Ethnic caucuses focus on Katrina, immigration
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The Rev. Chester Aumua |
Dec. 15, 2005
By Linda Green*
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Issues of justice and equity must be
addressed as the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast is rebuilt, according to
leaders of the United Methodist Church’s ethnic caucuses.
They agreed they must be vigilant about who is getting what and why.
Meeting Dec. 2-3, the denomination’s Interethnic Strategy and
Development Group strategized about how “our faces” can be around the
table of decision makers in the hurricane recovery and rebuilding
process, to ensure fairness to Hurricane Katrina survivors. Group
members also emphasized the importance of being involved in repairing
the destroyed Gulfside Assembly in Waveland, Miss., a historic United
Methodist facility founded by African Americans.
While the “faces” of hurricane victims were primarily African
Americans, numerous other people of color were also severely impacted by
Katrina, said the Rev. Chester Aumua, chairperson of the interethnic
group and pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Tacoma, Wash.
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A UMNS photo by Linda Green
Bishop
Melvin Talbert, with Black Methodists for Church Renewal, updates Diane
Johnson, Board of Global Ministries, on caucus concerns.
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| Bishop
Melvin Talbert, executive director of Black Methodists for Church
Renewal, updates Diane Johnson, a staff member from the United Methodist
Board of Global Ministries, on caucus concerns during the Dec. 2-3
meeting of the Interethnic Strategy and Development Group. A UMNS photo
by Linda Green. Photo #05-869. Accompanies UMNS story #698. 12/15/05. |
“The pictures were all of our faces too, and …we are putting together
our efforts ... to see what we can do for putting together
reconstruction of that area,” he said. “It is a lot of churches
affected, ministries affected. It is not just the physical damage of the
house, trees and roads. It is the ministry.”
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed or damaged more than 112
churches in Louisiana and Mississippi when they struck in late August
and September.
The interethnic group comprises the chairperson and executive
director of the Native American International Caucus, Methodists
Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans, Black
Methodists for Church Renewal, the National Federation of Asian American
United Methodists and the Pacific Islander National Caucus of United
Methodists. Directors of the denomination’s national ethnic plans and
general agency staff are also members.
The group shares concerns and issues related to the five ethnic
caucuses of the United Methodist Church and seeks common ground where
the caucuses “can work together as one body with open minds, open
spirits and open hearts,” to see that no one is left behind, according
to Aumua.
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A UMNS photo by Linda Green
Eliezer Valentin-Castañon and Ann Saunkeah share a moment during the Interethnic Strategy and Development Group meeting.
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| Eliezer
Valentin-Castañon, a staff member of the United Methodist Board of
Church and Society, and Ann Saunkeah, executive director of the Native
American Comprehensive Plan, share a moment during the Dec. 2-3 meeting
of the Interethnic Strategy and Development Group. A UMNS photo by
Linda Green. Photo #05-870. Accompanies UMNS story #698. 12/15/05. |
Bishop Melvin Talbert, executive director of the black caucus, announced
his leadership of a special commission of the National Council of
Churches for the strategic rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.
“As the church, we cannot sit idly by without giving some oversight
to all kinds of decisions that are being made,” he said. “We will be
focusing on justice for people who are the victims and equity in the
rebuilding, so that building contracts are not just awarded to people
who bring in people from the outside and local people are not even a
part of the process.”
In other business, the group discussed immigration issues,
particularly the denial of visas to United Methodists from outside the
United States who need to enter the country to attend churchwide
meetings.
An effort is under way with the U.S. State Department to address that
issue, so that adults, youth and young people can participate in church
business, according to Kenia Guimaraes, director of central conference
relations for the denomination’s Division on Ministries with Young
People. The interethnic group is going to assist in advocacy initiatives
throughout the church to increase awareness of the problem.
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A UMNS photo by Linda Green
The
Rev. Mark Nakagawa, National Federation of Asian American United
Methodists, gets an update from Pita Lauti on the Pacific Islander
caucus.
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| The
Rev. Mark Nakagawa, chairperson of the National Federation of Asian
American United Methodists, receives an update from Pita Lauti,
executive director of the Pacific Islander caucus. The denomination’s
Interethnic Strategy and Development Group met in Dec. 2-3 in Nashville,
Tenn. A UMNS photo by Linda Green. Photo #05-871. Accompanies UMNS
story #698. 12/15/05. |
Representatives from the ethnic plans also provided updates on church
growth, membership development, training, agency collaboration and
issues impacting their work.
The Rev. Mark Nakagawa, chairperson of the National Federation of
Asian American United Methodists, described the challenge of addressing
the needs and interests of the 10 recognized sub caucuses in the
federation.
The broadness and diversity within the Asian community impedes the
federation’s work, he said. “Because we have 10 national, recognized
Asian sub-ethnic caucuses, there is the risk and reality of tribalism,”
he said. “Everybody feels the need to support their own community first
and ... the needs of others gets shoved aside. This is where we find
ourselves.”
*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org
Related Articles
UMW looks at race, class issues raised by Katrina
Commentary: We must rebuild on a rock of justice
Resources
Rights of Racial and Ethnic Persons
Ethnic Funding
MARCHA
BMCR
Native American International Caucus
Asian/Pacific Islander Concerns
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