wfn.org | General Conference continues funding for Native American Ministries

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

May 3, 2003  GC2004-54

By Linda Green*

PITTSBURGH (UMNS) -- General Conference delegates agreed to continue support
for ministries by and with the 19,000 United Methodists who identify
themselves as Native Americans and the 225 Native churches, fellowships and
ministries across the country.

The quadrennial assembly continued the Native American Comprehensive Plan
(NACP), first launched by the 1992 General Conference. A $1.1 million
quadrennial fund will support efforts to:

7	strengthen existing Native congregations, ministries and fellowships
and develop new ones;
7	provide leadership development training for Native leaders;
7	strengthen contributions of Native leaders, congregations and
fellowships to the denomination

Key to each of the areas, according to the plan, is the contributions that
Native American cultures and spiritual expression bring to the mission of the
whole church. Native American spirituality is an important component that is
woven throughout the plan.

A new emphasis of the plan in 2005-2008 is efforts to increase the
involvement of youth and young adults in church life.  

"I believe that this young adult component of the NACP is crucial to the
survival of Native ministries," said Glen (Chebon) Kernell, Jr., a young
adult representative to the plan's coordinating group.	

"In the past, NACP has provided the opportunity for Native young people to
experience the United Methodist Church, which has in turn allowed for the
further development of their spirituality as young Native United Methodists. 
This opportunity, historically, is one that has not been offered often to
Native people."

According to Ann Saunkeah, executive director of the plan for the past four
years, task force members have provided resources for Native ministries,
fellowship and ministries of presence across the church. She anticipates that
culturally relevant resources will be developed for use by the whole church
as well as Native American congregations, ministries and fellowships. Plan
implementers will also collaborate with churchwide boards and agencies to
insure that Native ministries continue in the future.
  
The Board of Global Ministries, which sponsored the petition to continue the
Native American Comprehensive Plan, originally requested $1.3 million for it.
The legislative committee reduced the amount to correspond with the amount
included in the general fund budget proposed by the denomination's fiscal
agency. The plenary session approved the plan and the funding by an 840 to 42
vote. The final budget for all ministries will be voted on May 7, the final
day of conference.

The plan's coordinating group is made up of Native American representatives
from the five jurisdictions, the Alaska Missionary Conference, Oklahoma
Indian Missionary Conference, the Native American International Caucus and
the National United Methodist Native American Center. It also includes a
Native American youth and a Native American young adult.

# # #

Green is a staff writer for United Methodist News Service news writer.

News media contact: (412) 325-6080 during General Conference, April 27-May 7.
After May 10: (615) 742-5470. 

 
 

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United Methodist News Service
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