August 2004                                                       

Dear Friend of RENEW, 

From my earliest association with United Methodist Women, I was made aware that the Women’s Division strongly endorsed the programs and policies of the United Nations.  When I became a conference UMW officer and went to New York for my training, I, along with other new officers, visited the Church Center for the United Nations—a building right across from the UN, owned and operated by the Women’s Division.  We took a tour of the United Nations’ building and saw the office space designated for a representative of the Women’s Division.  I remember being amazed at this close relationship between the Women’s Division and the UN.  

At Schools of Christian Mission there was always a place on the agenda for the UN representative from our conference to bring us up-to-date on the latest program or treaty sponsored by the United Nations—and to encourage us to “sign on” to petitions or letters promoting a particular UN emphasis.  My knowledge of some of the petitions prevented my signing onto them—and it caused me concern that only one perspective was presented about them. 

Many of the legislative petitions brought to the 2004 General Conference by the Women’s Division advocated support for UN programs such as CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Statute of the International Criminal Court and the UN Kyoto Protocol, among others.  All of these programs are radical in their requirements, eclipsing the rights of parents and nations, and harming rather than helping women.  (See Janice Crouse’s comprehensive analysis of the Women’s Division petitions at www.renewnetwork.org.) 

The June 2004 issue of Response magazine continued this love affair with the United Nations with the entire issue given over to the topic of “The United Nations in Our Daily Lives.”  Article after article extolled the UN and its programs.  However, as Katy Kiser, who reviewed this issue of Response pointed out, the laudable goals of the UN are simply not attained by the actual performance of UN programs and treaties.   

You will want to send for Katy’s report which discredits the claims of the articles in Response by documenting UN scandals and UN failures in many arenas. 

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This mailing includes a different kind of response form.  RENEW is in the process of setting up an e-mail database through which we can send special alerts, prayer requests and general information.  We would also like to secure any address changes we may not have in our current program.  Please take the time to complete and return this form to us—particularly if you want to receive updates by e-mail in the near future.

RENEW is developing some new program resources.  Some programs will be ready in August, and we will post one new program each month to our web site, www.renewnetwork.org.  We will also have these programs available in hard copy for those who do not access the web. In addition, a writer’s workshop is scheduled in September for the development of additional resources to add to our Inspiring Models for Effective Women’s Ministry notebook.  

The summer slump is upon us.  Your financial gift is needed at this time and will enable us to complete and publish these new resources.  Thank you for standing with this network as we seek to keep you informed and equipped for effective ministry. 

Sincerely in Christ, 
L. Faye Short
President