UMC Briefs

Wellness screening to be conducted June 5 and 6
May 18 marked as Peace with Justice Sunday
Retired bishop to speak at fundraising dinner
Church supports justice for migrants, law reform
Church tackles abortion during May 2 deliberation
Delegates reject petitions aimed at ineffective pastors

Wellness screening to be conducted June 5 and 6
A wellness screening will be conducted June 5 and 6 during the Annual Conference session from 6-10 a.m. at the American Bank Center (Corpus Christi Convention Center, Bayview Ballroom C & D). All clergy and lay participants in the conference health benefit plan are eligible for the free screening.
At the event, a simple blood draw will be taken. Breakfast will be provided for all participants and their families. A few weeks after the screening, participants will receive a personal report and a brief description of tests.
Remember to fast—no food or drink except water or black coffee 8-12 hours before the blood draw. Come fully hydrated, take all medication per regular schedule and, if diabetic, follow the normal routine and advice collector if you were unable to fast.
Call Isabel Munoz at (210) 408-4526 or (888) 349-4194 or e-mail her at imunoz@umcswtx.org for more information.

May 18 marked as Peace with Justice Sunday
Churches around the Southwest Conference are encouraged to conduct the Peace with Justice offering May 18. The offering promotes justice ministries all over the United States, with 50 percent of what’s collected remaining in conference justice ministries.
For more information about the offering, contact Wanda Holcombe, conference Peace with Justice coordinator at (512) 619-3469 or visit www.umcgiving.org.

Retired bishop to speak at fundraising dinner
Bishop Abel Tendekai Muzorewa of Zimbabwe is to be the guest speaker at Trinity UMC, San Antonio, May 17 at 5:30 p.m. at a mission fundraiser dinner. Reservations are needed and cost $10 each. Proceeds are to support construction of a parsonage at the rural Muziti UMC in Zimbabwe. Muzorewa will speak about the church, evangelism and missions in Africa. He came to the United States to attend General Conference.
Muzorewa is a retired bishop. In 1973, he was honored by the United Nations as a human rights leader for the non-violent struggle for justice and freedom for oppressed people in Zimbabwe. Reservations can be made with Connie Medrano by calling (210) 308-6095 or e-mailing medrano4@stic.net.

Church supports justice for migrants, law reform
The United Methodist Church is urging justice for migrants worldwide and reform of U.S. immigration laws.
Delegates to the denomination’s top legislative body, which met April 23-May 2, adopted resolutions covering both global migration and immigration issues in the United States.
The U.S. domestic resolution calls for “full protection of all workers, which includes the opportunity to gain legal status for all migrants.” It also urges U.S. lawmakers to ensure that immigrant laws do not rip apart families.
The “Global Migration and the Quest for Justice” resolution stresses both the economic needs that contribute to massive movements of people today and the difficulties encountered by migrants. It states, “While money and products easily flow across borders, the movement of people is increasingly restricted, leading to concentrations of the poor along borders and, often, to the building of literal and figurative walls of exclusion.”

Church tackles abortion during May 2 deliberation
The United Methodist Church will continue to “sit at the table” and retain its 35-year membership with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
In a May 2 vote of 416-384, the 2008 General Conference affirmed continued membership of the denomination’s Board of Church and Society and the Women’s Division of the Board of Global Ministries in the organization. Fourteen denominations are also full members of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
In other action, the General Conference adopted a statement on abortion that adds language offering “ministries to reduce unintended pregnancies” and to assist the ministry of crisis pregnancy and support centers that help women “find feasible alternatives to abortion.”
The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church first dealt with abortion in 1972. The church does not approve of abortion but “respects the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child.”

Delegates reject petitions aimed at ineffective pastors
Delegates to General Conference rejected two petitions dealing with clergy ineffectiveness and guaranteed appointments.
The delegates followed the recommendations of the ministry and higher education legislative committee and voted 824-25 to not amend paragraph 334.1 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. The petitions asked that bishops appoint an ineffective pastor to less than full-time service.