wfn.org | Women's Division advocates U.S. payment of U.N. debt

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

April 21, 1998	Contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
10-21-71B{242}

STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS) -- Sara Shingler, president of the Women's
Division, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, has urged
division directors "to become personally involved" in lobbying the U.S.
government to pay the $1.5 billion it owes the United Nations.

She addressed that issue during the division's April 17-20 semi-annual
meeting here.

Shingler was among a group of non-profit organization leaders who met in
January with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to discuss the U.S. debt
to the United Nations.

The lack of payment, she explained, threatens the U.N. into bankruptcy;
puts the United States in jeopardy of losing its vote in the U.N.
Assembly; undermines the work of the United Nations and has soured U.S.
relations with other member nations.

Current legislation in Congress that would provide for payment of the
U.S. debt has been tied "to controversial language on international
family planning programs," according to Shingler. If the payment can be
severed from the family planning issue, a vote on the U.N. funds could
come in May, she said.

Directors were urged to write letters to Congress and their local
newspapers and to speak about the importance of the dues payment to
their local units of United Methodist Women and other groups.

In other business, Women's Division directors:

*	Learned that 1997 income jumped to $55,524,241 - as compared to
about $39 million in 1996 - because of "strong investment performance
and the realization of capital gains in a restructuring of the
investments" according to Connie Takamine, division treasurer.
*	Set the date of the 1999 National Seminar for Aug. 13-20 at
Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville, Tenn.
*	Were informed that during the current membership campaign for
United Methodist Women, 285 new units have been started, 68 units
reorganized and 13 district units, a new category,  founded.
*	Heard Joyce Sohl, the division's deputy general secretary,
describe how the faith of various Christian, Jewish and Muslim women had
inspired their commitment to justice.

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