wfn.org | Presbyterians urged to celebrate United Nations Day

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6904 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

17-October-2001
01387

Presbyterians urged to celebrate United Nations Day

Church was among supporters of UN's development in the 1940s

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE - Members of the Presbyterian Church (USA) are urged to highlight
the denomination's work on international issues and advocacy in connection
with United Nations Day, Oct. 24.

That date is the 51st anniversary of the 1945 ratification of the United
Nations charter. The date has been observed as United Nations Day since
1947. Traditionally, the occasion has been celebrated throughout the world
with meetings, discussions and exhibits about the international peacekeeping
and humanitarian organization that includes representatives of 50 countries.

Presbyterians have long supported the United Nations, and were among those
who rallied in support of the concept of such an organization even before
the UN's founding. In 1944, reacting to the horrors of World War II, the
Presbyterian Church launched a World Order Movement supporting the UN's
development.

The church maintains a UN office in New York City dedicated to educating
congregations about global issues from a faith perspective, and advocates
the church's positions to the UN.

"What we're looking at is getting information out to congregations, simply
to inform people of what the UN is doing," said Leslie Bethell, seminar
program coordinator at the Presbyterian UN Office, which is just across the
street from UN headquarters. "There are a lot of people who just don't know,
because they don't come into contact with information about the UN on a
regular basis.
The work of the UN is tied so closely to the work that is happening in our
church right now that we think it's really important that congregations and
individuals find out about what's going on."

Presbyterian UN officials suggested that congregations proclaim Oct. 21 as
United Nations Sunday and focus during worship on the work of the UN and the
importance of international ecumenism.
The first item on their list of suggestions is providing time to pray for
international leaders.

"Use your 'Minute for Mission' time to let your congregation know what your
Outreach and/or Peacemaking committee is doing that impacts international
issues," Bethell suggested. "Help people to understand the importance of the
United Nations and the work that the Presbyterian Church and the church
universal does in the international community."

Presbyterians also are being encouraged to allow their children to collect
money for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Halloween, as part
of "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF." Proceeds go to ensure that children
worldwide have access to nutritious food, reliable health care, safe water,
clean living conditions and quality education. The trick or treat program,
founded by Presbyterians in 1950, has helped raise more than $100 million
for children. This year's proceeds will go to the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative.

Another suggestion is attending programs that focus on the UN, such as
seminars and conferences sponsored by the Presbyterian UN Office, part of
the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

Bethell also suggested that congregations become familiar with actions of
the PC(USA)'s General Assembly (GA) pertaining to global issues. Last year's
GA tackled issues ranging from small-arms control to the AIDS pandemic.

Bethell said Presbyterians have another reason to celebrate UN Day: The
Nobel Peace Prize was awarded earlier this month to the UN and Secretary
General Kofi Annan, a graduate of Presbyterian-related Macalester College in
St. Paul, MN.

United Nations Day materials are available from the Presbyterian UN Office
by phone at (212)697-4568; by email at unoffice@presbyun.org or online at
http://horeb.pcusa.org/peacemaking/unday.htm.
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