The Church is ALIVE through the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People!

Hey Friends!

We took a bit of a breather this past month, but now we're firing up the engines again for another season, so keep those submissions coming!

In the meantime, we've got a submission that we've kept on the back-burner for a while from the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People--Presbyterian Church (USA). They're doing AMAZING work all over the world (and they submitted some of their more recent work to us last year), and they've got four - count 'em, FOUR - videos to share with y'all.

The videos tell stories that cover the time gamut (some are several years old), but these tales of making the church alive through people are just at timely today as they were back then.

The submitter, Margaret Mwale, had this to say:

"The Presbyterian Church (USA) is engaging with and positively impacting disadvantaged communities through Self-Development of People. These videos share powerful stories of how the Church is alive in these communities!"

And now, the videos:

Story #1: In 1971, an association of Eskimos in Alaska were able to use a SDOP grant to help pay the legal costs in their battle to claim and keep their native land.

Story #2: A SDOP grant made it possible for Mapuche Indians in Chile to sustain their heritage through the building of a cultural center.

Story #3: In Virginia, a neighborhood group used a SDOP grant to buy and renovate houses and, in turn, provide affordable housing for themselves and others in their community.

Story #4: Kentucky tobacco farmers, faced with not being able to rely on the tobacco market, used a SDOP grant to collectively learn new ways to sustain themselves economically.

Awesome stories, right? You can find out more about what the SDOP does here and also apparently participate in their T-Shirt Design (which gets you money for college?!) contest here.

What I Want the Church to Be…A Prophetic Voice

Tina DeYoe - our on-the-ground report at this year's General Assembly of the PC(USA) - offers us the following report on this year's happenings.

At what pace are we as the Presbyterian Church (USA) to be prophetic? After attending the PC(USA)’s 219th General Assembly last week, this is the question I am asking. As a long distance runner throughout high school and college, I am used to pacing myself at a moderate speed. Sprinting is definitely not my cup of tea. However, when dealing with social justice issues in regards to society and the church I would rather be running the 100m race! When injustices are happening throughout the world I want the church to be a place that steps up and makes a statement or acts quickly! The 219th General Assembly (GA) did step up quickly on certain issues, but on others we were caught running the pace of a long distance runner.
This summer I have been interning in the Advisory Committee for Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) office within the PC(USA). What do we do? We are assigned to encourage the prophetic voice of the church on matters of social justice. We work with volunteer member-experts to write policies, resolutions, and study papers that are then adopted at GA by the PC(USA) as a whole. After these papers have been adopted the PC(USA) agencies are supposed to act in accordance to what is stated in the recommendations. The basis for most of the writings comes from applying the Bible, theology, confessions, and past policies to current challenges.

Sounds fun right? Think of having the grand assignment and scope of superwoman or superman fighting injustices and evil in this world, but instead of having special powers to fly and stop bullets we use words, research, and our biblical and theological texts to combat such evils like gun violence, domestic violence, usury, discrimination, oppression, immigration detention abuse, sex trafficking, torture, and pretty much any evil you can think of. I was lucky enough to observe and work with ACSWP during this year’s 219th General Assembly and also helped them get some of their policies and papers passed. Papers like: Loving Our Neighbors: Equity and Quality in Public Education; Becoming an HIV and AIDS Competent Church; Gun Violence and Gospel Values (a paper on gun violence prevention); Living Through Economic Crisis: The Church’s Witness in Troubled Times; Human Rights Report 2010.

Other awesome social justice papers, policies and resolutions that were passed by different ministries at GA include: Amending ordination standards which allows all people to serve the church no matter their sexual preference; Directing the PC(USA) Board of Pensions to Extend benefits to the same-gender spouses and domestic partners; Approval of a study group to study violence against women and children on the Mexico-US Border; Approval of refraining from holding PC(USA) national meetings at non-PC(USA) establishments in Arizona; Recommendations for the PC(USA) to work with local communities and the families affected by the Deep Water Horizon Oil disaster with finances and resources from the church; Directing the PC(USA) to call on the US Government to end military aid to Israel; Directing the PC(USA) to call on the US Government to impose a national moratorium on the imposition of the death penalty; the Belhar Confession to be included in the Book of Confessions; and many more pieces of legislation.

However, there were also papers, policies, and resolutions that were not passed by the GA or parts of the document were passed, but the main parts left out. Some of these include: Calling on the PC(USA) to divest from the Caterpillar Co. because their vehicles are being used by Israelis to bulldoze Palestinian homes; On amending the definition of marriage in the PC(USA) book of worship (which then would have included LGBTQ people); On Living a Human Life Before God study paper, which provides a well-reasoned base for churches to engage in moral discourse regarding life and death issues; and a key recommendation of Neither Poverty Nor Riches: Equity, Compensation and the Unity of the Church report, which would have prevented top salaries in the General Assembly Mission Council of the PC(USA) from being more than 5 times higher than those of the lowest paid, was removed from the document. These and several other papers, policies, and resolutions would have allowed the PC(USA) to have more of a prophetic voice in this world by more fully backing words with deeds.

Looking back at all the resolutions adopted, the church can be rightly proud, but again at what pace is the PC(USA) church to be even more prophetic in this world? I look to the prophet Micah as being a voice and example who can lead us in the right direction -- out of the corruption of power so visible in a lot of today’s society. It is a voice, which states, “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” Micah 6:8. This is a prophetic voice that can lead us out of fear and into hope.

Yes, I am disappointed in the PC(USA) for not having been as prophetic as I would have liked; however, I do have hope for what our church did accomplish at this year’s assembly. Throughout my life I will continue to advocate for the church being a prophetic witness to the world. I will push the pace of policies, resolutions, and papers so that those who are being oppressed will be oppressed no more. I will live in the light of hope even if sometimes that light seems to fade only to a peep hole. I will keep running the race and will sprint when necessary, and will continue to help others sprint to the finish along with me in order to help bring God’s kingdom closer everyday. It is our job as prophetic Christians in this word to help push one another to run and sprint to the makings of a just and peaceful world!

What do I want the church to be? A joyful chorus of prophetic voices, that comes together to end oppression, evil, greed, hate, and violence in this world.

Tina DeYoe is a seminary student at Princeton Theological Seminary and an intern for the Advisory Committee for Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) of the PC(USA). She is also - generally speaking - awesome.

Photographs courtesy Danny Bolin and the PC(USA).

Reaching Out Where You Can (Even With Pancakes)

For four months out of the year, I have the opportunity to attend church six days a week, take communion every Sunday and Thursday, and meet some of the most inspiring ministers in the PC(USA). I work year-round at Montreat Conference Center (come say hello!), and some really cool stuff happens here.

A few times per year, the Assembly Inn invites the public to a free pancake breakfast. It's a great opportunity to connect with members of the local community, and donations support a great cause: the Employee Assistance Fund, which provides financial support to members of our staff in financial or medical crisis. This past Thursday, the staff of Montreat Conference Center decided to take contributions for the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance effort in Haiti instead of the EAF.

I thought it was a wonderful gesture of missional outreach. I mean, we're usually the ones asking for money.

Mission. Always one of my favorite things done at my home church growing up. The opportunity to support those with less, often finding they were able to give back with glowing personalities, wonderful stories, and heartfelt thanks. It's a two-way street, and you often get more out of it than you were expecting. To me, it's soul satisfaction.

So I humbly encourage you to discover what kinds of mission opportunities there are in your community, your country, and the world, faith-based or not. We might be able to help you with that last one pretty soon... In the words of the rapper MURS,

"If you leave the world a better place than it was when you got here,then we all win"

[end note] I totally credit my good friend Jack Jenkins with introducing me to MURS. It's also his birthday today, so if you're his Facebook friend, you should totally utilize that poke feature all day long. (He's the first search result for "Jack Jenkins")

The Presbyterian Coffee Project

I was a curious kid. I'd ask my parents all sorts of random questions that would float into my head: Why is the sky blue? How do birds fly? Who gets to make up words? Why does coffee smell good and taste bad? The answer my parents provided to that last question never satisfied me... "Well, I don't think it tastes bad honey." I promptly filed it away next to vanilla extract in my brain.

But like many college freshmen, I came to know and love coffee quite well. It was able to provide a few extra hours of "studying" and even if I only thought the taste was tolerable, it got the job done.

Fast forward to today (it's only like, five years), and I've become something of a coffee/tea junkie. I make it every morning, have it at work, and sometimes get carried away with how much I drink (this is known as "Jittery Josh"). I recently watched the documentary "Black Gold" which looks at the coffee industry, and specifically, how little coffee farmers are being paid for their commodity.

Enter the Presbyterian Coffee Project, which works with Equal Exchange to provide an easy, convenient way to get fair trade coffee into churches. Purchasing fairly traded coffee supports farmers all over the globe by allowing them to sell coffee beans at a fair price, giving them the ability to pay their workers fair wages and grow the local infrastructure. Rather than relying on charity and foreign aide, these communities are able to create a robust, sustainable economy. Learn more about fair trade practices here.

The Church is Alive. I'm encouraged by how in touch the PC(USA) seems to be with many of the larger social issues in the world today. The Presbyterian Coffee Project. Who'd have thought? I encourage everyone to make the effort to purchase fair trade coffee (and tea, sugar, chocolate, and nuts) at home and in their Church. It's not too expensive, and you'll know you're supporting a sustainable environment in a place that needs it most.




PS: Vanilla extract is not good by itself.

[Update] There has been some discussion concerning fair-trade coffee through the Presbyterian Coffee Project and through Starbucks.Starbucks has been selling fair-trade coffee products for a few years, and are to be commended for it. Equal Exchange offers great prices through the Presbyterian Coffee Project: Less than six bucks/bag when purchased in a case of six!

Prayers for Haiti in Word and Deed the World Over

Yesterday a horrible earthquake struck Haiti, leaving perhaps hundreds of thousands dead and far more wounded and homeless. In response, the Church is ALIVE team asks for your prayers - regardless of your religious beliefs - of word and deed. Below are two prayers of word offered up during this troubled time - one from the Presbyterian Church USA and one from Father Jean Jadotte, a Catholic priest of Miami's Notre Dame D'Haiti parish.

Below these prayers of Word are ways that you can pray for Haiti through deed and monetary donation. As mentioned yesterday, the PC(USA) has their own system of donation for the cause, but here is an incomplete made-on-the-fly list of different faith-based service organizations. They hail from a variety of religious traditions, and we have included their individual concerns about the disaster and links to their respective relief efforts.

NOTE: We have NOT individually verified all of these service organizations/relief efforts, so donate with caution. If you feel more comfortable, you can always hit up the Red Cross or UNICEF.

Finally, if you have any prayers of your OWN to share, please do so in the comments section below.

The PC(USA) Prayer for Haiti

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As the eyes of the world turn to Haiti, let us join our hearts in prayer:

God of compassion


Please watch over the people of Haiti,


And weave out of these terrible happenings


wonders of goodness and grace.


Surround those who have been affected by tragedy


With a sense of your present love,


And hold them in faith.


Though they are lost in grief,


May they find you and be comforted;


Guide us as a church 


To find ways of providing assistance


that heals wounds and provides hope


Help us to remember that when one of your children suffer


We all suffer


Through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives


and rules this world with you.

Amen. 
(Adapted from Book of Common Worship)

-Bruce Reyes-Chow, Gradye Parsons and Linda Valentine

‘Lord Hear Our Prayers' - a Prayer for Catholic Relief Services by Father Jean Jadotte, associate pastor of Miami's Notre Dame D'Haiti parish.

-We are praying for hope despite this situation, that even as we face darkness, people may see a pinpoint of light.

-Praying for families.

-Pray for a greater conscience among everyone not just in Haiti but all over that we must do something [to help].

-Pray for a spirit of thanksgiving for international agencies for their good heart and good faith.

-Pray for relief workers to have a spirit of patience and perseverance.

-For those who at this time are in search of meaning in their lives and peace.

An Incomplete List (as much as I could find in an hour) of Faith-Based Assistance/Donation Services:

The United Methodist Church is expressing concerns over missing missionaries, and is allowing for relief donations through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is allowing for donations through the ELCA International Disaster Response.

Catholic Relief Services has their own system of donation.

The Episcopal Church, which suffered heavy damage to their Diocese, allows for donations through Episcopal Relief and Development.


The Unitarian Universalist Association is joining forces with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to set up their own donations site.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints has their own system of donation for Haiti.

Tzu Chi Foundation (a large service organization of the Chinese Buddhist tradition) doesn’t have an online donation page as of yet, but has set up a relief center that will be updated in the future.

Haiti Response

In response to the catastrophic earthquake that devastated Haiti and especially Haiti’s densely populated capital Port-au-Prince yesterday, we wanted to make a special post to remind everyone that The Church is ALIVE in humanitarian aid in many different forms.

You can donate money on the Presbyterian Disaster Relief website here.

If you are not able to give a monetary donation, or in addition to monetary assistance, Haiti is in great need of all of our prayers and I know the Church is Alive and capable of keeping Haiti in our constant thoughts and prayers. There is no shortage of news sites that can keep you up-to-date on Haiti’s situation. The Lede Blog on NYT.com is being continuously updated and includes several additional sites where you can obtain information.

L'Union Fait La Force!

The Church is ALIVE Supports World AIDS Day

The Church is ALIVE supports World AIDS day. AIDS is an issue that effects us all, no matter what church you attend. Check out the video below:

The Church is ALIVE because it cares for others. Find out how you can help fight AIDS:

Check out and support Project (RED) here.

Check out the PC(USA)'s world AIDS Ministries here.

The Politics of Jesus…

Recently I have been rereading one of my favorite books, Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals, by Shane Claiborne. Throughout the body of this book it consistently reminds me as a follower of Christ that I am called to adhere to a radical politics of love and justice. Indeed, Micah 6:8 continually reminds us as God’s people “to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.” And somehow in our society today it is difficult to remember and live out that call. We become so focused on ourselves (checking everything off the to-do list and wading through the day-to-day) that we forget the weak and oppressed in society.

Several days a week I try to live out that call in a unique way when I get off the D.C. Metro near Capitol Hill, walk by the Russell and Hart Congressional buildings and into the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office which sits directly across from the Capitol building and next door to the Supreme Court. The Washington Office is the public policy information and advocacy office of General Assembly and therefore advocates on behalf of social witness perspectives and policies of GA. Through the work of the Washington Office, the voice of the Church is heard on Capitol Hill and by our legislators, as we continue to call for justice in the world. From sign-on letters, to hill visits and constituent briefings the Washington Office works hard to let Capitol Hill know where the Presbyterian faith community stands on a variety of issues as they are determined by General Assembly through intensive scriptural based study.

Through this office I am able to live out the radical call of Christians: to show love and compassion to all while working for justice throughout the world. This work reminds me of a Derek Webb song, “King and a Kingdom” which says,

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it’s to a King & a Kingdom

Indeed, my first allegiance is to God and to the clear call of Jesus Christ to “love my neighbor as myself” and to “care for the least of these”. Therefore, I urge each of you to show that the church is still alive by being an advocate, a Presbyterian advocate calling for justice in the world. Get involved in work to bring about justice for all, as Representative and great Civil Rights leader John Lewis said in his book Walking with the Wind that we should be like children attempting to hold down the corners of the house being lifted up by the wind. “You and I. Children holding hands, walking with the wind. That is America…not just the movement for civil rights but the endless struggle to respond with decency, dignity, and a sense of brotherhood to all challenges that face the nation, as a whole.” So let us go forth and be children, holding hands, and walking with the winds—children walking with the winds to hold down the four corners of justice.

For more information of how to be an advocate within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) please visit the Washington Office Webpage.

* * * *

Nan Arnold is a 2009 religion and history graduate of Presbyterian College in SC. She is currently the intern at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington office and seeks a future within the church.

What If? A (Very) Open Question

"What if...?" is one of my favorite questions, it really allows you to move into the wonderful land of the hypothetical and daydream a little bit. So I was intrigued by a video from the PC(USA) that popped up on YouTube last week and made its way around the offices of Montreat Conference Center, where I work...


The video poses some great questions, and I think we're best served by taking this to the comments.What do you think about the PC(USA) office teaming up with institutions like Montreat to offer special programs? Are camps and conference centers connected to the denomination at large as closely as they should be? What would you like to see camps and conference centers do more of? Less of? Start doing?

For the record, one of my favorite answers is "Why not?"

Generations of Christ - Carol Howard-Merritt

One of our elders, a twenty-something law student, explained recently, “Living in D.C. as a young woman, I could live my whole life and never talk to someone who is older.” She went on to tell us that the reason why she attends Western Presbyterian Church is because she has a chance to be with people from all different generations.

And it is wonderful to see—we have Christmas Pageants with responsible college students working as stage director, making sure that the costumes stay on. We have Easter hunts, with young professionals stuffing eggs. And all throughout the year, recent graduates learn from young parents, how to juggle the challenges of careers and raising children. Men and women who are getting their first “real” job have a chance to talk to retiring people, and learn what they need to negotiate now, in order to be prepared for the future.

Are Our Congregations Eco-Friendly Enough?

God saw all that God had made, and behold, it was very good.

My front porch offers quite a view. I live on the side of a mountain, and looking out offers a great view of brightly colored tree tops (I love fall) and various mountaintops that surround Montreat, North Carolina. This valley is beloved by many Presbyterians for its beauty and tranquility, the intangibility of “getting away from it all” presents itself clearly here. In the US, we’re fortunate to have places for solace and sabbath close at hand, but that proximity also blinds us to the fact that our consumption is killing us.