MIAMI — As mainstream media focused on acts of violence and protestors at the Nov. 20-21 Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Summit, the church was speaking for the voiceless, without taking sides in the highly politicized arena, according to the Rev. Clarke Campbell-Evans, superintendent of the conference’s Miami District.

“John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was involved with the conditions of workers in mines in England,” Campbell-Evans said. “I think this is a critical place for the church to be.”

The summit, preceded by a week of such activities as candlelight vigils and roundtable discussions, resulted in trade ministers agreeing on a framework for the FTAA and recommendations by business people and civil organizations on what free trade should include.

The plan to create the 34-country FTAA was signed by former President Bill Clinton and leaders of the democratic nations at the 1994 Summit of the Americas in Miami as a process to construct a hemispheric economic community. As trade ministers representing the countries work toward this goal, the function of the church is to make certain the needs of the environment and migrant workers are being met, Campbell-Evans said.

“We want to listen, to give voice to the voiceless and to ask the questions about what will happen to the poor in Latin America and in our country as business moves south,” he said.

The Rev. Marta Burke, pastor of Fulford United Methodist Church in North Miami Beach, gave food and shelter to 300 demonstrators walking from Dania Beach to the meeting in Miami. She said about 40 church members served meals to the demonstrators and many participated in the week of scheduled events.

She said Fulford church members who work in nursing, construction and general health care are concerned about increasing joblessness as a result of a hemispheric free trade agreement that would cause trade barriers to fall and jobs to relocate to countries where labor costs are lower.

“We have members who have gone from working full-time to working part-time,” Burke said, adding some have lost their jobs. “People can’t meet their monthly budgets.”

The Fulford church is a member of the South Florida Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, an interfaith community working to create solutions for the area’s migrant and minimum wage workers.

“We know that we’re not isolated; we don’t live within the walls of the church,” Burke said. “We are a connectional church and a global church in a connectional world.”

The church is committed to representing the poor, she said. “We want to spotlight affordable housing, create jobs with fair working conditions, initiate child work laws and proper health care. As people of faith we are not choosing sides, but attempting to find solutions.”

The Rev. Emilio Chaviano, pastor of First United Methodist Church, Miami, opened the doors of the church for about a dozen organizations to make presentations throughout the week.

“Our church did not take a stance for or against FTAA,” Chaviano said. “The agreement was made months ago to be a gathering place for different presentations.”

“The issues around FTAA aren’t so simple,” he added. “It’s not all evil. What I sold the congregation on was being hospitable.”

Burke said the church must act out its faith. “The church has that ‘Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.’ campaign,” she said, referring to the theme of the denomination’s Igniting Ministry media campaign, “and we at the church take it seriously.”

The church must also take seriously its task in protecting the environment, Campbell-Evans said, asking, “the hard questions no one else will ask.”

“As businesses move south, will there be adequate protection for the environment?” he asked. “We need to be good stewards of God’s creation.”

Deputy trade ministers will meet in February 2004 in Puebla, Mexico, to create the framework of the Miami agreement. The 34 nations have set a January 2005 deadline to complete trade agreement negotiations; the countries have a year to approve it.