CONTACT: Linda Bloom (Release #589) (10-21-71B){401} New York (212) 870-3803 Oct. 21, 1997
STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS) -- Responding to the links between dioxin and a variety of reproductive cancers, the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries’ Women's Division will begin to clean up its own environment.
During the Oct. 17-20 annual meeting here, directors voted to require the division to use chlorine-free paper for all copying and publishing needs and switch to chlorine-free products, such as toilet paper and paper towels, wherever possible in its offices and facilities.
The pulp and paper industry is a major source of dioxin, which can be formed in manufacturing processes involving chlorine.
In addition, the directors asked the entire Board of Global Ministries, its mission partners and the more than one million members of United Methodist Women (UMW) to do the same.
The severity of the health threat from dioxin, particularly in terms of breast cancer, was recognized in a resolution, "A Dioxin-Free Future," adopted by the 1996 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body.
Division directors also voted to become a sponsoring organization of the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines and urge local members to participate in events connected with the campaign's cross-country bus tour. A $5,000 contribution was made to the campaign.
The division endorsed an international campaign against exploitive child labor called "Global March Against Child Labor," again contributing $5,000 toward its efforts.
Responding to the needs of children was the theme of Division President Sara Shingler's report. "At this moment, I see many women who are reaching out to be with children," she said. "But I also see many women who need help to see the problems and the solutions. I see the desire to be involved, but for many women, the connecting of the 'want to' with the 'how to' needs to be addressed."
Connecting these women with resources, training and motivation is key, she said, as well as emphasizing phase two of UMW's Campaign for Children.
The work of United Methodist Women on behalf of children has paved the way for the "Episcopal Initiative on Children and Poverty" adopted by the United Methodist Council of Bishops, she added.
In other business, Women's Division directors:
* approved a $50,000 grant to the World Council of Churches to help underwrite a festival ending the Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women Nov. 27-30, 1998, in Harare, Zimbabwe;
* authorized spending $35,000 to create a web site on volume one and two of the spiritual growth study, "The Bible: The Book that Bridges the Millennia;"
* urged all UMW members to ask their members of Congress for more information regarding the Multilateral Agreement on Investment and express concern about how it is being negotiated;
* endorsed a National Day of Action for Welfare/Workfare Justice on Dec. 10;
* learned that Talia McCray, a member of Park Hill United Methodist Church in Denver and a doctoral student at the University of Michigan, has received the 1998 Theressa Hoover Community Service and Global Citizen Award;
* elected Lizzie Belle Williams of Kansas City, Mo., executive secretary for leadership education, based in Dallas, effective Jan. 2 and affirmed the mail-ballot election of Robin Small-McCarthy as executive secretary of racial justice, effective June 27;
* completed an attitude survey, embarked upon a common reading and a journaling process, and formed covenant groups as ways of dealing with institutional racism.
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New York, and Washington.
For general information about The United Methodist Church
call InfoServ at 1-800/251-8140.
New World Outlook's Landmines Information | Landmines WWW Links