Faith in Action april 6, 2011: picking pockets of poor, AIDS crisis in USA, human trafficking, death penality gone 4 states

Faith in Action / April 6, 2011 / Wayne Rhodes, Editor (mailto:wrhodes@umc-gbcs.org)

Word from Winkler (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=lwKSJdM2ImJ0JqL&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Picking the pockets of the poor
By Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church & Society
God sides with the poor, not because they are more virtuous than the rich, but because that is God's way of healing the pain in the human family.

Religious Freedom Internship (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=epIEKSNAKfINL6K&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Joint effort of General Board of Church & Society, Asbury Seminary
By Wayne Rhodes, Editor, Faith in Action
Intern will write articles, create materials to help local churches understand, combat religious intolerance.

Religious freedom not a given (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=hiJKK1OMIiLUJgJ&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Anti-conversion bills in India stymie active propagation of faith
By Manohar James
Religious fanaticism of the majority, national idealism and spiritual oppression threaten freedom of faith, says writer who was beaten for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Native American mascots must go (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=kvLQLaMYLlK1LqI&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Time to remove them is long passed
By the Rev. Chebon Kernell
Representations undermine ability of American Indian Nations to portray accurate, respectful images of their culture, spirituality and traditions.

Alcohol marketing and young people (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=doJCIPNwFeJOJ6K&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Alcohol Free Lent
By David Jernigan, PhD
The more alcohol advertising and marketing young people are exposed to, the more likely they are to drink or, if already drinking, to drink more.

Illinois chooses life over death (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=juIOK7PULlKSKfL&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
16th state to abolish capital punishment
By Kathy Gilbert
Illinois third state in four years to abolish penalty; Connecticut, Kansas, Montana, Maryland debating doing so.

'Oh to walk where Jesus walked' (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=cdJALMMsFeJFIVK&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
By Margie Briggs
Writer says trip one of the most important things church can do for young clergy members as they begin their ministry.

Gender, justice take center stage (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=fgLGIVNELhIMK5J&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Union Seminary dean says religion is about human well-being
By Lesley Carter
United Methodists join several hundred faith-based advocates to pursue justice at Ecumenical Advocacy Days

Know your status! (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=itIMI4PQJkKTIfI&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Speaker wonders how anyone can say U.S. doesn't have HIV/AIDS problem
By Linda Bales Todd
What's happening in the U.S. is not too far from what's happening in Africa, according to executive director of S.C. HIV/AIDS Council.

I love my country (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=epIEKSNAKgINL5K&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Israeli Defense Forces soldier explains why he criticizes Israel
By Noam Raz
Security needs can't be used as justification for reprehensible acts.

Battling human trafficking (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=hiJKK1OMIjLUJfJ&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
Women, girls 80% of victims
By Linda Bloom
U.N. defines human trafficking as recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people by threat, abduction, deception or abuse of power for sexual or labor-related exploitation.

Native American Ministries Sunday (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=kvLQLaMYLmK1LpI&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
United Methodist Special Sunday May 8
Gifts help develop, strengthen ministries within annual conferences and across the United States.

Heritage Sunday May 22 (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=doJCIPNwFfJOJ5K&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
'Engaging in Ministry with the Poor: Our Heritage'
Resources from General Commission on Archives & History include PowerPoint, prayers, hymns, scripture readings.

Retreat for Creation's Caretakers (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=ghKIIYOILiIVKfJ&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
April 30, Richmond, Va.
Experience to deepen understanding of relationships with God, each other and creation.


On USAID spending priorities (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=cdJALMMsFfJFIUK&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)
'In Afghanistan USAID does not do projects on the basis of need, but on the basis of military necessity.'
—David Wildman (General Board of Global Ministries)


The United Methodist Church — General Board of Church and Society
100 Maryland Avenue, Washington, DC 20002 — (202) 488-5600 — www.umc-gbcs.org (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=fgLGIVNELiIMK4J&s=kuLTLfPRLjJZK9P1F&m=aeKJIUPAIjJKIZK)

Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors. The people of The United Methodist Church.