wfn.org | MFSA Endorses Statement

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3376 notes).

Note 3376 by UMNS on Jan. 16, 1997 at 16:03 Eastern (2856 characters).

SEARCH: Methodist Federation for Social Action, homosexuality
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Linda Bloom                          22(10-28-71B){3376}
          New York (212) 870-3803                    Jan. 16, 1997

MESA endorses 'statement
of conscience' on homosexuality

                 by United Methodist News Service

     A recent "statement of conscience" on homosexuality has been
endorsed by the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA)
Board of Directors. 
     During a Jan. 9-12 meeting in Pacific Palisades, Calif., the
board decided to urge all United Methodist clergy to consider
signing the statement, called "In All Things Charity," which was
released Jan. 1. The Rev. George McClain, MFSA executive director,
is one of the original 15 signers.
     The statement affirms "liturgical support" for commitments
between same-sex couples and advocates the ordination of gay men
and lesbians. The United Methodist Church currently prohibits
ordination of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" as well as
services of union for same-sex couples.
     In other business, MFSA directors:
     * encouraged concerned United Methodists to send their
congresspersons a check for $7, written to the United Nations, in
a move to promote awareness of the U.S. government's failure to
pay its share of the U.N. budget;
     * joined a citizens' campaign to close the School of the
Americas at Ft. Benning, Ga., alleging that Latin American
dictators and political assassins have attended the U.S. military
training center;
     * commissioned Dianne Roe of Corning, N.Y., to represent MFSA
in the Christian Peacemakers Team in Hebron, the focus of recent
negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis;
     * agreed to request that the United Methodist Publishing
House print the denomination's official homosexuality study in
other major languages of the church, including Filipino, Spanish,
Korean, Portuguese, French and German.
     During a Jan. 11 ceremony at Holman United Methodist Church
in Los Angeles, three people were presented with the Lee and Mae
Ball Award for outstanding social action.
     Recipients were Bishop Melvin Wheatley, Jr., as one of the
"Denver 15" bishops who publicly expressed their pain regarding
the church's position on homosexuality; Natalie Houghtby-Haddon,
for her late husband, Richard, who was a Los Angeles district
superintendent and Mildred Hutchinson, a 102-year-old United
Methodist referred to as the "mother of Southern California social
activists."
     MFSA is planning a special national assembly in the fall to
mark its 90th anniversary. The place and dates have yet to be
determined.
                              #  #  #

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------