wfn.org | Concern expressed about hostility against foreigners in Germany

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

Sept. 25, 1998	Contact: Thomas S. McAnally*(615)742-5470*Nashville,
Tenn.         {549}

NOTE:  Information for this story was provided by the Rev. Heinrich
Meinhardt, a United Methodist pastor in Berlin.

By United Methodist News Service

Concern about the "continuing and growing hostility against foreigners
in Germany," was expressed by members of a United Methodist group
meeting Sept. 23 in Frankfurt.

The International Council of the United Methodist Church in Germany
released a statement urging federal, state and local officials,
political parties, and all citizens to "express friendliness and
friendship toward all foreign citizens who are living in Germany for
whatever reasons."

The council is responsible for international congregations and
ministries in Germany.  Its members represent the annual conferences of
Germany and two churchwide boards: the Board of Global Ministries, based
in New York, and the Board of Higher Education and Ministry, based in
Nashville, Tenn.  Also represented are the international ministries and
congregations in Germany.

In their statement adopted Sept. 23, council members said "it is our
deepest belief that the biblical comment '... you and the alien shall be
alike before the Lord' (Numbers 15:15), still is valid and a measurement
for our behavior and politics.

Chairman of the council is German Bishop Walter Klaiber; director is the
Rev. Sonja Waldmann-Bohn, both of Frankfurt.

# # #
Full text of the statement follows: 
The International Council of the United Methodist Church is deeply
concerned about the continuing and  growing hostility against foreigners
in Germany.  Many members of our International Congregations experience
this in personal and public life.

"We urge the federal, state and local governments especially, the
political parties and all fellow citizens to express friendliness and
friendship toward all foreign citizens who are living in Germany for
whatever reasons.

"Especially, we ask all of our church members and our clergy to support
their fellow foreign citizens in whatever way they can and stand up
against any kind of discrimination they may experience.

"It is our deepest belief that the biblical comment   '. . . you and the
alien shall be alike before the lord' (Numbers 15:15), still is valid
and a measurement for our behavior and politics"

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
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http://www.umc.org/umns/