wfn.org | Projects funded to address racism

[DISCNEWS.parti@ECUNET.ORG]

October 11, 1996
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Clifford L. Willis
Cliff_Willis.parti@ecunet.org

96b-88

    INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Nine projects, ranging from a
Boston teen training program to a Seattle initiative for
Hispanic women and men, have been approved for funding by
the General Reconciliation Committee of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ). 

    In addition, two emergency requests were approved,
making a total of $56,500 granted for church-based and
ecumenical efforts aimed at addressing the root causes of
racism.

    The committee designated $10,000 for the process of
discernment topic, "Racism in North America," to be
addressed by the 1997 General Assembly. A Des Moines, Iowa,
group also received $5,000 to curb an "ongoing epidemic of
racial incidents" against its growing Mexican population  --
many of whom provide cheap labor for area meat packing
plants.

    The committee was "100 percent supportive of the
discernment process proposal," said the Rev. L. Wayne
Stewart, administrative director of Reconciliation. The
process, developed by General Minister and President Richard
L. Hamm, "points out the absolute imperative of being united
in our efforts to discover and combat racism in North
America."

    The nine projects funded for 1996-1997 and the
sponsoring agencies are:
The Jobs Plus Program, Pima County Interfaith Council,
Tucson, Ariz., $5,000; Teens Training Teens, Greater Boston
(Mass.) Regional Youth Council, $5000; Pass the TASS,
Community Christian Church, Fort Worth, Texas, $3,500; and
Undoing Racism, Commission on Religion in Appalachia,
Knoxville, Tenn., $3,000.

    The remaining projects include: Partnership in
Diversity, Vine Street Christian Church, Nashville, Tenn.,
$5,000; Moving on With Men and Women, Washington Citizen
Action Fund, Seattle, Wash., $5000; Someone's There After
School, Capitol Hill Christian Church, Oklahoma City, Okla.,
$5,000; Service Semester, Capitol Hill Christian Church,
Lynchburg, Va., $5,000; and NW Coalition Against Malicious
Harassment, Lake Washington Christian Church, Kirkland,
Wash., $5,000.

    In other business the committee learned that Disciples
have given about $60,000 to the Burned Churches Fund
sponsored by Church World Service. Stewart also announced
that Reconciliation offerings during 1996 are up
approximately 25 percent over 1995. Final figures, however,
won't be known until December after all receipts are in.

    Despite the increased offerings, the Reconciliation
executive wants to see more Disciples congregations support
the ministry. "In 1995, only 43.2 percent of the 3,900
congregations gave to Reconciliation," Stewart said.

    He envisions mobilizing a cadre of 250 "Reconciliation
missionaries" to "help promote and interpret" the special
ministry to fight racism. That group, though, won't be
commissioned until the discernment procedure is well
underway. "We want to be in total step with the discernment
process," said Stewart.

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