UM GBCS Bill Mefford to speak at Peace with Justice luncheon

Bill Mefford, Director of Civil Rights and Human Rights for the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS), will speak at the NTC Church and Society/Peace with Justice Luncheon June 5 at the Plano Centre. The luncheon will begin following the adjournment of the annual conference morning session.

Mefford, a United Methodist layman, will speak on "Who is my Neighbor? Responding in Faith to Immigration." In his GBCS position, he works primarily on the issues of immigration, refugees, criminal justice reform, death penalty and torture abolition, religious freedom and other civil rights issues.

He was honored in March at the "Texas Coalition Against the Death Penalty" conference in Austin for his efforts to reinvigorate UM response against this ultimate punishment.

Mefford is well known for leading workshops and conferences to help laity and clergy understand biblical principles behind the UM position on comprehensive immigration form. He came to Mefford GBCS from Lexington, KY where he served part-time as Director of Missions for Wilmore United Methodist Church, he worked part-time at an inner city ministry in Lexington, was a doctoral student at Asbury Theological Seminary, and was a stay-at-home dad with his two sons.

A graduate of McMurry University in Abilene, Mefford has served in various positions in the church.  He has been a youth pastor in Denver City, TX; a pastor in Sundown, TX; a Wesley Foundation Director in Levelland, TX; and worked in urban ministry in several cities including Chicago, Cleveland and Waco.

Mefford joined the GBCS staff in Feb. 2006 and is currently persuing a doctorate with a dissertation in mobilizing the affluent church to political advocacy on behalf of refugees as a means of mission, moving towards the development of a liberation theology for the affluent.

He hopes to use what he is learning to build an active base among United Methodists concerning issues of immigration, criminal justice reform, abolition of the death penalty and torture, religious freedom, and civil rights issues.

Bill's wife, Marti, is currently the primary therapist at a substance abuse treatment center in Arlington, VA. The Meffords have two boys, Elisha, 8 and Isaiah, 5.

Tickets for the luncheon are $15 each and may be ordered from Rev. Nancy DeStefano, NTC Peace with Justice Coordinator, at: ndestefl@aol.com and mail payment to NTC Director of Justice and Mercy Ministries, Sally Vonner at P.O. Box 516069, Dallas, TX 75251. Tickets will also be available at May 20 District meetings.