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"Our Program is Strong"

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GBGM Board Meeting Roundup

In a meeting marked by reflection on the tragic events of September 11, discussion of economic challenges, Bible study, and strong witness, General Board of Global Ministries head Dr. Randolph Nugent confidently declared, "Our program for the year 2001 is strong and there is every reason to believe that it shall remain so as we move into the future."

Dr. Nugent's remarks were made to directors of the Board at its October 22-25 annual meeting in Stamford, Conn.

Before discussing fiscal matters in greater depth, Nugent made the connection between the "strange new reality" Americans are living under in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the reality that people in parts of Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe have lived with for years, saying "the horrible events of that day" have forged a closer kinship for most Americans with others in the human family because we have moved from a "protected condition of isolated innocence" and "now know to some degree what others have known for so long."

Describing extraordinary acts of courage by "ordinary people who live everyday lives," Nugent said we should recognize that "acts of love and caring in the midst of unbelievable tragedy are not just happenstance or one-time occurrences." They result, he continued, from "long and persistent efforts in mission that teach and admonish people about love, sacrifice, and care for neighbor."

That, he said, is the kind of unceasing mission that the church is engaged in throughout the world in places where tragic events occur.

Turning to fiscal matters, Nugent explained that budget cuts, including staff reductions already implemented, are the result of economic factors such as a steep stock market decline that led to a $21.3 million loss in the Board's investment portfolio over a two-year period; a 2 percent reduction in World Service revenue from the general church; and higher expenses for a larger missionary force.

The resulting $11 million in necessary budget reductions are reflected in decreased spending for the rest of the year, and a 2002 budget of $96,646,000, down $8.6 million from the 2001 budget. The Board also re-designated $3 million in Board assets to support 2001 operations and nearly $8.9 million to support the proposed budget for 2002.

Despite the cuts, including the loss of 98 staff positions, with nearly half those representing actual layoffs, Nugent pointed out that missionary programs will be retained because "such programs are essential as the Gospel is best shared when carried by persons."

Making the point that the success of the church's mission throughout the world challenges the Board to find ways to further strengthen the witness, Dr. Nugent said more attention must be paid to further increasing dialogue between Christians and Muslims, even though successful work already is underway in the midst of Islamic communities in Bosnia, Kosova, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakstan, and Tajikistan.

In other places where "our churches are living in very close proximity with Islam," Nugent said the church must engage in increased inter-religious mission and strengthened witness in offering Christ with both "humility and sensitivity."

"The call to mission is unequivocal," he said, adding that we must remain mindful that it is a call to serve, not to dominate. "Everywhere one looks there is devastation, privation, hunger, thirst, and fear. A fear so great and so pervasive that one has to ask how it is that God's creation has gone awry. Whatever the response to this question, the challenge remains that ours is the task to forge ahead in creating the space and the place for God's love to be received and take hold."

God's love also was a theme in witness shared by Parvina Najibulla, a native of Tajikistan now attending graduate school in the United States. Saying we, the church, can make a difference, Najibullah reminded the gathering that "as people called to be prophetic, we have a role in lifting our voices to call for peace."

Increased Giving For One Great Hour of Sharing

In the Report of the Treasurer, Women's Division head and Interim Board Treasurer Joyce Sohl stressed that "we are involved in God's mission," not the Board's mission, the church's or our own." She explained that "the economics of mission is about allocating available resources to meet the needs of hurting people."and said that at different times in the past the Board has been through many of the changes and challenges it now is undergoing and still the mission has continued.

An expansion of mission two years ago when the Board was enjoying large capital gains from its stock resulted in several innovative mission programs, such as the W.T. Handy Young Adult Missionaries, renovation of global health care facilities, and landmine removal, to be funded over five to 10 years. Those initiatives and others implemented at the same time will continue, with some of the money designated for them re-designated for use in the 2001 and 2002 budgets, she reported.

Despite the slumping economy, the One Great Hour of Sharing offering, which pays for administrative costs for United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) currently is up $5.2 percent over last year and income from United Methodist Women appears to be "keeping pace with last year," Sohl reported.

UMCOR Helps Disaster Victims and Prepares Long-Term Relief Effort

Since the terrorist attacks, the Board has received thousands of letters of love and solidarity from people around the world. A sampling of letters written by children as young as six years old was read by Associate General Secretary Deborah Bass prior to a presentation devoted to the church's response to the attacks.

Paul Dirdak, deputy general secretary and head of United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support for UMCOR's disaster relief efforts and said the donations represent "the largest single response" to a catastrophe in recent history. UMCOR staff still is handling "great piles of correspondence and donations," which the unit "will be held accountable for spending wisely and well" on UMCOR's largest disaster response ever.

To date, Dirdak reported, UMCOR has organized leadership for child care centers set up for families coming to various sites in Manhattan to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and for death certificates; helped to clean damaged apartments for disaster area residents who cannot afford to pay for clean-up; assigned a lawyer to assist Spanish-speaking people whose families were in the midst of the immigration application process; provided pastors to assist with grief counseling; and organized a Native American work team to do high beam work at the disaster site.

By the end of the year, Dirdak said, UMCOR will have in place a "full-scale response for the long term."

Women's Division Urges Diplomacy

Women's Division approved a 2002 appropriation of $11,047, 197 for the division, $4,533,022 for national mission, and $4,533,022 for international mission, for a total of $20,113,214.

In other action, the division approved a resolution calling on United Methodist Women to urge President George W. Bush to use diplomatic means to bring the perpetrators of terrorist acts to justice and to end the bombing of Afghanistan and to press for peace in the Middle East; to reach out to people of other faiths and to educate themselves about the Islamic faith; work to prevent racial profiling and harassment or violence against Muslims, Arabs, and those perceived to be Arabs; and to oppose efforts to curb constitutionally protected civil liberties.

The 2002 Theressa Hoover Community Service and Global Citizen Award was awarded to Ekaterina Teachout of Ackerman, Mississippi, for study in Cambodia on alternative medicine and its use in developing nations.

Stephen Feerrar To Become Treasurer

Stephen Brimigion, who recently retired as general treasurer, received the thanks of the Board for his years of service. His successor, Stephen Feerrar, assumes responsibilities of general treasurer on Nov. 1.

Feerrar, a former vice-president and chief financial officer for the international division of PPL Global (Pennsylvania Power and Light) earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia.

He is a member of Centreville United Methodist Church in Virginia, and has taught Sunday School and served on committees at Centreville and several other United Methodist churches in Pennsylvania.

In a thought provoking Bible study focusing on identity, purpose, and mission, Dr. William B. McClain urged directors to " remember that we are people formed by the Gospel story whose purpose is to live our lives for God's will." McClain, who is the Mary Elizabeth McGehee Joyce Professor of Preaching and Worship at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., added that we "have been called into the ministry in the name of Jesus Christ "to participate in God's mission." He exhorted the enthusiastic audience to remember "to tell them why you love; tell them why you care: In the name of Jesus!"

Twenty-one persons were commissioned as missionaries, church and community workers, and deaconesses during the meeting. The Board now supports 2546 missionaries serving in 71 countries.

November 7, 2001
General Board of Global Ministries
United Methodist Church
475 Riverside Drive - New York, New York 10115
1-800-UMC-GBGM