Toney UMC accepted the Conference Advocacy for Social Justice team's invitation to “Worship Together” and held a multicultural Sunday on February 27
The congregation of Monte Sano UMC recognized Human Relations Day by welcoming retired physician and civil rights leader Dr. Sonny Hereford III and honoring member Evelyn Howie.
Rev. Eddie Gooch offers a way for our church to strive to care for all people – both unborn babies, orphans, and mothers.
<p> Join Nina Reeves, Mark Sheldon of Chinese University of Hong Kong and Jim Winkler, President of the National Council of Churches June 27 and 28 at Camp Sumatanga for a time of learning and reflection on Faith and Global Events. This will be an opportunity to hear of the important work of Mark at the University of Hong Kong and of Jim’s work at the UMC Board of Church and Society where he served as General Secretary and now of his work at the National Council of Churches. Both will present in plenary sessions and small groups settings, and there will be ample opportunity for questions, conversation and dialog.</p>
<p> Poverty can be a significant risk factor for poor physical health and mental health. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, children and youth from low-income households are at increased risk for mental health problems. 21% of low-income children and youth, ages 6 through 17, have mental health problems. 57% of these low-income children and youth come from households with incomes at or below the federal poverty level.</p>
<p> We need to have a conversation that the church has avoided for most of its existence in America. We need to have a conversation about race.</p>
<p> We are gathered here today because of systemic practices that continue to perpetuate the oppression of the working poor and impoverished. We are gathered here today because free enterprise is regulating the hallowed halls of our democracy. We are gathered here because the blood of Abel cries out from everywhere: our communities, our cities, our rural areas and our suburbs. We are gathered because the effects of predatory lending is killing the hopes of many for economic and financial viability. These lending institutions are emaciating the vitality of our families and constricting the possibility of redevelopment of our distressed communities. What we have before is a failure of our policy makers, of our politicians to have a moral interest in the welfare of their citizens and constituents?</p>
<p> The Justice and Advocacy team would like to invite United Methodists from across our conference to two important events in Montgomery in the coming weeks. </p>
<p> isn’t taking care of the children what Jesus Christ calls all of us adults to be about? In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus takes a little child and says to his disciples, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me. Whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever is least among you all is the greatest.” So, why do so many adults in Alabama, and in the U.S., have so much trouble remembering what it means to welcome a child, to care for a child, even if that child is not their own flesh and blood?</p>
<p> As I have been reflecting on the whole Civil Rights Movement, I have wondered many times why slavery and segregation were accepted by so many otherwise "good Christian people." How had they (we) missed the most basic teachings of the Bible, and let the dominant culture prevail without question? </p>
<p> Yesterday, the state of Alabama settled with plaintiffs effectively gutting the immigration law. Basically all of the provisions that we fought against have been permanently blocked. I am proud of the work United Methodist clergy and laity did opposing this law, and I am happy that the injustices of this law will never be implemented in Alabama again. However, the fact that this law is now, for all practical purposes, gutted, nothing can undo the pain caused by HB 56 these last two years. </p>
<h2> Understanding the Affordable Care Act</h2> <p> Last week the health exchanges of the Affordable Care Act (better known as Obamacare) opened for people to begin shopping. We’ve discussed healthcare in this blog that generated some good conversation online and in some of our churches. However, one thing that seems to be a constant both for supporters and opponents of the law is that few people seem to understand what the law actually does. Therefore, in this blog post, rather than arguing for or against Obamacare, we simply want to provide some information about how you or someone you know can begin researching and sign up for the health exchanges. Attached are a bulletin insert and a flyer from Alabama ARISE that you can share at your church to simply help educate people about the process of signing up for the exchanges. In addition, <a href="http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20131005/NEWS02/310050038/Obamacare-How-does-affect-Alabamians-" target="_blank">this link</a> to an article from the Montgomery Advertiser does a great job of explaining how the Affordable Care Act affects Alabamians. We hope this is a helpful resource for you regardless of how you feel about the Affordable Care Act.</p> <p> <a href="http://northalabama.s3.amazonaws.com/8FD39482D0444B8591BF1FA9FAA134E6_ACAbulletin.pdf" target="_blank">Download Bulletin Insert (PDF)</a></p> <p> <a href="http://northalabama.s3.amazonaws.com/FA8452FE4F57498E8D90F7DDE9883B52_ACAflyer.pdf" target="_blank">Download Flyer (PDF) </a></p>
<p> We know that this proposal will cut $40,000,000,000 (i.e., $40 BILLION) from the "food stamps program," so I did a little math. Assuming that there are 350,000 congregations, that means that every single one of them will need to increase their mission budget $114,285.72 just to maintain the current level of food assistance.</p>
<p> Over ½ of the recipients of SNAP are the most vulnerable in society – children and the elderly. In fact, 84% of all food stamp recipients are in a family with children, the elderly, or the disabled.</p>
<p> There’s a lot we don’t know about what happened between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin on the night Trayvon was killed. But here’s what we do know: George Zimmerman saw Trayvon Martin walking through his neighborhood and decided that he was up to no good.</p>
<p> To promote discussion on this moral issue, in June 2006, the North Alabama Conference Church and Society team developed a position paper on capital punishment using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral Analysis (scripture, tradition, experience and reason) and the <em><strong>Social Principles </strong></em>of the United Methodist Church. Following are excerpts from this paper. . .</p>
