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BY LINDA WORTHINGTON
UMCONNECTION STAFF

'Voices of Faith: Make the Vision Plain' was the theme celebrated by 350 people who gathered from around the country for the 100th anniversary of the Methodist Federation for Social Action.

MFSA 'has served as an independent voice for justice within The United Methodist Church for 100 years,' said the Rev. Kathryn Johnson, executive director.

At least 35 clergy and laity from Baltimore-Washington Conference churches came to Crystal City, Va., April 13-15 for the occasion. Members and friends filled a hotel auditorium to celebrate with music, spoken words, videos and historic film clips, MFSA?s progressive service to the church since its founding.

Johnson announced the publication of 'Pioneers in the Faith: The Methodist Federation for Social Action at 100 years, 1907-2007,' a history of the organization. She outlined some of the historic steps on 'peace, people?s rights, poverty and progressive issues.'

During an evening banquet, Johnson presented awards to two longstanding members of MFSA. The 'Faithful Witness Award' went to the Rev. John Collins and Virginia Lapham as 'MFSA pioneers in the faith,' the certificates stated. Each received a 1908 copy of the Book of Discipline.

The Rev. John Collins was president and co-president of MFSA from 1974 to 1980. He continues to provide leadership to MFSA in New York and nationally.

Virginia 'Ginny' Lapham, a member of Dumbarton UMC in Washington, became a member of MFSA?s executive committee in 1972 after she and her family returned from seven years of working with Palestinian refugees. She continues to address Middle East concerns and provides much of the material published in the Social Questions Bulletin.

Speaking on 'Rooted in Faith: Called into Action,' Brian K. Blount, professor of New Testament interpretation at Princeton (N.J.) Theological Seminary, used the apostle Paul?s metaphor, in I Corinthians, of inviting and sharing with others equally at the Lord?s table. The church in Corinth was broken and fragmented, as is our nation today, Blount said.

Paul says a meal symbolizing community can?t happen when whole segments of society are left out, Blount said. 'No one needs to tell you that some can?t get to the table, while the wealthy eat everything in sight. ? To devour our resources because we paid for them is to destroy ourselves.'

Audience members dialogued on the brokenness and divisiveness images in Blount?s remarks. 'Why don?t we hear ?I?m sorry? said to those who are finally invited to the table?' asked the Rev. Malcolm Frazier, director of the Wesley Foundation at Howard University in Washington.

The Rev. Traci West, associate professor of ethics and African American studies at Drew University, preached on the issues of violence against women, homosexuality and the positions of power, using as her framework the Song of Mary, 'the Magnificat.'

'To live out the bold, audacious message from Mary - send the rich away empty, bring the powerful down from their thrones, fill the hungry with good things - can you imagine what it would cost to do that?' she challenged. 'Go forth trusting not in yourself, but in our God who redeems us to live the vision.'

The conference also heard Marshall Ganz, who teaches at the Kennedy School of Government, speak on 'Organizing Progressive Methodists: Developing Leaders.'

Ganz began as a civil rights organizer in Mississippi and then honed his skills with Caesar Chavez and farm workers on organizing unions, communities, political groups and social advocates.

In Mississippi, Ganz found that black people had no economic, social, cultural or political power, and that the white majority benefited from that inequality. 'We learned we had to go to the people with the greatest interest in change, the impoverished people. While the communities lacked power, they had resources,' he said.

'Politics of social movement is fundamental to how change works in this country,' Ganz said, 'and that is rooted in the church,' where people come together. 'That?s very important for democracy.'

Diana Butler Bass, author of 'The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church' (Alban, 2004), led a plenary on 'Christianity for the Rest of Us,' the title of her latest book. She spoke from her experience of directing a study of 50 vital congregations from 2002-2006. One of the churches in the study was St. John?s UMC in Baltimore.

The study found that vital churches, large and small, from several ethnicities and denominations, had some things in common:
? They have a renewed emphasis on the past, which includes traditions of mission. 'Sometimes we have not dealt gently with tradition,' she said, 'but it is part of who we are.'
? Vital congregations intentionally engage in Christian practices, both devotional and moral/ethical. 'A division of social and devotional practices in these churches is a thing of the past,' she said.
? Vital churches have a purpose. They seek a community where they can ask questions and engage in conversation. And what safer place to do that than in church, she asked.

Participants attended 26 workshops that continued plenary discussions and explored issues in the MFSA portfolio. Workshops were held on immigration, the death penalty, Israel and Palestine, nuclear war, the problem of evil and the goodness of God, racism and white privilege, facing consumer culture, ending the Iraq war, organizing for social transformation and others.

Bishop Minerva Carca?o, of the Phoenix Area, preached at the closing worship service before about 125 people boarded buses to go to the White House for a vigil and witness, recalling the actions of MFSA pioneers a century ago.

Carca?o spoke about the story of the rich, young ruler in Luke 18, and the story of her own mother?s near-death experience. The ruler was myopic; he could not see the one before him as God, she said.

'There have been those who have seen that mighty vision,' Carca?o said, 'such as MFSA in 1907, who influenced the 1908 General Conference, and the Social Creed was begun.'

Referring to her mother, who was dying, Carca?o said The United Methodist Church may seem like it?s on its deathbed. 'This church is our mother. We?re invited to take her hand and speak to her of God?s amazing grace. And she can be healed.'

Attendees braved bone-chilling rain and wind to take a commemorative walk to the White House, where in December, 1907, participants were presented to President Theodore Roosevelt.