Jan. 10 deadline to apply for Ethnic Local Church grant
To strengthen ethnic minority churches as they engage in social justice.


WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jan. 10 is the deadline to apply for an Ethnic Local Church Grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS). The grants program is to strengthen ethnic minority local churches through education, advocacy or leadership training and development as they engage in social justice.

To qualify for grant consideration, applicants must be either:

• a United Methodist local church, district, annual conference, racial/ethnic caucus, or other affiliated ethnic group/organization; or

• an ecumenical group/organization working with and through at least one United Methodist agency or organization, whose program impacts at least one United Methodist ethnic local church.

Two funding periods are available for consideration: Jan. 10 for the March cycle and Aug. 10 for the October cycle. The Ethnic Local Church Committee makes grant recommendations to GBCS’s Board of Directors.

Grant recipients must be programs initiated by or developed in partnership with one or more United Methodist ethnic local churches. Racial/ethnic persons shall be the majority of those served by the program.

The project must focus on needs identified by ethnic local churches as they address one or more chronic social problems or concerns, such as housing, employment, health care, human rights, education, the environment and racism. "The Social Principles" of The United Methodist Church contained in its Book of Discipline, (¶¶s 160-165) can provide more information on denominational social justice positions.

All applicants must have a supervisory board composed of a majority of ethnic persons that shall make all policy decisions.

Each funding request will be considered on its own merits with no required minimum or maximum amount. All funding from GBCS must be used for programmatic components and not for salaries, purchase of equipment, purely administrative costs, and direct delivery of services or building construction.

Intent of the grants program is to provide start-up money. Therefore, priority goes to first-time applicants.

Priority consideration shall be given to programs that are part of a Comprehensive Plan of an Annual Conference.

Applications may be downloaded at Ethnic Local Church Grants or may be obtained from Marvlyn Scott, (202) 488-5643.

Jan. 10 deadline to apply for Human Relations Day grant
To support ministries that respond to non-violent young offenders.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jan. 10 is the deadline to apply for a Human Relations Day Grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS). The grants are to support ministries that respond to non-violent young offenders through education, advocacy or leadership training and development.

Grant funds are raised through The United Methodist Church’s Human Relations Day Special Sunday each year. Special Sundays are an opportunity for United Methodist churches to celebrate the denomination’s connectional work. This day of social action and raising awareness supports the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program.

Human Relations Day happens the Sunday immediately following the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday: Jan. 17 next year. The United Methodist Book of Discipline describes Human Relations Day as a call to "the Church to recognize the right of all God's children in realizing their potential as human beings in relationship with each other."

To qualify for a Human Relations Day grant, the applicant must be either:

• a United Methodist local church, district, annual conference or other affiliated group/organization; or

• an ecumenical group/organization working with and through at least one United Methodist agency or organization, whose program affects at least one United Methodist local church.

Grants are awarded on two funding cycles. Jan. 10 is the deadline for March funding; Aug. 10 for October. Grant decisions are made by GBCS’s Board of Directors.

To be considered for funding, a project must be initiated by or developed in partnership with a United Methodist church. The project must focus on needs of non-violent juvenile youth offenders as they address one or more chronic social problems or concerns, such as housing, employment, health care, human rights, education, the environment and racism.

Applicants must have a supervisory board consisting of a majority of members of The United Methodist Church that shall make all policy decisions.

All funding from GBCS must be used for programmatic components and not for salaries, purchase of equipment, purely administrative costs, and direct delivery of services or building construction.

Intent of the grant is to provide start-up money.

Grant applications are available at Human Relations Day Grant, or by contacting Marvlyn Scott, in the office of Education and Leadership Formation, (202) 488-5643, mscott@umc-gbcs.org
.

Important Hate Crimes Legislation Signed into Law


The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) celebrates the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. More than a decade since it was first introduced, President Obama today signed the act into law. The bill passed the Senate on October 22nd with a bipartisan 68-29 vote and the House on October 8, by a vote of 281-146.

Tragically, each year, thousands of Americans become victims of violent crimes because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevent Act will deter these crimes by directing important federal resources to help local law enforcement fight violent hate crimes, and authorizing federal law enforcement to step in when local officials do not. This important legislation ensures public safety and equal protection under the law from hate crimes.

In addition to greater enforcement and protection from hate crimes, this legislation protects free speech and religious liberty. Support for this legislation has come from across the political and theological spectrum because all people deserve to have equal protection.

The United Methodist Church condemns acts of violence committed against individuals of difference races, ethnicities, and sexual orientation. We urge all people to be proactive in resisting hate and bigotry by creating an atmosphere of love and tolerance. This legislation will help provide the necessary protections for all to live safely in our diverse society.
We celebrate passage of this legislation with millions of Americans who believe that we are all created equal in the image of God, and with the rest of the civil rights community who have worked so hard for its passage.

For more information, contact Bill Mefford , director of civil and human rights, General Board of Church & Society, 100 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 488-5657.

Uncertain times call for alternative action -- Alternative Christmas gift cards feed those who are uncertain about their next meal

National Advance hunger-relief ministry unveils its 2009 alternative Christmas Gift Card


So much is uncertain these days: Domestic and world economy, peace among nations, home ownership, jobs, health care … and for nearly 40 million Americans, their next meal.


Alternative Christmas gifts are a sure way to share the true message and meaning of Christmas with those being honored and those who are in need.

People looking for alternative Christmas gifts that do good for others will feed the hungry when they make honor donations to the Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600), a national, grassroots hunger-relief ministry. For a minimum donation of $12 in honor of a family member or friend, you can provide about 800 servings of fresh, nutritious food to the hungry. Your gift donation will be announced with the Society of St. Andrew’s (SoSA) one-of-a-kind alternative Christmas Gift Donation Card, and you will also receive the card as a thank you and confirmation of how many honor gifts you make.

This year’s card is the fifteenth in a series designed exclusively for SoSA by Virginia liturgical artist Annis McCabe. The full-color, 5 inch by 7 inch card features original art on front and back. Inside is an original, inspirational verse and scripture passages reminding us of the abundance that God has provided to all through the birth of Jesus Christ. This unique card announces your generous gift to feed the hungry in the name of your honorees.

Through their fresh food rescue programs – Gleaning Network, Potato & Produce Project, Harvest of Hope, and Hunger Relief Advocate Initiative – the Society of St. Andrew saves perfectly good, excess produce that will go to waste only because it is less than perfect in appearance. This food is then donated to critical feeding agencies across the country.

“The popularity of this meaningful and relevant alternative Christmas gift program continues to grow,” said Carol Breitinger, communications director for the Society of St. Andrew, “providing more and more servings of fresh food to the hungry each year. Last year over $111,000 was raised, providing seven million servings of food nationwide! This year the need is greater than ever.
“This alternative Christmas gift is perfect for the person who has everything and a super stocking stuffer, too,” offered Breitinger. “No other gift can do so much for so many for so little! And you can finish your gift shopping and greeting card lists in just a few minutes while feeding thousands of hungry Americans.”
Individuals can order SoSA’s Christmas Gift Donation Cards by mail, phone, fax, or online: 800-333-4597; fax at 434-299-5949; email to card@endhunger.org; online at www.endhunger.org/card. SoSA will send the cards and envelopes to the donor to personalize and mail or they will send them on the donor’s behalf to the recipient in time for Christmas. The minimum gift donation for each card is $12. All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.
SoSA also has available order flier and church bulletin insert masters in color and black and white. To receive these digital files call or email Carol Breitinger at 800-333-4597 or mailto:sosapr@endhunger.org
For more information about the Society of St. Andrew and its hunger-relief ministry or Christmas Gift Donation Cards call 800-333-4597, email sosainfo@endhunger.org or go to SoSA’s website at http://www.endhunger.org/.

Dec. 15 deadline to apply for Ethnic Young Adult Summer Internships


May 30 to July 31 in U.S. capital for ages 18 to 22 from United Methodist racial/ethnic minority caucuses.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Deadline to apply for a 2010 Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Summer Internship in Washington, D.C., is Dec. 15. The EYA program is for young adults, ages 18-22, who have an interest in exploring issues of public policy, social justice advocacy and social change.

Sponsored by the United Methodist Inter-Ethnic Strategy Development Group (IESDG) and administered by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), interns will work in social justice placements in the U.S. capital from May 30 to July 31, 2010.

IESDG is a coalition of the denomination’s five racial/ethnic minority caucuses: Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans (MARCHA), the Native American International Caucus (NAIC), the National Federation of Asian American United Methodists (NFAAUM), and the Pacific Islander National Caucus of United Methodists (PINCUM).

Interns will live in Christian community. Work placements will be supplemented by evening intern-led devotions, Friday seminars on topics of social justice concern, area field trips and Sunday worship in area United Methodist churches. Participants must commit to participating in these activities.

The intern group will experience the rich diversity of The United Methodist Church by visiting a different congregation each Sunday. Congregations will reflect diversity in worship style as well as ethnicity.

Concern for social justice
Applicants must be in good academic standing at their college or university, demonstrate evidence of their concern for social justice through extracurricular activity, academic study and have some history of involvement in their church and/or community.

If employed full-time, applicants must show active leadership and participation in their local church and community, including involvement in social justice activities.

IESDG and GBCS will provide round-trip transportation to and from Washington, D.C.; housing for the eight-week EYA Internship; commuter stipend for travel to intern work sites; and $1,500 for each intern for the eight-week period.

Ethnic Local Church Grant
EYA is funded through GBCS’s Ethnic Local Church Grant program.

Participants are expected to return to their schools, churches and communities with an increased commitment to working with and on behalf of marginalized groups in society. Participants are also expected to share their experience with other persons from their community, school and church.

Application form is available at EYA Internship Program.

For more information, contact the Rev. Neal Christie, assistant general secretary, Education & Leadership Formation, General Board of Church & Society, 100 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 488-5611 or the Rev. L.A. McCrae, EYA coordinator, (202) 488-5644 (office) or (443) 528-5138 (mobile).

Bishop Wilke prepares DISCIPLE study guide for United Methodist men 

Bishop Richard B. Wilke

NASHVILLE, Tenn.––Bishop Richard B. Wilke, the principal architect and author of DISCIPLE Bible Study, has produced a “Meditation and Action Guide” for UM men studying DISCIPLE II. The guide offers personal meditations for men and weekly calls to action.

Nearly two million people in 10,000 congregations have completed at least one of four DISCIPLE courses. The men’s guide is designed to accompany DISCIPLE II “Into the Word and Into the World, a 16-week study of Genesis, Exodus and a 16-week study of Luke-Acts. Participants are encouraged to evaluate and reorder their priorities in response to God’s call. The study guide suggests weekly actions that provide services to others.

“While DISCIPLE Bible Studies were designed for both men and women, there are issues and actions that are particularly focused on men,” said Wilke. “I hope this new study guide especially designed for men will encourage active churchmen and men who don’t normally attend church services to engage in a study of the beginning chapters of the Hebrew Scriptures and Luke’s story of the beginning of Christianity.”

The booklet is produced in cooperation with the General Commission on United Methodist Men.

“The commission is excited to partner with Bishop Wilke and the United Methodist Publishing House to offer a men's ministry resource to complement the powerful and popular DISCIPLE II curriculum,” said Larry Malone, director of men's ministry. “We are pleased to encourage deep disciple-building resources that come from within the UMC. This supplement may also be used as a small group exercise for men using personal meditations for spiritual growth.”

“It is a privilege to provide the DISCIPLE constellation of resources for the holy work of living as faithful followers of Jesus Christ,” said Neil Alexander, president and publisher of The United Methodist Publishing House. “We continue to hear stories from all over the world that reveal spectacular evidence of faith strengthened, hearts opened, minds engaged, and lives transformed through DISCIPLE BIBLE STUDY. It is our hope that this new study guide, when paired with INTO THE WORD, INTO THE WORLD, will help men read Scripture with new eyes and commit to live vital and faithful Christian lives.”

Good beginning
While the study guide is designed to be used with the second of four DISCIPLE Bible studies, the bishop suggests this is still a good beginning point for United Methodist Men. The study begins with creation and men are asked to find ways to protect God’s magnificent creation by clearing up a street, a river or a vacant lot.

As the second 16-week study begins with Luke-Acts, Wilke reminds his readers that Luke was a physician who gave us good news in his gospel and in his history of the early church. He then invites men to think of the times they have received good news from a doctor, pastor or employer. They are then invited to think of the good news of Jesus’ love, forgiveness, new life and life beyond death.

Persons leading DISCIPLE groups for men may want to substitute Wilke’s suggestions for some of the regular study questions, or they may simply supplement existing study questions. There are countless ways in which the study can be tailored to meet the needs of the participants.

The author
Currently serving as bishop-in-residence at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kans., Wilke was elected to the episcopacy in 1984 and served the Arkansas Area for 12 years. Prior to presiding over the Little Rock and North Arkansas Annual Conferences, Wilke served as pastor of First United Methodist Church in Wichita for over 10 years.

After serving several Kansas churches, he served as superintendent of the Winfield (Kansas) District from June 1971 to January 1974 when he was appointed to the Wichita congregation.

Bishop Wilke is especially well qualified to write a study guide for men as he not only designed and wrote most of the DISCIPLE studies, he began a unit of United Methodist men in 1983 while serving as pastor of the Wichita church.

Download the study guide at the “new resources” section of gcumm.org.

DISCIPLE II resources can be ordered from Cokesbury at 1-800.672.1789, at Cokesbury.com, or at your local Cokesbury store.

Peace Begins Within Your Heart

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — Reinvigorated for Peace. With a sense of purpose, 403 Hebrews, Muslims and Christians from 16 states and 4 countries gathered at the Lake Junaluska Peace Conference September 20-22, 2009. Participants discussed how to implement interfaith peace-building techniques once they returned to their own communities. Keynote speakers of each of the Abrahamic Faith agreed that action must be taken in order to make peace a reality.

“It is not enough to be peace contemplators – we need to be proactive peace actors,” said Elias Chacour, Archibishop of the Galilee. “There’s no other way but to get our hands dirty.”

Rabbi Mordechai Liebling agreed. “Peace is not theoretical – peace is not abstract. Peace is something we have to do every day.”

On the second day of the conference, participants attended dialogue groups to discuss what they could do in their own communities to foster interfaith understanding and collaborative efforts for peace. Atif Mahmood, a Muslim Duke University student, hopes that participants take what they’ve learned to heart. “This conference has reinvigorated me to go out in my community and encourage interfaith communication.”

Atif was asked by the group how he felt we as Americans, regardless of our faiths, could improve relations between our own faith and Muslims in particular. Originally from Pakistan, Atif commented that an education is necessary for us to be leaders for peace. “If we just leave the country alone, things will get worse. We need infrastructure, development and education to make things better. Opening the doors of America would better the world,” Atif concluded. “We need to start training and exposing Muslims to our culture and let them go back and educate others.”

Rev. Dr. James W. Thurman, Jr., retired pastor from the North Georgia Conference, discusses how to promote interfaith relations. To his left, Atif Mahmood, a Duke University student, prepares to share his ideas.

One of Atif’s dialogue group mates, a retired Methodist minister, came to listen and open his heart to what was being said about the three faiths. “Begin with making peace within your own heart. If you don’t do that, anything else you do is useless.”

At the conclusion of the conference, ideas from all the dialogue groups were shared. Like Atif and the retired Methodist Minister, many participants hoped to apply what they had learned from others at this conference through practical applications for peace – like beginning an Interfaith Club that shares the spiritual reasoning of sacred texts. Some hoped to organize interfaith peace camps for children, while others planned to begin interfaith Habitat for Humanity projects to foster interfaith cooperation.

Following the success of this conference, the Lake Junaluska Peace Committee announced Marian Wright Edelman will be a featured presenter at the 2010 Lake Junaluska Peace Conference, Children at the Table of Peace. Ms. Edelman is the Founder and Director of the Children’s Defense Fund. For highlights from the 2009 Peace Conference or more information about the 2010 Peace Conference, visit www.lakejunaluska.com/peace.aspx.

Nothing But Nets Raises More Than $7 Million in 2008
United Methodists Provide People Power

Washington, DC: In 2008, the Nothing But Nets campaign eclipsed its ambitious fund-raising goals and raised more than $7 million from some 40,000 individual donors. The 2008 annual report issued by the United Nations Foundation, creator of the grassroots campaign, declared that 2008 donations represent significant increases over annual fund-raising the two previous years.

“Based on the momentum of what began halfway through 2006, Nothing But Nets raised nearly $25 million by the end of 2008 from over 100,000 individuals and distributed over 2 million bed nets to areas of greatest need in Africa,” stated Timothy E. Wirth, president, United Nations Foundation.

“As always, these achievements could not have been possible without our unique set of partners who are helping us to reach diverse communities to spread the message that malaria kills and nets save lives,” he continued.

As a founding partner of Nothing But Nets, the people of The United Methodist Church have contributed significant energy and funds to the campaign. The United Methodist Church contributed more than $2 million to purchase and distribute bed nets in 2008 alone.

“We bring the value of people power to the campaign—11.5 million United Methodists,” said Bishop Thomas Bickerton, chairperson of The United Methodist Church’s Global Health Initiative. “When you have grassroots support fueling a movement like this, saving lives is the joyous result.”

The United Methodist Church took a leadership role in coordinating and convening the Nothing But Nets “city tours,” a multi-city grassroots initiative to engage Americans across the country in the fight against malaria. The city tours included faith events in which church leaders came together to discuss how the faith community can take a leadership role in eliminating malaria. In 2008, six city tours convened in Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

In November 2008, the people of The United Methodist Church and their partners worldwide helped Cote d’Ivoire’s National Program in the Fight against Malaria launch an integrated health campaign and net distribution to protect children under age five in Côte d’Ivoire against malaria, measles, Vitamin A deficiency and intestinal worms. This campaign was the culmination of a Texas Annual Conference effort to raise more than $1 million for bed nets for Côte d’Ivoire’s children.

A driving force behind the church’s Nothing But Nets fund-raising activities are children and youth who have participated in everything from lemonade stands and bake sales to basketball tournaments and skits featuring mosquito-costumed Sunday school classes. Eight-year-old champion net raiser Katherine Commale has raised more than $100,000 for the cause to date—and her efforts have attracted significant media coverage, helping increase awareness of the campaign. In 2008, Katherine was featured both on CNN and a front page article in the New York Times.

“Our youth have stepped up and done really remarkable things,” Bishop Bickerton acknowledged. “Children helping to save other children have raised global awareness about the malaria situation in Africa in unprecedented ways.”

To learn more about Nothing But Nets or to send a net and save a life, visit http://www.umcnothingbutnets.org/.

President Obama to take part in faith community conference call on health-care reform

General Board of Church & Society among sponsors of historic Aug. 19 call-in event.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) is co-sponsor of an unprecedented nationwide faith-community call-in and audio webcast on health-care reform featuring President Obama on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The event, "40 Minutes for Health Reform," will be from 5 to 5:40 p.m. EST.

Sponsors of the event support the need for health-care reform in the United States, but no specific legislation will be endorsed during the call. Instead the call is to provide the most up-to-date information about proposed legislation, and will focus on health-care reform as a moral imperative.

President Obama will urge the faith community to action, and a high-level administration official will answer questions from participants. Questions can be submitted online after signing the electronic RSVP: United Methodists.

The call will be hosted by Blog Talk Radio. Participation is unlimited. Participants can either log on to www.FaithforHealth.org at the time of the call or dial (347) 996-5501; no passcode is necessary, but long-distance charges may apply.

The president’s decision to address the health-care debate specifically with the faith community demonstrates how important religious organizations are to passing reform, according to the Rev. Cynthia Abrams, director of GBCS’s work area on Alcohol, Other Addictions & Health Care. “The faith community's engagement in the debate is desperately needed to pass reform,” she said. “Special interests are trying to hijack the debate with misinformation, negative and disruptive tactics. The stakes are high, because without reform this year, health care will become increasingly unaffordable or inaccessible to average Americans for years to come.”

The call with President Obama is part of a broader effort to make sure that the faith community has a strong voice in the outcome of the health-reform debate. For example, in partnership with PICO National Network, Sojourners and Catholics in Alliance, Faith in Public Life has released a new TV ad with grassroots faith leaders calling for reform. It began airing on national cable this week.

United Methodists are invited to participate in the “John 10:10 Challenge” to raise the faith community’s voice in support of comprehensive U.S. health-care reform. The challenge, issued by GBCS, is based on Jesus’ declaration that he came so all “may have life, and have it abundantly.” A new website, John 10:10 Challenge, contains resources to enable persons to be informed, engaged and empowered to begin advocacy for U.S. health-care reform.

The United Methodist Church states in its Social Principles (¶162.V) that it believes health care is “a basic human right.” Last year, the denomination’s highest policy-making body, the General Conference, adopted a resolution that supports a single-payer system.

That resolution, #3201 in the 2008 Book of Resolutions, urges United Methodists to exert influence through all structures and means “to connectionally advocate and fervently lobby the federal government for the adoption and implementation of a totally nonprofit health-insurance system, a single-payer system administered by the federal government.”

40 Minutes for Health Reform's sponsors encourage RSVPs for the call and/or listening online. Sponsors hope to direct participants to a website where they can sign up to receive action alerts to stay involved in the effort to reform health care.

Among the numerous faith groups working in collaboration to achieve health-care reform are the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, Church Women United, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Islamic Society of North America, National Council of Jewish Women, National Episcopal Health Ministries, Presbyterian Church (USA), Network: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby and United Jewish Communities.

The General Board of Church & Society is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church, which has more than 11 million members worldwide. The board’s primary areas of ministry are Advocacy, Education and Leadership Formation, United Nations and International Affairs, and resourcing these areas for the nearly 35,000 local churches of the denomination. It has offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and at the Church Center at the United Nations.

The Hispanic/Latino Academy very highly recommends the book Walk with the People: Latino Ministry in the United States by Juan Francisco Martinez

Evaluation of the book by Lovett H. Weems, Jr. -- Latino/a Ministry in the United States

The growing Latino and Latina population in the United States is transforming the religious landscape in ways that will shape virtually all Christian traditions as this century unfolds. These communities, characterized by a shared language and culture, are not new to the country or to its religious life. The difference today is the size and growth of the Latino/a community.

Juan Francisco Martinez has written a book that should inform all congregational and denominational leaders who have a heart for the newcomer in our midst. Walk with the People: Latino Ministry in the United States (Abingdon Press, 2008, also available from Abingdon in a Spanish edition) gives a perspective on the past, the present realities, and lessons for planning for the future.

Those who do not come out of the Latino/a community need a book like this to orient them to basic social, cultural, and religious realities that must inform any new ministries. The profound diversity of the Latino/a people in the United States is one of those realities. There are no one-size-fits-all answers. But there are general principles and understandings that make mutual ministry more likely to occur.

Observations about Latino/a Church Life

The strong Catholic tradition of Latinos and Latinas is well known, especially among those with a Mexican heritage. One-third of U.S. Catholics today have a Spanish-speaking heritage. There is also something of a generational movement toward Protestantism – with those who have been in the U.S. for three or four generations more likely to be Protestant.

Today virtually every denomination in the U.S. has an outreach to the Latino/a community. Some of these have long traditions, and others only began recently. In addition, there are churches with no affiliation to U.S. denominations. These congregations, often Pentecostal, represent some of the greatest non-Catholic growth.

While the number of Latinos and Latinas attending predominantly majority population churches is growing, the largest number by far worship in churches rooted in their own language and culture. A Pew study found that most of these churches have three characteristics: services in Spanish, Latino/a pastors, and a strong Latino/a presence among its members. But keep in mind that most of the churches are multicultural in that they reflect the many differences among Latino/a people in the U.S.

The Protestant Latino/a congregations mirror other such congregations in the U.S. in terms of their small size, usually with fewer than 100 members. (The median worship attendance for all United Methodist churches in 2007 was 50, and for Episcopal churches it was 69). But there are also differences. Their constituencies are often much newer residents and sometimes transient. Various models of ministry have emerged such as multiple churches working together, sharing space with other congregations, and working with congregations in transition.

The most dominant characteristic of Latino/a churches is that they are growing. Not all traditions are growing, but the religious witness of this community is very much alive.

Strengths and Challenges of the Latino/a Church

It is a mistake for those outside the Latino/a community to ignore the tremendous strengths these Christians bring to any church. They exhibit a high level of religious commitment with what Martinez calls a “live faith in God.” Latino/a congregations have shown a close identification with and service to their communities, great flexibility in adjusting to new realities, a willingness to work very hard, strong family ties, strong mission outreach, and a lively sense of God’s presence in their worship.

In the midst of their great strengths, there are also great challenges, The Latino/a experience in their communities and within U.S. denominations has been on the peripheries. They also have to find ways to function with limited financial resources requiring many of their clergy to serve bi-vocationally.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

Churches seeking to support outreach to the Latino/a communities need to understand that previous models based on a deficiency mindset are not helpful. White the Latino/a communities often do have great needs, they also bring tremendous resources that call for more mutuality and partnership than is often practiced.

Martinez challenges majority population churches to get clear on some basic assumptions, especially about what their vision for ministry is and what “success” means. For example, a growing number of Latino/a congregations are self-sustaining. However, if self-sustaining is defined using denominational assumptions designed more for majority population congregations, such a goal may be beyond their reach. Thriving Latino/a congregations are more likely to resemble Latino/a congregations across denominational lines than some other churches in their own denominations. Latino/a churches must have the opportunity to develop in ways consistent with their circumstances and culture to be viable.

The Martinez book helps those new to Latino/a ministry to understand the phases that congregations and denominations have tended to go through in their relationship with Latino/a Christians in the U.S. This should help prevent the perpetuation of some unhelpful and insensitive practices and show where there can be positive engagement across cultural and ethnic boundaries for more faithful and fruitful ministry in the name of Christ.

Walk with the People: Latino Ministry in the United States can be purchased online from Cokesbury.

'John 10:10 Challenge' calls people of faith to work for health-care reform

New website provides resources to empower advocacy in community and with Congress.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — United Methodists are invited to participate in the “John 10:10 Challenge” to raise the faith community’s voice in support of comprehensive U.S. health-care reform. The challenge, issued by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), is based on Jesus’ declaration that he came so all “may have life, and have it abundantly.” A new website, www.1010challenge.org, contains resources to enable persons to be informed, engaged and empowered to begin advocacy for U.S. health-care reform.

The United Methodist Church states in its Social Principles (¶162.V) that it believes health care is “a basic human right.” Last year, the denomination’s highest policy-making body, the General Conference, adopted a resolution that supports a single-payer system. That resolution, #3201 in the 2008 Book of Resolutions, urges United Methodists to exert influence through all structures and means “to connectionally advocate and fervently lobby the federal government for the adoption and implementation of a totally nonprofit health-insurance system, a single-payer system administered by the federal government.”

More than 47 million people are without health care in this country, and 14,000 people are losing their coverage daily, according to both health-care industry and congressional estimates. While the U.S. Congress deliberates on health-care reform, the 10:10 Challenge will enable the faith community to learn about details under consideration, start dialogues around reform, and to act on behalf of the United Methodist witness that health care is a basic human right.

The 10:10 Challenge website offers a “justice-filled prescription for health care.” People who visit the site are asked to make a commitment to take action in the next 10 weeks to help convince Congress that reform is necessary.

The website offers 10 actions that persons who accept the challenge can choose to take during these 10 intensive weeks of congressional advocacy. Actions are suitable for individuals or groups, such as United Methodist Women or Men, youth fellowships or Sunday school classes. The website encourages persons to start a team challenge and invite others to join to commit to being a part of health-care reform.

Actions include:
• Signing a “Prescription for Health-care Reform.” The petition will be forwarded to the White House and Congress. The petition gives a strong endorsement to a public option to insure everyone.
• Conducting a Health-care Justice Sabbath. The website contains a suggested worship service, including litanies, prayers and Bible verses.
• Holding prayer vigils. The website offers an enhanced prayer service that supports the United Methodist position on health-care reform.
• Contacting members of Congress. The website includes scripts that feature faith-based messaging.

The website is predicated on United Methodist principles that health care should be inclusive, available, accessible and accountable for all. The site states: “As people of faith, we envision a society where each person is afforded health, wholeness and human dignity.”

A one-page 10:10 Challenge overview is available in .pdf format.

For more information about the 10:10 Challenge or United Methodist positions on comprehensive health-care reform, contact the Rev. Cynthia Abrams, director of GBCS’s work area on Alcohol, Other Addictions & Health Care, (202) 488-5636 or by e-mail to cabrams@umc-gbcs.org.

The General Board of Church & Society is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church. The board’s primary areas of ministry are Advocacy, Education and Leadership Formation, United Nations and International Affairs, and resourcing these areas for the denomination. It has offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and at the Church Center at the United Nations in New York City.

To reach the website click on the address http:www.1010challenge.org

Church of the Resurrection Leadership Institute, October 8-9, 2009

Hello! I am Debi Nixon and I serve as one of the Executive Directors at Church of the Resurrection with direct oversight of our annual Leadership Institute team. Our Institute design team just completed a planning meeting with our Senior Pastor Adam Hamilton. I can't tell you how excited I am about this year's Institute! As we dream and plan, we are also praying about the impact the Institute will have throughout the church. We understand, from our own experience, that this year in particular all of us as church leaders have to make careful decisions about how to spend valuable (and limited) church resources. Knowing that, we want to tell you why we believe that, this year more than ever, you need to be at the Leadership Institute in October.

This year has been one of tremendous growth at Resurrection in both the depth and the reach of our ministries, and we are thrilled to share what we have leanred. At Leadership Institute, we are going to share powerful new ministry ideas we implemented since last year's Institute. These ideas have never before been shared at the Institute. We wil be particularly sharing ideas emerging from our efforts to reach young adults and to lead our congregation through a time of economic struggle.

We will also share innovations we have used in Children's Ministry, Student Ministry, Congregational Care, Media Technology, Worship, and more. You'll also gain learning and inspiration from our Keynote Speaker Michael Slaughter, Senior Pastor of Ginghamsburg UMC in Tipp City, Ohio.

This year we have intentionally planned for young adults. As a part of our Young Adult Focus, we are inviting men and women 25 and under to attend the Institute for a deeply discounted rate of $49 (including a Special Pre-Institute). We encourage you to indentify young people who are leaders in the church, considering vocational or lay ministry, or who are key volunteers in your congregation. Bring them with your team or sponsor them to attend this incredible opportunity.

Our team is committed to giving you the maximum possible value for your training investment including opportunities for great networking with others from across the country and of course, awesome Kansas City barbeque. This year's Institute is so packed with great ideas aimed directly at the most pressing issues for the church right now, I believe it's a "can't miss" exprience.

For more information and to register go to www.cor.org/li2009 (includes a video incerpt featuring Debi Nixon)

We look forward to welcoming you and your team at the Institute October 8-9! If I can serve in any way as you prepare to register or make your travel plans, please email me at debi.nixon@cor.org. See you at the Institute.

Debi Nixon
Church of the Resurrection

Call to Action Steering Committee Begins Review

Note: To read and or download the full Call to Action issued by the Council of Bishops in May CLICK on the words Call to Action

Chicago: The steering committee formed in response to the Call to Action issued in May by the Council of Bishops began work on its task last week during an organizational meeting in Chicago.

The purpose of the steering committee is to further align the mission of the church and the four areas of focus, and to refashion and reposition the church for the future. The committee will look at the current realities and systems of The United Methodist Church to better understand how they affect our ability to reach desired outcomes, and generate dramtic alternative options to reshape and reorder the life of the denomination.

"We have a vision of a church that is vital, growing, diverse, relevant, appealing to youth and young adults, and engaged in effective, life-changing ministry -- but we're limited by an outdated organizational structure. We must have the courage to change that which no longer works for that vision to become a reality," said Bishop Larry Boodpaster, project director.

Other members of the steering committee are: Bishop Gregory Palmer, chair, Bishop John Hopkins, Bishop Sharon Rader, Bishop Joel Martinez, Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, Bishop John Yambasu, Bishop Grant Hagiya, Neil Alexander, the Rev. Larry Hollon, Barbara Boigegrain, Erin Hawkins, Moses Kumar, the Rev. Karen Greenwaldt, Benjamin Boruff, Jay Brim, and the Rev. Deborah McLeod.

The committee will generate proposals to be presented to the Council of Bishops and Connectional Table in November 2009. A consulting firm experienced in organizational change management, systems analysis, and renewal/redesign has been retained to assist the committee in its work.

The formation of the steering committee was one element of a five-point call to action by the Council of Bishops that outlines the need for urgent response to the economic crisis and its impact on an already declining church. "The current global financial our hesitancy to act, but it has also gifted us with a sense of urgency and an opportuntiy to lead courageously," the Call to Action states.

Other steps outlined in the Call to Action address freezing the salaries of active U.S. bishops at the 2008 level, shartening semi-annual Council meetings, redesigning the operation of the 2012 General Conference, convening a series of "conversation circles" around the four areas of focus, gathering information about economic challenges and how congregations are adapting creatively to economic stress, and a commitment to raise $20 million for the Central Conference Pension Initiative and $75 million for the Global Health Initiative to help eliminate malaria.

Finance agency thanks church members for support
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH:

Greetings, brothers and sisters in Christ.

We wonder at times – particularly at financially difficult times like these – how did we get in this situation? We are all aware that giving within the Church has decreased, which diminishes the amount of monies available for mission and ministry. We’ve been worried and anxious about where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going. We’ve been concerned with protecting what we have; worrying that life as a United Methodist as we know it – being in ministry and doing mission work to the world – just can’t go on as it is.

It’s okay to be concerned. Healthy concern allows us to open our hearts and minds to the existing situation. It is the nature of the community to be concerned about our collective futures. And this is not a time to chastise or criticize each other for expressing these concerns. This is a time for the faithful to take action to curb the effects of the economic challenges we face today. Out of our concerns can grow constructive actions.

In many arenas, bold and deliberate actions are being taken to curb the downturn and look to the future. Annual conferences across the connection have prayerfully given consideration to their expenses by rethinking finances and focusing on ministry. They are redirecting their efforts to enhance current and developing new ministries. Praise God for this creative thinking on the part of so many United Methodists across the connection.

The United Methodist Church is in the forefront of compassionate giving. A few examples of the way groups within the connection are living into the reality of a strained economy are exemplified in the reports from annual conferences and agency board meetings. Among them are included: reduction or no increase in salaries for conference staff in 2010; decreases or a freeze in current missional budgets among several annual conferences; the Council of Bishops voted to return bishop salaries to the 2008 level beginning in 2010; and general agencies of the church adjusted spending plans for 2009 and re-evaluating 2010 spending plans. These are just a few.

Experts tell us the economy will begin a turnaround near the end of the year. When? No one knows the exact day, or time, or event, or even by how much. We should be encouraged by some of the early signs of economic recovery: credit markets are thawing and the financial sector is showing early signs of growth. At the same time, our optimism should be tempered with patience. Many in our communities will continue to bear the burdens of this economic crisis and they will need our prayers and support in these difficult times. Although the likely slow pace of recovery will continue to challenge our churches, conferences, and agencies, United Methodists are still a generous people.

The Economic Advisory Committee of the General Council on Finance and Administration (GFCA) continues to monitor the situation and provide their insights to our leaders. Their models indicate that giving to apportionments in 2009 and 2010 will be below the levels of previous years, but similar to the lowered levels experienced during previous recessions.

As Methodists committed to the lessons of John Wesley, we remain faithful to the word of God as the director of our faith. As faithful followers of Jesus Christ, we know that during these times, God continues to show us a new thing: mission work around the world is still continuing, leaders are developing in their effectiveness to shepherd congregations into a new path of growth, donations are being made to purchase life-sustaining supplies that will help stamp out killer diseases associated with poverty. God has, is currently, and will continue to supply all that we need to carry out our ministries, as stated in Philippians 4:19: And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (NRSV)

Thank you for your continued support of the mission and ministry of The United Methodist
Church.

Bishop Lindsey Davis
President, Board of Directors,
The General Council on Finance and Administration

A. Moses Rathan Kumar
General Secretary and Treasurer
The General Council on Finance and Administration

The “Love Doctor” to Speak at National Black Church Health Summit

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – Dr. Sheron C. Patterson, senior pastor of Highland Hills United Methodist Church Dallas, Texas, will speak at the National Black Church Health Summit, being held August 5-7, 2009 at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.

The Office of African-American Ministries of the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center and Nia’s Ark, Inc. is co-hosting the summit, whose theme is “Building Bridges Between the Faith Community and Public Health,” to bring together members of the faith community, academia, health agencies and clergy leaders to address health disparities to strengthen community partnerships.

Being nationally recognized as a Christian relationship expert, Dr. Patterson has offered a helping word to many couples and had her advice broadcast via Black Entertainment Television (BET) and Jet Magazine. She has a broadcast on the syndicated ABC radio format REJOICE, called the “Love Doctor.” In addition to her experience, she is also the “relationship expert” for the Good Morning Texas television broadcast on WFAA and Channel 8.

Facing one of the biggest and most unexpected challenges of her life, Dr. Patterson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. She kept hope in her heart and decided to use her illness to help others by making her recovery steps public. In doing so she created a radio, print and television education/inspiration campaign to help others face their health issues at their onset.

Dr. Patterson decided to become a health and wellness advocate in hopes of helping other women who might be facing a similar struggle. Because of her determination she became the driving force behind The Patterson Pledge, a program that motivates thousands to take control of their health. In addition to her numerous projects Dr. Patterson began to collaborate with the U.S. State Department in 2007 to host international delegations of breast cancer survivors. The intent of these delegations is to inform and inspire patients and breast survivors alike.

Breast Cancer Builds, a program that Dr. Patterson launched in 2008, brings survivors of breast cancer together to build a Habitat for Humanity house. Dr. Patterson calls Breast Cancer Builds a gratitude project, because just like the other survivors, she is grateful to God to be alive and this is one way to give back. This project raises awareness about breast cancer prevention and raises funding to provide low income women with free mammograms via a second project called Mammograms for the Masses launched in 2007 with the help of two Dallas hospitals.

Dr. Patterson is also the author of eight books. She is a member of the Southern Methodist University Board of Trustees, the Dallas Assembly, Methodist Health Care System Board of Trustees, Perkins School of Theology Board of Directors and The UMR Communications Board of Directors.

For further information about the National Black Church Health Summit, go to www.lakejunaluska.com/health-summit.aspx

A Laywoman's Perspective -- Commentary by Scarritt-Bennett Center Laywoman in Residence, Joyce D. Sohl

There is a hot wind blowing outside, but the cool of the air conditioner in my office at least gives me the illusion that I am cool. Even the birds are looking for a cool spot and the squirrels are stretched out on any shady tree limb they can find. Such is summer here in Nashville!

Before the heat and humidity hit, we had a group of song writers here on campus. They had paid "big bucks" to improve their writing skills and attended lectures, participated in critical peer and leader review sessions, and became a community of people seeking the elusive lyrics and melody of a song. It was fun having them scattered around the campus with their guitars.

I sat in on one of the review sessions where they critiqued each other's songs. One young woman shared a song about not being able to find God in the church. At the end of her first verse she said something like: "But I was able to find God when the circus came to town." No one understood her metaphor and she could not explain it so that others understood, but I got it! Remember the movie "The Parable" that portrayed Jesus as a clown that came to town with the circus? (Youth work days back in the 60's) The girl was too young to have seen the movie, but she had a concept that spoke to her. The leader worked with her until finally the chorus of the song ended with God being found within. A spiritual moment within the midst of a secular class!

I taught a course this month entitled "Spirituality of Protest", talking to God in the midst of troubling times. We explored lament Psalms; the healing stories of Jesus; contemporary and ancient prayers and poems; spirituals and hymns; and art. We also wrote our own laments and talked about the need for honesty with God in our personal and public lives. The lament addressed to God can lead to justice, healing, and hope.

Tuesdays in the Chapel, a half-hour noon-time preaching service started on June 16th with Bishop Melvin Talbert as the first preacher. This service is for the community as well as the Center's staff and guests. We had great music and great preaching and are looking forward to sermons by Sharon Howell, Rami Shapiro, Beth Richardson, Kathleen Flood and Michael Waldrop. This may be the beginning of a "new tradition" and happen every week starting in the fall.

Conversation with staff, guests, and visitors are still an important part of my time. One Saturday I explained all about the Center to a Seven-day Adventist couple that were taking their Sabbath walk through the grounds. Another time I shared with a guest the purpose of the labyrinth. And yet at another time I spent about two hours with a group of United Methodist Women telling them about the Research Library and its tie to the history of this institution. Conversations with one another is as important as conversations with God, I believe. This is my perspective as a laywoman observing and participating in the activities of this sacred place.


Joyce D. Sohl
Laywoman in Residence

“Produce Parade” feeds inner-city hungry -- Potato Drop goes awry, inner-city benefits

What originally started as a Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600) Potato Drop – 45,000 pounds of potatoes dropped in a parking lot for re-bagging and distribution to feeding agencies – has turned into a “produce parade” right into the streets of neighborhoods that are most in need in the Fort Myers, FL area.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in Fort Myers and Christ Lutheran Church in Cape Coral, FL have partnered to make a positive impact for those in need in the Fort Myers area. For three years, these groups have worked with the Society of St. Andrew, a national non-profit hunger relief ministry that saves fresh produce from being dumped due to market and cosmetic reasons, to deliver nutritious produce to critical feeding agencies. But the Potato Drop they co-sponsored in 2008 went slightly awry, producing an unexpected benefit.

“What an amazing morning! I never thought that showing up to help with a Potato Drop would lead to such an awesome experience of delivering food directly to the people who need it,” said a young couple who attend Christ Lutheran Church.

Organizing a Potato Drop can be very tricky. Between setting a date, getting volunteers to bag the potatoes, scheduling food banks and agencies to pick up the fresh produce, and hoping that a load of excess produce will be available through the Society of St. Andrew, any number of things is likely to go wrong. Miraculously, most events go off without a hitch, but during the Potato Drop in May of 2008, after all the potatoes were bagged and most of the volunteers had left, it became evident the food bank that had reserved half of the potatoes was not showing up. The remaining volunteers couldn’t just let those potatoes go to waste. Taking matters into their own hands, they loaded up their vehicles and headed to a low-income area of the city and delivered nutritious sweet potatoes to small food pantries, soup kitchens, rescue missions, local shelters, and a benefit event they happened upon that was being held for a neighbor in need. Every recipient was grateful for the food; each volunteer came back overwhelmed by the experience and with a story to tell. In fact, these dedicated volunteers were so impacted by their experience many became organizers of this year’s event and officially incorporated the “produce parade” distribution.

Child hands out food bag

“Rather than just dropping off a truck load of potatoes to a feeding agency, we had the satisfaction of meeting and talking to the people that we would otherwise have never met,” said Kimberly Volz, a Cape Coral, FL resident. “At the end of the day, my whole family felt really blessed by the opportunity for hands on mission work.”

The 2009 event, which has come to be known as the “Produce Parade,” included squash, zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, and some citrus, all provided by the Society of St. Andrew’s Florida Gleaning Network. The groups partnered with Mount Hermon Ministries in the Dunbar area of Fort Myers where the potatoes had been distributed in 2008. After the food was bagged at the drop site, 12 trucks loaded down with 15,000 pounds of produce were driven to the inner city area. Mount Hermon Ministries, a Baptist mission outreach facility, is well known in the area for being an important asset to the community and their large parking lot was the perfect staging area as the produce “paraded” into the community. Smaller agencies picked up various produce and people in the neighborhood were encouraged to take bags home and to their neighbors who could not get out to pick up the food on their own. “One of the greatest things to come out of this year’s event is the connection that has been made between Mount Hermon Ministries and Christ Lutheran,” said Tracy Moffat, event coordinator. “Kids who would have otherwise never met, joined together to feed their own community – what a great way to share the love of Christ,” said Moffat. Plans are already being made for another “Produce Parade” in 2010.

The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) is a national, faith-based, ecumenical, nonprofit ministry that gleans America’s fields and feeds America’s hungry. It effectively tackles the problem of hunger in America through its grassroots Gleaning Network, Potato & Produce Project and Harvest of Hope programs, which salvage fresh produce that will otherwise be wasted and donates it to feed the hungry. For more information about the Society of St. Andrew and its hunger relief programs: call toll free 800-333-4597; e-mail: sosainfo@endhunger.org; website: http://www.endhunger.org/. The Society of St. Andrew: Gleaning America's Fields ~ Feeding America's Hungry.

Rodriguez to lead Hispanic/Latino New Church Starts Division/Path 1

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 18, 2009/GBOD/ — The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) has named Samuel Rodriguez director of the Hispanic/Latino New Church Starts Division/Path 1, effective July 1.

“Sam will be very instrumental in helping achieve the important and significant goals that are set before us,” said the Rev. Thomas G. Butcher, executive officer of New Church Starts/Path 1. “We are excited to have him on our team,” he said.

Prior to this appointment, Rodriguez was a commissioned missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) of The United Methodist Church.

He was the conference coordinator for Hispanic/Latino Ministries in the Central Texas (regional) Conference in Fort Worth, Texas for seven years. In this capacity, Rodriguez facilitated training opportunities for the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry Module Trainings, Pentecost Journey: Guide to Hispanic Ministry, Hispanic Culture Training, and Language Immersion weekends.

He also resourced dialogue and reflection with pastors actively involved in or seeking to incorporate Hispanic-Latino ministries. As a staff member of the Office of Church Growth and Development, Rodriguez assisted in creating opportunities for several Hispanic /Latino New Church Starts.

Prior to his current assignment, Sam served four years in the Northwest Texas Conference as director of Hispanic Ministries in the Big Spring District. Two of those years Rodriguez was a GBGM Missionary under the National Plan for Hispanic/ Latino Ministries.

New Church Starts/Path 1 owns the goal of recruiting 1,000 pastors to start 650 new United Methodist congregations in the United States by 2013.

A native of El Paso, Texas, Rodriguez holds a BA in English and American Literature from the University of Texas in El Paso and an MA in Christian Service from Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University.

Rodriguez and wife Demetria have two children: Samuel Joseph 19, and Vanessa Rae 15. His parents Luis Armando and Esperanza Rodriguez, reside in El Paso, Texas where they are members of Wesley United Methodist Church.

IRS Names J. Daniel Gary to ACT Advisory Panel

Nashville, TN – The Internal Revenue Service’s Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities (ACT) will introduce newly named members at a public meeting on June 10. J. Daniel Gary, Administrative Counsel to The General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA), has been named one of the 10 new members of the panel. They will begin two-year terms and join 11 returning members.

Gary is Administrative Counsel for the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) of The United Methodist Church, the third largest religious denomination in the United States. GCFA is responsible for protecting the legal interests of the denomination, and Gary provides guidance on a wide variety of issues related to tax-exempt organizations, including charitable giving, legislative and political campaign activities, and unrelated business income tax (UBIT). Gary received his Juris Doctorate from the Washington and Lee University School of Law and his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Illinois.

A. Moses Rathan Kumar, General Secretary and Treasurer of GCFA states "We are very pleased that Dan has been selected to serve on this IRS advisory committee. This honor is well deserved. Dan is known throughout our Church as someone with a great deal of expertise in tax issues affecting clergy and churches. We are grateful that through his service on this committee, Dan will have the opportunity to share with the IRS and others the unique perspective of the faith community on the tax issues faced by churches and other religious organizations."

ACT includes external stakeholders and representatives who deal with employee retirement plans, tax-exempt organizations, tax-exempt bonds and federal, state, local and Indian tribal governments. ACT members are appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury and advise the IRS on operational policies and procedures.

The General Council on Finance and Administration coordinates and administers finances and
safeguards the legal interests and rights of The United Methodist Church.
www.gcfa.org

Statement on the U.S. Immigration Situation
Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
May 2009


In Scripture we see evidence that God cares for sojourners. In the Old Testament we are reminded that we are to care for the sojourners among us as native born, loving them as we love ourselves, and never oppressing them (Leviticus 19:33). Most telling, God chose to be incarnated as a migrant in Jesus, who as a tender child became a refugee to Africa, and as an adult became an itinerant teacher of good news to all people. Jesus identifies himself with the sojourner in our midst and calls his followers to provide hospitality to the sojourner (Matthew 25:38-40). As we follow Jesus in serving the sojourner, we hear the good news of the gospel incarnated in their stories and in their lives. We believe that welcoming the sojourner is so vital to the expression of Christian faith that to engage in this form of hospitality is to participate in our own salvation.

Throughout the world we experience redemptive liberation through relationships with migrants in our communities. These relationships help us to see that regardless of legal status or nationality, we are all connected through Christ to one another. The Apostle Paul reminds us that when one member suffers, all members suffer as well (1 Corinthians 12:26). The solidarity we share through Christ eliminates the boundaries and barriers which exclude and isolate. The sojourners we are called to love are our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, our sons and daughters; indeed, they are us.

As we serve in communities all across the United States, we are made aware of the daily suffering of immigrants who live and work among us. Our immigrant brothers and sisters suffer greatly due to abuse in the work place, indiscriminate federal raids, and indefinite detention and deportations which tear their families apart. These conditions are exacerbated by a broken immigration system that not only separates families for long and indefinite periods of time, but that ignores the fact that immigrants provide a much needed labor force in the United States and come to this country often encouraged by potential U.S. employers who actively seek their labor.

Consideration of U.S. immigration policy must take into consideration the fact that today many immigrants are forced to leave their homes due to economic and foreign policies of the United States. In addition, the growing militarism along the border with Mexico further aggravates the suffering of immigrants and border communities as it exposes immigrants and communities to greater violence and mistreatment. Because of all of these circumstances immigrants are forced to live in the shadows of society to avoid being exploited thus living lives of constant fear and insecurity.

Our calling as followers of Jesus the Christ is to stand in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors and to advocate for justice on their behalf. The United Methodist Church affirms the inherent dignity, value, and human rights of all immigrants regardless of their legal status. We acknowledge that all nations have the right to secure their borders, but the primary concern for Christians is the welfare of immigrants and communities.

The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is committed to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform that is humane and effective and that upholds the human and civil rights of immigrants. We affirm President Obama for his leadership in moving the immigration agenda to the forefront of public discourse and decision making.

We call upon President Obama and all Congressional leaders to support comprehensive immigration reform that would:

.Provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrants;
.Reunify immigrant families that have been separated by immigration itself or due to work place raids and ensuing indefinite detentions and deportations;
.Increase the number of visas for short-term workers to come into the United States to work in a safe, legal, and orderly way.
.Extend legal protection to all workers who come to stay for a certain period of time as well as for those who stay permanently including the right to bargain for higher wages, to protest against poor working conditions, and to preserve their human rights as workers, be they documented or undocumented;
.Eliminate privately-operated detention centers, which are not regulated by the federal or state governments, and end all indiscriminate raids.


Just and humane immigration reform will put an end to much of the human suffering of our immigrant brothers and sisters, bringing them out of the shadows of society, and integrating them into society in ways that will bring their gifts and hard work to bear as together we strive to build communities of justice.

Abrahamic Faiths Unite for Peace at Lake Junaluska Peace Conference, September 20-22, 2009

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — Participants of this year’s Lake Junaluska Peace Conference will be exposed to a dialogue of better understanding of the faith communities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. September 20–22 are the dates for this time of learning about one another’s faith traditions, examining what each brings to the search for peace, celebrating our common heritage and exploring ways we can be more effective “Peace Builders” in our local communities.

Jimmy L. Carr, Lake Junaluska’s Executive Director, said the Peace Conference is an event all persons should attend.

“Lake Junaluska is delighted to once again provide the site and staff support for the Lake Junaluska Peace Conference. We appreciate so much the Peace Committee’s work in offering such a timely conference. Their efforts allow Lake Junaluska to serve the church and the community by providing challenging speakers and information to assist persons in becoming the peace makers that Christ calls us to be,” Carr said.

Speakers from each faith will describe what their scriptures and practices have to bring to the Table of Peace. Workshops will teach skills in being Peace Builders. Through prayers, celebrations, and the arts, we will experience what each contributes to the search for peace.

“This year's Peace Conference centers on an issue that has universal implications. There is much agreement that we will not have world-wide peace until the major religions understand each other better and develop genuine respect for one other. As we focus this year on the three Abrahamic Faiths, we hope a significant number of persons from each faith group will be here. Come expecting to be challenged by the presenters. Come with an open mind and an eagerness to enter into creative dialogue with persons of other faiths,” Garland Young, Chair of the Peace Conference Planning Committee, said.

Leadership for the event includes:

Archbishop Elias Chacour:
Father Chacour, a native Palestinian, was ordained a priest in the Melkite Catholic Church in 1965. In 2006, he became the Archbishop Metropolitan of the Melkite Diocese of Akka, Haifa, Nazareth, and all of Galilee in Israel. He has long been a strong voice for peace and reconciliation in Palestine and Israel and has worked with all factions and faiths.

Rabbi Arthur O. Waskow:
Rabbi Waskow has been one of the creators and leaders of Jewish renewal and of several important interfaith projects addressing issues of peace, justice, and healing of the Earth. He founded the Shalom Center in 1983 and has been its director since then, shaping it into a prophetic voice.

Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed:
Dr. Syeed is the National Director of Interfaith and Community Alliances for the Islamic Society of North America. The ISNA is an umbrella organization with 300 affiliates across the US and Canada. He has been actively involved in fostering understanding among the world’s religions and has participated in interfaith dialogues at different levels.

Dr. Lisa Schirch:
Dr. Schirch is professor of peace-building at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She serves as executive director of the 3D Security Initiative, which promotes civil society perspectives on conflict prevention and peace-building in US security policy-making.

Cost: $89 ($79 before August 1, 2009); $65 – Students
Register online at www.lakejunaluska.com/peace.aspx, by Fax (828) 452-1956 or by phone (828) 454-6656. Lodging reservations can be made at www.lakejunaluska.com/peace.aspx or by calling 1-800-222-4930. Please let the reservations representative know that you are attending the Peace Conference.

Note: Clicking on the registration address above will take you to the Peace Conference homepage where there are links to on-line registration, plus full information about leadership, schedule, workshops, lodging, and event sponsorship.

For more information, please contact: Pam Naplen at (828) 454-6656, pnaplen@lakejunaluska.com

The Role of Jordanian Women in the Spiritual Formation of Their Children
By Jeanette Pinkston*

AMMAN, JORDAN—In 2008, I traveled to Amman, Jordan with a group of twenty U.S. journalists representing the Associated Church Press, Evangelical Press Association and the Catholic Press Association.

Having just covered an interfaith panel on faith formation during the joint Preaching from the Center and Christian Educators Fellowship conferences in Albuquerque last fall, I was led to explore the role of Jordanian women in the faith formation of their children while on the Jordan press tour.

The role of Jordanian women in the faith formation of their children is remarkably similar to that of women in other faith traditions. Across the board, women are typically more influential in shaping the religious practice of children; Jordanian women are no different.

Lorain Rezeq works in the business center of a local hotel in Amman, Jordan. “Women are very influential in shaping the religious life of their children,” says Rezeq. “Because they are so close to their moms, moms influence their children from ages one to ten. The children follow their mothers everywhere. They are so close to them. When you hear a mother saying her prayer, you say ‘I am going to repeat it,’” says Rezeq.

Muslim woman with children

Former Ambassador to the United Nations, Hasan Abu Nimah agrees. According to Mr. Abu Nimah, director of the Royal Institute for Inter-faith Studies, a child will probably be more influenced by his mother than by his father because of the physical proximity to the mother, normally.

“But I can not really talk about any rules that define the role of women or the role of parents [in] shaping the religion of their children,” he said. “A child from Christian parents will normally be Christian, from Moslem parents will be Moslem, from mixed parents that’s difficult to say. You don’t have a rule that applies to every situation,” said Mr. Abu Nimah.

While Muslims are asked to practice their beliefs by performing certain acts of worship, actually doing so is a matter of choice, as in other religions. Some people are very strict in adhering to the religious practices of their faith, while others are not.

“I think it is safe to say that regardless of one’s faith or background, perhaps the most influential person or one of the two most influential, in the minimum, is the mother,” says Ihab Wl-Kady, Ph.D., of the Islamic Center and University of New Mexico. “On her shoulders, reality says [rests] the core of faith formation for the offspring — at least in the very first few years or stages of that persons life.”

El-Kady told a gathering of over 600 Methodist educators, lay, and clergy, that women shape the faith of their young, and because they represent half of the universe, they actually have a bigger hand in faith formation than male members of that faith.

“How a mother embraces her duties and embraces her faith will really reflect on how I will embrace my faith and go through it,” he said.

Mr. Abu Nimah says, “if a child is born to a Moslem mother and a Moslem father, the child will be Moslem. If the child is born to a Christian mother and Moslem father, (we have a lot of cross marriages here), that depends on the family itself. Sometimes they agree what the children will be when they have children. Sometimes they leave it to chance.”

Throughout our travels around Jordan, we found that in Muslim and Christian communities, women have a strong influence in the family, workplace, religion and society in general. As El-Kady suggests, one can obviously spend hours and hours talking about the rights and roles and duties of women in Islam. He says it is especially imperative for those who are foreign to Islam, or who are not Muslim to separate what is cultural from what is Islamic when viewing people practicing faith from a culture perspective like in the Gulf region or in North Africa.

“One needs to ask himself — or ask those who know Islam — what of these practices is actually cultural and what of these practices is actually Islamic?” said El-Kady.

While young children are trained in the rituals of Islam, Islam is not just the ritual; it is the faithful belief itself.

“Although we teach our children and start training them how to pray at the age of seven and start teaching how to actually fast at the age of ten, we don’t go through the entire day. We go through segments of the day and a little longer as the child grows older. Then the length of the fasting actually extends until hopefully when they reach puberty they can actually fast the entire month of Ramadan.

“But the training for the ritual itself is only the surface. This is what you see the child or the member of the faith actually doing. What lies in his heart is completely different. Nobody can tell what lies in your heart but yourself.

“It is fundamentally important to understand that the prime role for faith formation in our system of belief lays on the family itself, then on peers, then on the leadership,” said El-Kady.

*Pinkston is the director of media relations for the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship (GBOD). She resides in Nashville, Tenn.

New Executive Coordinator Named for the United Methodist Appalachian Ministry Network

Hagerstown, Maryland: “Linking Hands Across Appalachia,” the theme of the 2009 Appalachian Assembly, was literally present during the spring meeting of the UM Appalachian Ministry Network with members attending from southern New York, northeastern Mississippi and many conferences in between.

The excitement of the meeting centered on the selection of a new Executive Coordinator. A Search Committee, working since the beginning of 2009 interviewed seven of the twenty-one applicants and recommended Rev. Robert “Bob” Wilkins to replace the retiring staff person.

Wilkins is an elder in the West Virginia Conference most recently serving in an appointment as the director of a conference mission project, Heart and Hand House in Philippi, WV. He has served as a member of the Network representing grassroots mission projects. Wilkins holds a Doctor in Ministry from United Theological Seminary and has certification in Non-Profit Management from West Virginia University.

As Wilkins described what he saw as challenges for the region and the Network, he said, “an encourager and an enabler are the hand and glove that are needed.” In Wilkins, the Network feels that it has found those qualities as well as experience in ecumenical settings, working with government agencies and cooperative efforts. Goals of the Network will move forward with the direction of the one who brings these gifts to the organization.

The Network’s office will be located in Buckhannon, WV. The Upshur Cooperative Parish, will provide space for the office. The official transition will occur sometime later in the fall.

Wilkins replaces N. Sharon Leatherman, who is retiring. She is completing her 15th years with UMAMN as the Executive Coordinator. Leatherman plans to continue to assist the Network as a consultant and trainer while enjoying more time to spend with her family and other volunteer roles.

Notes on the Role of Worshipping Communities amid Pandemic
Gary R Gunderson
Sr. Vice President for Faith and Health Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare, Memphis, TN.

What is the role of congregations when a community faces possible epidemic?
Contemplating a potential flu pandemic makes us all aware of the remarkable range and depth of community assets that protect the health of the population and provide comfort and care to those may fall ill. The United States has a particularly rich array of churches, mosques, temples and places of worship that represent nearly every faith tradition in the human experience. They have particular strengths that are especially valuable when trust, caring, comfort and confidence may be as important as our medical technologies in the face of epidemic disease. The particular strengths of congregations are certainly part of the community’s capacity to respond in crisis.

We never know when a new flu virus may emerge that creates new threats and challenges. Congregations develop the webs of trusted relationships all the time that turn out to be extremely useful in a crisis. Congregations have unique strengths which, when linked, the complementary strengths of healthcare and public health organizations can create a strong, resilient community capable of confronting many challenges.

Congregations in Memphis that are associated with the Congregational Health Network or the United Methodist Conferences are already linked to a broad set of connections that help you and your members find out what to do and where to go in crisis. Your Liaisons know the Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare navigators. They are always a good “first call” when confused. But your congregation has important strengths on its own that are important upon which to build in a time of community need.

The strength to accompany.
Faith entities commonly are welcomed into the lives of those who would otherwise be isolated. They tend to know which of their own members and neighbors may be likely to be confined at home or in institutions. They can often move across barriers of family, race, ethnicity, class and other distinctions to create the bonds of relationship across which valid information and help about pandemic flu might flow. Key questions to ask:
1. What likely-to-be overlooked people do we accompany already, such as the homebound elderly or adolescents estranged from school or family?
2. How might we form appropriate relationships of trust with others who may need us in crisis?
3. Do we have outreach or inreach committees that could be prepared to play an explicit role around a possible pandemic, such as prayer groups who may be tuned to care for others easily overlooked?
4. How might we act to ensure the public authorities know about these isolated people that might otherwise be bypassed by the community?

The Strength to Convene.
Faith entities often gather in very small and very large groups that cross many lines in order to care for people, or to discuss important moral issues. Sometimes faith leaders work together to form coalitions that are the building block of larger community efforts, such as we’ve seen recently in the wake of Katrina.
4. What groups is our congregation already part of that might help convene people in the context of pandemic flu?
5. How might we work with other faith leaders to help create a network of trust and confidence that can extend the capacity of public agencies?
6. Are there particular groups in the community that might need special attention or preparation, such as recent immigrants? Could we help convene to ensure they are included in community planning?

The Strength to Connect.
Worshipping communities gather people from many backgrounds, ages and interests. These relationships build significant networks of trust that are crucial in the context of emergencies, which often face breakdowns in normal lines of coordination. These complex relationships often extend into neighborhoods and groups that may not even be visible to high level formal authorities. Thus faith groups can be crucial connectors in pandemic conditions and prevent the instinct to work alone.
7. Let your members know about the numerous connections members already have to multiple agencies and institutions in your community.
8. Notice to what agencies your members work in and provide some level of leadership. These may be especially useful when formal lines of relationship are damaged or stressed by crisis.
9. Personal relationship augments the formal lines of collaboration among institutions. Consider having different members become familiar with the kinds of paperwork or policies that might govern access to services in a time of crisis so they can help others who may need assistance.

Strength to Frame or Story.
Worshipping communities often are trusted to get the story correct, to place disturbing or difficult information in the context of a hopeful and compassionate framework. A pandemic may create swirls of rumor and fear that make effective community response difficult. From crucial “simple” information such as where to access vaccine, to potentially complex and controversial instructions for quarantine, faith groups will be expected to get the story correct. Public sources of information are not trusted by some groups, who may look instead to faith leaders and congregations.
10. Do we know where to get timely and accurate information about flu and health challenges?
11. Have we considered what kind of theological or ethical issues may need to be addressed around pandemic flu? If needed, where would we seek trusted advice from other faith leaders facing similar challenges?
12. Have we considered how we will communicate to all age groups and their caregivers, including children, parents and those that may be isolated?

Strength to give Sanctuary.
From ancient times houses of worship have been considered to be sanctuaries in times of crisis. Faith groups extend that meaning to include the idea of providing safe space for for making available vaccine and health services, care and comfort for those that are ill and to those that may care for them.
13. How might our building be useful to the community as a safe space amid flu?
14. Are there things we should prepare for to make sure our building is as safe and accessible as neighbors may expect it to be? Do we need to consider having masks and other sanitary aids on hand?
15. Should we plan on ensuring that we are able to secure resources and material that may be needed to provide safe shelter in crisis?
16. Should we think about how our pattern of public gatherings may need to be altered in light of the potential risks of infectious spread? Should we prepare policies in advance so that people will know whether our public gatherings are proceeding as planned or in an altered form?

Strength to Bless.
While public institutions have legal authority to enforce public policies, worshipping groups have a special power to offer blessing, comfort and encouragement. Pandemic flu has the potential to make people fearful, inflaming old prejudices and divisions. Faith leaders should focus on holding up community values of trust, inclusion, fairness and compassion, on which all public policies rest.
17. How might we form open relationships now with groups most likely to face exclusion or isolation in the context of pandemic?
18. How can we anticipate the pattern of fears most likely to arise in pandemic and practice messages aimed at alleviating those fears in advance?

Strength to pray and offer ritual.
Worshipping communities worship. In a time of pandemic faith groups will face challenges to continue to offer up prayer, rituals of many kinds that undergird the hope, trust and compassion of their members and the community.
19. How can we plan to offer worship and participation in key rituals even when faced by pandemic?
20. Can we anticipate the need for new kinds of ceremonies or, perhaps those less commonly used in non-pandemic times?
21. Should we consider meeting with other faith leaders to think about interfaith services that may be appropriate amid pandemic?

Strength to Endure.
All of our faith traditions have seen many other pandemics and catastrophes before. This historical perspective is a great strength. While we prepare to protect the community and its vulnerable members, our faith leaders can be confident that this potential pandemic will be endured and survived as have many others.
22. Are we familiar with how our faith tradition has responded to other pandemics and large scale challenges?
23. Are there particular revered leaders whose memory may offer relevant guidance to us amid another pandemic season?
24. In what way can we learn from other generations who have faced difficult times? How did they do it? What sustained and encouraged them?

By focusing on the strengths of our worshipping communities, our preparations for pandemic conditions build on the foundations that have stood against fear and panic many times before, offering our community reality-based encouragement that lets us go about the work of prevention and care that honors God’s hope for us all.