Native American

    Overview


    The Revs. Homer Noley (left) and Alvin Deer were honored by the Native American Comprehensive Plan at a dinner during the 2008 United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas.
    UMNS photo by Ginny Underwood

    The General Commission on Religion and Race addresses various challenges and concerns—especially related to racial justice, visibility and inclusion—among Native Americans throughout The United Methodist Church. Native people, of numerous indigenous nations, and their churches and ministries are located across the United States in urban, rural, suburban and reservation communities.

    Our many concerns include:

    • Increasing awareness of and respect for sacred sites and traditions, indigenous languages, sovereign rights and other aspects of Native American life, identity and spirituality.
    • Development and advancement of Native American lay and clergy leadership to serve in congregations, communities and throughout the denomination in fulfilling the gospel and mission of Jesus Christ.
    • Effective efforts to foster self-determination and address the racial injustice and neglect that disproportionately harm Native American communities suffering from poverty, disease, illiteracy and related problems.

    Native American mascots
    A major ongoing focus of this work group is our strategic efforts to stop the demeaning use of Native American mascots, names and imagery by numerous professional, collegiate and amateur sports teams. Please read our explanation of this controversy and the sample letter, which we invite you to adapt and send to key recipients whom you feel can and will help us in this important cause.

    Constituency According to the U.S. Census, the Native American and Alaska Native populations stand at 4.5 million, or 1.5% of the total population. Their median age is 30.7 years (younger than the population as a whole, which is 36.2 years); and the states with the highest Native American populations are California, Oklahoma and Arizona. At this time, Native Americans make up about one half of one percent of the church’s U.S. membership. The harvest is great!

    The General Commission celebrates the contributions and ministries of the United Methodist Native American constituency. The Native American Comprehensive Plan (NACP) offered national and regional workshops to strengthen Conference Committees on Native American Ministry, plus a churchwide lay speaking training event and a national gathering of Native writers.

    In response to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and with staff help from GCORR, the Southeastern Jurisdictional Agency on Native American Ministry (SEJANAM) sent three work teams to aid the Houma Tribe with recovery and rebuilding of homes in Dulac, Louisiana. The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference Emergency Response Team sent six teams to Mississippi.

    The Native American International Caucus (NAIC) led training in several regions to educate youth about sexually transmitted diseases. The caucus also has advocated for more contextual ministries in Native churches and communities.

    The National United Methodist Native American Center (NUMNAC) is one of three national entities related to the denomination. Like the Native American International Caucus, it is related by affiliation only, while the Native American Comprehensive Plan is an initiative created by General Conference as an official program of the Church. NUMNAC focuses on training and support of Native Americans seeking ordination and positions of leadership in The United Methodist Church.

    Many challenges face Native Americans in the UMC, including the critical issues of identity and representation. Native Americans remain underrepresented at all levels of the denomination. This is further exacerbated by the fact that there are people serving in elected positions who identify themselves as Native American but have no formal affiliation with and little actual knowledge of Native American communities and congregations. While this is an injustice to the Native American constituency, it also silences the authentic Native American voice that should be at the Church’s collective tables of prophetic leadership.
    News

    Resources

    Print Resources

    Brown, Dee A. BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE, New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1970.

    Deloria, Vine, Jr. and Lytle, Clifford. THE NATIONS WITHIN: The Past and Future of American Indian Sovereignty. New York: Parthenon Press, 1984.

    Deloria, Vine, Jr. GOD IS RED. New York: Grosset, 1973.

    McGaa, Ed. MOTHER EARTH SPIRITUALITY, New York: Harper & Row, 1990.

    Matthiessen, Peter, IN THE SPIRIT OF CRAZY HORSE, New York: Viking Press, 1983.

    Rausch, David A., & Schlepp, Blair. NATIVE AMERICAN VOICES.

    Contact United Methodist  Agencies working with Native American people, ministries and concerns

    The General Commission on Religion and Race
    Suanne Ware-Diaz (Kiowa/Native American staff person)
    Associate General Secretary
    110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 400
    Washington, DC 20002-5680
    sware-diaz@gcorr.org
    Phone: 202-547-2271, Ext. 13. Fax: 202-547-0358

    The General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church:
    The Rev. Cynthia Abrams (Seneca)
    100 Maryland Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C. 2000
    cabrams@umc-gbcs.org.
    Phone: 202-488-5636. Fax: 202-488-5619

    The General Board of Global Ministries
    Dr. Anne Marshall (Muscogee)
    Interim Executive Secretary
    475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115
    amarshall@gbgm-umc.org 
    Phone: 212-870-3830. Fax: 212-870-3932

    The National United Methodist Native American Center
    The Rev. Homer Noley, Interim Executive Director
    1325 N. College Ave
    Claremont, CA 91711-3199
    numnac@cst.edu
    Phone: 909-447-2550
    Fax: 909-624-8384

    The Native American Comprehensive Plan
    The Rev. Anita Philips (Cherokee), Executive Director
    Seminole Building, Suite 213
    9810 E. 42nd St., South
    Tulsa, OK 74146
    nacomp@prodigy.net
    Phone: 918-622-4235. Fax: 918-622-3681

    The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference
    The Rev. David Wilson (Choctaw), Conference Superintendent
    3020 South Harvey Street
    Oklahoma City, OK 73109
    dwilson@oimc.org
    Phone: (405) 632-2006. Fax, (405) 632-0209

    The Southeast Jurisdictional Agency for Native American Ministries (SEJANAM) *
    Darlene Jacobs (Lumbee), Executive Director
    P.O. Box 67
    Lake Junaluska, NC 28745
    djacobs@sejumc.org
    Phone: 828-454-6724. Fax: 828-456-4040

    The Native American International Caucus
    Dr. Anne Marshall (Muscogee), Chairperson
    P.O. Box 243
    Holdenville, OK 74848
    drannemarshall@hotmail.com
    Phone: 405-328-0022