What GBGM Is Doing

The Board of Global Ministries has established an Advance for donations:

General Advance Program
Partners in Congregational Development
Code #982700-1. (Please specify "Black Church Burnings" on your check.)

Donations from the Advance will be used to help in the rebuilding of churches, arming of churches with security systems and to support church watch patrols in areas where vulnerable churches are located.

Global Ministries has appealed to Bishop Felton E. May to urge that the area of the burnings be declared a Shalom Zone so that churches there can work with others in the community toward addressing the racism and other problems that created the climate in which this arson and vandalism is occurring.

Global Ministries will organize and deploy Volunteers in Mission to assist in rebuilding burned houses of worship, patrolling areas where vulnerable buildings are located, and in whatever other capacity they are needed.

In accordance with the commitment of GBGM to participate with the annual conferences in enabling mission, Global Ministries will make a substantial contribution to the fund established by Bishop Robert H. Spain and the South Carolina Annual Conference to help distribute money to churches damaged or destroyed by arson.

In March 1996, the Women's Division voiced its abhorrence of these acts and approved a grant to the Center for Constitutional Rights for the emergency legal team that has been established to pursue justice in the fire bombings of the Black churches. The division contines to resource United Methodist Women to understand the dangers of hate groups.

The GBGM program called "Ministry in the Midst of Hate and Violence" now will include a focus on the black church burnings. Telephone (212) 870-3772 or fax (212) 870-3932.

For Future Updates

Mission Fax: 1-800-793-5415

GBGM's Church Burnings Home Page at http://gbgm-umc.org/advance/Church-Burnings/index.html