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Greetings!
Welcome to the inaugural issue of CORR{ageous}! Times, a quarterly newsletter for friends of the General Commission on Religion and Race. Our new masthead conveys the belief that the task of dismantling racism means learning, sharing and taking action to move the United Methodist Church from racism to relationships. This task requires courage--courage to talk in new ways about the sin of racism that separates us from each other and from God; courage to invite new people into the conversations about race; and courage to take action that transforms our lives and the church. Just as God commanded Joshua to, "Be strong and of good courage, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" we too are reminded of God's presence and grace. We ask you to join us, forging new relationships that will deny racism's hold on the family of God.
Sincerely,
Erin Hawkins, General Secretary
General Commission on Religion and Race |
| New Directions, New Staff | |
Early 2010 marked a new beginning for the 42-year-old United Methodist General Commission on Religion and Race with a restructuring that brought on seven new leadership positions. The Rev. Dr. Barbara R. Isaacs and Jeneane Jones, who both previously served GCORR in other capacities, were hired in January to lead the agency's Program Ministries and Communications and Media Relations, respectively. Mary Phillips, Coordinator of Research and Review and Grants Administrator of GCORR Action Fund and the Rev. Amy Stapleton, Director of Program Coordination and Management, joined the agency in April. The Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, Team Leader of Monitoring and Advocacy, Victor Cyrus-Franklin, Advocacy Organizer, and the Rev. Myungim Kim, Annual Conference Coordinator were hired in May. Read more about our new team here. |
| Trials and Tribulations | |  Unfair Practices in Jury Selection
A recent report by the Equal Justice Initiative has sparked new debate over an old issue-African-Americans and other racial ethnics being excluded from serving on juries. Somewhere in the country, there is a trial taking place every day that places a racial ethnic person on trial, and places that person's life in the hands of 12 individuals. All cases do not make headlines but some, like a high profile police shooting trial in California, are focusing attention on legal tactics that exemplify institutional racism. Read more. |
| The CORR Action Fund Receives Large Response to its 2010 Action and Advocacy Philanthropic Commitment | |
In March, the General Commission on Religion and Race announced that the CORR Action Fund (funded by the Minority Self Determination Group Fund) would focus on action and advocacy efforts related to the sanctuary movement to assure the rights of racial ethnic minority immigrants, groups and refugees. Since then the CORR Action Fund has received close to 150 proposals in response to its quarter of a million dollar philanthropic commitment and expects to award each of approximately 8 to 10 projects up to $40,000 beginning in January 2011. Read more. |
| Wanted: Institutional Inclusion | |  Diversity Report from the General Agencies
Racial diversity gains in United Methodist general agencies over the past 30 years are threatened by "people of color being displaced at greater rates than whites," finds a position paper published in April by the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) and the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women for the United Methodist Church (COSROW). The first of its kind, the paper examines employment by gender and race at each level of the Church and evaluates how current representation reflects a growing need for racial inclusivity as we seek to bring disciples of Christ in community to transform the world. Read more. |
| GCORR's Ministry of Monitoring Goes Abroad | | GCORR Board Member Rachel Birkhahn-Rommelfanger to Attend 2010 Global Young People Convocation
On July 21, young adults from around the world will join together in Berlin, Germany at the Global Young People's Convocation, a five-day event sponsored by the Young People's Ministries of the United Methodist Church's General Board of Discipleship. Rachel Birkhahn-Rommelfanger, a GCORR Board Member from North Central Jurisdiction, Northern Illinois Conference, will serve as GCORR's liaison and share information with Convocation participants about GCORR's programs and ministries, particularly concerning the work GCORR is doing to promote racial justice through the ministry of monitoring. Read more. |
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