wfn.org | United Methodists to help host Russian leaders

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

June 15, 1999 News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
10-21-71B{330}

By United Methodist News Service

Participation in a U.S. "open house" for leaders from Russia will give
United Methodists the chance to relate to those who may have influence over
the denomination's congregations there.

"We now have churches in probably 60 cities throughout Russia," explained
the Rev. R. Bruce Weaver, director of the Russia Initiative of the United
Methodist Board of Global Ministries. Many of those cities, he added, will
send leaders to the exchange program that runs July 20 to Sept. 15. "When
they go back to Russia, they'll know more about the United Methodist Church
than they now know."

Three thousand Russians - political, business and cultural leaders -- are
expected to take part in the Open House U.S.-Russian Leadership Exchange
initiated by the Library of Congress in Washington. They will arrive "in
waves" for eight- to 12-day periods, Weaver said.

United Methodists are being asked to host 1,000 of the visitors. "It will be
our opportunity to say to them, 'we're your friends,'" he said. "And they
can see who we are."

The church's involvement came after board executives read about a proposal
for the exchange by James Billington of the Library of Congress. In
February, Billington was the keynote speaker at the board's annual Russia
Initiative Consultation.

The exchange program "offers United Methodists significant opportunity to
extend the social witness of our churches in this context," noted the Rev.
Robert Harman, an executive with the denomination's Board of Global
Ministries, in a written statement. "Russian participants will be persons
who have chosen a political vocation and are directly engaged in the current
democratizing process in Russia.

"They face tremendous challenges and will benefit from even a brief exposure
to American communities and social institutions that function within our
representative system of government," he continued. "They will take from
this experience much encouragement for their work at this strategic time
prior to scheduled national elections in 2000."

Local United Methodist hosts are being asked to provide placement in a home
for one to two weeks, along with all local transportation; visits to local,
state and/or national government offices to show how the U.S. system of
government works; situations for interaction with U.S. counterparts; a local
cultural program; and opportunities for the Russian guests to make contacts
in their specific field of interest. 

The Library of Congress will provide letters of invitation, visa services
and travel expenses from Russia to the airport closest to the host family.
Other groups recruiting hosts include Rotary International, the American
Councils for International Education and ACTR/ACCELS, the American Council
of Young Political Leaders.

More information on hosting is available by calling toll free (877)
852-0385, sending a fax to (214) 800-3467, or writing to Open House, Russia
Initiative, 6060 N. Central Expressway, Suite 560, Dallas, TX 75206.

# # #

______________
United Methodist News Service
http://www.umc.org/umns/
newsdesk@umcom.umc.org
(615)742-5472