Dear RENEW Network Friend— 

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven,” so says Ecclesiastes 3:1.  As we enter the fall season, I pray we are also entering a new season for the women of the United Methodist Church. 

A portion of this hope for new things is related to the Open Forum for discussion between the RENEW Network and the Women’s Division held at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. on September 21.  That event is now history.  The feedback received indicates the RENEW panel members honored the Lord and represented the evangelical women of the church in an exemplary manner.  We found this exchange to be valuable and anticipate ongoing benefit from it. 

RENEW is preparing a packet, “Unpacking the Forum,” which includes a DVD/Video of the forum.  We encourage network members, and United Methodist Women at large, to host “Forum Follow-up” meetings to view the video and to use the discussion guide in the packet to further conversation about this exchange.

While Women’s Division panel members indicated they sometimes had difficulty seeing themselves in RENEW reports—RENEW found difficulty identifying ourselves, or our evangelical friends, in comments shared about us at the forum.

For instance: 

• In her opening remarks, Dr. Jan Love indicated that the Women’s Division was most unhappy with the format for the forum that “Good News recommended and RENEW insisted upon.”  However, at no time did the Women’s Division show strong aversion to the proposal RENEW women recommended, nor did they offer an alternative plan.
   
• It was disappointing to hear accusations in the opening remarks that RENEW, Good News and the IRD (a separate renewal movement) distort and exaggerate about the work of the Women’s Division.  Yet, no specific examples of such distortion were provided, nor have they ever been provided in relation to our documented concerns. 
   
• A great surprise came when one speaker placed the Southern Baptist denomination in the category of “fundamentalist” in the negative sense of the word.  The growth of the Southern Baptist Church and its scope of ministry around the world testify to a vibrant, Christ-centered denomination.  We believe putting this label upon a sister denomination was a serious mistake.
   
• Another panelist charged that the legislation RENEW Network members brought to General Conference was intended to “dismantle UMW,” to “degrade the status of UMW” or to “undermine UMW.”  Women offering this legislation were grassroots United Methodist Women.  Our forum panel had three fourth-generation and one fifth-generation United Methodists.  A careful reading of the legislation reveals no such intent. 
   

• A most amazing erroneous statement was that RENEW charges a membership fee, thus excluding those who are unable to pay.  Anyone may join this network simply by contacting us and asking that your name and address, or e-mail address, be added to the network list.  Such persons then receive an introductory packet, a monthly letter and a quarterly newsletter—at no charge.  Individuals do donate to this network to enable the ministry to exist.  Affiliate programs are available on a donation basis.  These are all voluntary donations, not membership fees. 

Sadly, Women’s Division President Kyung Za Yim equated asking questions, disagreeing with actions or differing in theological perspective with “attacking.”  But to question or disagree is not to attack. Ms. Yim said the women she encounters are “hurt,” they are disturbed by the “harsh criticism of their mission and the denial of their Christian commitment.”  She fails to understand that the ongoing work of local United Methodist Women has not been called into question.  No individual’s personal faith experience has been maligned. However, the programs, policies and publications of the Women’s Division are of deep concern to many women within the organization.  RENEW hears the “hurt” and frustrations of these women on a regular basis.   

Ms. Yim asked, “Can we tell them the attacks are over?”  I believe RENEW Network members would welcome the opportunity to speak to women with this misunderstanding and say, “There is no attack, just sincere concern about our 136-year legacy and how that is being represented in our name.  Will that concern continue, and will it be expressed in as clear and loving ways as we know how?  It will until there is substantive change and reform of the Women’s Division.”   

Given these difficult elements to “unpack” from the forum, we might ask, “How then can we enter a new season?”  We can do so by believing that God was in this forum and that He continues active in the days that follow it.  As you view the video of the forum and engage the resources and study guide that accompanies it, ask God to give you a clear vision for the future of United Methodist Women—and ask Him to bring it to pass.   

In a press release, and in a letter to Dr. Jan Love, RENEW expressed a willingness to engage in another exchange, the form of which to be proposed by the Women’s Division.  Pray with us about this possibility.  In the meantime, we have much to gain from this most recent event.  I hope you will secure a packet and video and host several “Forum Follow-up” events, inviting many United Methodist women, from churches beyond your own, to come and participate.  Because the forum was 2 hours long, you may need to host more than one event, unless you choose to do a “day-apart” type event.  The video is divided into segments making it easy to use in various settings.  The cost of the packet is $15, and you may use the enclosed card to order it. 

Thank you for praying for the forum, and for spreading the word about it.  Thanks too for the financial donations you sent to help defer the cost.  God gave us a marvelous team, including the panel members and the various support persons required—not the least of which was our on-site prayer team.  

As we enter the last quarter of the year, we ask that you consider spreading out your end-of-year giving over the next three months.  This will enable us to have the operating funds needed to complete this year’s projects, and will help us enter 2006 in a healthy financial position.  We understand that everyone can not give, so we ask you to respond to this appeal according to your ability.  

Keep praying as both the Women’s Division and RENEW unpack the forum—and join us in doing so! 

Sincerely in Christ, 
L. Faye Short
President 

P.S. At the time of this writing you could still access the video at the Women’s Division web site: http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/.  If you want to view the video prior to getting a complete copy from RENEW, visit this web site.