wfn.org | Agency proposes racial justice fund named for Woodie White

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

Oct. 1, 2003	    News media contact: Joretta Purdue7(202)
546-87227Washington ALL-AA-NA{468}

NOTE: A photograph of Bishop Woodie White is available.

By Joretta Purdue*

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - A United Methodist agency is seeking permission to start
an endowment fund that would support racial justice work.

The fund, proposed by the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race,
would be named for Bishop Woodie W. White. A civil rights activist and friend
of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., White was the commission's first top
staff executive.

He led the agency from 1969 to 1984, when he was elected bishop. He has led
the church's Indiana Area since 1992, and previously was bishop over the
Illinois Area. He also was president of the Board of Discipleship from 1988
to 1992 and served on the General Council on Ministries.

The commission, which works for the elimination of racism in church and
society, is seeking approval for the Woodie W. White Endowment Fund for
Racial Justice through the United Methodist Church Foundation board and then
through the General Council on Finance and Administration. More than $25,000
was promised to the fund at the commission's meeting Sept. 17-21 in
Bloomington, Minn., near the Twin Cities airport. 

The idea for the endowment originated with three commission members who
attended a stewardship conference held by the United Methodist Church
Foundation in Atlanta in February, said James Salley of Nashville, Tenn., a
member of the commission and the chief development officer for Africa
University.

"We wanted to establish something that would work forever in the area of
racial justice," Salley said. And, he added, the commission wanted to honor
White, whom Salley described as the church's "drum major for racial justice."

At another meeting in the past year, Salley heard Danny Bakewell describe the
United Methodist Church's help in founding the Brotherhood Crusade 35 years
ago. The charitable organization has established an independent financial
institution that addresses issues of health, education, social welfare,
economic and cultural development for African Americans and other people of
color. Bakewell said the commission, under White, gave him the grant to start
the crusade at a time when he could not obtain funding elsewhere to address
the plight of black people in Los Angeles. The crusade has given more than
$40 million in grants and supportive services to community organizations.

The commission is sending legislation to General Conference, the
denomination's top lawmaking assembly, urging that church-sponsored meetings
and conferences be held in cities where sports teams do not have mascots or
logos that are offensive to Native Americans. The commission also discussed
holding educational events to help annual conferences influence local sports
teams to change such names and symbols.

Also in preparation for General Conference, the commission:
7	Affirmed the resolution for continuing financial support for Africa
University.
7	Proposed amendments to the church's existing racial harassment
resolution.
7	Supported the General Council on Ministries' resolution on the
elimination of racism.
7	Endorsed the creation of an African-American Methodist heritage
center, proposed by the Black Methodists for Church Renewal.
7	Supported the 2006 observance of the 50th anniversary of clergy
rights for women and asked that all annual conferences and local
congregations join in the celebration.

General Conference will meet April 27-May 7 in Pittsburgh.

In other business, the commission unanimously agreed to oppose Proposition
54, which will appear on California's Oct. 7 ballot. The measure would amend
California's constitution to prohibit state and local governments from
collecting and using information on an individual's race, ethnicity, color or
national origin. Proposition opponents say such information is critical to
providing public services such as health care and police coverage, and that
the measure would result in the diminution or loss of some services. The
commission asked its staff to send a letter to every California congregation
regarding the measure.

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*Purdue is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Washington.

 
 

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United Methodist News Service
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