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/.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
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.
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.
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