wfn.org | Church men commit to work on restorative justice issues

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Feb. 21, 2002 News media contact: Linda Green7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{067}

NOTE: This report is a sidebar to UMNS story #066.

By Rick Peck*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Leaders of United Methodist Men have agreed to
join the denomination's social action agency in working on restorative
justice issues to help families of people in prison.

The National Association of Conference Presidents of United Methodist Men
(UMM) agreed to join with the denominationwide Board of Church and Society
to work on issues of restorative justice, which involves ministering to
perpetrators of crime as well as victims. The decision came during a Feb.
14-17 meeting of about 140 conference presidents. It followed a conference
call between the association's newly formed restorative justice committee
and Ken Fealing, a staff member of the Washington-based board.

"I am very excited about this new partnership between the Board of Church
and Society and United Methodist Men to collectively address a pressing
ministry need in our communities," stated Gil Hanke, national UMM president.

The board offered UMM presidents opportunities to provide input and become
active partners in an October workshop on the issue. The men plan to provide
scholarships for children of incarcerated people to enable participation in
scouting programs, and the group will also provide other support.

During their February meeting, the conference presidents also received
updates on other social action ministries. They were told that men across
the church in the past 12 months had salvaged 3.9 million pounds of food by
gleaning fields. The 7,500 local UMM units have raised $252,000 for hunger
relief through the Society of St. Andrew, a partner with the Commission on
United Methodist Men.

UMM units also have:
7	Bought 200 bicycles for pastors in Liberia.
7	Given 80,000 pounds of ostrich meat to Illinois food banks.
7	Supported "Hope for Hearing," a project that has placed more than
400 hearing aids and assisted children in six different schools for the deaf
in Haiti.
7	Sponsored "Brother-to-Brother" gatherings, in which men develop
friendships across ethnic and racial lines.
7	Participated in efforts to build or rebuild churches and homes
damaged by hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or fire.

In other business, the conference presidents created a task force to
investigate extending ministry to central conferences (regional units
outside the United States) and to consider support for the "Stop Hunger Now"
relief ministry.

They also encouraged district and local units to plan "pastor appreciation"
events in October; participate in "potato drops"; and relate to campus
ministries, scouting units and singles ministries in order to share the
gospel.
# # #
*Peck is communications consultant for the churchwide Commission on United
Methodist Men.

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United Methodist News Service
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