Black Methodists seek justice for US Gulf Coast
-17/12/05
Issues of justice and equity
Black Methodists seek justice for US Gulf Coast
-17/12/05
Issues of justice and equity must be addressed as the hurricane-stricken US Gulf Coast is rebuilt, say black and other ethnic leaders from Americaís United Methodist Church.
Meeting earlier this month, the denominationís inter-ethnic task force agreed they must be vigilant about who is getting what and why. The decision makersí table in the hurricane recovery and rebuilding process must include their faces they said, to ensure fairness to Hurricane Katrina survivors.
Group members also emphasized the importance of being involved in repairing the destroyed Gulfside Assembly in Waveland, Mississippi, a historic United Methodist facility founded by African Americans.
While the “faces” of hurricane victims were primarily African Americans, numerous other people of colour were also severely impacted by Katrina, declared the Rev Chester Aumua, chair of the group and pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Tacoma, Washington state.
“The pictures were all of our faces too, and …we are putting together our efforts … to see what we can do for putting together reconstruction of that area,” he continued. “It is a lot of churches affected, ministries affected. It is not just the physical damage of the house, trees and roads. It is the ministry.”
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed or damaged more than 112 churches in Louisiana and Mississippi when they struck in late August and September 2005.
The interethnic group includes the chair and executive director of the Native American International Caucus, Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans, Black Methodists for Church Renewal, the National Federation of Asian American United Methodists, and the Pacific Islander National Caucus of United Methodists.
Bishop Melvin Talbert, executive director of the black caucus, also announced his leadership of a special commission of the National Council of Churches USA, the official ecumenical body, for the strategic rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.
“As the church, we cannot sit idly by without giving some oversight to all kinds of decisions that are being made,” he said. “We will be focusing on justice for people who are the victims and equity in the rebuilding, so that building contracts are not just awarded to people who bring in people from the outside and local people are not even a part of the process.”
The issue of US immigration rules, a concern to a number of American churches, was also raised. Methodists and others have been experiencing visa difficulties and are seeking a fair system.
[Also on Ekklesia: Black Christian leader calls for new US civil rights drive; US churches assist in Katrina relief efforts; Bushís hurricane prayer day stirs controversy; Churches step up US hurricane aid efforts]
Black Methodists seek justice for US Gulf Coast
-17/12/05
Issues of justice and equity must be addressed as the hurricane-stricken US Gulf Coast is rebuilt, say black and other ethnic leaders from America’s United Methodist Church.
Meeting earlier this month, the denomination’s inter-ethnic task force agreed they must be vigilant about who is getting what and why. The decision makers’ table in the hurricane recovery and rebuilding process must include their faces they said, to ensure fairness to Hurricane Katrina survivors.
Group members also emphasized the importance of being involved in repairing the destroyed Gulfside Assembly in Waveland, Mississippi, a historic United Methodist facility founded by African Americans.
While the “faces” of hurricane victims were primarily African Americans, numerous other people of colour were also severely impacted by Katrina, declared the Rev Chester Aumua, chair of the group and pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Tacoma, Washington state.
“The pictures were all of our faces too, and …we are putting together our efforts … to see what we can do for putting together reconstruction of that area,” he continued. “It is a lot of churches affected, ministries affected. It is not just the physical damage of the house, trees and roads. It is the ministry.”
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed or damaged more than 112 churches in Louisiana and Mississippi when they struck in late August and September 2005.
The interethnic group includes the chair and executive director of the Native American International Caucus, Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans, Black Methodists for Church Renewal, the National Federation of Asian American United Methodists, and the Pacific Islander National Caucus of United Methodists.
Bishop Melvin Talbert, executive director of the black caucus, also announced his leadership of a special commission of the National Council of Churches USA, the official ecumenical body, for the strategic rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.
“As the church, we cannot sit idly by without giving some oversight to all kinds of decisions that are being made,” he said. “We will be focusing on justice for people who are the victims and equity in the rebuilding, so that building contracts are not just awarded to people who bring in people from the outside and local people are not even a part of the process.”
The issue of US immigration rules, a concern to a number of American churches, was also raised. Methodists and others have been experiencing visa difficulties and are seeking a fair system.
[Also on Ekklesia: Black Christian leader calls for new US civil rights drive; US churches assist in Katrina relief efforts; Bush’s hurricane prayer day stirs controversy; Churches step up US hurricane aid efforts]