Bishops share concerns with U.S. lawmakers
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Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (center) welcomes
United Methodist Bishops (from left) Roy I. Sano, Gregory V. Palmer,
Janice Riggle Huie and John R. Schol to her office.
A UMNS photo by Kathy L. Gilbert.
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By Kathy L. Gilbert*
Jan. 30, 2007 | WASHINGTON (UMNS)
Two United Methodist bishops spent a day in the halls of Congress,
talking about issues important to the church and forming bridges
between the faith community and lawmakers.
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United Methodist faith leaders meet
with members of Congress to discuss issues important to the church.
A UMNS photo by Kathy L. Gilbert.
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Bishop Janice Riggle Huie, Houston Area, and Bishop Gregory V. Palmer,
Iowa Area - president and president-designate of the Council of
Bishops - met with senators and representatives before a reception for
United Methodist members of Congress, hosted Jan. 25 by the United
Methodist Board of Church and Society. The reception was held at the
United Methodist Building on the National Mall, adjacent to the U.S.
Capitol and the Supreme Court. The bishops met with Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C. and majority
whip; Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo.; and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton,
D-N.Y. The religious leaders also met with staff from Speaker of the
House Nancy Pelosi's office and Stephen Higgins, general counsel to
Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
"The highlight of the day for me was discovering how many of our
elected representatives on both the Senate side and House side really
are interested in some of the concerns virtually all United Methodists
are concerned with, particularly around children and care for the
poor," Huie said.
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Rep. James E. Clyburn talks to United Methodist leaders in his office.
A UMNS photo by Kathy L. Gilbert.
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Clyburn, and Cleaver, a United Methodist pastor, are part of a faith working group assembled by Pelosi.
"There seems to be some disconnect between us (Democrats) and faith
voters," Clyburn told the bishops. "Faith is second nature to our
members; it is who we are and what we are."
New members of Congress need members of the faith community to
educate them, said Acacia Salatti, a member of Clyburn's staff and a
graduate of Emory University's Candler School of Theology, a United
Methodist seminary.
"I was just tremendously impressed with the personal faith of the
congresspersons that we met this day," said Palmer. The lawmakers were
open to people of faith and they understand that nothing will move
forward in this nation "without meaningful collaboration with people
that differ ideologically, politically and theologically."
Jim Winkler, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Church
Society, sat in on the meetings with other board staff members and told
lawmakers about the agency's six 2007 legislative priorities.
The priorities include:
- Supporting comprehensive immigration reform.
- Expanding funding for family planning.
- Ending the war in Iraq.
- Increasing the minimum wage.
- Reducing global warming pollution.
- Providing access to primary health care for all.
Faith foundation
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Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.,
a member of St. Luke's
United Methodist Church
in Indianapolis, speaks
during the reception. A
UMNS photo by Jay Mallin.
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Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., a member of St. Luke's United
Methodist Church in Indianapolis, took the podium at the reception to
introduce his pastor, the Rev. Kent Millard. The pastor announced his
congregation has pledged to raise $50,000 for Nothing but Nets, an
anti-malaria campaign, and $50,000 for the United Methodist Global AIDS
Fund. (See "Congressional reception spotlights Nothing But Nets,"
1/26/07.)
Afterward, Lugar said The United Methodist Church "has been the foundation of my faith."
Both Clinton and Lugar made it a point to visit the reception between votes on the floor of Congress.
"I am a Methodist and have remained a Methodist because I find it
satisfies both my personal need - my own faith journey - as well as my
responsibilities and obligations to the larger community," Clinton said.
She congratulated the church for its fight against malaria and
HIV/AIDS as well as its commitment to mentoring and reaching out to
children.
"I wish all of you well," she said. "It is a great privilege to me
to be part of this wonderful church and all that it has meant to me and
meant to so many others."
*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
related audio
Sen. Richard Lugar: "The foundation for the building of my faith..."
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: "It's a great privilege for me to be part of this wonderful church..."
Bishop Janice Riggle Huie: "They were eager for prayer..."
Bishop Gregory V. Palmer: "I was tremendously impressed with the personal faith..."
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Resources
United Methodist Board of Church and Society
Council of Bishops
U.S. Senate
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