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BY LINDA WORTHINGTON

UMCONNECTION STAFF

Twenty-five curious people gathered March 10 for a ?Day that Will Make a Difference,? the theme of an event where they learned about the role of COSROW ? the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women ? and the role it can play in their local churches.

The Rev. Iris Farrabee-Lewis, who heads the conference commission, presented the speaker, the Rev. S. Kim Coffing, assistant general secretary for education and advocacy at the denomination?s General Commission on the Status and Role of Women. Coffing answered the participants? curiosity with a dialogue on such challenges as the use of inclusive language, monitoring meetings and worship services for gender equity, and assuring that churches are safe sanctuaries for all people.

?I understand much better what advocacy is about,? said the Rev. Valerie Barnes. ?I look forward to a breaking open of doors ? perhaps to monitor some of our clergy gatherings that aren?t always inclusive.?

As Coffing related some of the history of the role of women in the church, she said that in 1968 at least 54 percent of church membership was women, but there were fewer than one percent of women in decision-making roles.

?Obviously we were denying leadership in our constituency for women and people of color,? she said. The General Conference of 1972 created the commission to address discrimination against women, and, four years later, established it as a standing commission. COSROW and the Commission on Religion and Race are the two agencies of the church whose primary purposes are monitoring, education and advocacy for inclusiveness.

Responding to a question, Coffing explained that a key difference between COSROW and the more prominent United Methodist Women is the monitoring role ? that the UMW, and its related Women?s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, focuses on programming,  while COSROW focuses on looking ?at the hard places of where women are ? or aren?t ? and why. UMW takes the church into the world,? she said. ?COSROW works internally: we ask if women are present in the issues the church pays attention to.?

The audience nodded in agreement, as Coffing said that while the statistics have improved, there is still gender inequity throughout the church. Because of this, monitoring is important, she said, and it is a mandated function of the COSROW, which is funded through World Service apportionments.

?We get calls to investigate sexual roles ? not just sexual harassment, but power abuse,? she said. ?No one ? women and clergy included ? can bully in the church.?

The same mandated roles and purposes the General Commission holds are also your role in the local church, Coffing said. Monitoring is the ministry we (GCSRW) provide to church leaders to help you do the work. It is a ministry to help you be successful, to keep you from being blind to the presence and contributions of women in the room, she said.

Monitoring has moved to a back burner lately, Coffing said, ?because so much of our work has been on sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.?

Cyber sex issues have increased the commission?s workload as increasing numbers of pastors lose their credentials over accusations of using the Internet in search of sexual images and interactions.

The General Commission ensures that there are complaint processes in place for women who need them, and it serves as an advocate when complaints of sexual harassment, misconduct or discrimination are filed.

During the discussion, both seasoned and new COSROW representatives learned ways that they could carry on the monitoring functions in the local church. One question to always ask is: If women are 60 percent of the denomination, where are they as decision-makers, or chairpersons, at General Conference, at Annual Conference, and in the local church?