From poverty to family, in the Jan. 13 'Reporter'

Greetings e-Readers!

Open Table is a remarkable, UMC-backed program in Arizona that seeks to help folks break the cycle of poverty. Kathy L. Gilbert of United Methodist News Service has an in-depth report.
 
Gary Shorb is president and CEO of Methodist Healthcare in Memphis, and a UMC layman who has helped craft reform proposals going before the fast-approaching General Conference. We have a Q&A with him in which he strongly backs “metrics” and other accountability measures.
 
Crossroad House is a Cabot, Ark., home and ministry for very young mothers, and United Methodists have provided crucial support to it. Special contributor Amy Forbus has the story.
 
The Rev. Dori Baker, an ordained UM elder, has seen first-hand that young people can get excited by theology, and moved to social action. She writes that the church must find ways to support such youth.
 
In other commentaries, retired Bishop Woodie W. White pens his annual “Letter to Martin” column, timed to MLK Day; the Rev. William McElvaney writes about the burdens and blessings of being a peacemaker; retired Bishop Joe Pennel notes that hot button items are not a new issue for Methodists; and the Rev. Andrew C. Thompson finds a decades-old sermon to be highly relevant to issues facing the UMC today.
 
There’s plenty more in this issue, including C. Michael Hawn’s History of Hymns column, about “Brightest and Best of the Stars of the Morning.” 
 
We welcome story tips, comments and brief, civil letters to the editor. Send to news@umr.org.
 
Thanks, as always, for keeping the faith with us. 
 
Sam Hodges, managing editor

Comments

[Kevin]

Since there seem to be little more than crickets chirping on this blog I will post something you can respond to.

First thing is Bishop White. Apparently he confuses criticism of President Obama with racism.
“While recent studies still conclude that white and black Americans view race differently, I can think of no place where that is more glaringly true than in the assessment of the current presidential administration. Black Americans view the President as having been disrespected, unduly criticized, his accomplishments dismissed and minimized.”
How quickly we forget the way President Bush was criticized. Any president will be savagely criticized by some segment or another. That goes with the office. Perhaps Black Americans might want to consider that President Obama has presided over the worst economy since Jimmy Carter.
I usually find Bishop White’s writings to be somewhat enlightening. In this case I find his playing of the race card rather disappointing.

And then we have this from Rev MacElvaney
“As peacemakers we are not willing to accept perpetual counterinsurgency war as the new normal for the future of the United States. As peacemakers we are not mesmerized by Washingtonian language wrapped in the rhetoric of freedom and democracy while thousands are sacrificed on the altar of unnecessary wars. As peacemakers we don’t define security in terms of Drone air attacks or in bombing operations against those who have not attacked our country.

As peacemakers we define security in terms of jobs, health care and education, and in terms of adequate food, shelter and clothing for millions of Americans lacking these necessities in a culture of huge corporate bonuses and profiteering from enormous weapon contracts. “
Rev MacElvaney does not seem to understand that Washingtonian talk is simply the reflection of the people of the United States. Every two years we get to change some of the Washington “people”. In 2010 we changed a lot of people. Not enough in my opinion.
As to unnecessary wars these same “people” decide which wars are necessary and which ones are not. We have recently decided that we have had enough of Iraq. With the proposed cuts the President wants to make we will be unable to fight two conflicts. This is like giving a green light to any country in the world to do as it wishes if we get tied up somewhere. Sounds like Rev MacElvaney is a student of the Ron Paul school of isolationism.
I disagree with his definition of security. Security is going about our daily business without fear of attack from our enemies. Since we are a global power we defend our interests, with military force if necessary, overseas. We do not wait until our enemies attack Myrtle Beach. Since we live in an imperfect society with competing national interests there is only one way to make peace. Through overwhelming strength.
I will agree that we have wasted billions of dollars down some enormous weapons contracts sinkholes that have gained us nothing but that is a whole other discussion.

[Mark]

I believe Bishop White means well. Like all of us, he is the product of conditioning. We can self-direct that conditioning process, in accordance with Christian conviction, to make it as fair and objective as possible, or we can allow it to play out in a self-serving, emotionally fulfilling way that may have little resemblance to reality.

With all due respect to Bishop White, we will never reach a point of a color-blind society if those who stand to benefit from perceived racism blame, in Pavlovian fashion, racism for most of their ills. What is Bishop White doing to alleviate the number one cause of poverty in the black community, unwed motherhood?

I hope Bishop White is correct when he states "Attempts to politicize race in the 21st century—as it was in the 20th century—will not succeed." Unfortunately, the Bishop implicates himself more than he realizes.