wfn.org | Strengthening the Black Church

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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 (3466 notes).

Note 3465 by UMNS on March 3, 1997 at 16:42 Eastern (4671 characters).

SEARCH: black church, coordinating committee, vital congregations
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                          111(10-31-71B){3465}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             March 3, 1997

EDITORS NOTE: A photo is available.

Black Church committee elects coordinator,
begins work on quadrennial initiative

     SAN FRANCISCO (UMNS) -- Andris Y. Salter, a staff member of
the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, was elected
coordinator of the churchwide initiative on strengthening the
black church HERE Feb. 26.
     Salter, executive secretary for leadership education for the
board's Women's Division based in Dayton, Ohio, was elected by the
19 member coordinating committee for the quadrennial focus on
"Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century." 
     The emphasis, approved by the 1996 General Conference, is a
$1.3 million plan for matching vibrant, growing black
congregations as mentors with struggling churches. It also calls
for formation of 25 congregational resource centers across the
nation by the year 2000. Each center will train 10 to 15 teams
from local churches annually. The initiative's goal is to
transform 100 black churches in the United Methodist Church.
     Salter will begin her coordinating responsibilities for the
initiative April 1 at the offices of the United Methodist Council
on Ministries. Though the coordinating committee operates
independently, it is accountable to the council.
     Salter will provide full-time support to the national
committee. She will work with churchwide agencies on issues
related to the vision, focus and funding of the initiative and
will seek necessary resources and expertise to support the
committee's work.
     After her election, the Richmond, Va., native, told committee
members, the emphasis has the potential of strengthening every
black church in the denomination. "Many things will get in the way
but if we hold tight, we can accomplish this ministry," she added.
     Salter, a member of Dixon United Methodist Church, Dayton,
said she hopes the committee's work will result in more than 25
more vital black congregations in the next four years. 
     According to enabling legislation presented to the 1996
General Conference, a vital black congregation "taps into the deep
streams of spirituality in the heritage and life of black people,"
and "informs, interprets, investigates and acts on the needs,
problems and issues arising from the social-political, cultural
and economic aspects of life in church, community, nation and
world."
     Committee chairman Bishop Jonathan Keaton, Canton, Ohio, said 
the committee will enable people to feel more connected. 
     The San Francisco meeting was the second for the newly
organized coordinating committee. During the first, in Houston,
the committee clarified its role with general church agencies and
set priorities.  At this meeting, standing committees further
developed the priorities and began developing strategies for their
work. 
     The semi-annual meetings of the committee will incorporate
visits to vital black congregations located at the meeting site.
     The committee visited Glide United Methodist Church here and
had an audience with the pastor of Downs Memorial United Methodist
Church, Oakland, Calif.
      Glide church, with 5,500 members averages 2,500 people in
its two Sunday services. It houses 35 programs -- ranging from
drug recovery to computer lessons -- to care for its members and
its community.
     Downs Memorial United Methodist Church is a historically
black congregation that is responding to the needs of a community
in transition. It has nearly 1,000 members.
     The next meeting of the coordinating committee will be Sept.
20-21 in Wichita, Kan.
                               # # #

Members of the coordinating committee are:

Dennis Blackwell, Pennsauken, N.J
Gaunnie Dixon, Los Angeles, Cal.
Charles Donaldson, Little Rock, Ark.
Valerie Earvin, Atlanta, Ga.
Tyrone Gordon, Wichita, Kans.
Aaron Gray, Denver, Co.
Curtis Henderson, Pensacola, Fla.
Judith Hill, Harrisburg, Pa.
Robert Johnson, Chicago, Ill.
Carolyn Johnson, West Lafayette, Ind.
Bishop Jonathan Keaton, North Canton, Ohio
Walter Kimbrough, Atlanta, Ga.
Bobby McCray, Phoenix, Az.
Walter McKelvey, Atlanta, Ga.
Benita Rollins, Youngstown, Ohio
Sara Simmons, Omaha, Neb.
Ernest Swiggett, White Plains N.Y.
Jackye Waiters-Lee, Dallas, Texas
Bishop Peter Weaver, Valley Forge, Pa.

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