PH’s first protestant church celebrates 124th anniversary

THE congregation of Central United Methodist Church (CUMC) celebrated its 124th founding anniversary Sunday, March 5, 2023. It is the first Protestant church in the Philippines located along T.M. Kalaw Street, Ermita, Manila, established on March 5, 1899, during the American Occupation. It was originally named Central Methodist Episcopal Church and was referred to as “The American Church” or the first ever “English Speaking Church” in the Philippines.

The month-long anniversary celebration is inspired by a theme “Growing Together in Faith Until the Day of Christ Jesus” as a joint worship service of all congregations that started at 9 a.m. with Bishop Ruby-Nell M. Estrella as guest speaker.

Bishop Estrella was elected Bishop of the United Methodist Church last November 2022. She holds the distinction of being the first female bishop of the Philippines Central Conference. She has also served as district superintendent under four bishops spanning a period of more than ten years which led to the establishment of the First United Methodist Church in Dubai, the first United Methodist Church in the Middle East. She was also the first woman administrative pastor of the Central United Methodist Church in Manila from 2014-17. Before being elected as bishop, she served as the treasurer of the Philippines Central Conference, the first clergy to be elected in that position.

Communion Sunday in all worship services will be held on March 19. Post-Anniversary Sunday in all worship services following regular worship is scheduled on March 26.