CONTACT: Linda Green (Release # 339) July 11, 1996
by Linda Green
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) -- The burning of black churches and related issues of racism did not go unnoticed by clergy and lay members of the 68 United Methodist Annual Conferences meeting across the United States in May and June.
At least 21 conferences passed resolutions or issued responses and many collected money to assist with rebuilding burned black churches.
Typical of the actions was a call by the New England Conference to help rebuild the churches and address the evils of racism in society. South Indiana organized a series of work teams that will travel to burned church sites to assist with construction.
The Kansas West Conference condemned using the Bible to support racial alienation and urged churches to educate their members about extremist and supremacist movements.
California-Pacific Conference condemned an initiative in California to eliminate all existing affirmative action programs administered by the state, saying it is a vehicle for destroying racial harmony. Florida Conference members encouraged United Methodists across the state to study all immigration-related propositions that may appear on the November ballots carefully.
The Rio Grande Conference condemned the beating of undocumented workers and denial of education to children of undocumented families. Southern New Jersey opposed anti- immigration legislation.
Two conferences -- North Arkansas and Wisconsin -- urged churches and conference-affiliated offices to observe the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. by closing and offering prayers.
*Green is the director of the Nashville Office of United Methodist News Service.
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