December 1997, marks the centennial anniversary of Methodism in Zimbabwe. The celebration of this event suggests that The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe is becoming more aware of its distinctive history and traditions. This book is intended to assist that process by describing the origin, development, and current status of The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe and its growing involvement in God's mission in Africa.

The book is organized in three parts. Part I, "The Church in Missionary Thrust (1897-1921)," traces the origins of Methodism in Zimbabwe through the work of Western missionaries, particularly Bishop Joseph Hartzell, who arrived in Old Mutare in 1897. Part II, "The Church as an Institution (1921-1945)," shows how the predecessor bodies of The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe reached a point of institutional maturity, beginning with the ordination of the first African, David Mandisodza, in 1921.

Part III, "The Church in Mission (1945-1997)," describes the development of a new self-consciousness in The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, as it grew from its origins as a mission church to become a church in mission with other churches throughout the newly independent countries of Africa.