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In 1857 Methodist missionaries from the US came to Bulgaria. They were received hospitably by the Turks who ruled the country at the time. But they did not merely set up new congregations. It was also one of these missionaries, Dr. Albert Long, who translated the Bible in modern Bulgarian language, thus making the Word of God accessible to the Bulgarian population in general for the first time. By choosing the East-Bulgarian dialect for this translation he tremendously influenced the Bulgarian literature of the following 50 years and even the creation of an official national language. In the years that followed, Methodist girls' and boys' schools were founded, contributing to the literacy of the country. However, in spite of the success and significance of this early pioneering work, the history of the UMC in Bulgaria in the following decades was like a roller coaster, and, often enough, the Church had to fight for survival.
The period of Communist rule from 1947 to 1989 began with a terrible persecution of all Churches in the country, and was an especially dark era. Many pastors were beaten, thrown into prison for long periods, or even murdered. A law implemented at the time nominally provided for religious freedom, but in reality it rendered practically all church work impossible. All contact between the UMC in Bulgaria and the international Church was prohibited.
Following the political opening of the country in 1990, only three of the original 16 congregations still existed, and the pastors were either old and frail, or had already passed away. In spite of this, the UMC was able to reorganize, and relations were renewed with the Central Conference of Central and Southern Europe and with the supervising bishop.
Since then, the Church has been growing continuously, thanks to God's grace and the tireless efforts of many lay people and a few pastors from the new generation. In many places where earlier Methodist congregations once existed, new work is being done after an interruption of many decades.
In carrying out missionary and service work, the UMC in Bulgaria has not forgotten that it has been a minority church since its founding. For one thing, this is reflected in the fact that the Gospel is not only proclaimed in Bulgarian but also in Turkish, Armenian and at least two Roma dialects. Muslim people (after decades of atheist teachings, this is more an ethnic and cultural reference than a religious one) also learn about Jesus Christ in various ways. With God’s help, the UMC in Bulgaria managed to become a model of peaceful coexistence and collaboration of people belonging to various ethnic groups. This is a very important Christian witness in a region still challenged by ethnic and religious tensions.
Social projects such as soup kitchens, literacy courses, children and youth day care centers, prison work, etc. are a proof that many people have internalized: It is impossible to be a credible Church without providing such services for the poor and the minorities.
It may not show outwardly, but many members of the UMC in Bulgaria are poor. The massive economic changes since 1989 have, for the most part, worsened their situation. Thus the existence of the Church and its credible service among the people continue to present a challenge that should not be underestimated.
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