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Religion Forum Index » Christian Methodist Forum » UMNS: Black UMs address lack of youth in church
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| UM News |
 Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:20 am |
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Black United Methodists address lack of youth in church
Mar. 31, 2004
By David Malloy*
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (UMNS) - Members of the United Methodist Church's
black caucus are taking aim at a problem found throughout mainline
denominations: the absence of young people in the pews.
African-American young people often bemoan that elders will not give
them a chance in leadership and that their cultures and perspectives are
not respected, so they go to other churches where they feel counted,
according to members of Black Methodists for Church Renewal. Young
people also say that churches must make more use of visual media and
computer technology to attract young people and to enhance worship and
other ministries.
The Rev. William B. McClain, professor of preaching at Wesley
Theological Seminary in Washington, voiced concern about the dearth of
young leaders in the black church.
"I'm scared," he said, speaking to 500 caucus members at their March
24-27 meeting. "I go around to our churches and find out we have no
young people. Š We need new and younger leadership not because they are
young but because they may have new vision,"
In an effort to bring youth back to black United Methodist churches, the
caucus plans to implement a youth and young adult resource center that
would help youth teach and empower each other and receive mentoring from
adults.
Black Methodists for Church Renewal, the denomination's official black
caucus, was organized in 1968 as a forum to define issues and develop
strategies for change within the United Methodist Church. It aims to
empower black Methodists for effective witness and service; involve them
in the struggle for economic justice; and expose racism at all levels of
the church, its agencies and related institutions.
During their meeting, the members were encouraged to remember those
African Americans who went to Cincinnati in 1968 to form the caucus.
They were also reminded that blacks have been part of American Methodism
since the movement began.
"We came as Negroes and four days later left black," McClain recalled of
the 1968 meeting. "More than half of the original board of directors are
gone. Š They died without receiving the promise," he said.
The Rev. Vincent Harris, caucus chairperson and pastor of Riverside
United Methodist Church in Houston, told the more than 500 black
Methodists in attendance that the black family, the black faith and the
black community must be restored, renewed and regenerated by "whatever
means necessary."
"We are Methodist theologically and understand the Wesleyan evangelist
call to invite all to receive salvation, to convince all of Christ love,
and to share in fellowship and outreach," he said. "We are the preaching
Methodists, we are the singing Methodists, we are the praying
Methodists, we are the shouting Methodists. Š We are the renewal, the
revival, the rekindling that fueled the journey of hope yesterday, that
fuels the hope today and fuels the hope for tomorrow."
Harris ended his keynote address with a call for support in securing an
executive director to oversee the caucus' programs and projects, to
develop vital ministry for black churches, to support clergy and lay
leadership in black churches, and to sustain support for an African
American Heritage Center, the Strengthening the Black Church initiative,
Africa University and the Black College Fund.
With the theme of "Journey of Hope: The State of the Black Church,"
participants from across the United States explored the symbolic and
literal journey of black Methodists in the church and society.
At services of remembrance and Holy Communion, Bishop Alfred Johnson of
the New Jersey Area urged that the caucus continue to "speak the
prophetic truth in love" as an agent of justice and change.
"The church can be renewed, but it will not be renewed if you separate
the gospel from social action," Johnson said. "I pray to God that we
never lose our edge. God has done something through our suffering - not
for us to wallow in, not for us to trump others who are suffering, but
for us to take our sufferings and free the whole world."
The Rev. Cain Hope Felder, who served as the caucus' first national
director, urged the organization to keep a "vigil by the bedside of a
sick world."
"Our vigil cannot be a passive one, waiting for others to do the right
thing," he said. "It must include renewed prophetic injections for the
patient, a patient in danger of losing its very soul." Felder is
professor of New Testament Language & Literature and editor of The
Journal of Religious Thought at the Howard University School of Divinity
in Washington.
In business sessions, caucus members:
· Gave the David L. White awards for clergy and laity to the Rev.
William H. Robinson Jr. and Marilyn Magee Talbert. The award recognizes
White, a leader in training laity for 20 years. A special award was also
given to honor John Cummings Eversly, who has not missed an annual
meeting since the caucus' 1968 beginning.
· Celebrated the naming of Bishop Melvin Talbert as interim
executive director.
· Heard a presentation about DestinationRx, the United Methodist
Association's health card, making a discount drug benefit available to
all 8.3 million of the church's U.S. members.
· Received an update from the United Methodist Foundation for
Higher Education's work toward increasing the endowment of the 11
historically black colleges related to the church.
· Received an update on the restoration project at historic
Gulfside Assembly in Waveland, Miss.
· Agreed to support "The Central Jurisdiction Reunion," an event
set for Aug. 27-29 in College Park, Ga., paying tribute to those who
were a part of the segregated jurisdiction up to 1968, when it was
dissolved with the formation of the United Methodist Church.
*Malloy is the coordinator of communications for the Greater New Jersey
Annual Conference.
********************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org |
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| Eric Fisher |
| Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 4:06 pm |
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Guest
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| this is a church-wide issue- any thoughts not racist? |
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