A fresh perspective on the Nativity Steve Beard reports on New Line Cinema’s The Nativity Story.
An Appeal to Leadership: Listen & Lead Rob Renfroe calls on the United Methodist bishops to direct the church.
Ministering in the jaws of hell Janice Shaw Crouse profiles Jeannine Brabon’s prison ministry.
Carving out new life Carlos Velasquez testifies to finding Christ after working for a drug lord.
Why the Sermon on the Mount demands a cross Riley Case examines Jesus’ thoughts on repentance.
The failure of feminism on campus Terry Mattingly writes on the challenges of young women in college.
COLUMNS
Editorial John Stott and mainline renewal
Next Generation The relationship between pastor and youth pastor
RENEW Women’s Network Changes at the Women’s Division
The Great Commission What’s in a name?
From the Heart Every knee
DEPARTMENTS
Letters to the editor
Straight Talk
News
Methodist king of Tonga dies at age 88
Sudan relief continues during uncertain period
News AnalysisSince when is a Planned Parenthood staffer considered a missionary?
It has been said, "Necessity is the mother of invention." Over the past year the Women's Division invented creative alliances and program realignments to deal with a crisis brought about by decreased undesignated giving by United Methodist Women and by chronic overspending from reserves by the Women's Division. Although of necessity-we applaud the steps the Women's Division is taking. Yet we must wonder, how deep will the changes go?
While the Women's Division was grappling with its financial loss at its fall 2005 and spring 2006 board meetings, the Renew Network was preparing an update to our Financial File, an analysis of the financial records of the Women's Division. The primary purpose of the Financial File is to track funds to specific programs, organizations, and resources in order to evaluate their content and determine how they align with the mission theology of United Methodist women. We were alarmed by our findings and wonder if change will take place at identified core levels. (You may order a complete copy of Financial File IV at www.renewnetwork.org.)
The travel budget for the Women's Division executives and staff reflected major over-expenditure in 2005. While the budget was $282,800, the actual was $446,158, reflecting an overage of $163,358. An additional expenditure of $32,000 on "international travel" where $0 was appropriated was also reported. On top of these travel allocations for executives and staff were travel expenses for participants in UMW-related events. Travel expenses are surely among those to be trimmed.
And yet-11 directors and 3 staff members attended the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women in Jeju, South Korea, July 11-17, 2006; and, 40 United Methodist Women leaders from around the country participated in a racial justice consultation in Gore, Oklahoma, August 10-13, 2006. Five Women's Division directors and six staff members were also scheduled to attend this meeting. The event was facilitated by the Rev. Tweedy Evelene Navarrete Sombrero and Dr. Nancy Richardson, who teaches Education for Liberation and Racializing Whiteness at Harvard. Liberation theology, a central component in Dr. Richardson's teaching, is rejected by the Christian church at large as an aberrant theology.
Women who network with Renew have long hoped for a change in the program resources and mission studies produced by the Women's Division. This summer Renew received telephone calls from individuals expressing dismay at the content of studies at the Schools of Mission. One woman indicated they "prayed to Allah" at her school. Those teaching did not seem to recognize the denial of Christ as the unique Son of God and Savior of the world exemplified in this prayer to Allah.
Reviews for the 2006/2007 Mission Studies on Globalization and Peace are posted to the Renew website, www.renewnetwork.org. Krista Shaffer, research associate at the Hudson Institute, found serious flaws in the Shalom, Salaam, Peace study, finding it to be anti-American, anti-war, and, strangely, even anti-Christian in the author's inability to accept the atoning death of Christ for the sins of the world. Dr. Janice Crouse found The Big "G"-Globalization to be filled with demagoguery about "American Economic Exploitation." Twice an official U.S. Delegate to United Nations conferences, Dr. Crouse titled her review on the NCC study guide on the UN Millennium Development Goals as "Misguided Attempts to Eradicate Global Poverty." One Korean pastor refused to use the UMW mission study book to teach a study he was to lead.
Changes at the Women's Division? We sincerely hope so. However the changes must be deep and wide if they are to eliminate the dissatisfaction (unacknowledged by the Women's Division) of United Methodist Women with Women's Division programs, policies, and spending which evokes the withholding of funds. If deep changes do not occur, further reductions in giving may necessitate further inventive attempts to save the organization.
Renew, a network for evangelical women, is the women's program arm of the Good News movement. For additional information, visit us at: www.renewnetwork.org, e-mail us at: renew1@hemc.net; write us at P.O. Box 889, Cornelia, GA 30531; call us at 706/778-4812. Your contributions to this ministry are needed and appreciated!
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