Celebrating the Fund for Mission in Europe

Across Europe, Methodist communities are living out the Gospel in contexts shaped by migration, inequality, ageing populations and shifting political landscapes. The Fund for Mission in Europe (FMiE), administered by the European Methodist Council, is one of the quiet mechanisms enabling this ministry to flourish. Each year, the Methodist Church in Britain (MCB) contributes £30,000 through the World Mission Fund—an investment that strengthens relationships, upholds vulnerable communities, and nurtures shared discipleship across borders.

Impacts that reaches communities often left at the edges

Over the past year the fund has supported ministry and mission work in 15 countries, responding to local priorities identified by local leaders. Projects range from diaconal work with Roma communities in Hungary, literacy programmes in Ukraine, community building in Latvia, to home-care for isolated older people in North Macedonia. In Albania, Methodist congregations run early intervention centres for children with disabilities – challenging stigma with dignity, patient support and advocacy.

These ministries are expressions of hope rooted in local leadership, cultural understanding and deep relationships. FMiE funding enables churches to employ trained staff, run programmes safely and offer practical resources which would otherwise be out of reach.

As we learn from these projects, we also recognize the deep resonances between the responses of our European Methodist siblings and our own, reminding us that we grow stronger when we learn from one another. Some examples of projects funded are:

Building Inclusive Youth Ministry in Italy

Many Methodist congregations in Italy are very multicultural and international. This project funds a Ghanaian Methodist Youth Coordinator whose role is to enhance collaboration between the Italian and Ghanaian young people of our churches so that the churches aim of ‘Being Church Together’ can become an even greater reality of community life. The project would like to support young people to live their faith in a Church that enables them to be themselves in their own tradition, culture of feeling. This project demonstrates a commitment to by affirming cultural identity and building unity across diverse communities.

Diaconia Centre in Pogradec, Albania

The Diaconia Centre in Pogradec serves the local community, especially older people, offering a daily place of companionship, warmth and support. The small centre is run by the United Methodist Church in cooperation with a local association for disabled people and people with special needs, providing advice, practical help, and a welcoming space where visitors can spend time together. Many participants rely on the centre through the winter months, when they do not have sufficient heating at home or cannot afford it, making it a vital lifeline for dignity and wellbeing.

Strengthening the Future of Methodism

Many supported projects focus on building long‑term sustainability: training young leaders, supporting pastors whose congregations cannot yet fund full salaries, helping churches experiment with new worshipping communities and enabling shared learning across diverse contexts. In regions where economic hardship could easily diminish the presence of small congregations, this support keeps local witness alive.

For the Methodist Church in Britain, contributing to FMiE is a commitment to our shared calling as an international Methodist family—one that challenges us to see Europe not only through the lens of prosperity, but through the realities of migration, marginalisation and resilience. In doing so we participate in learning from creative ministry in post‑Soviet contexts; joining churches that accompany refugees and displaced families; standing with communities rebuilding trust, identity and opportunity. This is mission shaped by humility, shared discipleship and the belief that God is already at work across Europe—and we are invited to join in.

The full Fund for Mission in Europe Project Overview for 2025 can be read by clicking here