BY JACQUELINE HALL
SPECIAL TO THE UMCONNECTION
'The church, in my opinion, provides an oportunity for spiritual and social growth that no other organization provides,' said the Rev. Mamie Williams who plans to provide many opportunities through her newly appointed position as the Executive Director of the Northeastern Jurisdiction's Multi-Ethnic Center. Established in 1978 as a ministry of The United Methodist Church, the MEC's vision is to serve as a resource for racial inclusiveness as the Church moves into the 21st century. The Center focuses on four areas that are part of its discipleship: recruiting and developing ethnic leadership for service in the church; developing ethnic and multi-ethnic congregations; eradicating racism; and strengthening multi-ethnic relationships. After seven years as the Annapolis District Superintendent Williams believes her new appointment has high potential for enhancing existing programs and enabling new ones for discipleship making. 'My plan is to network more closely with the Annual Conference and local churches and potentially pull together an annual event that would be similar to Global Gathering but be a jurisdictional event,' she said. 'It would have modules, seminars and interest areas for each ethnic group but bring us together in work and play. It would be a gathering that would enhance our relationships in this jurisdiction.' Presently, there is only an executive director and part-time secretary on staff with the MEC, but Williams intends to expand. 'My vision is to partner with other organizations and agencies to build the staff in relation to the needs and the opportunities to address those needs,' she said. Having been in ministry with the UMC for 28 years, Williams has continually worked to recruit ethnic minorities into the ministry. 'We have much to offer each other and because of that the church needs minority leadership. The United Methodist Church reminds me of the United Nations ? it brings together people of different hues, languages and cultural experiences ? and they are well-respected and appreciated. We need young, bright, ethnic minorities to bring that kind of vitality to the table of decision making in the church,' she said. She feels that the UMC's overall efforts to strengthen multi-ethnic relationships have been good. 'It has not had as much impact as I and others would want it to have, but we're not where we used to be and my hope is to build on that,' she said. Williams will begin her new role July 1. Jacqueline Hall is the 2005 Racial-Ethnic Minority Fellow for communications. She visited the Baltimore-Washington Conference Communications office for a week in April. | 
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