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| The General Board of Global Ministries received several specific assignments from the 1996 General Conference, some of which were continuing assignments from the 1992 General Conference. The 10 ministries described below were voted into action by General Conference and then assigned to the GBGM for research, formulation, or administration, depending on the specific instructions given. Brief reports are provided in order to update readers on the ministries, as delegates prepare for the work of General Conference 2000. Following these short descriptions, New World Outlook citations and/or links are given to indicate coverage in articles published earlier. |
 Inmate Israel Espericuet participates in a worship service at the Oakdale Federal Correctional Institute in Oakdale, Louisiana. |
1. Restorative JusticeIn 1778, the General Conference of the Methodist Church made it the duty of every preacher to minister to the incarcerated. The Global Criminal Justice Mercy Ministries Institute--the original proposal of the General Conference--was changed to The Restorative Justice Ministries Office of The United Methodist Church and assigned to the GBGM to administer. During the quadrennium, an executive director, Harmon Wray, was chosen to direct the office, which is housed in Nashville. "Restorative justice is not a program," notes Wray. "Restorative justice is a perspective, a point of view, a focus from which we can understand better the realities of crime and punishment in society." |
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The Restorative Justice Ministries Office seeks to nurture ministries with prisoners and their families and with the victims of crimes and their families, seeking to bring victims and offenders into dialogue. It also works to foster changes in the criminal justice system and to identify resources to help those working in ministries in the criminal justice arena. The office has held jurisdictional training events for annual conference representatives, developed a restorative justice network within the church, and identified some effective models for ministry in the United States and elsewhere. The office plans to explore a certification process for those working in prison ministries and plans to assign missionaries to work in the field of prison and restorative justice ministries. (See New World Outlook, July-August 1999, and Response, June 1999.) 2. National Comprehensive Plan for Town and Country MinistriesThe GBGM was asked to oversee a plan for the development of Town and Country Ministries in the United States. A task force named by the GBGM held consultations and conducted a nationwide survey of selected United Methodist congregations in small-town and rural settings. In addition, several town and country organizations or associations shared their ideas, while members of the task force, themselves, contributed important insights drawn from long years of experience. The report, entitled "Born Again in Every Place," portrays the church and community contexts and identifies the assets, needs, and expectations of church members.Respondents expressed a need and a desire to reach new populations moving into rural areas but also an uncertainty as to how to proceed. The report urges the church to consider effective training models and resources to equip congregations to welcome new populations and to reach out to existing neighbors. Better preparation of clergy to serve in small-town and rural settings, lay training, and the forging of stronger links between rural and urban churches are among the actions suggested in the report. (See New World Outlook, January-February 2000, pp. 14-17.) |
3. Korean American MinistriesGeneral Conference created a task force to conduct a comprehensive study on Korean American ministries and to bring back a report for the 2000 General Conference. The task force devised a survey that was sent to clergy and laypeople serving in 70 Korean American congregations. Thirteen focus groups were then held across the United States. Interest groups within the church (Korean clergywomen, Korean clergy who are serving non-Korean congregations, and others) participated in the focus groups.The report suggested three ways in which the general church could respond to the needs of the growing Korean American ministries of The United Methodist Church. The respondents cited leadership development as important for both clergy and lay ministers in Korean American congregations. The need for education in United Methodist history, doctrine, and theology was cited as well as study of the connectional nature of the church and how its administrative and representational structure works. The Korean community also identified an urgent need for finding new ways to minister to the "next generation" of Korean Americans--those who were born in the United States and grew up in the American culture. A third area of concern was the need to continue developing new "mission congregations" as Korean immigrants continue to arrive in the United States. (Also in this issue: United Methodist Ministries Among Korean Americans: Report of the Task Force on Korean American Ministries.) 4. Asian American Language Ministry Study |
 Bishop Dan Solomon commissions the Rev. Kyong Heekim of Rainbow Korean United Methodist Church in New York, NY, as a Korean missioner. The word church in Chinese, Korean, and Khmer (Cambodian). |
This study assesses and assists ministry among 10 Asian ethnic groups that have developed ministries among immigrant populations in the United States. The groups are Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Formosan, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Lao, South Asian, and Vietnamese. Key areas of interest are new congregations, community ministries, clergy and lay leadership training, and resource development. Filipinos constitute the largest sub-ethnic community in the United States today. A plan to enable the growth of Filipino congregations is now under way.
5. National Plan for Hispanic MinistrySince 1992, this churchwide ministry has been administered by the GBGM through the office of the National Plan for Hispanic Ministry. This continuing plan from the 1992 General Conference put an emphasis on the mobilization of annual conferences in the development and support of ministries among Hispanic peoples in the United States. Since the plan's inception, 64 new congregations have been chartered in 30 annual conferences, 17 missionaries have been commissioned in 11 conferences, 208 missions and fellowships have been established in 46 conferences, 32 small groups have been formed in 8 conferences, 538 "faith communities" have been established in 51 conferences, 263 church-school extensions have taken place in 30 conferences, and 839 outreach ministries have taken place in 47 conferences. |
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As of mid-1999, the National Plan had trained 796 lay missioners and 100 pastor- mentors representing 46 annual conferences. National and regional facilitators were trained to assist with the training of lay missioners and pastor-mentor teams. (See New World Outlook, March-April 1996, pp. 8-9.) The Rev. Noemi Perez attends a National Hispanic Plan event in the Southern New Jersey Conference |
7. Communities of ShalomIn response to the uprisings in Los Angeles following the acquittal of the White police officers who had been videotaped beating an African American motorist, Rodney King, the 1992 General Conference mandated the creation of Shalom Zones. The mandate set a goal that, by the year 2000, 300 Shalom communities would be established across the United States. The primary focus of the Shalom Initiative was to respond to the social, racial, educational, and economic inequities faced by underserved and undervalued groups in urban and rural communities across the United States. Currently, 331 Shalom sites are in ministry. They focus on the initiative's four goals of economic development, strengthened multicultural relationships, health and healing, and spiritual growth. These 331 Shalom sites are present in 41 US annual conferences and in Zimbabwe and Ghana.Creative funding and collaborative work have secured financing in excess of $5 million. These funds have been realized largely through the work of individual annual conferences and Shalom sites partnering with state, federal, and private funding sources. Four annual conferences–South Carolina, Florida, Texas, and New York–received more than $800,000 as a result of partnerships with the AmeriCorps Program. The Community Investment Foundation, a separate funding entity, was established to address the demanding needs for financial support to Shalom sites. The National Shalom Committee, in consultation with the General Board of Global Ministries, provides direction to the work of this initiative. This committee is appointed by the Council of Bishops. (See New World Outlook, January-February 2000, p. 22-25, 41-42, 48.) |
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SPSARV launched a demonstration project in Arkansas to tackle the problem of drinking on college campuses. The project involves a Wesley Foundation, a Shalom Community, and a public university. In addition, through its work with United Methodists in Europe and its recent expansion into Africa, SPSARV is sponsoring a consultation for Central Conference members entitled "Hope for the World: Making a Christian Witness to Eliminate Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Related Violence." SPSARV also co-sponsored four Substance Abuse Training Seminars (SATS) across the United States and a youth seminar in Norway in which participants created action plans. |
9. Ministry to the DeafThe 1996 General Conference continued this mandate from 1992 in order to ensure that United Methodist general agencies coordinate their efforts in developing and advocating for ministries among the deaf. The committee is recommending a plan for "Strengthening the Connection with the Greater Deaf Community for the New Century."10. AIDS MinistryThe AIDS ministry started as an interagency task force in 1992. Most recently, an international consultation was held in Zimbabwe. It dealt with AIDS education, prevention, and counseling; home-based care; the needs of children orphaned by AIDS; and reducing the stigma attached to HIV infection. The GBGM recommends that the work of the task force be incorporated into the ongoing health and welfare ministries of the Board. |
 The Rev. Kirk VanGilder provides sign-language interpretation for a United Methodist event. |
Text and photographs copyright 2000 by New World Outlook: The Mission Magazine of The United Methodist Church. Used by Permission. Visit New World Outlook Online at http://gbgm-umc.org/nwo/.
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A Native American supplement was produced in cooperation with the United Methodist Publishing House for Native American Vacation Bible Schools. Dancing with a Brave Spirit: Telling the Truth About Native Americans 1999-2000 was published by United Methodist Communications with the help of the Task Force on Native American Economic Development. The Plan also assisted in the formation of a Native American Film Resources Library at United Methodist Communications. (See New World Outlook, January February 2000, pp. 34-37; March-April 1996, pp. 4-7.)