U.S. lawmakers, United Methodist leaders share concerns
11/6/2003 News media contact: Tim Tanton · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn.
Photographs are available.
United
Methodist Bishop Felton May introduces U.S. Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.)
during a Nov. 5 visit by the church's Council of Bishops on Capitol Hill
in Washington. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo number 03-427,
Accompanies UMNS #537, 11/6/03
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United
Methodist Bishops Nkulu Natambo (left) and Woodie White (Center) greet
U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-In.) during a Nov. 5 visit by the church's
Council of Bishops to Capitol Hill in Washington. A UMNS photo by Mike
DuBose. Photo number 03-421, Accompanies UMNS #537, 11/6/03
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United
Methodist Bishops Charlene Kammerer (left) and Marion Edwards greet
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) outside Dole's office during a Nov. 5
visit by the church's Council of Bishops to Capitol Hill in Washington.
At right is Linda Edwards. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo number
03-425, Accompanies UMNS #537, 11/6/03
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U.S.
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) addresses the United Methodist Council of
Bishops in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington. A UMNS
photo by Mike DuBose. Photo number 03-426, Accompanies UMNS #537,
11/6/03
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United
Methodist Bishop Judith Craig (left) talks with U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar
(R-In.) in the hallway of the Dirksen Senate Office Building during a
Nov. 5 visit by the church's Council of Bishops to Capitol Hill in
Washington. At center is Linda Bales of the denomination's Board of
Church and Society. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo number 03-424,
Accompanies UMNS #537, 11/6/03
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United
Methodist Bishop Clifton Ives (right) introduces retired U.S. Rep. Lee
Hamilton during a Nov. 5 visit by the church's Council of Bishops to
Capitol Hill in Washington. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo number
03-422, Accompanies UMNS #537, 11/6/03
No Long Caption Available for this Story
United
Methodist Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher (left) talks with U.S. Sen.
Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the senator's office. Clinton invited
Christopher to give the opening prayer on the floor of the senate. A
UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo number 03-420, Accompanies UMNS #537,
11/6/03
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U.S.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Al.) (left) speaks with United Methodist Bishops
Michael Watson (center) and Robert Fannin during a Nov. 5 visit by the
church's Council of Bishops to Capitol Hill in Washington. A UMNS photo
by Mike DuBose. Photo number 03-423, Accompanies UMNS #537, 11/6/03
No Long Caption Available for this Story
WASHINGTON (UMNS)-United Methodist bishops from around the globe took the church's concerns and presence to Capitol Hill Nov. 5.
It
is believed to be the first time the full United Methodist Council of
Bishops has gone to Capitol Hill to visit with lawmakers. Though
equipped with talking points and a briefing book, they spent most of the
afternoon listening, as elected officials updated them on issues and
reminded them of their own power to effect change.
"You have
stature, you have moral authority, and you can use it to so many good
causes," said retired U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, a Democrat from Indiana.
The bishops can energize resources and play a role in addressing "the
most important problem in the world: how to get people to stop killing
one another," he said.
The afternoon at the Dirksen Senate Office
Building, followed by a dinner attended by diplomats and ecumenical
leaders, highlighted the Council of Bishops' Nov. 2-7 meeting. The visit
to the seat of U.S. power underscored the theme of the semiannual
meeting, "God's World, Our Parish." Nearly112 active and retired
bishops, representing 10 million United Methodists worldwide, attended
the gathering.
Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher, leader of the
church's Illinois Area, gave the Senate's opening prayer, sponsored by
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. Afterward, the United Methodist senator met
with Christopher.
"We had a wonderful conversation," Christopher
reported. "One of her first questions to me was, 'What's happening with
(United Methodist-related) Africa University?' "
Clinton told
reporters she was pleased by the presence of the bishops on Capitol
Hill. "In these very challenging times, our church has an important
message for lawmakers about the human family and the challenges that we
face, particularly as Americans," she said.
A succession of
lawmakers broke away from busy sessions in Congress to speak to the
bishops, spouses and guests. The elected officials came from across the
political spectrum and included several United Methodists: Hamilton,
Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and Sen. Craig
Thomas, R-Wyo.
Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, described the changes in U.S. foreign policy since the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America, as well as his role in helping
Russia dismantle its weapons of mass destruction.
Hamilton said the great question for U.S. foreign policy is: What does America do with its power?
"We
cannot defeat terrorism by occupying an enemy's capital," he said. To
win that battle, American power must be accompanied by American
generosity and partnership, he said. "I want to see the United States
involved as a benign power in conflict resolution all over the world."
The
United States also should be a benign economic power that supports open
trade, he said. "Trade is the way in which most of these poor countries
are going to make some improvement."
Sessions affirmed the
United Methodist Church and the bishops in particular. "I want you to be
a prophetic voice in the world, and I want us to be a prophetic voice
in the world," he said. However, he said, church and politics should be
separate.
Bishop Melvin Talbert, ecumenical officer for the
council, told Sessions that President Bush has not responded to requests
to meet with the bishops from his own church, though he has met with
other religious leaders.
Sessions said he didn't know about that.
"You know, people are human beings. They may feel they've been hurt
from things that are said." During the past three years, United
Methodist leaders have criticized the administration's policies on a
range of issues, including military action in Iraq.
Following
Sessions, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., told the bishops that
President Bush had refused to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus
as well. "You're in good company," the caucus chairperson said.
Cummings
spoke passionately about the caucus' four priority areas: health care,
education, financial assistance for families, and judicial appointments.
While Americans worry about terrorism and Saddam Hussein, "our
biggest threat to our national security is our failure to educate our
children," he said.
"Our domestic priorities are completely out
of whack," said Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md. The nation is giving large tax
cuts to the wealthy, driving itself further into debt, then turning to
people with pressing needs - such as job training, education, health
care - and telling them funds aren't available, he said. "We are not
responding to the needs of the citizenry."
A few bishops, like
Christopher, met individually with elected officials. Charlene Kammerer
of the Charlotte (N.C.) Area and Marion Edwards of the Raleigh (N.C.)
Area spent a moment with Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. Kammerer brought
greetings from Dole's home church, First United Methodist Church in
Salisbury, N.C.; the senator attends another church but still has her
membership at First Church. Edwards repeated an invitation for Dole to
speak at the next North Carolina Annual Conference session.
The clergy leaders left Capitol Hill feeling good about their visit.
"I
am deeply grateful … that in this country, there are people in
political office and responsibility who are ready to talk with the
church and who are open to conversation about God's reign," said Bishop
Ruediger Minor, leader of the Eurasia Area and president of the council.
"Though we are not probably always agreeing on all the details …
there is openness."
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