justicia

posted on September 4, 2022 by marchaumc

Open Letter to the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church

Dear Bishops, we greet you in the name of Christ and on behalf of MARCHA (Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic/Latinx Americans). We write to you with a troubled heart and concern about the long and over-extended suspension of Bishop Minerva Carcaño and its effects on the Hispanic/Latinx ministry and the witness of our entire Church.

MARCHA continues to be deeply grieved that one of the most influential voices in our community and the entire United Methodist connection is and continues to be silenced. Bishop Carcaño’s courageous advocacy on behalf of immigrants and her deep commitment to fighting injustices in our society has won the admiration and respect of many people in our Church, leaders in other denominations, and civic groups. MARCHA is especially concerned that in the last meeting of the Council of Bishops, the Immigration Task Force, which was effectively led by Bishop Carcaño in the past, did not offer a report. At this moment, when the refugee and immigration crisis continues to increase due to war and other conflicts, her leadership is sorely missed.

We question the fact that the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Committee on Episcopacy placed Bishop Carcaño in suspension, even before the process of investigation began to ascertain the veracity of the allegations. We know that many bishops are subject to complaints. Yet, no other Jurisdictional College in the history of the United Methodist Church has placed a bishop in suspension before the proper committee had investigated the complaint. This suspension has now been extended, without regard to the adverse effects. The rumors that are circulating in our Church regarding this matter create feelings of resentment and distrust in the judicial processes of our Church among the Hispanic/Latinx United Methodists and others. At this moment in our Church, trust is crucial.

MARCHA believes it is necessary to question the United Methodist Church, a predominantly white institution, when it has different standards for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) leaders, as opposed to white leaders, particularly in complaint processes. The uncertainty of the Council of Bishops’ stated commitment to dismantling racism is disheartening when it is not experienced in our Hispanic/Latinx community. The Western Jurisdiction College’s decision to depart from precedent with regard to the practice of due process raises a critical question in our minds: Why is a Hispanic/Latina woman Bishop being treated differently?

Therefore, given the length of the suspension imposed, the possible lack of impartiality, the unprecedented beginning of the complaint process, and the proliferation of rumors circulation in the Western Jurisdiction, MARCHA respectfully requests that the Council of Bishops will remove the complaints against Bishop Carcaño from the College and assume responsibility for processing them.

“The Council of Bishops may, at any time in the process, after a complaint is filed, including after a just resolution, remove the complaint from the College of Bishops to the Council of Bishops with a two-thirds vote by the Council.” (Par. 413.d.iv, 2016 Book of Discipline).

The Council of Bishops has the power to intervene and take a restorative role in addressing the harm done to the entire connection. We pray the Council of Bishops will witness its commitment to providing an equitable and fair process.

MARCHA calls our Church to continue surrounding in prayer all parties involved. MARCHA intends to continue closely monitoring the progress of this process as we walk alongside justice.

Rev. Lyssette Perez, President

Rev. Nora Colmenares, Vice President

Rev. Héctor A. Burgos, Communications
Rev. Raquel Feagins, Secretary
Rev. Joel Hortiales, Strategy
Pastor Imelda Román de Gómez, Administration
Dr. Ilia Vázquez-Gascot, Education

Raúl Alegría – Treasurer

Andrés de Arco – Young Adult

Sign the Letter and Petition to the Council of Bishops

Also signed by,

Estefany Sanabria, Northern Illinois Conference

Doug Ruffle, Greater New Jersey Annual Conference

Jeannette Zajac Greater NJ

Rev Dr Enna Antunez Iowa Annual Conference

Gricelda G Careaga. Río Texas Conference

Sandra Sypherd Great Plains Conference

Rev. Lyssette Perez, MARCHA, GNJ Annual Conference

Raul Alegría – Tennessee- Western Kentucky

Michael G Rivas, Florida conference

Rev. Paula Cripps-Vallejo, Northern Illinois Conference

Rev. José Esteban Rivera-Bocanegra Greater NewJersey Annual Conference

Pastor Luis Daniel Román-Hernández / Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico

Nilka Marrero Garcia Puerto Rico Conference

Diana Jani Darak-Druck New York Annual Conference

MARY SILVA- RIO TEXAS CONFERENCE

Maritza Gonzalez, Greater New Jersey

Mcwilliam Colon Greater New Jersey Annual conference

Imelda Roman Wisconsin Conference

Lori Valentine de Segovia, Virginia Annual Conference

Lilian Cotto EPAC

Jazelis Adorno, GNJUMC

Rev. Liliana Padilla Rio Texas Conference

Paloma Rodriguez-Rivera, Puerto Rico Conference

Michael Bergman, Mountain Sky Conference

Rev. David K. Farley, California Pacific Conference

David Jaimes, CALPAC

Rev. Miguel Nieves/ Northern Illinois Conference

Luis Daniel Roman-Hernandez / Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico

Rev. Dr. Sammy Arroyo

Dr. Daniel F. Flores, Rio Texas

Rev. Aida Luz Beltrán-Gaetán

Rev. Alejandro Alfaro-Santiz Iowa Annual Conference

George Lockwood Pacific Northwood

James Duane Perdue, Iowa Onference

Iris Chavez Rio Texas Annual Conference

Philip Wingeier-Rayo, Baltimore-Washington

Ediberto López-Rodríguez NYAC

Ramon Bello.Great Plains.

Fernando J Vazquez

Rev. Diac. Ivelisse Feliciano Arocho – Puerto Rico

Edith Zewadski-Bricker – Florida Conference

Sonya Luna, Michigan Conference

Juan Quintanilla NGC

Alma L Matos, GNJ

Tennessee Wester Kentucky

Rev. Dr Ivelisse Quiñones SG

Eileen Rivera Greater New Jersey Conference

Valerie L Mendoza

Abigael C Perales (Rio Texas Conference)

Alma Pérez- TWK

Adriana Leija – RIO TEXAS

Jose Luis Palos Rio Texas Conference

Sabrina Martinez

Myrna E. Pérez López IM Puerto Rico

Rev. Dr. Jose A Carrión Aquino. FLUMC

Manuel chavez jr Rio Grande

Rev. Carmen M. Gaud Desert Southwest

Rev. Dr. Diana L. Hynson, Baltimore–Washington Annual Conference

Eliezer Valentín-Castañón, Baltimore Washington Conference

Normary Rodriguez, GNJUMC

Yesenia Palomino /Greater New Jersey

Juan Carlos Ruiz / Greater New Jersey

Rev. Dr. Guillermo Chavez RioTexas Conference

Rev. Cricket Denton GNJ

Rev dr Miguel Balderas. Baltimore Washington conference

Dr. C. Anthony Hunt, Baltimore-Washington Conference

Carole Davenport, Northern Illinois Conference

Eunice Garcia Rio Texas Conference

Rafael Moreno Rivas, Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico

Julia Puac-Romero, North Texas

Ramon Ramirez-Rio Texas Conference

Julia Puac-Romero, North Texas

Rev. Matthew Mariani, Northern Illinois Annual Conference

Rev. Sara Giron-Ortiz, New York Annual

Rev. Dr. Juan. G. Feliciano-Valera, Puerto Rico

Nilda Ferrari/ VA AC

Juan Trillo-North Texas Conference

Rev. Charles Kyle

Eusebio Juni Camacho NIC

Rev. Isidro Piña Rio Texas Conference

Héctor Soto Vélez Puerto Rico

Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer Northern Illinois Conference

Miriam Peralta, Michigan

Rev. Myriam Cortes- Tennessee Western Kentucky

Rev. Dr. Leo Yates Baltimore-Washington Conference

Miros Villarreal. Rio Texas Conference

Rev. Teresa Pena Rio Texas Conference

Rvdo. Julio Vargas, PR Annual Conference and UMC endorsed to the Army Chaplaincy

Efrain Cotto, Jr., Eastern Penn. Conference

Rev. Dr. Richard Romero, Greater New Jersey

Rvda.Diaconisa Maria Teresa Santiago IMPR

Migdiel E. Perez, Tennessee/ Western Kentucky

Ian Straker New York Annual Conference

Josefina Pérez / CalPac Conference

Kim Cape Cal-Nevada

Bilha Ramírez Alegría/TN/Western KY

Joan Clark, Oregon-Idaho annual conference

J. Ann Craig, New York

Kelly C. Martini, Eastern Pa.

Dr. Neva Fuentes, Rio Texas Conference

Rev. Thelma Herrera Flores-Rio Texas

Rev. Yeika A. Huertas Román IM de Puerto Rico sirviendo en Greater New Jersey Conference

Rev Sonia E Brum, SC

Daisy Tavarez NYAC

Marisa Villarreal,New York Conference

Rev. Isabel Gomez ret. Rio Texas conference

Susan L ODell, PhD Oregon-Idaho Conference

Ann Needham Bower, Oklahoma

Cesar García Rodríguez, Michigan

Rev. Karina Feliz, NYAC

Leta Evelyn Gullatt. Rio Texas

Eric A. Hernandez Lopez, Puerto Rico

Luis F Reyes, Northern Illinois

Ellen Kirby, Western North Carolina Conference

Karen Eaker North Texas Conference

Eddie Gouge, Baltimore-Washington Conference

Shirley Durr, Minnesota Annual Conference

Rev. Dr. Felicisimo Cao California-Nevada Conference

Rev. Sherrie Lowly, Northern Illinois

Kylie Nelson, Oregon-Idaho Conference

Hannah Phillips Mollenkamp, North Texas Conference

Joyce Sohl Arkansas

Rev. Lane Cotton Winn, Louisiana

Rev. Pam Cahoon, Fl Conference

Rev. Brian Lee Daugherty- West Virginia Annual Conference

Obed J. Pérez- Greater New Jersey

Stephen Bryant. Rio Texas Conference

Bishop Emeritus Rev. Dr. Ramon Hernandez

Rev Dr. Ramón Hernandez-Lopez, Bishop Emeritus. Iglesia Metodista de PR

Rev. Scott Marsh, Michigan Annual Conference

Esmeralda Mendoza south rio texas

Sam Mendoza, south rio texas

Pastor Daniel Levine NYAC

Eradio Valverde, Rio Texas

Rev. Dr. David T. Grout, Kentucky Annual Conf

Rev. Francisco Arroyo Northern Illinois Annual Conference

Rev. Ivelisse Garay Bishop-GNJUMC

Rev Jorge Rodriguez Vasquez President MARCHA WEST

Mark R. Sills, WNCC

Felix Tshibang

Betty J. Letzig, Western North Carolina

Kim A DonnellySummers Desert Southwest

Rev. Martha E. Swords-Horrell. Upper New York Conference

Peter K Lau, California-Nevada Conference

Diana Carcaño- Rio Texas Conference

Arabella Chavez, Rio Texas

Western North Carolina

Andrea Paret, Great Plains Conference

Rev. John D. Current, California- Nevada Annual Conference

Betsy Careaga, Río Texas conference

Bryan Wilson, Northern Illinois Annual Conference

Eunice Vega-Perez GNJ

Rev. Dr. Drew A. Dyson, Greater NJ

Scott Gallagher WPA

Rev. Tom Lank, Greater New Jersey

Rev. Virginia Samuel Cetuk

Rev. Rosario L. Quinones, GNJ

Pastora Elizabeth González GNJ

María Milagros Rivera- BW Conference

Rev. Rolando Santiago- Fuentes – GNJAC

Juarez Gonçalves New England Conference

Dori Fotsch, Cal Pac

Rev Manuel Sardinas, GNJ

Lourdes L. Matos, Greater NJ Annual Conference

Rosa Yáñez-Islas

Allie Lakey, Desert Southwest

Gredda Marrero, Florida Conference

Theresa McConnell, Louisiana

Rev. Joseph McCarthy, GNJAC

Rachel McConnell-Switzer, Louisiana Annual Conference

Rev. Linda Butler, Iowa Annual Conference

Deen Thompson TNWKY Conference

Deaconess Allison Francesco, Susquehanna Annual Conference

Rev. Dr. Bradford Motta. Greater New Jersey.

Sehee Han, California Pacific Conference

Laurie Kaufman de la Garza. Michigan Conference

Rev. Shawn Lelion Greater NJ

Edward G Martin, Greater New Jersey

Cyndi Stouffer – Greater NJ

Charles T. McNeil, Greater NJ

Rev. George Morris, Greater New Jersey, Retired

Rev. Heather Valosin, GNJ

Paul Smith, New York Annual Conference

Rev. Victoria Wood Parrish – New England Annual Conference

Rev Ed Carll. GNJ

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey D. Sterling, Western PA Conference

Rev. Perrin Crouch, Missouri Annual Conference

Rev. Kate Mackereth Fulton, Baltimore-Washington Conference

Patricia Bellingrath Holston Conference

Doug Cunningham, New York Annual Conference

Theresa McConnell

Nancy Reding CA/NV Conference

Diane Dyson greater NJ Conference

Rev. M Jade Kaiser (Barclay) – Northern Illinois Conference

Javier F Careaga-Rio Texas Conference

Joseph Tognetti Rio Texas

Rev. Dawn Maffetone, Greater New jersey Annual Conference

Rev. Nydia Irizarry- Jara / Rio Texas Conference

Rev Pat Watkins Virginia AC

Rev. Christina C. Zito Greater New Jersey AC

Rev. Gary Frieze, Greater NJ

Debra A. De Vos, Greater New Jersey

Rev. Marissa van der Valk Greater New Jersey Annual Conference

Sharon Gallagher Wpa

Rev Diane Pacione GNJ

Rev. Jennifer Lovallo, GNJ

Rev Amanda Hemenetz, Greater New Jersey

Rev. Jessica Brendler Naulty, GNJ

Jim Bielefeldt Greater NJ Conference

Isaac Simmons: Illinois Great Rivers Conference

Filed Under: Noticias Tagged With: COB, justicia, slider

posted on February 6, 2016 by marchaumc

Understanding the Crisis in Honduras

By Melissa Bowe, NJFON Program and Advocacy Manager

Originally published at: http://njfon.org/understanding-the-crisis-in-honduras

This past month I had the privilege of joining a delegation from the General Board of Church and Society at the Honduras Annual Conference. My specific role was to provide education on asylum law, special immigrant juvenile status and border enforcement to pastors and lay leaders throughout Honduras. Our larger vision was to listen. Listen to the people our media outlets and politicians have reduced to statistics, and learn what is actually happening on the ground in the Northern Triangle.

A mural from a United Methodist Church in Honduras. — *A mural from a United Methodist Church in Honduras*.

The timing of my trip was jarring, as the Obama administration’s planned raids on Central American women and children had begun just days earlier. Our nation’s haphazard and disturbing raids of families fleeing violence was juxtaposed with stories from those very families in Honduras who seek safety and refuge in the United States. They told us of their community’s desperation and yearning for peace from gang violence; for work; for freedom from fear of death, torture and harassment. It was clear to me from the very first day of our trip that no amount of raids, deportations, or imprisoning people in family detention centers is going to deter Hondurans from seeking refuge in other countries.

The will to live in safety cannot be discouraged through policy.

We heard stories of children fleeing in the middle of the night to Mexico or the United States. A father’s voice broke as he told us of his 13-year-old son, Juan Pablo, who hadn’t left the house in three months because the gangs wouldn’t leave him alone in school. The father worried because he himself had been seriously injured when he attempted the trip in 2003; he knew all too well what dangers lay ahead for his son. Others elaborated on the injuries their countrymen came home with, many sustained on la bestia, the infamous freight train that snakes through Mexico to the U.S. border. Many migrants take their chances riding the beast despite the oft-repeated horror stories: the surging wheels that slice through people who slip trying to jump on moving boxcars or who fall off while sleeping; the thieves who go car to car with machetes and guns; the night raids from Mexican law enforcement.

On la bestia. Photo: La Prensa — Danger on *la bestia/the beast.* Photo courtesy of La Prensa

Following these heartbreaking stories, I conducted a two-hour training for 50 pastors and lay leaders on American immigration law. The focus was on asylum law as it affects adults and parents with children arriving at the US/Mexico border. For instance, many people did not know that asylum law even exists in the United States; that it is legal to present oneself at our nation’s border and ask for sanctuary from persecution.

Melissa presentation Honduras2 — *Presentation and training for 50 pastors and lay leaders on American immigration law.*

I also talked about American immigration law pertaining to unaccompanied minors and how their experience and options for relief are sometimes different than those for adults fleeing the Northern Triangle. For instance, unaccompanied children who are abused, abandoned or neglected by their guardian(s) can, depending on circumstances, apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status that puts the child on a pathway to a green card. However, the child could never petition for a green card for their parents, and could not petition for their sibling until they became a United States citizen.

*Breaking into small groups to better share strategies and good practices.*

Following the legal component, small groups strategized on how to organize around the migration crisis in their communities and congregations. Some proposed counseling young people and their parents on the dangers of the migration routes, others vowed to share the information they learned during the legal presentation and to connect them to the many resources we distributed at the training (covering family detention, know your rights material for the U.S. border and interior, legal protections for unaccompanied minors). Other solution steps included creating a way for everyone to keep in touch across the country to better share resources between the congregations.

In addition to leading the workshop on migration, our delegation visited three Methodist congregations in and around the capital city of Tegucigalpa. On these excursions we learned that the major problems the people in these villages experience are the same ones faces by most people in Honduras: broken families due to migration, lack of medical assistance, extreme poverty and rampant gang violence. We learned that some of the Methodist churches are at the forefront of providing a safe place for their communities to heal and come together for a sense of hope. We visited a church with a tremendous amount of resources for the local community including a school, computer lab, art space, medical clinic and low-cost pharmacy.Without this medical clinic provided by the Methodist Church, residents would have to travel an hour to find medical care—and at double the price.

On the other hand, we also visited an incredibly poor church in a gang-run village. To enter this village we had to make sure our faces and hands were visible and that we didn’t inadvertently look anyone in the eyes; gang members were watching us as we drove through the streets and up to the church. We found a tremendous spirit at this beleaguered church, but also a sense of brokenness from the profound violence, poverty and subsequent migration.

There are an estimated 36,000 gang members in Honduras—out of a total population of 8= million. From The Telegraph. — *There are an estimated 36,000 gang members in Honduras—out of a total population of eight million*. From The Telegraph.

In a country of approximately eight million people, there are an estimated 36,000 street-gang members. The murder rate was again the highest in the world in 2014—90.4 homicides per 100,000 people. Children are far from safe from the deluge of violence; according to the National Commission for Human Rights in Honduras, 458 children were murdered between 2010 and 2013. Casa Alianza also reports that in the first 4 months of 2014, 270 people under the age of 23 were murdered.

As Americans and people of faith, it is vital that we recognize this situation as a humanitarian and refugee crisis, one involving a vulnerable population. It is not merely a border security and immigration enforcement matter. I encourage all of us to learn more about the root causes of migration from the Northern Triangle and to share that knowledge with others. We at least owe that much to Juan Pablo, a scared 13- year-old boy, who remains in hiding while contemplating the dangerous journey here.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Noticias Tagged With: honduras, justicia, slider

posted on April 5, 2015 by marchaumc

1 Comment

El Espíritu está moviendo la Iglesia

Por JONATHAN E. RODRÍGUEZ CINTRÓN Lucas sin duda es mi evangelio favorito. Para mi Lucas dibuja un rostro de Jesús muy gentil, muy inclusivo, un Jesús muy social, atemperado con la realidad sociológica que se vivía en su presente histórico y sin duda con un mensaje muy de avanzada. En Lucas el Reino de Dios siempre parece ser algo que se pierde y luego es encontrado, los protagonistas del mensaje cristocéntrico en Lucas siempre son los marginados/as de la tierra. María la madre de Jesús, la viuda, el hijo pródigo, la mujer adultera, los niños, la mujer encorvada.

La historia de la mujer encorvada siempre me llamó la atención. Una mujer que según el pasaje estuvo atada por Satanás durante 18 años, obligándola a vivir encorvada. Ésta mujer entró a la sinagoga un sábado y muy probablemente se dirigió al rincón oculto donde las mujeres que entraban a la sinagoga iban, solo a escuchar en silencio, como sino existieran. Sin embargo, no contaba con que Jesús de Nazaret notaría su presencia. Es importante hacer hincapié en que ya con el hecho de ser mujer en el presente histórico del pasaje, era suficiente marginación, sin embargo también estaba enferma. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: cambios, inclusividad, justicia, slider

posted on December 29, 2014 by marchaumc

CIEMAL repudia actos de violencia en contra de la niñez en Pakistan

En estos días nos ha conmocionado la noticia del asesinato de 132 niños en Peshawar, Pakistán. Como Iglesias Metodistas de América Latina condenamos esta irracional violencia que no hace más que contribuir a que crezca el espiral de la violencia, el odio y la intolerancia. Afirmamos que toda diferencia entre sectores sociales debe ser resuelta por el diálogo de las partes en conflicto, actitud que conduce a preservar la paz y la vida, y en última instancia a logra la convivencia sana a que toda persona aspira. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Noticias Tagged With: justicia, pakistan, slider, violencia