wfn.org | Economic justice for women is topic of conference

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

7-December-1999 
99406 
 
    Economic justice for women is topic of conference 
 
    Election-year meeting was ordered by General Assembly 
 
    by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A conference on economic justice for women, mandated by 
the 1997 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has been 
scheduled for next March 16-19 in Daytona Beach, Fla. 
 
    The Assembly said such advocacy conferences must be held at least every 
four years. The first, coming before the 2000 presidential election, will 
be managed by the Office of Women's Advocacy in the Women's Ministries 
Program Area of the National Ministries Division (NMD) here. 
 
    Planners are expecting nearly 200 participants in the conference, whose 
theme will be "A Woman's Advocacy Conference for Economic Justice: Vision 
for a New Century." It will examine the theological and spiritual basis for 
advocacy on economic issues affecting women; study global and local 
economic justice issues for women; develop organizing skills and strategies 
for advocacy; and try to build a denomination-wide network of advocates of 
economic justice for women. 
 
    The event's planning committee, whose members were elected by the 
General Assembly Council, are hoping that 40 percent of participants will 
be younger than 40, 60 percent will be members of minorities, and 20 
percent will be low-income women. 
 
    Plenary speakers and workshop leaders will address three broad themes: 
global economic justice ("If Women Counted"), living wages ("More than 
Crumbs"); and building safe and healthy communities, workplaces and 
families ("There Is a Balm in Gilead"). 
 
    The keynote speaker on global economic justice will be Pam Sparr of the 
staff of the Women's Division in the Board of Global Ministries of the 
United Methodist Church. 
 
    A panel of experts will address the theme of living wages: Kim Bobo, a 
member of the United Church of Christ and an organizer for the National 
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice; the Rev. Lydia Hernandez, director 
of Manos de Cristo; Veronica Menese, a Roman Catholic laywoman who works 
with the National Farm Workers' Association; and Liz Theoharris, a 
Presbyterian representing Evangelicals for Social Action. 
 
    The keynoter for the final theme is Ann Alexander, a Presbyterian 
attorney who staffs the Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic and chairs the 
Christian Environmental Council. 
 
    Daily Bible study will be led by the Rev. Delores Williams, a professor 
of theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. 
 
    Other Presbyterian agencies participating in the conference are the 
Presbyterian Hunger Program in the Worldwide Ministries Division; the 
Presbyterian United Nations Office in the Congregational Ministries 
Division; the Social Justice Program Area of NMD; NMD's Child Advocacy, 
Health Ministries and Urban Ministries offices; the Presbyterian Washington 
Office; and the Environmental Justice/Mission Responsibility Through 
Investment Office of NMD. 
 
    Information and registration materials are available from the Women's 
Advocacy Office in Louisville; call (502) 569-5403, -5382 or -5385. 

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