First Commissioned GMC Pastor in England: A New Witness in the Land of Birth of Methodism
BARCELONA, SPAIN. In a moment rich with both history and hope, Bishop Mark Webb commissioned Flerida Ruth Bala as a Supply Pastor during the inaugural gathering of the Western Europe Emerging Area of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) in Barcelona, Spain on October 25, 2025.
Bishop Mark Webb (center), joined by Rev. John Weston (1st left) and Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle (2nd left), prays over and commissions Ruth Bala as a Supply Pastor in Barcelona, Spain. Photo courtesy of Pastor Ruth Bala.
Describing the event on his Facebook page, Bishop Webb wrote, “Today, we had the joy of experiencing the ordination of two elders and one deacon, the recognition of existing elders, and the commissioning of several supply pastors.” Among the elders who were recognized was Rev. Rory Tolentino, also of the Mega Manila Annual Conference, who serves as a missionary in Barcelona alongside his family.
Pastor Ruth reflected on that moment with deep emotion:
“I felt the holy presence of God envelop me—a gentle reminder that this calling is not my own but His. In that sacred moment, my heart bowed in reverence as His Spirit affirmed, ‘I have chosen and equipped you.’ It was a deep stirring of surrender and awe, knowing that His grace alone empowers me to serve His people faithfully.”
The commissioning marked a new chapter in the GMC’s growing presence across Western Europe, as God continues to raise leaders from diverse nations to rekindle the Wesleyan flame in the very continent where it first began. Bishop Webb affirmed, “I’m blessed by the faithful and passionate spirit I witness in the clergy and laity who are stepping into becoming the Western Europe Area of the Global Methodist Church.”
“I felt the holy presence of God envelop me—a gentle reminder that this calling is not my own but His. In that sacred moment, my heart bowed in reverence as His Spirit affirmed, “I have chosen and equipped you.” It was a deep stirring of surrender and awe, knowing that His grace alone empowers me to serve His people faithfully.”
Also instrumental was Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle, interim leader of the Western Europe Emerging Area, who worked closely with Pastor Luther Oconer, conference superintendent of the Mega Manila Annual Conference, in the months leading up to the event. Their correspondence paved the way for Pastor Ruth’s inclusion among those commissioned—an affirmation of her calling and the fruit of growing partnerships between Mega Manila and the emerging European field.
A Historic First in England
With her commissioning, Pastor Bala becomes the first active Global Methodist pastor in England—the country where John and Charles Wesley once preached the message of scriptural holiness that transformed a nation.
She now leads Empowered Methodist Christian Mission (EMCM), the first GMC congregation in England. This small yet vibrant community of Filipino migrant workers and their families gathers weekly in a home in Surrey. Though their number is just over twenty and steadily growing, their fellowship radiates warmth, prayerfulness, and steadfast devotion—echoing the spirit of the early Methodist societies that met in homes across England more than two centuries ago.
Recognizing this pioneering witness, the Mega Manila Annual Conference Cabinet recently designated the Surrey fellowship as a mission congregation of New Life Church in Arayat, Pampanga in the Philippines. The connection between these two communities runs deep: Vida Mei Rivera, Council Chair of New Life and Mega Manila’s P.O.W.E.R. Ministries chair, grew up in London and was very instrumental in the formation EMCM.
Through this partnership, the flame of Filipino Methodism burns once again in England—bridging the birthplace of the movement with one of its most dynamic global expressions.
Bishop Mark Webb presents the newly ordained and commissioned pastors of the Western Europe Emerging Area. Pastor Ruth Bala (front row, left) was the only woman in the group. Photo: Bishop Mark Webb/Facebook.
From Isabela to London
Born and raised in San Manuel, Isabela Province, and the daughter of the late Rev. and Mrs. Emilio Bala, Pastor Ruth considers St. John Methodist Church Cubao in Quezon City, her spiritual home, where her sister, Deaconess Emilisa Curato, continues to serve faithfully.
Pastor Ruth, a nurse by profession who still works night shifts at a hospital in London, is part of the great Filipino diaspora that has helped shape modern Britain. Having arrived in the United Kingdom twenty-three years ago, she represents the nearly 200,000 Filipinos who live and work across the country—many of whom serve faithfully in hospitals, care homes, and other essential sectors. She is also the proud mother of her daughter, Stephanie, who has witnessed firsthand her mother’s faith and perseverance.
Yet beyond her vocation as a nurse, another calling began to stir deep within Ruth’s heart. Three years ago, she became one of the first students of a special online program of Wesley Divinity School—a seminary in the Philippines under her former denomination—created to equip overseas Filipino workers who were discerning God’s call to ministry.
When news of St. John Methodist Church’s decision to disaffiliate from its former denomination reached her in March 2023, Ruth felt the Lord affirm that same call. Together with other hardworking Spirit-filled leaders, she stepped out in faith to help organize a small group of Filipino Methodists living on the outskirts of London who met from house to house for prayer, fellowship, and worship a year later. What began as a humble gathering of believers eventually became a thriving fellowship—proof that God often calls the willing long before they feel ready.
On August 16, 2025, this congregation was formally launched as a mission church of the Global Methodist Church during their family camp in Dorking by Pastor Luther Oconer and Vida Mei Rivera. It was during this same camp that Ruth had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit, leading her to fully surrender and accept God’s call to pastoral ministry.
Reflecting on Pastor Ruth’s call to the ministry and her congregation, Pastor Oconer shared:
“I praise the Lord for Ruth’s obedience. She was at first reluctant to take on the role when I visited them last August, but she is clearly called of God. I’m excited about our congregation in Surrey—it may be small, but it represents something much larger. It’s a sign that God is reviving the Methodist spirit in England through the faithful witness of Filipino believers.”
From Surrey and Beyond
Pastor Ruth’s journey reflects a growing pattern seen across the Middle East, where many Filipino overseas workers have discovered God’s call while living and laboring abroad. From Qatar to the United Arab Emirates, GMC congregations have emerged through ordinary men and women who responded to an extraordinary invitation.
Her story reminds us that God raises missionaries even from among believers in the mission field. What began as a movement of migrant workers has blossomed into a global missionary wave—raising pastors and lay leaders who embody the Wesleyan vision of spreading scriptural holiness throughout the world.
The commissioning service in Barcelona—where Pastor Ruth Bala was recognized—marks a new chapter for the Global Methodist Church in Western Europe. From a living room in Surrey to sanctuaries across the continent, the Wesleyan flame burns anew through the faithful witness of Filipino believers who bring the gospel wherever they go.
In the land where Methodism was born, a new awakening is quietly taking root—carried by those whose hearts, like John Wesley’s, have been “strangely warmed” by the Spirit of God.
