Advocacy ministries place faith into action
Gathering for the first time, church leaders in social justice ministries assembled at the Conference Center Jan. 20 to learn about the issues facing United Methodists in Maryland and what they could do to give their voices to the causes.
"We're here to put our faith into action," said Sandy Ferguson, conference director of social justice ministries.
The Conference Board of Church and Society sponsored the meeting to "engage local congregations for advocacy," said the board's chair, Sharon Leatherman.
Sumayya Coleman, the conference legislative advocate, explained, "We're here to help you establish your advocacy ministry in your local churches – whatever your issue is," as part of the conference's mission to call, equip, send and support discipling leaders.
The primary social justice issues the conference will focus on in 2008 are healthcare, the death penalty, violence and gambling. Leaders from each of these areas presented the issues during the meeting.
"Legislative advocacy gives the local church an opportunity to raise its collective voice, seek peace and require justice for everyone based on the United Methodist Social Principles," Coleman said.
A January poll of 848 registered voters, who were asked what were the most important issues facing Maryland today, replied taxes, followed secondly by health care.
"Health care in Maryland is getting worse," said Matthew Celentona, who heads the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative, which established the 1,100-member Maryland Health Care for All Coalition in 1999.
Celentona said they plan to reintroduce the "Health Care for All" resolution in May. Other legislative issues will include one on long-term care to get rid of discrimination in sharing genetic information, to get care for drug abusers, and to pass legislation to make use of electronic record keeping.
"If records were saved electronically, it would save the country $60-$80,000,000 a year, Celentona said.
At the end of the meeting, Andrea Robinson Logan spoke about another healthcare issue, that of HIV/AIDS, particularly in Washington, D.C., where one of every 20 persons is HIV positive. She appealed to the audience to join the Black Church Week of Prayer and Action, March 2-8, sponsored by Balm of Gilead.
The death penalty issue was presented by Jane Henderson, director of Maryland Citizens Against Executions. "We're close to abolishing the death penalty," she said.
Henderson cited the racial disparity in death row inmates as one reason to abolish the death penalty. It's an issue of justice. In Maryland, 78-79 percent of homicide victims are black, yet 80 percent on death row are blacks who killed whites.
Another factor is economics. Death penalties "cost a lot more than life sentences," Henderson said. One reason for the high costs is the very long appeal process. "Every death sentence in Maryland (63), but one, in 30 years has been overturned," she said.
The risk of executing an innocent person is real. In Maryland, Kirk Bloodsworth was sentenced to die and spent a decade behind bars before DNA testing exonerated him in 1993.
Henderson urged the participants to contact their legislators, particularly on the Senate side, where only one more vote is needed to abolish the death penalty.
Barbara Knicklebein, a member of Glen Burnie UMC and co-chair of NOcasiNO-Maryland, thanked the conference for its leadership on opposing the legalization for slot machines since 1995.
Church members have been instrumental in "keeping the door shut year after year," she said. "We've done it all – faxes, e-mails, visits, town hall meetings, conferences, testifying," … but not enough to kill a referendum, which will be on the ballot Nov. 4.
"Voters need to decide if the money earned (on slots) is worth the cost to tax payers," Knicklebein said. For every $1 of revenue, it costs $1.90 in increased law enforcement, incarceration and treatment. "We have a very huge public education job to defeat slots."
"Slots would be fiscally irresponsible and bad public policy," she said.
Doug Schmidt, a member of Grace UMC in Baltimore, works with both NOcasiNO and Stop Slots. He introduced a speakers bureau and is asking churches to help set it up with volunteers, who will be trained and given all the information needed "to spread the news about how to consider the refer-endum."
"This is a historic time for the death penalty and for gambling in Maryland. Someone needs to stand up and say gambling is not healthy," Schmidt said. "United Methodists are absolutely crucial to this issue."
"We're here to put our faith into action," said Sandy Ferguson, conference director of social justice ministries.
The Conference Board of Church and Society sponsored the meeting to "engage local congregations for advocacy," said the board's chair, Sharon Leatherman.
Sumayya Coleman, the conference legislative advocate, explained, "We're here to help you establish your advocacy ministry in your local churches – whatever your issue is," as part of the conference's mission to call, equip, send and support discipling leaders.
The primary social justice issues the conference will focus on in 2008 are healthcare, the death penalty, violence and gambling. Leaders from each of these areas presented the issues during the meeting.
"Legislative advocacy gives the local church an opportunity to raise its collective voice, seek peace and require justice for everyone based on the United Methodist Social Principles," Coleman said.
A January poll of 848 registered voters, who were asked what were the most important issues facing Maryland today, replied taxes, followed secondly by health care.
"Health care in Maryland is getting worse," said Matthew Celentona, who heads the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative, which established the 1,100-member Maryland Health Care for All Coalition in 1999.
Celentona said they plan to reintroduce the "Health Care for All" resolution in May. Other legislative issues will include one on long-term care to get rid of discrimination in sharing genetic information, to get care for drug abusers, and to pass legislation to make use of electronic record keeping.
"If records were saved electronically, it would save the country $60-$80,000,000 a year, Celentona said.
At the end of the meeting, Andrea Robinson Logan spoke about another healthcare issue, that of HIV/AIDS, particularly in Washington, D.C., where one of every 20 persons is HIV positive. She appealed to the audience to join the Black Church Week of Prayer and Action, March 2-8, sponsored by Balm of Gilead.
The death penalty issue was presented by Jane Henderson, director of Maryland Citizens Against Executions. "We're close to abolishing the death penalty," she said.
Henderson cited the racial disparity in death row inmates as one reason to abolish the death penalty. It's an issue of justice. In Maryland, 78-79 percent of homicide victims are black, yet 80 percent on death row are blacks who killed whites.
Another factor is economics. Death penalties "cost a lot more than life sentences," Henderson said. One reason for the high costs is the very long appeal process. "Every death sentence in Maryland (63), but one, in 30 years has been overturned," she said.
The risk of executing an innocent person is real. In Maryland, Kirk Bloodsworth was sentenced to die and spent a decade behind bars before DNA testing exonerated him in 1993.
Henderson urged the participants to contact their legislators, particularly on the Senate side, where only one more vote is needed to abolish the death penalty.
Barbara Knicklebein, a member of Glen Burnie UMC and co-chair of NOcasiNO-Maryland, thanked the conference for its leadership on opposing the legalization for slot machines since 1995.
Church members have been instrumental in "keeping the door shut year after year," she said. "We've done it all – faxes, e-mails, visits, town hall meetings, conferences, testifying," … but not enough to kill a referendum, which will be on the ballot Nov. 4.
"Voters need to decide if the money earned (on slots) is worth the cost to tax payers," Knicklebein said. For every $1 of revenue, it costs $1.90 in increased law enforcement, incarceration and treatment. "We have a very huge public education job to defeat slots."
"Slots would be fiscally irresponsible and bad public policy," she said.
Doug Schmidt, a member of Grace UMC in Baltimore, works with both NOcasiNO and Stop Slots. He introduced a speakers bureau and is asking churches to help set it up with volunteers, who will be trained and given all the information needed "to spread the news about how to consider the refer-endum."
"This is a historic time for the death penalty and for gambling in Maryland. Someone needs to stand up and say gambling is not healthy," Schmidt said. "United Methodists are absolutely crucial to this issue."
| To learn more about conference social justice issues: Advocacy and social justice |
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