Social Action Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. --- Margaret Mead John Wesley often preached about works of piety and mercy as inseparable. Charity is a gift, but social action helps change systems that keep people oppressed and dispossessed. As United Methodist Women, we believe that these are inseparable.  For over 135 years, children, youth, and family advocacy, racial justice, public policy, and global policy are the foci of United Methodist Women’s advocacy and part of their mission call. Their advocacy helps improve and empower the lives of women, children, and youth, nationally and internationally.

Our conference has adopted the following Conference Priorities for Social Action for 2013:

1. Charter for Racial Justice  (Resources at unitedmethodistwomen.org)
2. Domestic Violence  (Resources at unitedmethodistwomen.org)
3. Human Trafficking  (Resources at unitedmethodistwomen.org)

UPCOMING EVENT!  2013 Legislative Day - May 4, 2013

Human Trafficking in North Carolina

May 4, 2013, 9:00am - 3:00pm

First United Methodist Church
410 First Avenue North
Conover, NC 28613

Cost:  $10.00 (includes lunch)

Advance Registration (Online) will be open March 1, 2013, and end April 22, 2013.

 

2013 Social Action Award

Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Women recognizes that many of our women and units are doing effective, meaningful, social action. Each year we recognize an individual or unit who hs done exceptional work in social action.  Help us out! Nominate an individual or a group!

Nominate a person or group for our Conference Social Action Award!
Click here to download information/nomination form [Word][PDF]
Nominations must be postmarked by February 15, 2013

 

Palestinian woman passing from Bethlehem to Jerusalem navigates a series of cages that form the separation barrier. Photo by Paul Jeffrey.

United Methodist Women Racial Justice Symbol Click here to download a PDF version of the Resources for Racial Justice Handbook  (This is a large file.)

NEW!  Western North Carolina Conference UMW Justice Today

Each local unit is encouraged to become a Justice Today unit..  Criteria for Justice Today provides new and innovative ways for local units to implement the Charter for Racial Justice.  There are three different levels of participation which enables the local unit to be as involved as they would like.  Please study the attached criteria and make plans how your local unit can become a Justice Today unit.  Recognition will be given to those units who achieve Bronze, Silver, or Gold status during 2013 at the 2014 Conference and District Annual Meetings.

Click here to download 2013 Justice Today Criteria:  [Word] [PDF]

• A Charter for Racial Justice - Adoped by the 1980 General Conference of The United Methodist Church
• A Charter for Racial Justice - Available from the Mission Resource Center
• Resources for Racial Justice Handbook [PDF - Large file]

Links to Resources Related to the Campaign for Children:

Campaign for Children with emphasis on Public Education

• United Methodist Women Public Education page
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
• North Carolina School Report Cards
• US Department of Education

Other Social Action Links:

UMW Action Network - The United Methodist Women’s Social Action Network is a tool to assist members of the organization of United Methodist Women in being informed and prepared to act on public policy issues affecting women, children and youth. 

• UMW Social Action Network
• Sign up for UMW Action Network

United Methodist Women Online Community - The online community makes it possible for UMW members across the country to communicate with each other. By utilizing present-day electronic technologies, it is possible for United Methodist Women and women around the world to have a common platform from which to move beyond the traditional limitations of time and space. For example, a woman in North Carolina, Idaho or India can connect online at anytime of day or night with each other to discuss a topic or participate in a Bible study. The online community is an opportunity to share the love of Christ, and the United Methodist tradition, in new and creative ways.  

• UMW Online Community

United Methodist Women Website Social Action Pages - The United Methodist Women website Social Action pages have brief information about the various areas of emphasis within the section of Christian Social Responsibility.

• Social Action
• Racial Justice
  • A Charter for Racial Justice - Adoped by the 1980 General Conference of The United Methodist Church
  • A Charter for Racial Justice - Available from the Mission Resource Center
  • Resources for Racial Justice Handbook [PDF - Large file]
• Public Education
• Environment
  • Green Team
• Washington D.C. Advocacy
• United Nations
  • Visit the United Nations website
• Economic Justice
• Peace with Justice
• Immigrant Rights

United Methodist Church Resources - All of the social action emphases & priorities of the Women's Division are based on scripture, and on the statements of belief of The United Methodist Church as adopted by the General Conference and recorded in The Book of Discipline and The Book of Resolutions.

• The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2012
• The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church - 2012
• The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church 
• Our Social Creed - from ¶ 166 The Book of Discipline

  We believe in God, Creator of the world; and in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of creation. We believe in the Holy Spirit, through whom we acknowledge God ’ s gifts, and we repent of our sin in misusing these gifts to idolatrous ends. We affirm the natural world as God’s handiwork and dedicate ourselves to its preservation, enhancement, and faithful use by humankind.  We joyfully receive for ourselves and others the blessings of community, sexuality, marriage, and the family. We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young adults, the aging, and people with disabilities; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of of all persons. We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God, collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress. We dedicate ourselves to peace throughout the world, to the rule of justice and law among nations, and to individual freedom for all people of the world. We believe in the present and final triumph of God’s Word in human affairs and gladly accept our commission to manifest the life of the gospel in the world. Amen.

The General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church - The General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church is the international public policy and social action agency mandated to speak its convictions to the church and to the world. Only General Conference speaks for The United Methodist Church as a whole.

This general agency has as its purpose....to relate the gospel of Jesus Christ to the members of the Church and to the persons and structures of the communities and world in which they live. It shall seek to bring the whole of human life, activities, possessions, use of resources, and community and world relationships into conformity with the will of God. It shall show the members of the Church and the society that the reconciliation that God effected through Christ involves personal, social, and civic righteousness. 

• General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church (GBCS)
• United Methodist Seminar Program - The United Methodist Seminars on National and International Affairs is an exciting education ministry of the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) and the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM)! Every year Christians from around the U.S. travel to Washington DC to strengthen their spiritual and vocational formation through custom-designed United Methodist Seminars. Many find a place to develop a faith-filled understanding of difficult social issues, cultivate thoughtful insights to guide daily and vocational choices as Christian citizens, and discern ways in which to live social holiness. 
  
  
   
• Read the current Church and Society Faith in Action Weekly Digest - a weekly email publication of the General Board of Church and Society, with news & legislative updates
• Subscribe to the Church and Society Faith in Action Weekly Digest

Other Social Action Resources

• Children's Defense Fund - In addition to visiting the CDF website, there are email lists you can join to receive information about children's issues. (You can sign up for monthly email newsletter from CDF, or the weekly Child Watch Column written by Marian Wright Edelman.)
• Children's Sabbath Resources 

Who represents you in the United States Congress, and the North Carolina General Assembly? - Very often, Action Alerts or other social action articles will encourage you to write your representatives to express your opinion about important issues that affect the lives of women, children and youth.  Use these helpful links to find out who your representatives are in the United States Congress and the North Carolina General Assembly.

• United States House of Representatives  (Enter zip code at top left...Find your Representative)
• United States Senate  (Top right...Find your Senators)
• North Carolina General Assembly (Bottom right...Who Represents Me?)

Other federal and state government websites - Helpful links to find a variety of information about your federal, state, and local governments

• NC.gov...the Official Web Site of the State of North Carolina
• USA.gov ...the Official US Government Web Portal
• North Carolina Court System
• United States Federal Court System
• Resource links provided by the UNC School of Government:
  • NC Local Government links
  • NC State Government links
  • Federal Government links

Have a question? Need  more information?
To contact Martha Phillips, our conference Mission Coordinator for Social Action

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The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.

This page was last updated on Sunday, March 03, 2013.