Volume LVII DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014 No. 10 Remembering Nelson Mandela: 1918-2013 By Linda Bloom - NEW YORK (UMNS) Throughout his life, Nelson Mandela Challenge to the church had many connections to Methodism. After Mandela’s election, Methodist A graduate of a Methodist boarding leaders recognized the church’s “criti- school where many future African lead- cal role” in creating a new South Af- ers were educated, the anti-apartheid rica. “The biggest challenge is for the champion was mentored by Methodist church to learn to work with a govern- preachers and educators and formed ment that is legitimate,” then-Bishop H. a bond with a Methodist chaplain while Mvume Dandala said during a 1998 in prison. interview with United Methodist News As president of South Africa, he Service in New York. worked with church leaders in shaping But the reluctance to criticize had to a new nation and eventually married be addressed. “The euphoria of hav- Graça Machel, a United Methodist, ing our own government is still with us widow of the former president of and it still is not easy to draw attention Mozambique and an advocate for to what might be wrong,” Dandala ex- women’s and children’s rights. plained. Churches also had to help When that couple made a surprise continue the healing process started by appearance before the United Method- the Truth and Reconciliation Commis- ist Council of Bishops during a Novem- sion, he said. ber 2006 meeting in Maputo, Mandela retired as South Africa’s Mozambique, Bishop Janice Huie, then president in 1999 after serving one the council’s president, declared the term, but he continued to have an in- group was “blessed” to have them in fluence both globally and on the Afri- their presence. “We have been in the can continent. On July 18, 2009, his company of the saints and we know it, Bishop Janice Huie escorts Nelson Mandela and his wife, Graça Machel, as birthday was declared International and we are grateful,” she said. Bishop João Somane Machado leads the way. Mandela Day and has become an an- The World Methodist Council recog- A UMNS 2006 file photo by Stephen Drachler. nual event for community service. nized Mandela as a “symbol of free- The Methodist Church in South Af- dom, justice and peace” when present- Cluster of ecumenical theological insti- “We knew we needed the truth to rica was started in 1836 by British ing him with its 2000 peace award. tutions at the University of KwaZulu- build a new nation,” Storey said in 2005 Methodists and became autonomous in “As a national and world leader his Natal near Durban, is named after when he was a professor at Duke Di- 1883. Today, it is made up of six coun- name is synonymous with reconcilia- Mokitimi, who died in 1971. vinity School. “Without truth, no heal- tries in Southern Africa, and 2.5 mil- tion,” said Frances Alguire, the As a leader in a campaign against ing. Without forgiveness, no future.” lion people claim a religious affiliation council’s chairperson, when the award the apartheid system, Mandela was with the denomination. was announced. “As a person he is sentenced to life imprisonment on remarkably free of bitterness. His life Robben Island in 1963. The Rev. Pe- reflects the qualities of the World Meth- ter Storey, a Methodist pastor, served odist Peace Award.” as chaplain to Mandela and other pris- oners. Early Methodist roots Storey, a former president of the Mandela was born July 18, 1918, at Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Graça Machel, Mvezo in the Eastern Cape and gradu- also became a close associate of An- ated from Healdtown, a boarding wife of Nelson glican Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the Mandela, receives school started by Methodist missionar- church’s anti-apartheid struggles. ies in 1845. The Rev. Seth Mokitimi an honorary Freed from prison on Feb. 11, 1990, doctorate during was the school’s chaplain. A renowned Mandela was elected South Africa’s the 10th Methodist preacher and educator who president in 1994. He appointed Storey anniversary in 1964 became the first black person to help form South Africa’s Truth and elected to lead a major denomination Reconciliation Commission, which was celebration at in South Africa, he had a powerful in- established in 1995 and received world Africa University. fluence on Mandela. attention as a model of how to seek A 2002 file photo courtesy A new Methodist seminary, opened national healing and forgiveness. of Africa University. in 2009 within the Pietermaritzburg When the United Methodist Commit- tee on Relief delivered food packages Bringing Comfort to Typhoon Nov. 20 to six storm-ravaged commu- nities in Dagami, the Philippines, it was Survivors in Philippines the first substantial emergency relief aid there since Typhoon Haiyan struck by United Methodist News Service nearly two weeks earlier. Linda Unger, a senior writer for the United Methodist Board of Global Min- istries, and Mike DuBose, a photogra- pher for United Methodist Communica- tions, were there to tell the story. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” A Christmas Acrostic said Lucia Millona, a small, slight Just when life seemed hopeless, woman who is the only support for her small child. “Our house was destroyed Everything coming apart at the seams, and we have no clothes,” she said. “This is the first help we’ve received.” Something (Someone) happened, Although Dagami, about 20 miles Utterly satisfying with saving from Tacloban, turns away from the Word and Life, coast, residents still suffered typhoon winds and flooding from overflowing Stitching the universe back together again. rivers that destroyed crops, homes, businesses and livelihoods. RVC This was UMCOR’s second food dis- tribution in two days, part of a truck- Have a Blessed Christmas load of 1,500 food packages that UMCOR staff and volunteers as- and a Joyous New Year Community members line up for a food distribution site for the United sembled in Manila, the capital, and The Relay Staff- Methodist Committee on Relief following Typhoon Haiyan in Dagami, Phil- drove over the course of 36 hours to Glenn, Robin, Heather, Hector, and Jessica ippines. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Continued on page 5 2 UNITED METHODIST RELAY DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014 With Global Fund, Church Fights Malaria By Heather Hahn* With The United Methodist Church nearing its fundraising goal in the fight against malaria, the denomination on Dec. 3 committed to fulfilling its $28 million pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Global Fund draws together leaders from national governments around the globe and large private donors such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to combat the diseases of poverty. If you’ve bought products with the (RED) label, then you have helped support the Global Fund. Your gifts to The United Methodist Church’s Imagine No Malaria campaign also are helping the effort. “Our goal is to raise $75 million for this fight against malaria,” Pittsburgh Area Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton said at the Global Fund’s Fourth Replenishment con- ference. “Part of the proceeds from this campaign is going to strengthen our United Methodist hospitals and clinics in Africa. Another portion is going to the Global Fund.” On Dec. 3, the bishop announced The United Methodist Church would contrib- ute another $19.9 million dollars to the Global Fund over the next three years. This money would complete the $28 million pledge the denomination made to the Global Fund in 2010. The United Methodist Church is the first faith-based group to work in partner- ship with the Global Fund. The denomination already has contributed $8.1 million United Methodist Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton addresses the Global Fund’s to the effort, said Bickerton. He leads the Western Pennsylvania Annual (regional) Fourth Replenishment conference in Washington, affirming the Conference and chairs the denomination’s Global Health Initiative. denomination’s commitment to fulfill its $28 million pledge to the fund, During its Dec. 2-3 gathering in Washington, the Global Fund received $12 which fights AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. A UMNS photo by the Rev. Larry Hollon. billion in pledges from 25 countries, the European Commission and private do- nors. By far, the biggest donor is the U.S. government, which committed at least $4 billion to the cause. The U.S. government also pledged $1 for every $2 com- mitted by others through September 2014, up to $5 billion. While not on that scale, The United Methodist Church’s contribution is no mere GNJ Grant Funding bug zap in the fight against the mosquito-borne disease. “Our pledge was equal to and even surpassed the pledges from smaller coun- Application Now Available tries across the world,” Bickerton told United Methodist News Service. The Greater New Jersey Annual Conference is committed to resource Bickerton was one of three United Methodist leaders representing the denomi- clergy, congregations and lay leaders to support the growth of vital congre- nation among the ambassadors and business leaders at the conference. The gations. Rev. Larry Hollon, the top executive of United Methodist Communications (which GNJ will provide grants for clergy salary support, equitable salary sup- includes United Methodist News Service), and Jim Winkler, the top executive of port, new church starts, multi-campus ministry, new ministry, congregational the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, also attended. development, cooperative parishes, and planning. Grants will be allocated “It is written into our agreement with Global Fund that United Methodist contri- based on demonstrated willingness and preparedness to grow vital congre- butions will go to malaria programming only,” Hollon said. “And we are also al- gations.