El Salvador

Iglesia Evangélica Metodista en El Salvador (The Evangelical Methodist Church in El Salvador)

The Evangelical Methodist Church in El Salvador (IEMES) is a small but vibrant, mission-driven community working in socially complex and often violent contexts.

Its current priorities include protecting vulnerable children and youth from gang involvement through crime prevention and holistic support.

The church also provides vital healthcare services via medical clinics, offering low-cost, quality care alongside spiritual support.

Women’s empowerment is central, addressing the country’s high rates of femicide.

IEMES runs a Methodist school serving over 500 students and their families, focusing on academic, emotional, and spiritual development.

The church is committed to transparency, community sensitivity, and organizational sustainability.

Methodism in El Salvador traces its roots to 1939, when Elizabeth Francis began work in Pedregal, Juan Diaz.

Initially supported by the Free Methodist mission, the church grew rapidly, reaching 82 members by early 1940.

Despite challenges like malaria and long travel distances, early members worshipped in homes and invited neighbors, fostering community and faith.

The Evangelical Methodist Church as it is known today was formally established in 1994 in Ahuachapán, near the Guatemalan border. Unlike other regional Methodist churches, it was founded by Salvadoran families inspired by Wesleyan spirituality.