Nov. 5, 2003
Dream, pray, work for community, bishops urge

WASHINGTON (UMNS)—The United Methodist bishops are calling the church to action in a new statement on children and poverty.

In "Our Shared Dream: The Beloved Community," they urge United Methodists to dream, pray and work for the day when:
"The church is a more inclusive fellowship, in which dividing walls of race and gender, culture and class are broken down…
"Church and world overcome the competitiveness that dominates relationships.
"The ability to give with boundless generosity replaces the drive to collect, possess, own and withhold.
"Our relations across the globe will be characterized not by charity, dependence and paternalism but by partnership and solidarity.
"We are free from pride of self, group, tribe and nation and thus more completely reflect the image of the selfless, self-giving God who is within us and among us.
"Every church conference asks: ‘How are we living for the impoverished?’ ‘How are our individual vocations lived for the poor and contributing to the growth of beloved community?’
"Every human community on earth is a place committed to preventing violence and offering healing to its victims.
"All things have become new in Christ Jesus … and the beloved community is our reality."

The task force wrote the statement, adopted Nov. 4, for the Bishops’ Initiative on Children and Poverty .

*Tanton is United Methodist News Service’s managing editor. News media can contact him at (615)742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org .