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The practice of annual days of prayer for
students dates back just over a hundred years.
The Universal Day of Prayer for Students (UDPS)
was first celebrated on Sunday 13 February 1898
at the second meeting of what was then known in
the World Student Christian Federation as the
General Committee.
Date posted:Mar 31, 2003
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The practice of annual days of prayer for
students dates back just over a hundred years.
The Universal Day of Prayer for Students (UDPS)
was first celebrated on Sunday 13 February 1898
at the second meeting of what was then known in
the World Student Christian Federation as the
General Committee.
Date posted:Mar 31, 2003
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As President Bush continues to remind the
country that the war on Iraq
could be longer than expected, United Methodist
Women across the country
continue praying for peace.
Date posted:Mar 31, 2003
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Prayer of the Week: God of our silenced hopes,
God of our wounded and dying kin, we your
children are again divided against ourselves in
war. When will we ever stop killing our
brothers and sisters? When will we find our
voices to say, Halt the war! In the name of
peace. Fill our hearts, our lungs, our tongues,
and our lives with the winds of your healing,
empowering spirit. May we with boldness speak
truth to power. May we with firmness and
persistence break the cycle of fear and war that
engulfs our neighbors. Lead us in your way of
peace. Amen.
Date posted:Mar 31, 2003
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The Society of St. Andrew hunger relief
organization looks back on 2002 as a qualified
success.
Like most charities, the Society of St. Andrew
experienced a decline in revenue, but the
ministry had its third-best year in two decades
of getting food into the hands of hungry people.
Date posted:Mar 31, 2003
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"We want you to be witnesses, and go back and
share the reality here in Angola."
That directive from United Methodist Bishop
Gaspar Domingos set the tone for a recent 12-day
visit by 17 volunteers from the denomination's
California-Nevada Annual Conference to Western
Angola. The visit marked the beginning of a new
partnership between Cal-Nevada and the West
Angola Conference. Bishop Beverly Shamana leads
the Cal-Nevada Conference.
Date posted:Mar 31, 2003
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United Methodist Women will take their prayers
for peace to Washington during the week
following Easter.
The women will gather near the White House from
11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, April 21-25, and
continuously read from the more than 10,000
prayers that have been mailed to the
organization from around the nation and world.
Date posted:Mar 31, 2003
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United Methodist Bishop C. Joseph Sprague of
Chicago and the Rev. Jesse Jackson met March 27
with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to
discuss the war in Iraq.
"We talked about several issues that are of deep
concern to us and, we believe, to the whole
church community," Sprague told United Methodist
News Service as he waited for a flight at
LaGuardia Airport after the meeting.
Date posted:Mar 28, 2003
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United Methodist Women Keep Praying and Plan Public Witness of Their Prayers
As President Bush continues to remind the country
that the war on Iraq could be longer than
expected, United Methodist Women across the
country continue praying for peace.
Date posted:Mar 28, 2003
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Medicine Box Update, March 2003
Since the inception of the United Methodist
Medicine Boxtm Program in August 1994, United
Methodist congregations have donated 2,548
Medicine Boxes. Medicine Boxes are desperately
needed but contributions have declined in recent
years. In the first quarter of 2003, only 17
boxes were donated. In 2002, 57 boxes were
donated; in 2001, 107 boxes were donated.
Date posted:Mar 27, 2003
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Report from Baghdad: Iraqi Churches Continue Relief Work Despite War
Today a representative of the Middle East Council
of Churches reported from Baghdad, "All of us are
affected by what's going on. The children, the
elderly - we all have a feeling at times that
they are bombing everywhere and that there is no
safe place in Baghdad. Even the markets and
churches have been hit."
Date posted:Mar 27, 2003
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Philippine Churches Again Assist Victims of Mindanao War
Even before the Philippine military renewed its
attacks on rebel forces on the southern island of
Mindanao early this year, churches in the region
began providing support to families affected by
the brewing violence.
Date posted:Mar 27, 2003
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Nearly 70 people, including a United Methodist
bishop and dozens of other religious leaders,
were arrested near the White House March 26
during a peaceful demonstration against the war
with Iraq.
Demonstrators gathered in Lafayette Park, in the
shadow of a statue honoring Revolutionary War-
era military engineer Thaddeus Kosciuszko,
singing songs, offering prayers and carrying
signs protesting the war.
Date posted:Mar 27, 2003
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A list of suggested actions involved in
peacemaking using terms we are seeing in other
contexts.
Date posted:Mar 26, 2003
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The World Methodist Council has called upon its
132 member church bodies to pray for an end to
the war in Iraq.
A statement released March 25 by His Eminence
Sunday C. Mbang of Nigeria, council president,
said it was "unfortunate" that the United
States, United Kingdom and others had begun the
war without the consent of the U.N. Security
Council.
Date posted:Mar 26, 2003
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School Kits Enhance One Great Hour of Sharing
Collecting kits for the United Methodist
Committee on Relief during annual conference time
has become a regular occurrence for United
Methodists in Virginia. But last year, church
members outdid themselves with a special
collection tied to the relief agency's "One Great
Hour of Sharing" offering in March. The result
was a total of 42,000 school kits that were
shipped to a school for Afghan refugees in
Pakistan and to other programs in both Pakistan
and Afghanistan.
Date posted:Mar 25, 2003
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My God, my God, as war rages today, why have you
forsaken us? All our groaning efforts and words
for peace seem to go unheard....Yet you O God
are the holy creator of us all. Deliver us from
the power of the sword and the arrogance of
military might. When we are surrounded by the
violence of war, when we feel hopeless, do not
stray far from us! ... You hear the cries of any
under siege. Help us to respond to the cries of
our enemies with prophetic love. Give us the
courage to let our leaders know that war is not
the way to peace. Amen.
Date posted:Mar 25, 2003
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The National Council of Churches and two Islamic
organizations have issued a joint statement
praying for a "quick conclusion" to the war with
Iraq.
Date posted:Mar 25, 2003
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Italian Methodists reaffirmed their "solidarity
with the American people" while calling for a
peaceful resolution to the war with Iraq.
Date posted:Mar 25, 2003
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Jerri and Bill Savuto are missionaries of the
General Board of Global Ministries assigned to
Kenya. An excerpt of a recent newsletters
offers inspiring meditation from Jerri on
reminder of church being about the people and
not the structure.
Date posted:Mar 24, 2003
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While United Methodists hold differing views
about the war in Iraq, church pastors
transcended those differences by offering common
words of comfort and pleas for prayer March 23,
the first Sunday after the U.S.-led invasion
began.
Date posted:Mar 24, 2003
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International Ecumenical Alliance Assists Iraqi People
ACT is working through local member Middle East
Council of Churches (MECC) and other ACT members
with longstanding commitments to the people of
the Middle East. Through local churches and
mosques, the MECC has established at least eight
major relief centers where people can seek refuge.
Date posted:Mar 23, 2003
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Church Building in Baghdad Suffers Damage from Bombing
The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
representative in Baghdad, Edward Esho, earlier
reported that the Chaldean Catholic church
building in the city has suffered some damage as
a result of the bombardment of Baghdad on Friday
evening. The church itself had not been a target
but the damage occurred due to a 'huge
explosion' nearby.
Date posted:Mar 23, 2003
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Lord, who touches, and calls, and sends,
We give thanks for those who go in your name.
Bless your servants – made of clay and Spirit –
that they may be faithful.
In both giftedness and limitation, may they know
your love.
As those sent to proclaim Good News, may their
hearts feel it anew.
For the peacemakers who are disillusioned, grant
hope....
Date posted:Mar 21, 2003
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In this season of Lent, with the world caught
in the grip of war, we
United Methodists remember Jesus' words, "My
house shall be called a
house of prayer for all the nations." I call on
all our churches in
every place to be such a welcoming house for all
people...
Date posted:Mar 21, 2003
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The board of the United Methodist Church's
international advocacy and social action agency
called for peace less than 24 hours after
President Bush declared the "early stages of
military operations to disarm Iraq" under way.
Date posted:Mar 21, 2003
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The president of the British Methodist Church
and the moderator for the Free Churches of
Britain issued statements March 21 calling for
peace and justice in Iraq and worldwide.
Date posted:Mar 21, 2003
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God, Whose Love Is Always Stronger: A Hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette
God, whose love is always stronger
Than our weakness, pride and fear,
In your world, we pray and wonder
How to be more faithful here.
Hate too often grows inside us;
Fear rules what the nations do.
So we pray, when wars divide us:
Give us love, Lord! Make us new!
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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A United Methodist agency has awarded 19 grants
totaling $129,970 to projects and organizations
serving various racial-ethnic groups.
Meeting March 12-15, governing members of the
Board of Discipleship approved funding for the
United Methodist-sponsored projects for a year.
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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But there is still greater and more undeniable
proof that the very foundations of all things
are utterly out of course in the Christian as
well as the heathen world. There is a still
more horrid reproach to the Christian name, yea,
to the name of man, to all reason and humanity.
There is war in the world! War between men!
War between Christians! I mean, between those
that bear the name of Christ, and profess
to “walk as he also walked.” Now, who can
reconcile war, I will not say to religion, but
to any degree of reason or common sense?
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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War, said John Wesley, is a “monster” that
cannot be reconciled to “any degree of reason or
common sense” -- a monster bringing miseries to
the warriors and to all those in the warriors’
path.
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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Letter From UMCOR About Iraq
The United Methodist Church through UMCOR is
actively involved with our ecumenical partners in
responding to the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi
people. Decisions and actions by the leadership
of Iraq as well as external forces have caused
the people great hardship. Now that war has
begun, the situation is even more grave.
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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More than ten thousand prayers for peace have
arrived at the United Methodist Service Center
in Cincinnati, Ohio. And with the beginning of
the war on Iraq, the denomination's one-million-
member United Methodist Women will continue
their prayer campaign, praying even more
fervently for a quick and peaceful resolution to
the crisis.
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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With President George W. Bush's declaration that
war has begun, leaders in the United Methodist
Church are responding with prayers, words of
comfort, and support for those in the military
and the people of Iraq.
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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As the United States begins military action
against Iraq, many United Methodists are
wondering where their denomination stands on the
issue of war.
The United Methodist Church believes war is
incompatible with the teachings of Christ and
urges the peaceful settlement of disputes among
nations, according to the Book of Resolutions
and the Book of Discipline. However, the church
acknowledges that when peaceful alternatives
have failed, armed force may be necessary.
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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The termination of food aid to Iraq because of
the war has put Iraqi women and children at
risk, according to the chief executive of the
United Methodist Committee on Relief.
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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United Methodist Women Continue Prayers for Peace, Despite War
More than ten thousand prayers for peace have
arrived at the United Methodist Service Center in
Cincinnati, Ohio. And with the beginning of the
war on Iraq, the denomination’s one-million-
member United Methodist Women will continue their
prayer campaign, praying even more fervently for
a quick and peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Date posted:Mar 20, 2003
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Prayers for Peace
As violence continues around the world, United
Methodist Women have taken up arms in prayer.
United Methodist Women are being called upon to
pray for peace, lifting up their personal
concerns for peace, and using their own words!
This prayer campaign called, 'Christian
Women Pray for Peace from Advent to Easter' came
out of a suggestion from a local member of
Washington state. Her November letter to the
United Methodist Women's Division suggested that
the organization begin a prayer campaign, and
other denominations and faith groups might join
the effort.
Date posted:Mar 19, 2003
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Christian disciples are made, not born, and
becoming one is a lifelong process of discipline
and spiritual formation.
Date posted:Mar 19, 2003
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Fifteen projects addressing young people’s
concerns will receive grants through programs
related to the United Methodist Board of
Discipleship.
The diverse projects include a Vietnamese church
in California and an institute to help students
at a United Methodist-related college explore
their callings within a diverse cultural
setting. They will be funded by the agency’s
portion of the denomination’s Shared Mission
Focus on Young People initiative.
Date posted:Mar 19, 2003
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Prayer of the week: Gentle, loving Spirit
breathe into us this day the spirit of
peacemaking. Bind our hearts with the hearts of
all who suffer from war and violence. When
impatience and war seem inevitable, fill us with
your healing spirit. When military might and
fears seem more powerful than calls for peace,
ground us in hope. For it is not by might, nor
by power, but by your spirit that all things are
possible. Lead us from the ways of war into the
paths of peace this day. Amen.
Date posted:Mar 17, 2003
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Goodbye to a Giant: Who Else Will Help? Ability in Disability
With the death of the Rev. Harold H. Wilke,
founder of the Healing Community, the disability
rights movement has lost one of its giants.
Harold, a United Church of Christ minister who
was born without arms, died at the age of 88 on
February 25, 2003.
Date posted:Mar 13, 2003
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Stephanie Crutchfield is a missionary in the
Philippines working among the indigenous Ayta
people. She shares how human and material
resources from The United Methodist Church bring
rays of hope to the people with whom she works.
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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Recently, I had the delightful experience of
witnessing a dance drama titled “Shanti-duta
Yesukrista” (Jesus Christ, Herald of Peace). The
piece was choreographed by a Hindu, with
dramatic lyrics in Kannada (a regional Indian
language), and composed by a Muslim. Another
Hindu directed this creative mingling of Indian
classical and folk dance and music. In the
program notes we read: “Shantiduta Yesukrista is
a humble effort to narrate the story of Jesus
Christ through classical and folk media that are
indigenous to India.
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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The lines between faiths are thickly drawn, yet
there are no real physical barriers. The
barriers are perceived—emotional, intellectual,
and theological. I am reminded of a dog I saw
walking with her owner. The owner jaywalked
across the street, but the dog stopped short of
the solid yellow lines running down the middle.
She would not cross... I began to wonder if she
knew some secret about those painted street
lines that eluded the rest of us.
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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For centuries the world has witnessed tension
between people of different religions and
cultural backgrounds. Just as there have been
wars fought and lands conquered in the name of
God, there have been people of different
religions throughout the centuries who have
sought peace in the midst of conflict.
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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The first time I came to the Philippines was in
1999 as a Global Justice Volunteer with GBGM.
There were five of us who came as part of the
pilot class, hosted by the National Council of
Churches of the Philippines for eight
weeks..... In October 2001, after nearly a year
of prayer and reflection in search of the next
step in my life, I decided to return to the
Philippines for an extended period to learn
methods of organizing and education for social
justice movement building.
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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We celebrate the great strides taken by The
United Methodist Church in providing space and a
place for the involvement of young people in the
life and ministry of the church and society.
Young people on the African Continent are
determined to reshape their destiny and occupy
their rightful place in society.
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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A common phrase these days is “the world changed
on September 11th.” Religious polarization
manifested itself in a horrific loss of life in
the World Trade Center attack. Many people are
now asking how we can bring Islam and
Christianity together to create understanding
and mutual respect over a perceived cultural and
religious divide to prevent further bloodshed
and escalating violence.
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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After the Soviet Union fell apart, Macedonia
became an independent country in 1991. While
wars ravaged the other former Yugoslav countries
(Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo),
Macedonia was more or less in control of the
conflicts within its multicultural population
(Macedonians 66.4 percent, Albanians 23.1
percent, Turks 3.3 percent, Roma or Gypsies 2.3
percent; religious groups–Orthodox 67 percent,
Muslims 30 percent, Protestants, Methodists,
Roman Catholics, Jews, and others 3 percent).
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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A Native American story tells of a small boy who
goes to an elder in his tribe for advice. The
boy is struggling because he has a "wolf and a
lamb" living inside him. He doesn't know which
one to honor. The wise man tells him: "You will
honor the one you feed."
Date posted:Mar 12, 2003
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UMCOR Responds to a Devastating Earthquake in China
On February 24, 2003 the Xinjiang Autonomous
Region of China was struck with an earthquake
measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale. UMCOR is
working with the Amity Foundation, an ecumenical
partner with a long presence in China, to provide
assistance to the relief and rehabilitation
efforts. Amity Foundation has finished the
assessment of needs in the region.
Date posted:Mar 11, 2003
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United Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert will be
part of a panel discussing divisions within the
religious community over the possibility of war
with Iraq on CNN's "Larry King Live," airing at
9 p.m. Eastern time today (3/10/2003).
Date posted:Mar 11, 2003
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Palm Sunday was in part a massive peace parade.
For a day, Roman chariots and centurions could
not get through the streets and could do nothing
to stop the crowds from peacefully protesting.
Today we are witnessing a growing number of Palm
Sunday peace events across the world! People
are taking their religious and moral convictions
to the streets!
Date posted:Mar 10, 2003
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Grace and Peace to you from the office of the
Missionaries-in-Residence! We have returned
recently from six years of service in Lithuania
and are currently serving in New York in the
Mission Personnel Unit of the GBGM.
Date posted:Mar 10, 2003
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The setting was a gathering of missionaries
during which there was a memorial service for
mission personnel who had recently died. After
the roll call of the dead, persons present were
invited to share remembrances.
Date posted:Mar 10, 2003
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In December 1996, I arrived in Palestine and
Israel as people here were involved in a process
towards peace. Having lived here for 7 months
in 1995-96, however, I knew that process was not
a guarantee that the 100-year conflict would
finally be resolved. Tragically, despite many
warnings that the situation was deteriorating,
few paid attention, and at the end of September
2000, a new Intifada, a new uprising, began.
Date posted:Mar 10, 2003
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The Mission Personnel Unit (MP), along with the
other units of the General Board of Global
Ministries GBGM), mission agency of The United
Methodist Church, has the charge “to discern
those places where the Gospel has not been heard
or heeded and to witness to its meaning
throughout the world, inviting all persons to
newness of life in Jesus Christ....." Book of
Discipline 2000, ¶1302, 1.
Date posted:Mar 10, 2003
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Give Hope Through the One Great Hour of Sharing
The One Great Hour of Sharing offering on March
30, 2003 is absolutely essential to UMCOR. Your
gifts not only keep UMCOR's lights on and UMCOR's
delivery system in place at home and around the
world, they also enable us to respond immediately
to disasters. Your contributions also assist
UMCOR's programs that have not been fully funded
through designated Advance gifts.
Date posted:Mar 09, 2003
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UMCOR Housing Project Brings Families Back Together in Bagram, Afghanistan
UMCOR's housing project in the Bagram Province of
Afghanistan is helping to bring families back
together and to mend broken hearts. The 200 homes
that UMCOR-Kabul committed to rebuild in Bagram
are 90% complete.
Date posted:Mar 06, 2003
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Rosemary Wass knows firsthand the efforts that
local churchwomen make to raise money for
mission.
In her community of York, England, the British
Methodist laywoman has taught Sunday school,
served as a local preacher and worked within the
women's organization.
Date posted:Mar 06, 2003
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An ecumenical delegation that visited Moscow
March 4-5 urged the Russian government to
continue searching for a peaceful solution to
the Iraq crisis.
Sponsored by the U.S. National Council of
Churches, the delegation include the Rev. Robert
Edgar, a United Methodist pastor and the NCC's
chief executive; the Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky,
Orthodox Church in America and a former NCC
president; and the Rev. Keith Clements, chief
executive, Conference of European Churches.
Date posted:Mar 06, 2003
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For Christians, Ash Wednesday is a day of
fasting, repentance, and giving up something for
Lent. Today is also a national student strike
day. Students across the US will walk out of
classes, holding teach-ins, doing vigils all as
part of a call for, “Books not Bombs.”
Date posted:Mar 05, 2003
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We, Christian youth in the Middle East, who
belong to different denominations and Christian
student movements, express our deep anxiety and
concern regarding the possibility of Military
action against Iraq. We firmly oppose war and
affirm the need to reach a peaceful resolution
to the current crisis.
Date posted:Mar 05, 2003
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An interview with United Methodist Bishop Melvin
G. Talbert, ecumenical officer for the Council
of Bishops, will air March 5 on "ABC World News
Tonight" as part of a story focusing on American
Christians' disagreement with a war on Iraq.
Date posted:Mar 05, 2003
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Rosangela Oliveira, a regional missionary of
the General Board of Global Ministries, reports
on a leadership development event of a cross
section of Latin American women.
Date posted:Mar 04, 2003
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Spring break is normally a time when college
students head to beaches and resorts for a week
of revelry, often fueled by an overabundance of
alcohol. But students involved in United
Methodist Wesley Foundations and campus ministry
groups will be rolling up their sleeves for
service work instead.
Date posted:Mar 04, 2003
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Maria and Bill Humbane are missionaries of the
General Board of Global Ministries serving at
the Ishe Anesu Children’s Project and Africa
University in Zimbabwe. Maria shares news of
ongoing progress of children and mothers related
to Ishe Anesu, which is located in one of the
poorest regions of the country.
Date posted:Mar 03, 2003
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When United Methodist Bishop William Boyd Grove
visited Rome recently, a number of Italians
asked him if he thought a U.S.-led war against
Iraq could be averted.
He gave the same answer to each question: "My
political hope is small, my gospel hope is
large."
Date posted:Mar 03, 2003
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Action Alert Affirmative Action and Education
March 2003
From: UNITED METHODIST WOMEN’S ACTION NETWORK
Women’s Division – General Board of Global
Ministries
100 Maryland Avenue, NE Suite 530 – Washington,
DC 20002
Tel. (202) 488-5660 * Fax (202) 488-5681
Date posted:Mar 01, 2003
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Peacemakers are much more than the keepers of the
peace. Many a person has assumed the role of
peacekeeper in a family by ignoring problems, not
talking about difficulties or certain issues,
and/or doing chores instead of trying to enlist
help. The United Nations and individual countries
have become peacekeepers to bring stability and
order to conflict situations by using force. Such
actions by individuals or nations may maintain a
semblance of peace, but the cause of the conflict
or political unrest is still present and
unaddressed.
Date posted:Mar 01, 2003
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A few years ago, I finally took to heart medical
advice to drink lots of water. I began replacing
diet sodas, which I drank from breakfast through
bedtime, with glasses of water. I stopped
dragging after lunch and had fewer headaches. I
began to push water on everyone, expounding on
its virtues to all who would listen. I was
amazed
what a glass of water could do for my physical
and emotional well-being.
Date posted:Mar 01, 2003
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