wfn.org | Re: United Methodist Daily News note 3000

[umethnews-request@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3076 notes).

Note 3074 by UMNS on July 23, 1996 at 15:44 Eastern (2375 characters).

CONTACTProduced by United Methodist News Service, official news
agency of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville,
Tenn., New York, and Washington.

: Thomas S. McAnally                              360(10-71){3074}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             July 23, 1996

Bishop Talbert leading
ecumenical delegation to China

     NEW YORK (UMNS) -- United Methodist Bishop Melvin G. Talbert,
president of the National Council of Churches, and the Rev. Joan
Brown Campbell, the agency's top staff executive, are leading a
13-member ecumenical delegation to China July 23-Aug. 5.  Purpose
of the trip is to strengthen ties with the Chinese people and the
church of China.
     The visit is in response to an invitation by the China
Christian Council and comes during a year of ecumenical study on
China and the role of the church in contemporary Chinese society. 
It will be the third official visit by NCC officials since 1981.
     "The NCC wants to show its ongoing support for the church in
China," Campbell said, "and for its leadership, both present and
those who will come."
     She noted that the Chinese church will soon have a change in
a key leadership post with the anticipated retirement of Bishop K.
H. Ting, 81, president of the China Christian Council. 
Furthermore, she said, "with the tensions between the U.S. and
Chinese governments, it is all the more important that Christian
people relate to one another in a way that transcends the role of
government."
     The delegation is visiting Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Xian,
Shanghai and outlying areas, including project sites of the Amity
Foundation.  Amity's efforts have included irrigation projects,
primary health care, rehabilitation of disabled people, assistance
to rural areas and educational programs.  In addition, Amity also
has a printing plant in Nanjing -- a gift of churches abroad
through the United Bible societies -- where Bibles and hymnals in
Chinese and minority languages are published.
     The delegation is visiting churches and seminaries and
meeting with Chinese Christians and church leaders, exploring what
it means to be Christian in a country where less than one percent
of the population is Christian, but where the Christian church has
experienced much vitality and rapid growth in recent years.
                              #  #  #

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------