Hate, violence, intolerance.....what has happened to compassion? The Women's Division Directors at their last board meeting grappled with that issue. The result was an invitation to women to "Speak Out for Compassion and Against Hate"(document available www.umw.org or www.gbgm-umw.org) United Methodist Women have a long history of being catalysts of compassion at times when hate permeated our societies. ....lynchings in 1930's , Japanese-Americans internment during WWII, US bombing of Afghanistan in 2003, immigrants rights....... The call is to invite local women to discern how God can use them to bring civility back to their communities. How are you being models of compassion in your communities? How do you utilize the Charter for Racial Justice as a tool for compassion-building? Are you being a model of Jesus Christ as his example for responding to the needs of others? Let me know what is going on in your churches and how God is using YOU!