COSROW addresses Clinton's 'inappropriate' relationship
9/29/1998 News media contact: Linda Bloom · (646) 369-3759 · New York NOTE: This story is accompanied by a sidebar, UMNS #552.
SAN FRANCISCO (UMNS) - Governing members of the United Methodist agency that has led the church on issues related to clergy sexual misconduct have spoken out on the Clinton scandal.
The Commission on the Status and Role of Women (COSROW), meeting Sept. 24-27, adopted a statement emphasizing that professional sexual misconduct is unacceptable "because it involves an inequity of power between the persons involved. " The 43-member commission rejected the idea that public and private morality can be separated.
However, the commission affirmed that "integrity and honesty must never be replaced by political and legal maneuvering. Our country's attention must not continue to be diverted from other critical issues." It also called for a resolution "that will include both forgiveness and accountability."
President Clinton told a grand jury Aug. 17 that he had an "inappropriate" relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The House Judiciary Committee will vote next week on whether to open an impeachment inquiry.
In other business, the commission adopted a discussion style of "holy conferencing" to talk about emerging issues, assess its current work and reflect on its structure, purpose and mission for the future.
During a session on "holy conferencing through the arts," the Rev. Donna Fado Ivery, a United Methodist pastor from South San Francisco, showed the group how her own experience with physical disability has led her to use the arts in a healing way.
In January 1994, Ivery was struck on the head by a glass partition. The resulting brain injury has left her in chronic pain and disrupted normal body functions. She eventually learned that painting pictures that reflected her pain "really opens up a healing road."
"The brushes of the spirit act as my helper in handling the burden of grief," she explained. "When I do nothing else, I would go to the garage and paint."
Commission members also:
· Paid a daylong visit to Glide Memorial United Methodist Church to learn about its mission and ministries to the poor. (See UMNS sidebar # 552.)
· Established a task force on women's issues, particularly the issues of domestic violence, health care and welfare, with plans to develop a video, educational materials and training teams in annual (regional) conferences.
· Agreed to work with annual conferences to encourage the election of more women as delegates to General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body.
· Reached no consensus about a stance on same-sex covenanting ceremonies and referred the issue to the commission's legislative committee.
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