wfn.org | Children, bishop ask Virginia legislators to act on kids' behalf

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

Jan. 23, 2001       News media contact: Tim Tanton·(615)742-5470·Nashville,
Tenn.     10-71BP{027}

NOTE:  This report is accompanied by a photograph and a sidebar, UMNS #028.

By Melissa Lauber*

RICHMOND, Va. (UMNS) -- Imagine how differently government might operate if
a child was assigned to each legislator and whispered prayers into his or
her ear before every vote. 

Agendas might change. Priorities would be altered.

This was the hope of the Children's Initiative of the Virginia Annual
(regional) Conference when it gathered more than 400 marchers to deliver
prayer calendars to the state's lawmakers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
With banners held high, the children followed Bishop Joe E. Pennel Jr.,
marching five blocks from Centenary United Methodist Church to the grounds
of the statehouse in Richmond. 

When they arrived they were asked, "Why are you marching?" In unison, they
sang, "We are marching in the light of Christ, we are marching in the light
of Christ."

"Martin Luther King told us what we could become," said Alison Armstead, a
young person from New Hope Community United Methodist Church. "But his
dream's not finished. That's why we're here today."

Children throughout the crowd echoed her sentiments. 

"There are a lot of kids that are not as lucky as we are. There are children
who are poor and need food and clothing. They need violence to end. We're
here to march for those children," said Josh Horst of Corinth United
Methodist Church in Sandston.

Allen DeHoff, of Woodlake United Methodist Church in Midlothian, brought
three friends to the march. It was, they all agreed, "better than sitting
around watching TV,
even better than Nintendo." The boys found balloons left over from a
previous march printed with the slogan, "Up With Funding," in a garbage can.
They tied them to their baseball caps. 

"We're all fine," DeHoff said. "We just don't want it to be bad for other
children. So we're here. It's just the right thing to do."

When they arrived on the statehouse grounds, the children joined in a
worship service, complete with spiritual step dancers, clowns, music and
words from the bishop.
 
Pennel praised the children for speaking out as witnesses. "You see that
building over there?" he asked the young people, pointing to the Capitol.
"The people in there make the laws. They tell your parents how fast they can
drive their cars, and they tell you how many days you have to be in school.
They tell us how we should behave. Today, we are telling them something."

 From the lawmakers, Pennel asked for funding for guidance counselors in
what is kind and what is good for all of God's children." 
every public school in the state. He implored them to "do what is loving,

Earlier that week, prayer calendars were sent to every legislator. The
calendars contained 30 days of prayers from children in 26 of the
conference's churches. With simple words, the children addressed issues of
hunger, poverty, violence, neglect, fear, physical abuse, drug and alcohol
addiction, lack of education, homelessness, loneliness, spiritual poverty,
disabilities and family life. 

This effort to place the needs of children into the hearts and agendas of
public officials was one of many ongoing efforts of the conference's
Children's Initiative. This eight-year emphasis involves a multidimensional
campaign to empower churches to minister to the needs of children.

Its success is unparalleled and overwhelming, said Carole Vaughn, conference
director of discipleship and children's ministries. "We are making a real
difference in the lives of children."

Those who participated in the march, for example, "are learning to witness
to their faith and what's possible," she said. "When you plant seeds, they
take root."
# # #
*Lauber is associate editor of the United Methodist Connection, the
newspaper of the United Methodist Church's Baltimore-Washington Conference.
She visited Richmond to
prepare this story on behalf of the Virginia United Methodist Advocate and
the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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