General Board of Church and Society
The United Methodist Church
100 Maryland Avenue, NE
Washington, D.C. 20002

Contact: Wayne Rhodes, Director of Communications
(202) 488-5630 / wrhodes@umc-gbcs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 16, 2010)

General Board of Church & Society seeks intern for immigration/criminal justice grassroots coordination

10-month, paid position at United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) has an opening for an Immigration and Criminal Justice Reform intern. The intern will assist Bill Mefford, GBCS director of Civil & Human Rights. This is a paid position for a 10-month period starting in August.

The internship is in the United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill here. GBCS is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church. The board’s primary areas of ministry are Advocacy, Education and Leadership Formation, United Nations and International Affairs, and resourcing these areas for the denomination. It has offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and at the Church Center at the United Nations.

GBCS’s primary responsibility is to advocate for implementing the United Methodist Social Principles. These are stances taken on social, political, economic and environmental issues by the denomination’s highest policy-making body, General Conference.

Among other duties, the intern will help develop educational resources in the areas of immigration and criminal justice to aid in mobilizing United Methodists for advocacy. The intern will also maintain contact with United Methodist activists.

The intern will be involved in recruiting activists in annual conferences doing work with people directly affected by the immigration and/or criminal justice systems.

The intern will work closely with grassroots efforts in other faith groups and non-faith groups as well to provide overall coordination.

Qualified applicants will have had experience working within immigrant communities and be fluent in Spanish. Applicants should have theological and/or missiological training and be able to write clear and publishable educational resources and Bible studies.

Applicants should be familiar with The United Methodist Church, the U.S. political process, and a general knowledge of immigration and criminal justice issues.

May 31 is deadline for applications. Beginning date for this position is early August and the ending date is May 31, 2011.

Intern must work a minimum 35 hours per week and will be given appropriate time off during employment. The intern will be paid $1,015 per month for the 10-month internship.

To apply, send a resume with three recommendations, cover letter and writing sample via e-mail to Bill Mefford, (bmefford@umc-gbcs.org) by May 31.

A complete job description is available at Immigration & Criminal Justice Reform Grassroots Intern or go to the GBCS website: www.umc-gbcs.org, and click on Job Openings at the bottom of the home page.

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church is seeking candidates to fill the position of Associate General Secretary in the Division of Higher Education. The Search Committee is actively seeking a pool of qualified candidates who would be representative of the church. We are requesting your nominations and your assistance in bringing this position to the attention of persons who might be interested in applying for the position. A position profile is attached for your reference.

Thank you for your assistance in this search process that will result in securing appropriate leadership for the Board’s continuation of its mission, nationally and internationally, "to lead The United Methodist Church in the recruitment, preparation, nurturing, education and support of Christian leaders - lay and clergy - for the mission of Christ in the world."

Grace and shalom,

Jerome King Del Pino

General Secretary

The Division on Ministries with Young People is seeking an individual to work part time (60%) in each of the jurisdictions for an initial period of one year (non-benefitted) with the possibility of moving to a permanent part time position following the initial period.

These persons are responsible for developing relationships, identifying needs, working with youth, young adult, and adult leaders on jurisdictional, conference, district, and local church levels to grow leaders for more effective ministries with young people throughout the connection. These ministries are for the purpose of making young disciples for the transformation of the church and world. They will participate as a team member with the staff of the Division on Ministries with Young People and relate to elected division members to define and accomplish their assigned roles.

Expected competencies include, knowledge and experience in young people’s ministries on various levels of the church, ability to advocate on behalf of Young People’s Ministries within the jurisdictional structure of the church, ability to initiate and coordinate critical networking functions, and demonstrated ability to resource leadership development in young people’s ministries.

If you are interested in this position, please fax your resume to 615-340-7565 or email it to awilkerson@gbod.org.  The General Board of Discipleship is an Affirmative Action Employer.  M/F/D/V EOE