NCC COMMUNIONS AT WORK:
United Methodists Field an Array
Of Strategies Against Poverty
With more than 8.3 million members in the United States and a strong and historic presence
in communities nationwide, the United Methodist Church maintains important ongoing
poverty-related programs. The outreach of the church, including its anti-poverty programs,
"springs from the working of the Spirit" and implements a Social Creed that
includes the right and duty of persons to work for "the elimination of economic and
social distress."
The following brief descriptions represent the types of anti-poverty ministries in which
United Methodists are currently engaged. Also highlighted: two new print resources on
poverty. (For more information, visit www.umc.org .)
Programs
Children and Poverty: The Bishops Initiative.
Launched in 1996, this initiative invites and encourages all United Methodist
congregations to respond to the spiritual, social and economic needs of children. It
endorses the reshaping of the Church to respond to “the God who is among ‘the
least of these’.” The Bishops
Initiative—as it is popularly known—has greatly increased positive responses to
children in poverty within both the U.S. and on the global level. Extensive information
and related links are available online at www.umc.org/initiative/cfagc.
Domestic Hunger/Poverty and Economic Justice. This program of grants to local or regional
organizations is administered by the General Board of Global Ministries, utilizing funds
contributed through a special mission-giving program. The two-fold objectives are to
alleviate hunger in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and to identify and
change systemically the basic injustices that are the causes of hunger and poverty.
An average of $260,000 is distributed annually through this program.
Recent recipients include such organizations and project as:
- The National
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, Chicago, for a project seeking to improve the
wages, benefits and working conditions of more than 20,000 poultry workers.
- Wesley Community
Centers, Savannah, Georgia, for “Food for Thought,” which screens women and
families for eligibility to receive groceries and nutritional information. It also
provides cooking workshops, career development classes and support groups.
- The Montana
Association of Churches for “Renewing the Public Church,” which trains
faith-based advocates to address public policy issues including poverty and economic
justice.
- Crossroads Urban
Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, for “The Anti-Hunger Advocacy Project,” which
deals with issues arising from welfare reform, access to Food Stamps and state taxation on
food.
- Commission on
Religion in Appalachia, Knoxville, Tennessee, for economic transformation work in 55 small
communities.
- Iowa Citizens for
Community Improvement, for the Family Farm Alternative Marketing Project, which seeks to
improve the economic viability of independent family farms.
For more information contact the Domestic Hunger
Program, General Board of Global Ministries, 475 Riverside Drive, 3rd Floor,
New York, N.Y. 10115, or go to www.gbgm-umc.org.
Networks
The Caring Connection. This network links
more than 100 national mission institutions—community centers, women’s
residences, residential care facilities, and schools and colleges—that engage in
ministries to women, children, youth and families, a majority of whom are on the economic
margins. The Caring Connection advocates for justice and social change.
Communities of Shalom. A network of more than 300 local programs, usually
serving a geographically defined area, that work for systematic change by collaborating
with community organizations and residents to develop economic prosperity, coordinate
community resources, empower community leaders to plan their futures, and to proclaim the
Christian Gospel in word and deed.
Community Economic Developers. Thirty-eight
ethnic minority congregations across the United States currently constitute this network. Under the theme “Seek Justice, Freedom and
Peace,” CED is at work in communities rendered powerless as a result of economic
exploitation, reduction of available housing, increased presence of illegal drugs, gangs
and high unemployment.
Four other networks within the Community Ministries sub-unit of the
General Board of Global Ministries include the alleviation of poverty as major goals.
These are:
Program on Substance Abuse and Related Violence
Ministries with Women, Children and Families
Town and Country Ministries
Urban Ministries
For more information on any of the networks mentioned
here, contact the Community and Institutional Ministries Unit, General Board of Global
Ministries, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115. Phone: 212-870-3600. E-mails: www.gbgm-umc.org.
New Periodicals
“Ending Poverty” is the theme of the March 2002 issue
of Response,
the magazine of United Methodist Women. Single
issues can be ordered from the Service Center, 7820 Reading Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio
45222-1800, 1-800 305-9857, fax, 1-523-761-3722.
“With the Children of the World We Will Meet the Crying God,”
is the theme of the March-April issue of Circuit Rider, a publication of the United
Methodist Publishing House. The issue of
poverty is prominent in the contents. This
issue relates particularly to a special denominational emphasis Children & Poverty:
The Bishops Initiative. For single issues of
the publication contact Circuit Rider at P.O. Box 801, Nashville, TN 37202, 615-749-6845.
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