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The Liberia Annual Conference, United Methodist Church is one of Liberia’s largest Christian denominations with a strong geographical presence in almost all parts of the country. The church follows the Wesley Tradition as other denominations like African Methodist, Methodist Episcopal, Weslayan, and Methodist Episcopal Zion, all of whom are in Liberia. The Annual Conference here in Liberia is part of the West Africa Central Conference that has four Annual Conferences and one Provisional Conference. The other Annual Conferences includes Sierra Leone Annual Conference, Nigeria Annual Conference, Cote D’Ivoire Annual Conference, Senegal Annual Conference and the Cameroon Provisional Conference. The Annual Conference has twenty one Districts all across Liberia. A District in the United Methodist Church is a collection of local churches in a particular area. Such collection can range from 10 to 40 churches. The Annual Conference has about five hundred local churches in these 21 Districts. The largest of all the Districts is Monrovia District named after the Capital City of Liberia with churches primarily in "Montserrado", the province where the Capital City is situated. The Liberia Annual Conference, United Methodist Church has several Departments through which ministry of outreach and service are channeled to the Liberian people. There are about 21 Departments including those for health, education, development, evangelism, human rights, discipleship, children, youth and young adults, elderly, women and the list goes on. Each department is headed by a director and operates from the United Methodist Central Office located on 13th Street, Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia. The church is well respected for generous services she provides for the people of Liberia especially in the area of health and education. As a matter of fact, the first ever high school started in Liberia, called the College of West Africa, established in the early 1800’s is owned by the United Methodist Church. The school is still in Operation today. The church also owns one of Liberia’s largest and only hospital in Northern Liberia known as the Ganta United Methodist Hospital located in Nimba County. There are other health centers and over 100 schools throughout the country. There are also about five mission stations where holistic ministries are carried out in strategic areas of the country to include Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa Counties. History The United Methodist Church arrived in Liberia with the first settlers, free slaves that arrived on the shores of Liberia in 1822[http:www.liberia history.org slaves]. However, the church officially began in 1844. It has been under the leadership of several bishops, many of whom were African Americans until 1960, when Liberia got her first indigenous Bishop in person of Rev. Stephen Trowen Nagbe. There have been thee other bishops after Rev. Nagbe including the current Bishop, Rev. Dr. John G. Innis