By Gbayor Charles Gbayor
Freetown, Sierra Leone – October 17, 2025: The President of the College of Bishops, West Africa Central Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC), Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire, Jr., has called on young people and young adults within the denomination to rise up, take their place, and make meaningful contributions to the mission and future of the Church.
Delivering his opening speech at the 2025 Quadrennial Gathering of the Young People’s Ministries in Freetown held under the theme: “Restructuring & Empowering Young People in West Africa.”, Bishop Quire emphasized that young people are not merely the church of tomorrow, but an essential part of the church today.
“You, our young people, irrespective of your cultural and national backgrounds, you all are the heartbeat of this great movement. Through your passion, creativity, commitment, and courage, the light of Christ continues to shine brightly across our nations,” Bishop Quire declared.
The WACC President encouraged the youth to see themselves as agents of transformation, called by God to rise above challenges such as poverty, corruption, and unemployment, and to become instruments of hope and change in their communities.
“Do not wait for permission to make a difference; you already have a divine mandate,” Bishop Quire said, referencing the Apostle Paul’s admonition to Timothy: ‘Let no one despise your youth, but set an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.’
The gathering brought together youth and young adult representatives from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, and other parts of the West Africa Central Conference, under the coordination of Rev. Ahmed Ayuba Ahmed, Acting Coordinator of the WACC Young People Ministries.
Bishop Quire paid tribute to the late Bishop John K. Yambasu, describing him as a “visionary and indispensable theologian of our time” whose legacy continues to inspire the Church’s youth ministries across the region.
Bishop Quire commended Rev. Ahmed Ayuba Ahmed for “boldly and courageously reawakening this noble body” after a 15-year break in the quadrennial gatherings due to COVID-19, leadership transitions, and other challenges within the denomination.
Bishop Quire reflected on the historical role of Methodism in West Africa since 1820, highlighting the Church’s impact on youth leadership development, peacebuilding, gender equality, education, and democratic participation.
“We came and helped to build the enduring religious, cultural, and socio-political harmony enjoyed in West Africa today. We are here to secure and celebrate this heritage and build upon it for a better West Africa,” Bishop Quire noted.
The Liberia Annual Conference Resident Bishop called for unity among young people across the Central Conference, stressing that despite national and cultural differences, United Methodists share “one faith, one hope, one baptism, and one mission.”
Bishop Quire encouraged the youth to explore new frontiers in technology, agriculture, artificial intelligence, peacebuilding, and governance, positioning themselves as assets and ambassadors of the Church in an ever-changing world.
“Your generation has access to tools and opportunities that no other generation has had before — use them to glorify God, transform lives, and defeat poverty, inequality, and injustice,” Bishop Quire urged.
He also reminded the young people that they represent diverse ministries — the Youth and Young Adult Fellowships, Young Women’s Network, and United Methodist Campus Ministries — and called for greater decentralization and integration of their programs to strengthen their collective impact.
Bishop Quire invoked the timeless words of John Wesley, founder of Methodism:
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
Alongside his episcopal colleagues — Bishop James Boyce-Caulker of Sierra Leone and Bishop Ande Emmanuel of Nigeria — Bishop Quire extended blessings to the youth and reaffirmed his belief that “God is not done with West Africa.”
“The same God who parted the Red Sea, who raised Jesus from the dead, is the same God who is calling you to rise and shine. The future belongs to those who trust Him, serve Him, and walk in obedience to His Word. You are that future,” Bishop Quire declared.
The four-day conference called on young United Methodists to rise as bold, faithful, and visionary leaders, committed to driving empowerment, innovation, and mission renewal across the West Africa Central Conference.