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VOL. 14, NO. 20

NEWS

Children in Poverty

A recent report by the Population Reference Bureau, based on 2000 census figures, paints an alarming picture of children in poverty in this region. Among the statistics in the report:

Children experiencing poverty

• Nationwide 17 percent
• District of Columbia 32 percent
• Maryland 11 percent
• West Virginia 24 percent

Children living in high-poverty neighborhoods

• Nationwide 20 percent
• District of Columbia 54 percent
• Maryland 9 percent
• West Virginia 33 percent

For additional information see www.kidscount.org.

Childrens Sabbath reaches across boundaries

BY LINDA WORTHINGTONUMCONNECTION STAFF

More than 200 churches, synagogues and mosques across the country united last month in a voice of concern and commitment to leave no child behind as congregations observed the 12th annual Childrens Sabbath.

Originated by the Childrens Defense Fund, the designated weekend for observing the Childrens Sabbath was Oct. 17-19.

But whats important is devoting a time to highlight the needs of children and our responsibility to respond, the resource manual states.

Observance organizers urged congregations and communities to commit to doing justice, loving kindness, and walking faithfully with God (to) leave no child behind.

The worship service at Woodside UMC Oct. 12 was entirely run by children, ages 3 to 12, with some support from the youth. Twenty-three children participated by reading the Scripture, serving as liturgists, singing and leading the prayers.

Marie Matthews, director of Christian education, preached on the Childrens Sabbath theme, Providing What God Requires and Children Need: Justice, Kindness, and Faith.

Our children are our number one priority, Matthews said. You have to have a passion for children to make a difference.

The ultimate goal for Childrens Sabbath is to move congregations toward creating or stimulating new, long-term congregational and individual commitments to help children year-round, not just the one weekend a year.

After the service at Woodside UMC, the interracial group of children led adults in a mini-walk around the neighborhood, putting feet to their words and raising money to help the homeless. In the weeks prior to the Childrens Sabbath service, they gained sponsorships from members of the congregation.

When in our rich nation, nearly 12 million children live in poverty, more than 9 million lack health insurance, and millions more are hungry or at risk of hunger, homeless, or living in worst case housing, it is clear that our nation today is neither just, nor kind, nor faithful. We can do better than that, said Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of Childrens Defense Fund.

That was part of the message the children from McKendree-Simms-Brookland UMC in Washington, D.C., delivered as they joined the interfaith Childrens Sabbath and Prayer Vigil to the White House the afternoon of Oct. 26.

The McKendree childrens liturgical dance group Spirits in Motion and the Steel Drum Band from First UMC in Hyattsville performed during the rally at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington. Sixth-grader Jacob Logan, 12, who recently won more than $26,000 on Jeopardy and is a member at McKendree, addressed the crowd on his goals for life.

The message in dance, song, the march and prayer vigil to the White House was to leave no child behind, said Willa Kynard, a member at McKendree and an organizer of the event.

Lets put our children first and reach across boundaries, Kynard said.

The same message is important to Associate Council Director Sandy Ferguson, who works with the conferences Children and Poverty Task Force. The job of the task force, she said, is to encourage local churches to participate in events such as the rally and to become advocates for children.

Ferguson believes that something is happening in our denomination around advocacy, that people are paying closer attention to legislation that has a major impact on the lives of children.

As she thought about the administrations recent broad cuts in the Head Start program, Ferguson said, If our kids are sacrificed because of Homeland Security and the deficit, what does that say about us?