries and connectionalism, as people called Methodists, to expand our global outreach in terms of discipleship, plant new faith communities, revitalize existing congregations and transform our communities for Christ’s sake.

May the Lord richly bless you and your ministry!

Grace & Peace,

Rev. Edgar De Jesus
President, NAFAUM