Lawmakers praise church as civil voice on poverty
By Linda Green*
May 6, 2009 | WASHINGTON (UMNS)
Sen.
Richard Lugar, R-Ind., (right), welcomes United Methodist Bishop
Hee-Soo Jung (left) and Jim Winkler to a Capitol Hill reception for the
Council of Bishops in Washington on May 5. UMNS photos by Linda Green.
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National lawmakers encouraged United Methodist bishops to keep
fighting against world hunger and disease, saying civil voices are
necessary to break through partisan politics on issues such as health
care and poverty.
“United Methodists have a long history of advocating for the poor and
feeding the hungry, both in body and in spirit,” Sen. Richard Lugar,
R-Ind., told church leaders during their May 5 visit to Capitol Hill.
Bishops navigated their way through the stinging rain to meet with
legislators from their states on issues relating to the church’s four
areas of focus-- developing principled Christian leaders, creating new
churches and renewing existing ones, engaging in ministries with the
poor and stamping out killer diseases of poverty by improving global
health. The bishops from the United States, Africa, Europe and the
Philippines met with lawmakers and ambassadors to their countries.
Following the meetings, the bishops attended a reception that featured
comments from United Methodist lawmakers and greetings from Paul
Monterio, religious liaison in President Obama’s Office of Public
Liaison.
“The issue of hunger and poverty holds special importance for health,”
said Lugar, a member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in
Indianapolis. People enduring chronic hunger are more susceptible to
the effects of HIV/AIDS and malaria, and alleviating hunger and poverty
means paying equal attention to fighting disease, he said.
“If hunger were considered a disease, it is clear that we have been
treating symptoms rather than providing the cure,” he said in
encouraging the church to continue its efforts on behalf of the poor.
Greater civility needed
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of
Missouri, a United Methodist
pastor, addresses the bishops.
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The Rev. Emanuel Cleaver, a Democratic Missouri congressman and
pastor of St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Mo., said
there is a powerful role for the church in addressing some of the
world’s challenges today, “and it makes me proud to see how active our
church is on the issues of importance.”
In particular, Cleaver called for fewer personal attacks and greater
civility in public life. Issues like health care cannot be properly
addressed, he said, because of political polarization.
“The United Methodist Church has a powerful witness, and we have to be
able to stand up and witness to the people of this denomination and of
this country about the need for civility because one of these days we
will not be here but our children and maybe their children will
suffer,” he said.
Showing the way
In a related talk, Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious
Action Center of Reform Judaism, congratulated The United Methodist
Church on the lead role it has taken on issues such as tobacco,
immigration, global health and eradicating malaria.
Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the Council of Bishops, introduces Sen. Lugar.
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The United Methodist Church’s Nothing But Nets campaign is an inspiration to others, he said. “You should be really proud.”
He noted that last month a group from his faith tradition went to Uganda and distributed 25,000 anti-malaria bed nets.
“We did it because you were first and you showed us that it could be
done,” Saperstein said. “You are inspiring the rest of the community on
the issue and people are alive today because you helped lead.”
*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.
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Resources
Council of Bishops
Areas of Focus
Richard Lugar
Emanuel Cleaver
David Saperstein
Nothing But Nets |