GCCUIC

By Rich Peck

May 1, 2012 | TAMPA, Fla. (UMNS)

Pan-Methodist church leaders join together at the 2012 United Methodist General Conference in Tampa, Fla. From left are: Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader, United Methodist Church; Bishop Thomas Hoyt Jr., Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; the Rev. W. Robert Johnson III, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; and Bishop John F. White, African Methodist Episcopal Church. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.

After several hundred years of separation, members of six Pan-Methodist denominations have committed to ministry together.

The United Methodist Church is the last of the denominations to adopt the full communion agreement, which was celebrated May 1 during the 2012 General Conference.

The affirmation establishes a new relationship among the African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, African Union Methodist Protestant, Christian Methodist Episcopal, Union American Methodist Episcopal and United Methodist denominations.

Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader, ecumenical officer for the United Methodist Council of Bishops, noted that acknowledging past difficulties is part of the process. “We believe this is a significant moment in all of our histories,” she said during a news conference preceding the celebration.

By Rev. Dr. Samuel Royappa*

Crime and violence, especially hate-crimes based on race, color, gender, religion and sexual orientation, are increasing in the United States of America and the media calls it "the rise of hate in America.” Since 2000, it is reported that hate-groups in America have increased by 69%. As a disciple of Jesus Christ and minister of the gospel of love, I am convinced that there is no point in doing a postmortem of who is doing it, and what is the primary motive behind each hate-crime event. There are people out there who are mentally challenged (with psychological problems) and have access to deadly weapons, who continue to harm the humanity. It is quite interesting to note that there is no system in place anywhere to identify such individuals prior to their committing of horrific senseless crimes. But there is a system in place to investigate and interrogate after the crime is committed, and to let the world know of their past criminal record, their association with hate-groups, and their mental ill-health. Political and legal solutions may not be sufficient to deal with this complicated and controversial issue. Our nation is deeply divided over its gun culture, and debating this seems to get nowhere too.

However, I think something can be done about the public places, including our sanctuaries, theaters, educational institutions, malls, which are increasingly becoming unsafe. There is psychological fear out there among people and, particularly among the people of minority.

A UMNS Report
By Barbara Dunlap-Berg*

3:00 P.M. ET August 28, 2012

The Rev. Sandra Steiner Ball, now bishop of the West Virginia Episcopal Area, holds a stone as she prays during the Act of Repentance at the 2012 General Conference. A UMNS photo by Paul Jeffrey. View in Photo Gallery
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“Repentance by itself makes the repentant feel good. We cannot just apologize. We need to focus on healing relationships. And then we need to realize that the learning is just beginning.”

Blenda Smith speaks from experience. The white laywoman from the Upper New York Annual (regional) Conference has served as a director of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns since 2004. Smith said she has moved from “cluelessness” to awareness, especially about the concerns of Native Americans and other indigenous people.

Eight years ago, Smith began working with another director — the Rev. Carol Lakota Eastin, whose heritage is Lakota, Yakima and Shawnee. Smith and Eastin, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Rantoul, Ill., were part of the team that planned the “Act of Repentance toward Healing Relationships with Indigenous Peoples” at the 2012 General Conference in Tampa, Fla.