Mission Update
Women's Division Endorses Peace, Approves $19.5 Million Budget

Seeking peaceful solutions to the U.S.-Iraq conflict, concern for erosion of civil liberties in the wake of Sept. 11, the plight of children and youth caught in Israeli/Palestinian violence, and the Women’s Division 2003 budget were on the agenda when Women’s Division directors met for the division’s annual meeting Oct. 18-21 in Stamford, Conn.

Directors adopted a statement opposing a U.S. unilateral strike against Iraq that was approved in August by the division’s executive committee. The statement says:

"The Women’s Division re-affirms it opposition to war as the instrument for resolving the continuing conflict with Iraq; presses for lifting the sanctions against Iraq; and urges all governments, most particularly the United States and the Security Council of the United Nations, to pursue peaceful means in resolving conflicts with Iraq."

For the full text of the statement, see page.

In related business, the division’s Section of Christian Social Responsibility heard two speakers -- Victor W.C. Hsu, senior advisor with Church World Service, and Shayana Kadilal of the Center for Constitutional Rights. Mr. Hsu looked at what has happened in the world since Sept. 11, 2001, with an emphasis on the role of the United States as the most powerful nation in the world. Mr. Kadilal addressed the attack on civil liberties that has occurred since Sept. 11, including roundups of undocumented immigrants who have and are being held or deported in secret proceedings.

Mr. Hsu pointed to two pillars of war established by the Bush Administration:

• Launching of a war on terrorism that the Administration has said could last for years, and
• Development of a U.S. national security strategy that reserves the right for the United States to strike first and take preemptory measures.

Mr. Hsu outlined the implications of the Bush Administration’s policy, including the fact it downplays human rights, it remilitarizes the world at a fast pace, it escalates an unprecedented arms race that crosses previous bounds on use of nuclear weapons, and it sets up the United States as a unilateral military power prepared to act without ally support.

Such dramatic shifts in international relations call for a response from the ecumenical community, Mr. Hsu said.

"Because of the extraordinary measures taken by the U.S. government -- the Patriot Act, the invasion of Afghanistan and the war on terrorism -- an extraordinary response is indeed required of the churches," he said.

He listed ways to respond:

• Provide accurate information and fundamental analysis,
• Cooperate with like-minded people and groups to work for peace,
• Speak out to a world awaiting a message of hope and peace.

Mr. Kadilal enlarged on Mr. Hsu’s comments concerning erosion of civil liberties since Sept. 11, 2001, urging Women’s Division directors to speak out against what is happening. The secrecy around the government’s rounding up, deporting and holding of undocumented immigrants keeps the public uninformed about what is being done to address terrorism, he said.

"It creates a false sense of security," Mr. Kadilal said. "It’s bought at a terrible cost in terms of individual rights, and in terms of the balance of power in our constitutional system of government."

A number of Women’s Division directors said they were moved to tears viewing "Promises," a documentary film about the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on children and youth on both sides. The film, which is showing in theaters across the United States, includes footage of two Israeli youth traveling past checkpoints into a Palestinian community to meet Palestinian youth. "Promises" follows the children and youth over several years showing their changing attitudes about the conflict.

The movie will be available for sale in February 2003 from Cowboy Productions, 212-925-7800. The cost of $295 is high for local units of United Methodist Women, but may be within budgets of conference audio-visual libraries, which could make it available to local churches.

Women’s Division directors approved a $19.5 million budget for 2003, which includes close to $4.4 million for national ministries with women, children and youth and the same amount for international ministries with women, children and youth. The remainder of the budget -- about $10.8 million -- supports the program of the division, which includes such things as leadership training, schools of Christian mission, social-justice advocacy, membership development, program resources, emerging mission opportunities, and division staff.

For details of the budget, plan to see the January 2003 issue of Response magazine.

In other action, the division:

• Approved budgets for continuing work to develop United Methodist Women units among Hispanic-American and Korean-American women.
• Learned 2005 mission-study themes will be Pakistan and India, children and the Bible, and public education, and 2006 themes will be global economy and its impact on our lives; Pakistan and India; and shalom, salaam, peace.
• Agreed to work with the United Methodist General Commission on the Status and Role of Women to lead an orientation session for women delegates to the 2004 General Conference, and to send a letter to the General Conference Commission encouraging its support for orientations for groups of delegates such as women, racial-ethnic groups and youth. The commission has proposed removing the orientations from the conference schedule in favor of one orientation session for all delegates.
• Okayed up to $3,000 seed money to develop a resource for United Methodist Women linking the life of Susanna Wesley to the theology and social-justice work of John Wesley.
• Received a speech by Ethel W. Born, author of A Tangled Web and former division director, to the Section of Christian Social Responsibility on the impact of the Christian Right on U.S. policy on Palestine/Israel.
• Approved a $1,000 grant to the Campaign to End the Occupation of Palestine, a recently formed coalition of organizations and individuals working to change U.S. policy on Israel/Palestine in support of equal rights for all.
• Recognized retirements of division staff Annette Funk and Claretta Nesbitt and welcomed Betty Gittens, who has transferred from the General Board of Global Ministries Health and Relief unit to the division’s Section on Christian Social Responsibility.

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