Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Last night we toured the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

It is across the street from the 16th Street Baptist in 1962 church which was bombed. Dozens were hurt. Four girls attending Sunday School were killed.
This man was met outside and gave us a little history. He also said, "No cameras allowed." I took a photo of his back with the Negro League logos.

You can follow some of out lectures and Bible studies here at UMW National Seminar 2011

UMW Green Team in Copenhagen

Click here to see more Copenhagen stories.

Caption: Left to right - Esmeralda Brown, Tupou Kelemeni, Pamela Sparr and Pat Watkins

Hi UMW members and friends. This past few days have been historic and UMW has played a role. Four representatives of United Methodist Women are now ( Dec. 6 through 18) in Copenhagen. They are: Tupou Kelemeni, Pat Watkins, Esmeralda Brown, Pamela Sparr.

Tupou Kelemeni, Women's Divison Director from Hawaii said, " I am here in Copenhagen because I care about people, especially women, children and youth. I must learn all that I can, go home and share all that I have learned here, and advocate in every possible way that I can". You can read her whole statement here, Reflections from Copenhagen on the UMWmission.org site.

Pamela Sparr, UMW Consultant said, "I am listening especially for examples of how climate change is affecting women and girls and stories of what women and girls are doing to address this challenge. I heard my first “good news” story in line about a biofuel cooking stove than could run on sugarcane pulp. This new technology has many advantages: it reduces indoor air pollution which kills nearly two million people each year – primarily women and children." You can read her whole statement here, Reflections from Copenhagen on the UMWmission.org site.

Pat Watkin's UMW Green Team member said, "From the beginning of my first day, I have been so impressed by the diversity of folks here, especially young women from all over the world. They will make a very positive difference in the world and it gives me such great hope!" He goes on to say, "Lots of people are talking about lots of different things around here, but I’m here to talk about God’s creation and God’s kingdom. My contribution, I pray, will be to enable God’s kingdom to become just a little more of a reality. Please pray that prayer with me." You can read his whole statement here, Reflections from Copenhagen on the UMWmission.org site.

Esmeradla Brown, Women's Division staff, said, " We began our busy schedule on Saturday, December 5th, where Tupou and I attended an all day Orientation and Strategy Meeting by the Ecumenical Climate Secretariat held at the Danish Church Aid premises. The meeting was very helpful since it provided important information as to the history of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change and the Kyoto Protocol and its implication, particularly for the Global South and the issue of Climate Justice for poor nations been affected by climate change and climate migration. The issue of mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology and capacity building and the long term goal for emission reductions. You can read her whole statement here, Reflections from Copenhagen on the UMWmission.org site.

UMW Green Team members gather for envirnomental justice-learning event

United Methodist Women Social Action Coordinators, Green Team members and Women's Divison directors meet in Washington, D.C. for Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Alexandria, Virginia. (Photo by Naomi Yaeger-Bischoff)

Climate Change Tops Ecumenical Advocacy Days

by YVETTE MOORE*

Forty-seven United Methodist Women social action and environmental justice leaders shared organizing tips and boned up on legislation affecting women, children, youth and the environment at the 7th Annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days in the Washington, D.C., area, Mar. 12-16. The “Enough for All Creation” ecumenical advocacy event convened more than 600 people from various denominations and faith groups to focus on the urgent need for legislative action around climate change.

Even event workshops on Africa, peace, hunger and economic justice examined the impact of global warming on those issues.

“As Christians, we must be truth-tellers,” said the Rev. Sean McDonagh in the opening plenary worship of the ecumenical event. “If we continue in the way we are going, by 2100, a third of the earth will be desert. So children I baptize this year -- whom I would hope would live to be 100 -- they will be here when this happens. … This is a Kairos moment. Pray courage for individuals and courage for our leaders. We have the technology. The world has the wealth. But the world still doesn’t have the political will to act -- and we have a window of about 10-20 years to effect change.”

Read the whole story on the GBGM UMW website here