President’s Visit to Italy

Rev David Nixon, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Mr Tom Wilson, Lay Leader and Mr David Nesbitt, World Mission Partnership Coordinator, met with Rev Dr Barry Sloan to visit the Methodist Church in Italy.

Rev Nixon had to return home early to attend the Service of Reflection for the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Belfast on Tuesday 13 September, but, before that, he was able to spend time with Rev Luca Anziani, President of OPCEMI (the Methodist Church in Italy) and visit the offices of L'Otto per Mille. L’Otto per Mille allocates funds exclusively to the implementation of social, healthcare, humanitarian and cultural interventions both in Italy and abroad. Funds are raised through people designating a share of income tax (0.8%) to the church.

David, Tom, Barry and David also visited the offices of Mediterranean Hope, a migration project of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy, and met staff Fiona, Hannah and Julia.

Tom, David and Barry are now in Lampedusa, seeing the work of Mediterranean Hope first-hand.