wfn.org | Fund to Rebuild Burned Churches

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3021 notes).

Note 3020 by UMNS on June 18, 1996 at 16:35 Eastern (4498 characters).

SEARCH:   burning, Advance Special, black, African American,
               arson

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Contact:  Joretta Purdue                       306(10-31-71){3020}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722           June 18, 1996

Mission Board to assist burned churches;
Lowery, Christian Coalition differ in media

     NEW YORK (UMNS) -- The mission arm of the United Methodist
Church has taken several steps to assist congregations of burned
black churches at the same time the Rev. Joseph Lowery accused the
Christian Coalition of trying to absolve itself.
     Lowery, president of the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference and a retired United Methodist clergyman, said of
Christian Coalition spokesperson Ralph Reed, "I think he's trying
to exploit and absolve himself and his group of their exploitation
of fears in this country."
     Reed in a June 16 appearance on "Meet the Press" had said
many white evangelical Christians had been on the wrong side of
the struggle for racial justice. He declared that the group now is
trying to speak out against the church burnings.
     Amid reports of a Christian Coalition-sponsored summit with
pastors of the burned black churches and African-American leaders,
Lowery stated June 17 that he had received no invitation to the
event to be held the next day in Atlanta or to any other meeting
with the organization.
     "It is our contention that those who blame the poor and
affirmative action and welfare for economic uncertainties now
faced by many white Americans ... help create a climate of
hostility toward African Americans, women and the poor," Lowery
declared.
     Saying that reconciliation must embrace justice, Lowery
expressed a willingness to meet with all members of the community
of faith, including those with whom he disagrees strongly, but he
said such meetings must be jointly planned to determine their
purpose and agenda.
     The Board of Global Ministries, headquartered here, announced
June 17 the designation of an Advance Special No. 982700-1 for
"Black Church Burnings" within the Partners in Congregational
Development, Capital Funds account.
     Donations will be used to help rebuild churches, provide
security systems and support church watch patrols.
     The board is urging all United Methodist congregations to
join the South Carolina Annual Conference in making worship
services June 29-30 a "Sabbath of Support" for congregations that
have lost their houses of worship to arson.
     Board personnel plan to seek shalom zone attribution for
affected communities, to send volunteers-in-mission teams to
assist in rebuilding, and to include material on black church
burnings in the board program "Ministry in the Midst of Hate and
Violence."
     A contribution from the board to the South Carolina
Conference fund for congregations whose facilities have been
burned is also planned.
     In an open letter from the Rev. Randolph Nugent, the general
secretary, decried the wave of arson that has burned more than 35
predominantly black houses of worship in the past 18 months.
     "As United Methodists and children of God we stand in
solidarity with our bothers and sisters in any church of any
denomination that has been the target of a racial attack," Nugent
said.
     He declared that religious institutions, especially black
ones, have been targeted by people who see them as symbols of
progress.
     "In this instance, there have been suggestions that the
church burnings are designed to interfere with voter registration
efforts in the South," Nugent observed. "If that is so, then
Global Ministries will also assist in organizing teams of
volunteers for voter registration efforts in the affected
communities."
     The board has suggest a list of activities for congregations
that includes working with other denominations and civic groups to
combat racism, planning events to encourage racial and ethnic
tolerance, speaking out against "the fires and the hatred and
division that caused them," establishing ecumenical dialogue,
opening places of worship to those who have lost theirs, giving
time to recovery efforts and praying for all concerned.
                              #  #  #

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