Springtime is the most beautiful time of year in my hometown of Augusta, Georgia.  Azaleas are blooming everywhere and the landscape is blanketed with beautiful dogwood trees, with crooked branches delicate white flowers.  According to an old Christian legend, the Dogwood used to grow tall and straight comparable in size to an oak tree. 

  

At the time of Jesus' crucifixion, it was said that the Dogwood was used to fashion the cross.  Saddened and distressed at being used in such a horrible way, Jesus took pity on the tree and promised it would never grow large enough to be used as a cross and it would grow twisted and bent.  The four petals of each flower will form the shape of a cross, with two long petals and two short ones.  In the center of each petal edge, a rusty nail mark will be cut and the cluster in the middle of the flower will look like a crown of thorns, with blood-red berries to signify the blood of Christ. 

  

Although the Dogwood has never been seen growing in Palestine, the legend is still a meaningful story reminding us  that out of the darkness and suffering of Passion Week, the outcome is full of beauty and light.  The Dogwood tree is a wonderful reminder of that.

  

New church statistics released from the General Council on Finance and Administration reveal another substantial annual loss of membership in United Methodist Women, the only officially recognized women's ministry program in the UMC.

  

In 2009 (statistics run one year behind), UMW experienced a loss of over 45,000 members and 488 local units, bringing the total membership below the 600,000 level.  (The Women's Division, the leadership of UMW, regularly reports their membership at 800,000.)  This pattern of membership loss has been consistent over several decades. 

  

The UMC Book of Discipline (the official law of the church) requires that every local church "shall" have a UMW group.  For twenty years, RENEW and the women of the UMC have tried to have the language changed to read that every local church "may" have a UMW, leaving open the option for other women's ministry programs.  Our efforts have  not been successful as of yet due to intense pressure from the Women's Divsion. We will continue to work towards this goal at General Conference 2012, praying that finally women in the UMC will have the freedom to pursue God's calling on their lives without constraints and limitations.

  

Read the full report HERE.   

The Office of Deaconess and Home Missioner is now under the full direction of the Women's Division, as a result of the Division's reorganization with the General Board of Global Ministries.  Deaconesses (laywomen) and home missioners (laymen) are commissioned by the UMC for a life-time relationship to full-time ministries. The program is financed through UMW giving.

  

Deaconesses have been serving the Methodist church sine 1888 and reflect a rich and vital ministry to the denomination.  In 2009, Rachel Harvey was appointed by the Northern Illinois Annual Conference as Associate Executive Director of the Reconciling Ministries Network, an advocacy group that "mobilizes United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities to transform the church and world into the full expression of Christ's inclusive love".  Harvey was commissioned at the 2010 UMW Assembly in St. Louis. On the UMW website, the announcement of Harvey's appointment is posted under the title "Radical Welcome". See the article HERE.

  

Reconciling Ministry Network is gearing up for 2012 General Conference by partnering with a national campaign called "Believe Out Loud" to increase their voice and visibility within the UMC.  The organization has continued to keep their agenda front and center by trying to alter the UMC's long-held stance on homosexual practice being incompatible with Christian teaching. 

  

Many churches advertise themselves as "Reconciling Congregations" although this designation is in clear violation of the Discipline of the UMC and has been affirmed by the Judicial Council.  Read a recent article at www.methodistthinker.com  by United Methodist evangelist Rev.Wes Putnam about this HERE.

  

Commissioning a deaconess to this position clearly shows the Women's Division's support of the radical agenda of the Reconciling Ministry Network.  It will be interesting to see how the deaconess program progresses under the sole authority of the Division.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), an annual gathering of thousands of feminists advocacy groups and NGOs was held at the United Nations this month.  Many of the side events and meetings take place at the Church Center for the United Nations, a large building that sits right across the street from the UN. 

  

Although the theme of this years meeting was the promotion of education, science, and technology to help uplift women and girls around the world, there managed to be the usual promotion of "comprehensive sex education" and "sexual and reproductive rights" (i.e. access to abortion, contraceptives, and sex education for adolescents). The  Women's Division aligns itself with many of the radical causes and groups that attempt to interject this agenda into UN documents and treaties, resulting in societal and cultural  impacts that have actually proven detrimental to the betterment of women and children.

  

One big difference this year was the influence of a strong pro-family coalition team put together by Family Watch International.  This delegation had some major victories in stopping many of the radical initiatives being promoted.  To read their report, click HERE.

  

Also, read my previous articles on A Feminist Tsunami at the UN  and The Altar of Everything