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UMNS# 04552-Pan-Methodist commission issues response to Sudan


From "NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>
Date Tue, 23 Nov 2004 18:20:53 -0600

Pan-Methodist commission issues response to Sudan 

Nov. 23, 2004	 News media contact:   Linda  Green * (615) 7425470* 
Nashville {04552}

NOTE: :  Photos, audio and a related story on the Commission on Pan-Methodist
Cooperation and Union are available at http://umns.umc.org.

By Linda Green*

DALLAS (UMNS) - Five Methodist denominations are calling on government and
international officials to establish a peace process in the war-ravaged
country of Sudan that "holistically considers the concerns of all Sudanese
parties and ethnic groups."

War has created deep brokenness throughout the world, the Commission on
Pan-Methodist Cooperation and Union noted in an open letter to U.S. and
United Nations officials. "Particularly, we are distraught that tens of
thousands of God's people in Darfur, Sudan, die from preventable famine,
disease and violence as part of state-sponsored genocide."

The commission, meeting Nov. 19-21, urged that the leaders respond to the
humanitarian crisis, which has claimed more than 300,000 lives and left more
than 3 million people at risk. The open letter was addressed to U.S.
President George Bush, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, U.S. Secretary of
State designate Condoleezza Rice, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
John Danforth.

"As Methodists, believing there is no holiness but 'social holiness,' we
urgently call for the establishment of peace and security throughout the
nation of Sudan," the commission said. "It is clear that there can be no
resolution to the humanitarian crisis until there is a broader plan for
regional stability brokered by the United Nations Security Council and the
African Union."

The Commission on Pan Methodist Cooperation and Union represents five strands
of American Methodism - the African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist
Episcopal Zion, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Union American
Methodist Episcopal and United Methodist churches. The body represents more
than 15 million Methodists worldwide.

Jay Williams, a United Methodist from New York and advocate for Sudan,
introduced the idea of a commission response to the crisis in the African
country. After he highlighted conditions there, particularly in Darfur, the
commission approved a letter to the Bush administration and U.S. Congress "to
implore further diplomatic pressure to urge the government of Sudan to
withdraw all government-sponsored raiding entities and dispatch necessary and
adequate peace enforcement personnel to Darfur."

The commission's function is to highlight ways the Methodist bodies can
cooperate in various areas and discuss how to move toward union by redefining
and strengthening the entities relationship in Jesus Christ.

Williams, who has helped liberate Sudanese slaves, told the Pan-Methodist
commission that as it engages in unity, it should not ignore the disunion,
suffering and strife in the Sudan and other places in the world.

"As the commission is primarily African-American Methodist denominations, the
people of color, the people that look like us in Africa, are being
slaughtered by the day. As people of faith, we are called to respond, but as
people of color with faith, we are called to respond even more," he said.

He noted Jesus' admonition to care for the "least" and the fact that numerous
people stood up for African Americans throughout slavery and suffering in
America, he said. "We have to respond ... as a prophetic voice of witness
when the rest of the world has turned their backs on Sudan."

AME Bishop E. Earl McCloud Jr. of Atlanta, chairperson of the commission,
stressed the importance of the group responding to the Sudan crisis.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," he said.

Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville,
Tenn.

News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

The text of the letter follows:

Open Letter Calling for Intervention and Peace in Sudan
Commission on Pan-Methodist Cooperation and Union

20 November 2004

The Honorable George W. Bush, President, United States of America
The Honorable Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State designee, United States of
America
The Honorable John Danforth, United States Ambassador to the United Nations

We gather as a people called Methodist, representing five denominations with
more than 15 million members, to further cooperation and union among churches
in the Wesleyan tradition.   As we commune in a spirit of togetherness, we
recognize there is deep brokenness created by war throughout our world.  
Particularly, we are distraught that tens of thousands of God's people in
Darfur, Sudan die from preventable famine, disease, and violence as part of
state-sponsored genocide.  Sadly, the situation in Sudan has been deemed the
"world's worst humanitarian crisis".  Already, more than 300,000 have died,
and more than 3 million more are in grave risk due to deteriorating security
and humanitarian conditions.

As Methodists, believing there is no holiness but "social holiness", we
urgently call for the establishment of peace and security throughout the
nation of Sudan.  It is clear that there can be no resolution to the
humanitarian crisis until there is a broader plan for regional stability
brokered by the United Nations Security Council and the African Union.

Therefore, we urge the administration and Congress of the United States to
reengage seriously a peace process that holistically considers the concerns
of all Sudanese parties and ethnic groups.  We also implore further
diplomatic pressure to urge the Government of Sudan to withdraw all
government-sponsored raiding entities and dispatch necessary and adequate
peace enforcement personnel to Darfur.

We applaud the Security Council's leadership during its 18-19 November 2004
meeting, and plead for its continued involvement.  Moreover, we affirm the
resolutions and calls to peace issued by the National Council of Churches, as
well as the General Board of Global Ministries and the General Board of
Church and Society of the United Methodist Church.

We commit ourselves to remain mindful of the situation, and to revisit this
commission's recommendations and actions at our spring 2005 meeting.

Grace and Peace, on behalf of the
Commission on Pan-Methodist Cooperation and Union

Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr.				Bishop Nathaniel
Jarrett
Chair, Pan-Methodist Commission 		African Methodist Episcopal
Zion Church
African Methodist Episcopal Church		

Bishop Ronald Cunningham				Bishop Michael Molder
  
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church	Union American Methodist Episcopal
Church

Bishop Linwood Rideout					Bishop Violet Fisher
Union American Methodist Episcopal Church		United Methodist
Church

Bishop Rhymes Moncure					Bishop William B.
Oden
United Methodist Church 				United Methodist
Church

"Beyond Repentance: Creating Communities of Peace and Justice" 
Meeting in Dallas, Texas, 19-20 November 2004

cc:  Episcopal Leaders, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church
			African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church
			Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church
			Union American Methodist Episcopal (UMAE) Church
			United Methodist Church (UMC)

********************

United Methodist News Service


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