FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Mrs. Faye Short, President, RENEW Network for Women
    (706) 778-4812
    James V. Heidinger II, President and Publisher, Good News
    (859) 858-4661

Good News and RENEW Network Cite Betrayal by Women’s Division Policies,
Call on Directors and Women in the Church to Begin Process of Reform

WILMORE, KY --  United Methodist Women “feel betrayed by Division staff and by the elected directors,” charged Faye Short, president of the 5,000-member RENEW Network of evangelical UM women, in a November 14 letter to the national directors of the United Methodist Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries. The letter specifically criticized decisions of the Women’s Division’s October board meeting, including: its outspoken opposition to the U.S. war on terrorism, its endorsing official status to a UMW group, `Sophia Circle,’ studying radical feminist literature and its inviting a controversial Re-Imagining speaker to the large UMW Assembly set for April of 2002. Mrs. Short asked the directors to indicate whether or not they as individuals endorsed these Division positions.

     “These actions stand in stark opposition to the position most United Methodist Women hold on these issues. The Women’s Division is systematically eroding the confidence of United Methodist Women,” Mrs. Short said later. 

      RENEW’s press representative, Mrs. Carolyn Elias of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and member of the Good News board, felt that sense of “betrayal” personally while covering the October Women’s Division meeting: “I was deeply distressed by the many cynical anti-U.S. sentiments expressed in committees by both staff and directors. I was disappointed by the absence of prayer for the success of America in the war against terrorism and for our military forces who are in harm’s way.” Elias went on to cite critical comments made about the displaying of the American flag, patriotism, Attorney General Ashcroft, and the Bush Administration and heard repeatedly that the United States was blameworthy for the hatred that provoked the September 11 terrorist attacks. 

     The Good News Executive Committee, meeting here on November 1-2, endorsed RENEW’s sharp criticism of the Women’s Division and authorized Good News and RENEW to call on the directors of the Women’s Division, as well as United Methodist Women across the denomination, to begin a process of reform of the Women’s Division and its leadership in New York. “Most United Methodist pastors are grateful for the good work and concern for missions expressed by United Methodist Women’s local units,” said James V. Heidinger II, President and Publisher of Good News. “However, many have had concerns for years about the radical feminist, pro-abortion, virulently anti-American, anti-evangelical, pro-homosexual attitude exhibited by the Women’s Division and its leadership in New York,” Heidinger added.

      “The national leadership of the Women’s Division doesn’t come close to representing the views of the women in the local units across the denomination,” said Dr. Chet Harris, senior minister of Dueber United Methodist Church in Canton, Ohio. “In light of the actions at the fall board meeting of the Women’s Division, this would seem to be an appropriate time for the women of the church to insist on accountability and reform.” 

     The RENEW Network cited as “appalling” several items reported out of the October 2001 Women’s Division meeting: 
 

• A Resolution on Terrorist Attacks was passed urging the President to "end the bombing of Afghanistan."  In various committees, invited speakers, directors and staff persons discouraged the displaying of the U.S. flag, expressed disdain for American overtures toward Afghanistan citizens and spoke disparagingly of U.S. policies that supposedly evoked the horrific 9/11 attacks.
• At this same meeting, the directors voted to continue to allow official status for a District Unit of UMW, "Sophia Circle," whose stated purpose is to gather monthly "for an hour's lively discussion on material from the Re-Imagining Newsletter." (This is the newsletter of the Re-Imagining Community, formed out of the infamous 1993 Re-Imagining Conference which shook the mainlines with its radical feminist theology, worship of "Sophia,” and sanctioning of lesbianism.)
• The Division announced at this meeting the invitation to Barbara Lundblad to be a plenary speaker at the upcoming UMW Assembly scheduled for Philadelphia in April of 2002.  Rev. Lundblad, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), boasted in her address to the controversial 1993 Re-Imagining Conference, "We did not last night name the name of Jesus.  Nor have we done anything in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (laughter and cheers).  She went on to advocate for the acceptance of lesbian practice, referred to Jesus as the "child of Sophia" and to God as "Sophia." 
• Plans were devised for the implementation of a "Mobilization Against (the Anti-) Terrorism Act."  The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Anti-Terrorism Act by 357-66, the U.S. Senate by 98-1.  Despite this strong showing of bipartisan support by the U.S. Congress, the Women's Division plans to work against this Act, even to challenging it in the courts.

     RENEW President Faye Short, noting with deep concern the invitation of Re-Imagining speaker Barbara Lundblad to speak at the UMW Assembly, asked in her letter to the Women’s Division directors, “Is the inviting of a former Re-Imagining presenter. . .a sign of the spiritual oversight and spiritual vision the Women’s Division wants to provide for United Methodist Women? Has the Division become so spiritually bankrupt that this is its best?”

     In recent years RENEW has cited numerous offensive actions on the part of the Women’s Division that women across the church cannot continue to ignore. RENEW has developed a white paper that expands upon the concerns listed here and is making it available to all who are interested.  Good News and RENEW believe that the insensitivity conveyed toward conservative theological beliefs and lack of respect for the diversity of social and political positions among United Methodist Women, make this call for accountability imperative.

     Therefore, Good News and RENEW call upon the women of the United Methodist Church, as well as our leadership at every level, to engage immediately in a process that would bring reassessment, re-evaluation, and reform to the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries. This release, along with Mrs. Short’s letter to the Women’s Division directors, as well as the availability of the white paper that RENEW has prepared, are just initial steps in what will be a protracted campaign for renewal and reform within the Women’s Division.

     Included with this release is a copy of the letter sent last week by Faye Short to the directors of the Women’s Division, in which she appeals to them “to begin to exercise the kind of spiritual oversight and responsible decision-making that is essential to correct the current course of the Women’s Division.” 

     (For a copy of the white paper that expands upon the items listed above, along with other items of concern, and for a listing of other documents available to support a campaign for reform contact: RENEW Network, P.O. Box 889, Cornelia, GA 30531, 706/778-4812, renew1@hemc.net)