Peace with Justice Sunday, June 7 this year, is one of The United Methodist Church’s six Special Sundays with offering.

By Wayne Rhodes*
May 4, 2009 | WASHINGTON (UMNS)

Twenty-eight justice projects ranging from a program that empowers women in the Ozarks to one offering training for election observers in Mozambique received grants from The United Methodist Church.

The United Methodist Board of Church and Society awarded $52,805 in grants with funds from the Peace with Justice Sunday offering received in 2008. Peace with Justice Sunday, June 7 this year, is one of the six denomination-wide Special Sundays with offering. Established by the 1988 General Conference, the denomination’s highest policy-making body, Peace with Justice Sunday supports programs that advocate peace and justice throughout the world.

Half of the Special Sunday offering stays in the annual conference to fund local peace with justice programs. The other half goes to the Board of Church and Society to help fund U.S. and global work in social action, public-policy education and advocacy.

Sixty-five ministries requested funding for 2009. GBCS’s board of directors at its spring meeting selected 28 to receive grants.

Grant recipients are as follows:

The Empowering Women Ministry (EWM) in the Ozarks North District of the Missouri Conference received $5,000. During the past 10 years, EWM has grown from one support group in Richland to three support groups serving seven communities and nearly 1,000 families. A project of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, EWM uses a support-group model to address problems of social inequalities such as poverty, racial injustice and domestic violence.

The South Congo “Jerusalem Justice and Peace Ministry (JJPM)” received $4,505. The ministry is an attempt to increase levels of empowerment among vulnerable communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially among women and girls who are victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and other atrocities in the war-torn nation. JJPM will organize seminary and formation programs, initially in June in Lubumbashi, Likasi and Kolwezi, facilitated by United Methodist Women, men and youth fellowships.

Human Rights Monitor, the peace with justice program of the Liberia Conference, received $2,500. The grant will help fund a workshop to strengthen the church and promote social and economic justice at the community level in post-war Liberia.

The Kapatiran-Kaularan Foundation of the Philippines received $5,000 to train 24 facilitators for its “Dialogue for Peaceful Change.” The dialogue is intended to help people understand and respond to conflict and move to reconciliation.

“Hands and Hearts for Care,” in the Wilmington District of the North Carolina Conference received $4,000 for a new ministry designed to bring awareness of and support to the many persons in that district dealing with HIV/AIDS.

Upper Sand Mountain Parish in Sylvania, Ala., received $2,500 to promote justice policies addressing poverty and restoring communities. Particular emphasis will be made on lobbying state and local governments to encourage change in substance abuse laws that prevent drug felons from applying for food stamps to help their families.

The Swords into Plowshares Peace Center of Kalamazoo, Mich., received $1,000. Founded in 1981, the center works with the Wesley Foundation at Western Michigan University. The grant is to help in leadership training to create a strong core of activists.

Chestnut United Methodist Church in Portland, Maine, received $1,500 to spearhead an outreach and advocacy effort to address economic, racial and social injustice issues in a creative manner. “Supper Bowl Sundays,” outdoor neighborhood meals, will be held on three evenings this summer to get to know neighbors through an art activity.

The Center on Conscience and War in Washington, D.C., received $2,000. Founded in 1940, the center has developed a program to help local congregations and organizations bring “Truth in Recruiting” into schools and neighborhoods. It gives teachers and pastors tools to help young people know their rights and choices with military recruiters.

San Pablo Worship Center of Fellowship United Methodist Church in Muscatine, Iowa, received $1,000. The worship center is a direct ministry of Fellowship, Columbus Junction and West Liberty United Methodist churches. It provides immigration services, such as English as a second language, legal clinics, emergency response teams in case of immigration raids, and “Know Your Rights” events.

Iowa Justice for Our Neighbors, a program of the Iowa Conference Board of Global Ministries, received $2,500. JFON is part of a network of immigration legal clinics overseen by United Methodist Committee on Relief. The grant will help address economic needs exacerbated by summer floods in Iowa that left the clinic’s support base of small rural churches struggling financially.

Seniors on the Move for Peace and Justice Ministry of St. John United Methodist Church in Lusby, Md., received $2,300. The funds will help defray expenses of a seven-passenger van to carry members of the Africa-American congregation to public hearings, organizational meetings and other events that address social justice issues.

The Paradise (Calif.) Center for Tolerance and Nonviolence received $1,000. The community center’s mission is to promote respect for differences and human rights, foster alternatives to violence and advocate for a safe, hospitable and harmonious community.

The "Peace, Justice and Religion Pilgrimage to the Holy Land," sponsored by the Puerto Rico Conference, received $1,000. The pilgrimage will address education and leadership development by allowing participants to travel to the Middle East to immerse themselves in peace and justice issues and interreligious dialogue.

The Conference on Peace and Reconciliation in Grand Rapids, Mich., received $1,000. The conference will be held next month in cooperation with Grand Rapids Community College. A roundtable of internationally known individuals who played key roles in the peace process in Ireland will be featured.

The Abolition Task Force of the California-Pacific Conference received $500 to help with its work in educating churches against modern-day slavery and motivating them to action. Cal-Pac declared itself an Abolition Conference at its 2008 annual meeting, becoming the first annual conference to do so.

The Wisconsin Council of Churches received $1,000 for its collaboration with the Wisconsin Conference to create an ecumenical convocation this year of teenagers who will be educated and trained in the nonviolence of Jesus.

The Farm Labor Organizing Committee of Toledo, Ohio, received $500 to support a “Campaign for Tobacco Harvesters in North Carolina.” The National Farm Worker Ministry focuses on educating and mobilizing the faith-based community to support workers organizing.

The Philippines Solidarity Task Force of the California-Nevada Conference received $1,000. The grant will help with expenses of a “Solidarity and Pastoral Visit” in August with the National Council of Churches of the Philippines. Participants will visit with families of victims and meet with organizations, church groups and governmental agencies to discuss extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

Conflict Management and Mediation for Society in East Angola received $2,000. The funds are to conduct a seminar on “Peace and Reconciliation for Church People.” It will be attended by persons from three districts, who will be trained as peace monitors.

A program to train election observers in Mozambique received $500. Crossroads United Methodist Church in Western Pennsylvania Conference also will provide funds. The government of Mozambique, along with various non-governmental organizations, is encouraging people to be trained as election observers for the national elections later this year.

Topeka Center for Peace and Justice Peace Camp received $500. Peace Camp, now in its 16th year, teaches conflict resolution skills and multi-cultural appreciation for children ages 6 to 12.

The Water Justice Project received $500. A project of Earth Justice Ministries in Nevada City, Calif., the program supports education about the growing scarcity of fresh water and advocacy for protection of water resources. A daylong conference will be organized in Sacramento in 2010 for United Methodists from the California-Nevada Conference.

United Methodist Church of the Open Door’s Shalom Ministry for Reconciliation in Kennett Square, Pa, received $500. The new ministry is a response to racial, cultural and religious polarization, misunderstanding and disparity. A key component will be instruction in areas of racial, cross-cultural and religious awareness and sensitivity training and fostering dialogue forums.

The United Methodist Church in Taraba, Nigeria, received $1,000 for an “Interfaith Peace Building Workshop.” The goal of the workshop is to bring together the Islamic and Christian communities that have been facing escalating violence.

The Center for Pacific and Asian-American Ministries at Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology received $1,000 to develop an “International Summit on Truth and Reconciliation Among Asians and Pacific Islanders.” The three-day summit in Washington, D.C., in May 2010 will address human rights violations by invading colonial powers in East and Southeast Asia.

The Nigeria Conference Board of Church and Society received $2,000. The grant will support “Transforming the youth mindset toward peace, justice and reconciliation in Taraba State of Nigeria.” The project will offer workshops for Christian and Muslim youths in the state, which is caught in a religious and ethnic crisis.

“Advocating Peace with Justice: Rebuilding the Lives of Displaced Communities” received $5,000. Ecumenical Mission for Peace and Development (EMPD) in Quezon City of the Philippines will train young people on human rights. The project is a joint venture of EMPD, the Philippines Conference United Methodist Youth Fellowship and the Philippines Board of Church & Society.

For more information about Peace with Justice grants, go to the GBCS website www.umc-gbcs.org. Click on Action Center, then GBCS Grants. You can also contact Mark Harrison, (202) 488-5645 or mharrison@umc-gbcs.org. More details and resources about Peace with Justice Sunday is available at www.umcgiving.org.

*Rhodes is communication director for the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

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Resources

Peace with Justice Sunday

United Methodist Board of Church and Society