wfn.org | 2004 General Assembly of NCC and CWS Concludes

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

2004 General Assembly of National Council of Churches and Church World
Service Concludes

Highlights: Worship, 'Church and Children' Policy, Awards, New Study Guide
on Human Biotechnology

Nov. 11, 2004, St. Louis, Mo. -- A "Peace Banquet" featuring singers Peter
Yarrow and the Syrian group Kulna Sawa capped off a rich and full agenda at
the National Council of Churches and Church World Service annual General
Assembly, meeting in St. Louis Nov. 9-11. Pre-assembly events included a
forum on the faith community's support for public education and a Young
Adult Event.

Full information is posted on the National Council of Churches Web site.  Go
to www.ncccusa.org or to www.ncccusa.org/generalassembly for stories and
links.	Here are highlights:
The Assembly:

* adopted a comprehensive policy statement on children, its first about
children that was not focused on a particular issue.  Entitled "The Church
and Children: Visions and Goals for the 21st Century" and available at
www.ncccusa.org/pdfs/churchandchildren.pdf, the policy statement passed
unanimously and represents a holistic view of childhood and the diversity of
children's gifts and needs.  "This is the first policy statement
specifically about 'children.' In the past most of our work on behalf of
children has been around specific issues like childcare, health care or
public schools," said Anne Tuohy, Chair of the Committee for Justice for
Children and Their Families.

* approved an "Action on Dialogue Among U.S. Christians on Christian Values"
and a related "Open Letter. In the action, written "in the wake of divisive
national elections in which matters of faith played a highly visible role,
and during which the discussion of moral values resulted in the widely held
perception of opposing Christian camps in the United States," the Assembly
asked for "a process that attempts to engage the spectrum of Christian
churches in our communities in dialogues about Christian values."  In the
"open letter" to all U.S. Christians, including the NCC's own membership,
the Assembly went on to bemoan "the painful spectacle of Christians
demonizing one another. We do not view the Christian community in our
country as being divided into red and blue. Our view is that we are a mosaic
of God's grace and presence. We need to give up caricatures of one another's
positions and avoid treating others as though they were less than
faithful....We believe we need to reach out to one another for the sake of
the gospel."

* marked the death of Yasir Arafat with prayers "for his people, colleagues
and families," a call "for restraint on the part of all parties and respect
for the dignity of all peoples and sacred places."  The Assembly said, "Our
experience of the last 30 years alerts us to the potential political peril
that lies ahead. As we continue our concern for peace between Palestinians
and Israelis, we express our grief for all children -- Christian, Muslim and
Jewish -- who prematurely die daily in the context of continuing strife."
The Assembly endorsed a letter that NCC General Secretary Bob Edgar sent to
President George W. Bush on Nov. 5 and its pledge to "work to bring Jews and
Muslims together with Christians to provide support to a vigorous and
genuine initiative toward peace in the Middle East. We reaffirm our support
for a two-state solution to the conflict, a proposal which (President Bush)
has also endorsed."

* reaffirmed the NCC Executive Board's action, in May 2004, calling for
urgent intervention to stop the killing in Sudan.

* presented excellence awards to civil rights pioneer Dr. Dorothy Height (J.
Irwin Miller Award), "Music with a Mission" composer and performer Tim Janis
(Hope Award) for support to individuals and institutions battling AIDS, the
Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, Professor at Eden Theological Seminary (Unity
Award) and to Baldemar Velasquez, Farm Labor Organizing Committee, and
William Bryan, Mt. Olive Pickle Company, Mt. Olive Pickle Company (Peace and
Justice Award).  They recently concluded a labor agreement ending a 5-1/2
year consumer boycott.

* presented "Blessed are the Peacemaker Awards" at the Assembly's closing
dinner, in observation of the World Council of Churches Decade to Overcome
Violence, which has been focusing on the United States this year.

* received a new study guide on human biotechnologies and gave feedback for
the NCC's development of a new policy on human biotechnologies, to come
before the 2005 General Assembly for the first of two readings.

* approved a letter assuring chaplains in the U.S. Armed Forces of their
prayers.

* worshiped at Christ Church Cathedral, where the General Assembly's
President, C.M.E. Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., preached to a
standing-room-only crowd.

At the Young Adult Pre-Event, Colleen Carroll Campbell Described how growing
numbers of America's young adults are seeking out a demanding, life-changing
faith that includes mystery, a traditional morality and service.  She is
author of "The New Faithful: Why Young Adults are Embracing Christian
Orthodoxy."

And at a forum on faith groups' support for public education, participants
explored ways to join in support of a common priority: children.
After-school tutoring programs, drives to collect school supplies and
sharing of parking lots are among ways houses of worship can support public
schools without violating separation of church and state. The goal of their
collaboration is not to proselytize, but rather "to do the best we can for
our children," said Dave Brown, who staffs the National Council of Churches'
Public Education work.

U.S. Rep. William Clay of St. Louis described work at the national level to
increase support for public education, including the planned reintroduction
of the Student Bill of Rights in the next session of Congress, a bill that
calls for full funding of "Leave No Child Behind." Then several of the some
60 St. Louis public school officials and faith leaders present offered
examples of local collaborations to support public school children.

-end-

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