wfn.org | Native American Ministries

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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 (3425 notes).

Note 3425 by UMNS on Feb. 10, 1997 at 16:32 Eastern (3305 characters).

SEARCH: Native American, consultation, United Methodist Church
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Linda Green                           71(10-34-71B){3425}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             Feb. 10, 1997

Native Americans and education, ministry officials
discuss building Native American ministries

by Kathy Gilbert*
     
     In a historical meeting of "gatherers," representatives of 12
Native American tribes from all over the United States and members
of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry,
discussed ways to recruit deacons and certified individuals to
build the ministry of Native Americans within the denomination.
     "Gatherers are people who go out and bring in individuals to
be trained for the ministry in the United Methodist Church," said
the Rev. Marvin Abrams, outgoing executive director of the
church's Native American Comprehensive Plan.  He said the new
order of deacon can have a big impact on this process.
     According to Joaquin Garcia, director of the Board of Higher
Education and Ministry's Section of Deacons and Diaconal
Ministries, the purpose of the consultation was to identify the
needs of the Native American community. The consultation also
assessed the gifts and opportunities for ministry, sought to
develop models for ministry and provided resources for
recruitment, training and deployment of people considering
professional certification in the church or the call to the
ministry of the deacon in full connection. 
     The consultation was held Jan. 10-12 in the Dallas-Fort Worth
area. Also present at the meeting were representatives from the
Native American International Caucus, National United Methodist
Native American Center, the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference
and the General Board of Discipleship.
     Leadership development, congregational development, Native
American spirituality and denominational presence are the four
areas of ministry the Native American Comprehensive Plan is
working on," Abrams said.
     "We appreciate the help and support we are receiving from the
general agencies. They are good partners," Abrams said.
     Participants at the conference discussed ways Native American
clergy, deacons, elders and laypeople can reach into the community
to help in the areas of public education, health care, prison
ministries, community service and more.
     "Participants affirmed the new possibilities for the deacon
in full connection -- salaried and non-salaried -- to connect the
church with the needs of the world," Garcia said.
     Plans were outlined to develop resources and recruit people
in the following areas of ministry: rural chaplains; prisons; 
family services;  health care, such as parish nurses; youth; and
community services. Efforts will be made to recruit people to the
ministry of the deacon in full connection and certification in the
areas of Christian education, youth ministry, music ministry and
evangelism, Garcia said.
                               # # #

     * Gilbert is a staff person in the office of interpretation
of the churchwide Board of Higher Education and Ministry. 

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