Guidelines Advocates for Inclusiveness: Value and Empower All Persons for Full Participation in Church and Community

by General Commission on Religion and Race

Overview

Your task as an advocate for inclusiveness – and as coordinator of your ministry group – is to help every ministry, committee, and aspect of your church to be intentional about the full and equal participation of women and racial and ethnic persons in the life of the church. As you advocate for an inclusive church, you are helping the church to reflect the fullness of the ministry of Christ. This Guideline is designed to help equip you in leading this ministry group in your congregation.

This is one of the twenty-six Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 that cover church leadership areas including Church Council and Small Membership Church; the administrative areas of Finance and Trustees; and ministry areas focused on nurture, outreach, and witness including Worship, Evangelism, Stewardship, Christian Education, age-level ministries, Communications, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501830198
Publisher:	Cokesbury
Publication date:	11/15/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	245 KB

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Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 Advocates for Inclusiveness

Value and Empower All Persons for Full Participation in Church and Community

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By Cokesbury

Cokesbury

Copyright © 2016 Cokesbury
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5018-3019-8

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CHAPTER 1

What Is This Ministry?

Who Says She Can't Be a Pastor?

First United Methodist Church in Vermillion, South Dakota, works diligently to be a "woman-friendly" church. The Reverend Brook McBride, pastor of this 200-member congregation, looks for any opening he can find to discuss and promote women in leadership positions.

"Sometimes the children in Sunday school will play church and a girl will say she wants to be the pastor. If someone says 'you can't do that,' it brings up an opportunity for discussion," he says.

"There have been a lot of women in leadership roles," McBride says, "and not just the traditional roles; it's the administrative board, trustees kinds of roles — all kinds of places. There's not a delineation [of male/female] in the roles."

First UMC is also faithful in using gender-inclusive language in Scripture readings and worship. McBride, who has been pastor there for ten years, says that was one of the criteria the congregation had in searching for a pastor.

"Because the laypeople are so good about bringing up the issue of inclusive language, it raises the awareness to the pastors so that they can bring that up from the pulpit."

Even the songs are subject to scrutiny. "If the choir is doing something that isn't inclusive, someone will bring it up, and it will be changed."

McBride says a woman-friendly congregation makes a conscious effort to become so. "You need to talk to women; and where there are barriers, you have to intentionally tear them down. They have to be brought down. It starts very early with gender roles in the church and society."

People notice that commitment to inclusiveness — especially a young girl who may want to lead a congregation of her own someday. (Adapted from The Flyer, vol. 44, issue 5, 2010)

Inclusiveness Is ...

While the word diversity is often used to refer to the presence of women and men, girls and boys from various races, ethnicities and cultures, inclusiveness is a broader and richer concept. The United Methodist Church seeks not just presence or representation but the meaningful participation of all who join together to create and build the church.

As United Methodists, "we recognize that God made all creation and saw that it was good. As a diverse people of God who bring special gifts and evidences of God's grace to the unity of the church and to society, we are called to be faithful to the example of Jesus' ministry to all persons. Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance, and support that enable all persons to participate in the life of the church, the community, and the world. Thus, inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination" (140, the Discipline).

Diversity is the signature of God. Inclusiveness values diversity while building relationships. An inclusive community strives for all people to have opportunities to use their gifts, to be valued and respected as children of God. In an inclusive community, a variety of voices, perspectives, ideas, and experiences are recognized and heard. Together we are called to eradicate the sins of racism and sexism in the church and the world and transform the communities in which we live and worship. This is why many leaders in the church are answering God's call to move from mere diversity to embodying inclusiveness.

CHAPTER 2

Biblical and Theological Foundations for Inclusiveness

Scripture tells us that in the beginning all people were created in God's image, becoming God's children (Genesis 1:26-31). Throughout the biblical witness, we encounter God's call for humanity to live in right relationship with God and one another (Isaiah 58:1-12).

Jesus models inclusiveness. In the New Testament, he issues two great commandments: to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27; see also Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). In the life of Jesus, we see how we are to live and to reach across barriers of race, culture, gender, status, class, and ability. At Jacob's well, Jesus shares a cup with a Samaritan woman, breaking taboos, reaching across barriers of gender and clan, and surprising even his disciples (John 4). Jesus engages women as full partners in ministry, including Mary in a theological discussion rather than sending her to the kitchen to help Martha (Luke 10:38-42), and appointing Mary Magdalene as apostle to the apostles to share the news of his resurrection (John 20:10-18). When two blind men call to him, Jesus responds, "What do you want me to do for you?" inviting their voices rather than assuming their needs (Matthew 20:29-34).

Jesus also speaks against any situation where people are insulted, ridiculed, and called "fool" by others who believe themselves superior (Matthew 5:21- 26). For him, these situations are no less than murder in the heart. Jesus views such humiliating treatment by one human being toward another as sin and as deliberate acts of defiance against God.

In Galatians 3:26-28, Paul asserts that Christian living requires us to live, work together, and love one another across lines of race, clan, gender, and status: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." Racism and sexism are sins that deny the wisdom of God's creation and the fullness of life promised to all believers.

It is not enough to know what is wrong. We must learn how to bring into earthly existence the inclusive world that God designed. The Book of Discipline, 140, tells us that the "mark of an inclusive society is one in which all persons are open, welcoming, fully accepting, and supporting of all other persons, enabling them to participate fully in the life of the church, the community, and the world. A further mark of inclusiveness is the setting of church activities in facilities accessible to persons with disabilities."

CHAPTER 3

News Flash: Why We Need Advocates for Inclusiveness

All nations, including the United States, are growing more diverse by the day. According to the 2010 census data, U.S. child population grew far more diverse in the past decade, with the number of racial/ethnic children doubling in at least 10 states since the year 2000, in places such as Mississippi, Florida, Texas, California, New Mexico, and Hawaii. Asians and Hispanics account for the majority of the growth, with the Asian population heavily centered in the West Coast and in metropolitan areas and the Hispanic population living in rural and urban areas across the 50 states. More than half of U.S. children under age two in the United States are people of color. These findings also reinforce the prediction that by 2042, the majority of Americans will be people of color (http://www.census.gov/2010census).

In just one year, the poverty rate increased for all U.S. children younger than 18, except for non-Hispanic whites. Those living in the Midwest, South, and West were hit hardest (http://www.census.gov/2010census). While women and girls around the world perform 67 percent of the world's working hours, women as a group earn only 10 percent of the world's income. Further, women comprise 66 percent of the world's illiterate people own less than 1 percent of the world's property, even though they produce 50 percent of the world's food (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/Worldswomen/WW_full%20report_co lor.pdf).

Although women have gained a stronger voice in The United Methodist Church over the years, there is much more to be done. Women comprise just less than 50 percent of the world's population (World Demographics Profile 2011; Index Mundi, retrieved November 18, 2011) and of United Methodist church members. However, only 27 percent of United Methodist clergy are women. Among clergywomen, 80 percent of clergywomen are white, 8 percent are African American, 3 percent are Hispanic/Latina and 1.8 percent are Asian.

In 2014, 33 percent of district superintendents were women compared to 27 percent of all clergy that are female. Seventy five percent of the female district superintendents are white, which is similar to the percentage of white clergywomen. However, 25 percent of district superintendents are women of color, which is a far higher percentage than the 5.5 percent of all female clergy who are women of color (from http://gcsrw.org/ResearchMonitoring/ WomenbytheNumbers/Currentarticle.aspx).

CHAPTER 4

The Limitations of Language: "Women and Racial/Ethnic Persons"

A key challenge in addressing issues related to inclusiveness is the language we use. We recognize that racial/ethnic women face discrimination as both women and racial/ethnic persons. In these Guidelines, we use the phrase "women and racial/ethnic persons" to refer to concerns of all women and of all persons who belong to racial and ethnic groups that currently compose a minority of the U.S. population (also known as people of color).

Racism and Sexism: Key Definitions

Racism

Racism has two components. First, it is the power of one race to dominate another, usually because of historical, traditional, or numerical power. Second, it is a prejudicial value system that assumes that the dominant race is innately superior. Together, these two components — racial prejudice plus power — equal racism.

Racism manifests in two distinct ways: personal and institutional. Personal racism is the collection of individual expressions, attitudes, and behaviors that accept the assumption that one race is superior to another. Institutional racism is the creation of and complicity with social patterns, laws, and procedures that provide implicit and explicit support of a racist value system. An individual from the dominant race can be open and welcoming to persons of other races but still participate in institutional racism by supporting, or neglecting to confront, systems and structures that manifest racism overtly or covertly.

Although words such as prejudice, bigotry, discrimination, stereotype, and racial/ethnic harassment describe the nature of racism, they all have distinct meanings.

Prejudice is an unfavorable judgment or feeling about something without the benefit of knowledge, thought, or reason.

Bigotry is extreme intolerance of any creed, belief, opinion, or group that differs from one's own. It is an acute form of prejudice.

Discrimination is the collection of practices and policies that are based on prejudice or partiality. It is the power to exercise differential treatment.

Stereotype is a widely held, fixed, and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or group.

Racial/ethnic harassment is overt or covert abuse of persons based on their race or ethnicity. This abuse can manifest through inappropriate language, behavior, or other intimidating or unwanted actions. (See "Racial/Ethnic Harassment," The Book of Resolutions.)

Racism occurs when one group intentionally or unintentionally uses its inherent power to enforce its racial prejudices against other groups in society.

Sexism

Sexism is a system of beliefs or worldviews that regard women as inferior and men as superior. Like racism, there are two components: personal and institutional. Institutional sexism is the creation of and complicity with social patterns, laws, and procedures that provide implicit and explicit support of a sexist value system. Men may support and welcome women as partners in ministry, but they may still participate in institutional sexism by supporting, or neglecting to confront, systems and structures that overtly or covertly manifest sexism. Any attitude, action, or structure that excludes people from full participation in power and responsibility — economic, social, or political — or declares them inferior because of their gender is sexism.

Sexism manifests in a variety of ways. These are a few examples:

• devaluing (a legal system blames rape victims for dressing "provocatively"),

• discrimination (U.S. women on average earn only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men doing the same work),

• harassment (a boss demotes an employee who refuses to sleep with him or her),

• oppression (persecuting women pastors or firefighters, or any women working in traditionally male vocations, who are doing a "man's" job).

Sexual misconduct "is a betrayal of sacred trust. It is a continuum of unwanted sexual or gender-directed behaviors by either a lay or clergy person within a ministerial relationship (paid or unpaid). It can include child abuse, adult sexual abuse, harassment, rape or sexual assault, sexualized verbal comments or visuals, unwelcome touching and advances, use of sexualized materials including pornography, stalking, sexual abuse of youth or those without capacity to consent, or misuse of the pastoral or ministerial position using sexualized conduct to take advantage of the vulnerability of another" (The Book of Resolutions 2012, page 136). Furthermore, "the use of pornography in church programs, on church premises or with church property by persons in ministerial roles (lay and clergy) is a form of sexual misconduct" (The Book of Resolutions 2012, page 162).

Sexual harassment is "any unwanted sexual comment, advance, or demand, either verbal or physical, that is reasonably perceived by the recipient as demeaning, intimidating, or coercive. ... Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, the creation of a hostile or abusive working environment resulting from discrimination on the basis of gender" (The Book of Discipline, 161.I). It can include "unwanted sexual jokes, repeated advances, touching, displays, or comments that insult, degrade, or sexually exploit women, men, elders, children, or youth" (The Book of Resolutions 2012, page 136).

Sexual abuse in ministry "is a form of sexual misconduct and occurs when a person within a ministerial role of leadership (lay or clergy, pastor, educator, counselor, youth leader, or other position of leadership) engages in sexual contact or sexualized behavior with a congregant, client, employee, student, staff member, coworker, or volunteer" (The Book of Resolutions 2012, page 136). Sexual misconduct within the ministerial relationship involves an abuse of power and betrayal of sacred trust, a violation of the ministerial role and exploitation of those who are vulnerable. Similarly, sexual and gender harassment are usually understood as exploitations of power relationships rather than as exclusively sexual or gender issues.

Find extensive resources on sexual ethics (including a sample sexual harassment policy) at www.umsexualethics.org, a ministry of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women.

CHAPTER 5

Christian Response to the Sins of Sexism and Racism

Advocates for inclusiveness play a vital role in the spiritual health of the church. While challenging, the work is critical to The UMC's commitment to end racism and sexism in order to bring the church closer to becoming "one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

Theology is the study of God and God's relation to the world. Theologians bring a range of perspectives and insights from their backgrounds and life experiences. Feminist, womanist, mujerista, and liberation theologies enlarge the gospel message with attention paid to issues of oppression and dominance. Advocates can make use of these theologies to help build an inclusive church, opening the door for people from different backgrounds to worship together, to grow together, and to be healed from the sins of racism and sexism, either as oppressors or as people who have been abused.

Liberation Theology is a protest against trampled human dignity, drawn from life experiences and biblical texts that show God's preference for the poor. It asserts that scriptural holiness and discipleship should and must shape authentic Christian responses to the problems of racism, sexism, and classism and the growing gap between poverty and privilege. (The writings of Gustavo Gutiérrez or Justo L. González provide examples.)

Feminist Theology includes the study and examination of Christian tradition, practices, interpretation of Scripture, and the nature of God and humanity's relationship from the perspectives and experiences of women. It rejects the notion that women are morally or spiritually inferior to men. (See the writings of Rosemary Radford Ruether or Ellen Armour.)

Womanist Theology draws on the strength of women, particularly African American women. The term womanist, first used by author Alice Walker, comes from the black folk expression of mothers to female children, "You acting womanish" — that is, like a woman. Womanist theology shows appreciation for women's strength, emotional flexibility, and, as Walker writes, a "commitment to the survival of an entire people, male and female" (In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens, New York: Harcourt Inc., 1983), xi). (Also see the writings of Renita Weems or Katie Cannon.)

Mujerista Theology draws from the personal and lived experiences of Hispanic/Latina women who have grown up in the convergence of very different cultures (the mestizaje) and histories (Amerindian, African, and Spanish) as well as liberation theology. (See the writings of Ada María Isai-Díaz.)

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 Advocates for Inclusiveness by Cokesbury. Copyright © 2016 Cokesbury. Excerpted by permission of Cokesbury.
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Table of Contents

Contents

Blessed to Be a Blessing,
What Is This Ministry?,
Who Says She Can't Be a Pastor?,
Inclusiveness Is ...,
Biblical and Theological Foundations for Inclusiveness,
News Flash: Why We Need Advocates for Inclusiveness,
The Limitations of Language: "Women and Racial/Ethnic Persons",
Racism and Sexism: Key Definitions,
Christian Response to the Sins of Sexism and Racism,
Where Does It All Lead?,
What Do I Do As an Advocate for Inclusiveness?,
What Are My Basic Responsibilities?,
What Does the Coordinator Do?,
How Is the Ministry Group Organized?,
How Do I Relate to Other Groups in My Church?,
Models for Racial/Ethnic Inclusiveness,
An "All Nations" Community and Church,
Changing Congregations and Communities,
Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural Appointments,
Models for Gender Equality and Sexual Wholeness,
Listening for the Needs,
Ways to Move toward Inclusiveness and Justice,
Inclusiveness of Women: Roles and Opportunities,
Create and Celebrate an Inclusive Church,
Program Ideas,
Checklist for an Inclusive Church,
Resources,
Contact Us,
General Resources,
On Racial Justice and Antiracism,
Other Resources Recommended by the General Commission on Religion and Race,
On Gender Justice, Sexual Ethics, and Antisexism,
UMC Agencies & Helpful Links,