STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS) Mission work ranging from the continuing deployment of Korean-American pastors in the United States to the celebration of an international youth gathering to efforts at landmine removal was highlighted during the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries Oct. 18-21 annual meeting.

Board directors also approved a variety of resolutions and reports for the 2000 General Conference next May in Cleveland, Ohio. General Conference is the denomination's top legislative body.

In a keynote address, the Rev. Randolph Nugent, top executive of the board, lamented the fact that many of the board's far-reaching mission programs never receive the press attention they deserve.

"If the stories of mission were to be more widely told and broadly shared others throughout the world would be better equipped to understand and appreciate the power of the Gospel to change lives," he said.

"The profound hope and the unquenchable zeal of the people in Rwanda or Sudan or Burundi would be better understood," he continued. "People would be better able to understand why, in spite of the wars, the violations of human life, the killing and maiming and torture and rape of women and children as well as men in these nations, the churches are growing and converts in the tens of thousands are embracing the church daily."

The diverse nature of the mission work includes the establishing a United Methodist presence in places like Cambodia and Manchuria; offering grants to annual (regional) conferences interested in beginning Hispanic language ministries; encouraging black church development in Arkansas; planting churches in Latvia and Lithuania; starting programs in prison ministry and restorative justice and commissioning 337 missionaries, as well as 79 Korean pastors for specific work in Korean-American congregations.

Future mission and evangelization efforts, according to Nugent, "must clearly redefine relationships among persons on the basis of our oneness in Christ, so that people are no longer defined in terms of race, class or economic status."

Those efforts also would recognize an age gap and foster intergenerational relationships; restore a human touch to a world of increasing isolation and be intentional "in issuing the invitation to all people to live a new life in Christ Jesus," he said.

Addressing social issues for the future, new resolutions approved for forwarding to General Conference covered the issues of hate crimes, restorative justice and prison ministry, child soldiers, Pillars of Peace for the 21st Century, responsible travel, public education and the international treaty banning landmines.

Directors also approved resolutions that would replace current or existing resolutions on the following topics: adoption, biblical language, cooperative ministries, East Timor, gun violence, health and wholeness, Holy Boldness urban ministry, immigrants and refugees, organ and tissue donation, peace, justice and reunification of Korea and pornography and sexual violence.

Resolutions recommended for readoption cover diversity of language, America's native people, Charter for Racial Justice Policies, Native American ministries, prejudice against Muslims and Arabs, use of church facilities, self-determination and nonintervention, nuclear-free Pacific and U.S.-China political and church relations.

October 22, 1999

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