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.