Ukraine helpers
UKRAINE, KHARKIV, 01 MARCH 2022 – Volunteers help victims of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by PavelDorogoy via DepositPhotos)
A United Methodist Insight Column
In the two years that I’ve been writing this “Crisis Watch” column, we’ve touched on dozens of topics that are scary to both adults and children. Recently I came across an article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists that focuses mainly on the war in Ukraine, but which I think applies to reassuring our youngsters – and ourselves – about coping with any crisis.
In “How to talk to your kids about the war in Ukraine,” associate editor Susan D’Agostino lays out some helpful ideas for parents and grandparents, or even aunts and uncles, on how to approach discussing the war with youngsters. I urge readers to read the entire article for its important details, but here are the highlights with my own interpretations:
Start a conversation. Children can be reluctant to voice their fears and may act out instead. A kind adult’s interest can give kids permission to be honest about what they’re feeling.
Listen, validate, and respond with honesty. Children can spot fibs a mile away, so don’t abuse their trust by devaluing their feelings with trite responses. Tell the truth in ways they’ll understand, but with honest reassurance about their safety.
Model self-care, compassion, and resiliency. Turn off the TV and social media. Go for a walk instead and point out all the beauty of God’s world.
Look for—and be among—the helpers. United Methodist news sources have had several stories about youngsters who’ve raised money to help Ukraine and people recovering from other disasters. Encouraging youngsters to help gives them back some control over the situation and helps relieve their anxiety.
One of the best things about these approaches is that in explaining the war and reassuring our children, we can process our own feelings and fears about the situation, especially Vladimir Putin’s threat of nuclear retaliation. Personally, having lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis as a 10-year-old growing up in Florida near a military base, I can vouch for the efficacy of these suggestions.
Getting ready for Earth Day
Faith-based climate activists are gearing up to celebrate Earth Day around April 22. Here are some notices
From Western North Carolina Conference: Clergy and laity alike are invited to celebrate Earth Day and join with the WNCC Creation Care Ministry Team on April 23rd from 9:30am to 12:30pm as we participate in “Hope and Healing for the Earth: Redeeming Creation 2022”, sponsored on Zoom by the North Carolina Conference Creation Care Ministry Team.
From Creation Justice Ministries: This ecumenical organization has set up an entire website on the theme “Weathering the Storm: Faithful Resilience” for Earth Day. The resources include a liturgy, Bible studies and sermon helps, a “church crisis” map, videos and action steps. The “church crisis” map is especially helpful because it shows how various U.S. regions could be affected by extreme weather such as floods and wildfires. Plenty of questions for discussion are included.
729 Efforts to ban books at school or public libraries in 2021
Once again, we are indebted to Public Religion Research Institute for its ongoing coverage of the right-wing effort to deprive students of intellectual freedom under the guise of “parental rights.” From PRRI’s latest newsletter:
“Ron Brownstein for CNN Politics reports that following Florida Gov. Ron Desantis’ signing the Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, legislation is now moving to limit what is available to students in the library. “Republican-controlled states including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas are now pushing statewide rules that make it easier for critics to remove books they dislike from school libraries in every community,” writes Brownstein. Red states are also “seriously debating” proposals that would allow for the removal of books from public libraries. Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom at the American Library Association, stated: "The primary target still is school libraries and school librarians, K-12 teachers, but we are seeing this bleed over to public libraries." The recent swell of conservative legislation is seen by critics as a “powerful through line” connecting the attempt to ban books, “censor classroom instruction,” limit voting access and harshen the legal penalties for public protesting, he writes.
“The American Library Association reported there were 729 efforts to ban books at school or public libraries in 2021, the highest number since the organization started tracking the data in 2000. Brownstein notes that confrontations over classroom and library content “underscore the cultural chasm between increasingly diverse younger generations and the socially conservative, predominantly White and Christian, Republican coalition that holds power in the red states.” He cites federal statistics indicating that nearly 55% of K-12 public school students in the nation are children of color; data from Gallup indicating 1 in 5 members of Generation Z (21%) and 1 in 10 millennials (10.5%) identify as LGBTQ, and research from PRRI’s 2020 Census of American Religion that more than a third of young adults identify as secular, without affiliation with an organized religion.”
What’s happening in your state?
Media Mentions as of April 5, 2022
Industry United Methodist Church food pantry grows through pandemic - McDonough County Voice
Potato drop at Bethlehem United Methodist Church | Local News | thefranklinnewspost.com
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. To reproduce this content elsewhere, please email for permission.