wfn.org | 10,000 United Methodist women meet in Florida

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

May 18, 1998	Contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York     {304}

NOTE: This story is accompanied by two sidebars, UMNS #305 and 306.
Photographs are available.
 

By Linda Bloom and Linda Green*

ORLANDO, Fla. (UMNS) - Combining music, dance and worship with calls for
justice, nearly 10,000 women gathered May 14-17 for the United Methodist
Women's Assembly.

The blowing of the Hebrew shofar, a ram's horn, signaled the start of
the event, as the women gathered in the Orange County Convention Center
beneath bright cloth banners of green, blue, purple, red, orange and
yellow - the colors of the assembly logo.

United Methodist Women (UMW), with more than a million members, is an
organization dedicated to spiritual growth, leadership development and
social action. It is administered through the Women's Division, United
Methodist Board of Global Ministries.

God calls women to be visionaries today just as he called "our
foremothers" to be in mission, said Sara Shingler of Spartanburg, S.C.,
Women's Division president.

During the three-day event, the participants took several actions
related to their goals of care and justice for women and children around
the world.

As a direct action supporting their commitment to justice, they
completed letters to Congress urging support of the Convention on
Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The U.N.
treaty has yet to be ratified by the United States government.

The women also were encouraged to support child care and development
block grants by calling a toll-free telephone number during the meeting
and leaving a message for their representatives in Congress.

In another hands-on effort, the women came to Orlando bearing sewing
kits, health kits, school kits and baby layettes, which were boxed for
shipment to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) depot in
Baldwin, La. From there, the supplies will be sent to people in need
around the world, according to UMCOR executive F. Lloyd Rollins. "We
have every single one of them committed already to project areas."

The work of women  in mission, from the founding of the Women's Foreign
Missionary Society in the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1869 to the
present, was highlighted throughout the assembly.

Individual examples were provided by:

*	Karen Anderson, a Lutheran missionary, who has trained women as
health promoters in the shantytowns of Chile;
	
*	The Rev. Maria do Carmo Moreira Lima, a Methodist clergywoman
from Brazil, who works with street children and champions the
empowerment of black women;
	
*	Elmira Sellu, a United Methodist from Sierra Leone who, as a
refugee in another country, helped develop enterprises to provide food,
medical care, shelter and clothing for other refugees;
	
*	Sonya Wu, who works with new immigrant families at the refugee
program at All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta;
	
*	Sarah Wilke, executive director of Wesley-Rankin Community
Center in Dallas, who works closely with the local Hispanic community
and children; and
	
*	Ruth Bamela Engo-Tjega, a U.N. economics officer, who works with
women in Africa.

They spoke about ministries that have historic roots for UMW:
advancement for women, provision of health care for the poor, assistance
to immigrants and refugees, commitment to racial justice, advocacy and
care for children.

"We in the church speak a different language from one of quotas,
boundaries and economic burdens," Wu said about assistance to
immigrants. "The foreigner, the sojourner, is no longer a threatening
stranger but one who brings richness and newness to our life together."

In an age of headlines blaring stories about child-killers, women must
devote even more time to the needs and moral growth of children, Wilke
said. "We cannot allow headlines to distance us from our children. The
vast majority of children can be saved before their lives take that
first disastrous turn."

Throughout the assembly, participants listened to Bible study leaders;
attended focus groups on several topics; and heard a rousing concert
featuring gospel singer Cissy Houston and Ulali, a group of three Native
American singers.

During the closing worship, Joyce Sohl,  chief executive of the Women's
Division staff, told participants that belief, prayer and action are all
needed to bring God's vision to the world.

"If we believe, pray and love the vision, we will be amazingly effective
as agents of God's vision," she declared. "It's in our hearts. It's in
our hands. We have the power. Let's do it."

# # #

*Bloom is news director of United Methodist News Service's New York
office. Green is news director of the Nashville, Tenn., office.

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
Releases and photos also available at
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