Our core mission is to serve as a fellowship of local GMC congregations across Uganda, united in advancing evangelism and discipleship while intentionally addressing the unique needs and challenges of indigenous communities within a traditional Methodist framework.
The church was founded by three visionary promoters who, together with ten like-minded pastors and leaders, formed a board of 13 members. These ten pastors actively lead evangelism and discipleship efforts in several parts of Eastern Uganda, serving as the foundation for a growing fellowship of local congregations.
The idea of Grace Methodist Church emerged from the recognition that being a mission-dependent church, solely reliant on the GMC headquarters in the USA and the broader GMC fraternity for support, was no longer viable. In the modern era, sustainability became a guiding principle for organizations worldwide, including the church. Additionally, the post-pandemic context highlighted the need for churches to adapt to new social, cultural, and spiritual realities.
Recognizing these challenges, the three promoters envisioned a healthy, culturally relevant, and self-sustaining Methodist church in Uganda. A key aspect of this vision was leadership and governance. While the GMC provides a Bishop and global oversight, it was imperative for Ugandan congregations to exercise self-governance and autonomy. Local churches were empowered to:
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Choose their own leadership based on skill, integrity, and God-fearing character.
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Exercise self-governance, making decisions without reliance on external bureaucracy or top-down mandates.
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Ensure leaders were mature disciples, actively living out their faith and modeling discipleship in daily life.
This approach marked a shift from a centralized, mission-dependent model to a locally driven, sustainable church structure, enabling Grace Methodist Church to grow as a vital, culturally attuned, and spiritually robust fellowship across Uganda.