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BY J.L. MCLELLAN
Special to UMConnection

Within the Baltimore-Washington Conference, just a handful of people are on the Committee on Native American Ministries (CONAM), but their ministry is taking on renewed vigor as they reach out to a new group in the region.

CONAM recently joined forces with the Washington Internship for Native Students (WINS) at American University, a United Methodist affiliated school in Washington, D.C. Since its inception in 1994, WINS has helped more than 600 American Indian and Alaska Native college students to receive education and experience in the nation?s capital.

In addition to learning about urban life and making connections with other Native students and professionals, these students gain meaningful work experience, while learning firsthand about tribal and federal regulations.

CONAM established a fund for emergencies, which provides WINS students with money to meet unforeseen expenses. The fund has helped at least four students to return home for family emergencies.

In the Capitol Building, there is a weekly Native American prayer breakfast to which all the students are invited to come and share their gifts and to give praises to the Creator God.

CONAM members also attend the breakfasts to greet the students and make them feel comfortable. Most of the students have completed three or more years of college and many are in graduate programs. All of them have seriously considered the direction of their lives and how they may be of benefit, not only to their own nations, but to humankind.

In addition to American University Native students, Native American interns from George Washington University, who have heard of the ministry, also attend the prayer breakfast.

Bob Willasch of Mays Chapel UMC in Timonium, has been a member of CONAM for eight years. He regrets what he perceives to be a lack of support for the Native American community in this region, and encourages all churches to explore how they might become involved in this ministry.

'This is not about ?playing Indian,?' said Willasch, who believes that God has a lot to say to The United Methodist Church through Native American voices.

He encourages churches to take a special offering on Native American Ministries Sunday, April 22. Fifty percent of this money helps CONAM develop and strengthen Native American ministries in the conference. The other 50 percent is used by the general church agencies to fund ministries among Native Americans in urban areas and scholarships for Native Americans in approved theological schools.

'We want to recognize the contributions and culture of Native Americans; we hope to celebrate their heritage and instill respect and honor both inside and outside of the Native communities,' Willasch said.

Willasch?s interest in the Native American culture began a dozen years ago when he was restoring a boat and ended up making a cedar flute.

He became fascinated with the flute and the pentatonic scale, which 'allows you to play a pleasing song without knowing music. I could point to a line of trees and you could play that, having the notes rise and fall with the height of the trees,' he said. 'It is very relaxing.'

Willasch ended up combining his love of the flutes with his work with troubled youth. 'The lives of some teenagers who have made and learned to play these flutes have been changed. They?ve been turned around,' he said. 'How could I not want to pass this knowledge and love on?'

Willasch and several other members of CONAM are available to speak at churches about Native American ministries. The committee is also seeking new members.

For more information, contact the Rev. Doug Hoffman at (410) 442-2020 or Olivia Schwartz at or (301) 627-5649.

The Rev. Jacquelyn L. McLellan is pastor of Corkran Memorial UMC in Temple Hills and a member of the Committee on Native American Ministries.

Make the Connection

For resources, visit www.umcgiving.org.

Native American Ministries Sunday is April 22.

Of particular interest are the study gbwc_superuseres, 'Dancing with a Brave Spirit: Telling the Truth about Native America,' 'Sharing the Heritage: Helping United Methodists Share the Heritage of Native People' and 'Give Until it Heals.'