News media contact: Linda Bloom · (212) 870-3803 · New York

Participation in a U.S. "open house" for leaders from Russia will give United Methodists the chance to relate to those who may have influence over the denomination's congregations there.

"We now have churches in probably 60 cities throughout Russia," explained the Rev. R. Bruce Weaver, director of the Russia Initiative of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. Many of those cities, he added, will send leaders to the exchange program that runs July 20 to Sept. 15. "When they go back to Russia, they'll know more about the United Methodist Church than they now know."

Three thousand Russians - political, business and cultural leaders -- are expected to take part in the Open House U.S.-Russian Leadership Exchange initiated by the Library of Congress in Washington. They will arrive "in waves" for eight- to 12-day periods, Weaver said.

United Methodists are being asked to host 1,000 of the visitors. "It will be our opportunity to say to them, 'we're your friends,'" he said. "And they can see who we are."

The church's involvement came after board executives read about a proposal for the exchange by James Billington of the Library of Congress. In February, Billington was the keynote speaker at the board's annual Russia Initiative Consultation.

The exchange program "offers United Methodists significant opportunity to extend the social witness of our churches in this context," noted the Rev. Robert Harman, an executive with the denomination's Board of Global Ministries, in a written statement. "Russian participants will be persons who have chosen a political vocation and are directly engaged in the current democratizing process in Russia.

"They face tremendous challenges and will benefit from even a brief exposure to American communities and social institutions that function within our representative system of government," he continued. "They will take from this experience much encouragement for their work at this strategic time prior to scheduled national elections in 2000."

Local United Methodist hosts are being asked to provide placement in a home for one to two weeks, along with all local transportation; visits to local, state and/or national government offices to show how the U.S. system of government works; situations for interaction with U.S. counterparts; a local cultural program; and opportunities for the Russian guests to make contacts in their specific field of interest.

The Library of Congress will provide letters of invitation, visa services and travel expenses from Russia to the airport closest to the host family. Other groups recruiting hosts include Rotary International, the American Councils for International Education and ACTR/ACCELS, the American Council of Young Political Leaders.

More information on hosting is available by calling toll free (877) 852-0385, sending a fax to (214) 800-3467, or writing to Open House, Russia Initiative, 6060 N. Central Expressway, Suite 560, Dallas, TX 75206.

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New York, and Washington.