wfn.org | Work of United Methodist black caucus far from completed

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

March 24, 1999 News media contact: Linda Green*(615)742-5470*Nashville,
Tenn.  10-31-71B{163}

BALTIMORE (UMNS) - The work of Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR) is
far from completed, according to members attending the group's  32nd annual
meeting here March 17-20.

The Rev. Tyrone Gordon, national chairperson, told more than 550
participants that BMCR cannot "sit on the sidelines thinking our work is
done" while the sins of racism, sexism, and injustice continue throughout
the church and society.

"We must continue to be that voice of righteousness until every valley is
exalted and every hill and mountain is brought down," he declared.

Gordon, pastor at St. Mark United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kan., said
BCMR must continue to ensure that black churches, clergy and laity are
equipped to strengthen their local congregations to be "that voice of
salvation and justice in their respective communities."

BMCR was organized in 1968 as a forum for black Methodists to define issues
and develop strategies for change within the United Methodist Church. It
aims to empower black Methodists for effective witness and service; involve
them in the struggle for economic justice; and expose racism at all levels
of the church, its agencies and related institutions.

The four-day meeting provided an opportunity to honestly look at BMCR and
how it can be more effective in the 21st century. Strategies were explored
to move the organization from rhetoric to action. The meeting also pushed
members toward more empowerment and determination for responding to the
issues facing African-Americans in the church. Times for action, spiritual
renewal and challenges were discussed under the theme "The church reaching
out into the community." The meeting also incorporated the annual Pastors'
Institute, a continuing education event.
 
In a keynote address, Houston pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell warned  BMCR against
becoming a basketball team that huddles on the sidelines but never gets into
the game. "It is time to break the huddle because we have been around this
mountain too long," he said.

Pastor of  Windsor Village United Methodist Church, Caldwell said there are
three "mountains" that decimate local churches, particularly those that are
shrinking or dying.

The first exists, he said,  when churches begin arguing over whether to have
contemporary or traditional worship services.  Regardless of the style, he
said Jesus Christ must be lifted, souls saved, people inspired and the weak
enlightened.

The second "mountain" rests on whether the laity or the pastor will have the
power in a local church, Caldwell said. "In the United Methodist Church, the
deal becomes more complicated because you have clergy, laity, local church
and boards and agencies." He challenged clergy and laity to create
partnerships where people are encouraged to share in the ministry.

Tithing is the third "mountain" addressed by Caldwell.  Noting that United
Methodist per capita giving is low among mainline Protestant denominations,
he said, "I believe in tithing, and I challenge our leaders to step up and
give like you have some spiritual foundation."  

"There are folk sitting on the sidelines, aching and waiting for us to break
the huddle and score some points," Caldwell said. "We run from meeting to
meeting, conference to conference and task force to task force. When will
you play? When will faith become action?"

As advocates for African-Americans in the denomination, BMCR members
expressed concern that a new plan of organization being proposed for the
church might result in under-representation of ethnic minority individuals.
A 38-member Connectional Process Team (CPT) is proposing a "transformational
direction" for the church including a new organizational framework.

The first draft of the CPT proposal calls for a Covenant Council for Global
Ministry and Mission to guide the church in its global work of nurture,
outreach, witness and leadership development. The council would  assume
responsibility for all work beyond the geographical borders of the United
States, including the international work being managed currently by several
of the church's 14 agencies. 

A United Methodist Global Conference of about 500 members is also being
proposed. It would meet every four years and would consist of four members
(half lay, half clergy) from every annual conference and two members from
every provisional conference.   To achieve balance in global representation,
the CPT is recommending that no single continental region (North America,
Europe, Africa or Asia) have more than 50 percent of the total number of
delegates. 

Concerns of BMCR members included:
*	lack of inclusive representation at various levels in the church;
*	treating the United States differently than other central
conferences outside the United States;
*	limiting an understanding of resources to finances;
*	disconnecting the spiritual formation background and the proposed
recommendations; 
*	racial justice; 
*	the status of retired bishops; and 
*	whether having only four delegates from each annual conference to
the global conference was tantamount to diminishing the participation of
African-Americans in decision-making for the entire church.

Translating faith into action was the message of Congressman Elijah E.
Cummings, 7th District of Maryland.  When BMCR members see hurting in their
churches or on the streets, Cummings urged them to ask if their acts of
omission may be crippling young people.  He also urged them to gain an
understanding of the issues and needs and not to forget their origins.  

Showing confidence in its current leadership, BMCR reelected officers to
carry it into the year 2000: chairperson, Gordon; vice chairperson, Anne
Williams, Philadelphia; secretary,  the Rev. Cecilia Johnson-Britten,
Seattle; and treasurer, the Rev. Ralph Blanks, Philadelphia.

Participants addressed financial difficulties that have been plaguing the
organization. The Rev. Gennifer Brooks, chairwoman of the finance and
membership committee, said BMCR has been "living on the edge" financially.
She presented a comprehensive development plan for the year 2001 and a
long-range financial and membership plan for the organization, which the
body approved. 

Brooks,  pastor at Bethany United Methodist Church, Brooklyn, N.Y.,  said
the focus of BMCR must shift from a maintenance and reactive mode of
operation to new ministries and models of operation. 

She said that in 1968, BMCR's focus was on empowering, enabling and engaging
local congregations. In 2001, she said, BMCR must "use that very noble past
of advocacy for black United Methodists as a springboard for building for
the future" through the development of new initiatives for pastors, laity
and congregations. One such initiative is to increase participation at the
annual meeting to 2000 by 2001.

Brooks said the possibilities for BMCR are endless.  "The intent of the
founders to have an organization that helped ensure the continued active,
vibrant supported ministry of black United Methodists in still viable,"  she
said.  In order to move confidently into the future, she said BMCR will need
to "step from the past and leave behind our disappointments, guilt and
grieving, knowing that this is still the now. It is still our time under
God." 

In the immediate future, BMCR plans to hire a full-time executive director.
Serving as interim director is Geneva Aldridge, Dayton, Ohio.

As a tribute to BMCR and to African-Americans across the United States, an
African-American flag was unveiled as participants sang "Lift Every Voice
and Sing," often described as the "Black National Anthem."

The flag, which will hang in BMCR's office in Dayton, Ohio, is the creation
of Tonya and David Harvey of Baltimore.   While singing "Lift Every Voice"
at a banquet meeting in 1991, they decided the anthem needed a flag to
symbolize its meaning." 

The flag's eight-pointed star, adorned with the colors of red, white, blue,
black, green, purple and gold, is meant to symbolize the past present and
future values of the African-American life in the United States. The Harveys
hope the flag will fly on historically black college campuses,
African-American churches, African-American businesses and homes throughout
the country. 

BMCR members adopted a resolution encouraging the United Methodist Board of
Higher Education and Ministry to create an endowment fund for the church's
11 historically black colleges and universities, in addition to funds
already being raised through the Black College Fund.   It is BMCR's hope
that the General Conference will authorize the board to "develop and
implement a 25-year plan to raise $300 million in endowment funds  . . .
that will increase and strengthen the $205 million now held collectively" by
the schools.

In other action, BMCR members:  
*	voted  to continue "Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st
Century"  as the organization's priority and passed a resolution encouraging
the 2000 General Conference to continue the initiative another four years
with adequate funding;
*	voted continued churchwide support for Africa University, including
a proposed $20 million apportionment during the years 2001-2004; 
*	asked that special Sundays observed throughout the denomination,
including Human Relations Day, be continued and supported;
*	recognized Ethel Johnson, Columbus, Ohio, as the first recipient of
the newly established David L. White Laity Award, and recognized the Rev.
Caryle F. Stewart, pastor of Hope United Methodist Church, Southfield,
Mich., as the first clergy to receive the award;
*	paid tribute to Barbara R. Thompson, the recently retired executive
of the Commission on Religion and Race and a long-time supporter of the
organization;
*	welcomed Chester Jones as the new executive of the Commission on
Religion and Race; and 
*	paid tribute to those members who died since the 1998 BMCR.

# # #

______________
United Methodist News Service
http://www.umc.org/umns/
newsdesk@umcom.umc.org
(615)742-5472