This page lists our postings from November, 2010

WITNESS IN WASHINGTON

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness
November 29, 2010

This week's messages are: 

Religion News Service reports on November 19:

President Obama signed an executive order Nov. 17 that reforms the White House’s faith-based office in a bid to improve transparency and clarify rules for religious groups that receive federal grants.

The nine-page order reflects numerous recommendations made more than six months ago by a blue-ribbon advisory council charged with streamlining and reforming the office created under former President George W. Bush.

“The recommendations that they’ve put forth make really concrete and tangible improvements to the government’s relationship with faith-based organizations,” said Joshua DuBois, director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

We are pleased to announce that the Rev. Molly Casteel, who has served on the Board of Presbyterian Voices for Justice since 2009, has been appointed to a four-year term as Assistant Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, with responsibility for Representation and Inclusiveness Services. Because of her new position, she has submitted her resignation from the PVJ board.

During her time on our board, Molly served briefly as Co-Moderator. And more than that, she has consistently contributed to our work through her broad and deep understanding of the Presbyterian Church (USA), her commitment to fair representation and involvement of all the different groups within the church’s membership, and her joy in the life of following Jesus.

We invite you to CELEBRATE

the holy season of the coming of the Prince of Peace 

with a special gift
to strengthen the work and witness of
Presbyterian Voices for Justice! 

You can help us build our outreach, our programs, and our publications.

Some not-too-pious thoughts for Advent and Christmas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

People can't concentrate properly on blowing other people to pieces if their minds are poisoned by thoughts suitable to the twenty-fifth of December. ~Ogden Nash 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. The pastor of the church was looking over the cradle when he noticed that the baby Jesus was missing from among the figures of the nativity set. Immediately he turned and went outside and saw a little boy with a red wagon, and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus. So he walked up to the boy and said, "Well, where did you get Him, my fine friend?"

The little boy replied, "I got him from the church."

"And why did you take him?"

The boy said, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to the little Lord Jesus and I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas I would give him a ride around the block in it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While working as a mall Santa, I had many children ask for electric trains. "If you get a train," I would tell each one, "you know your dad is going to want to play with it too. Is that okay?" The usual answer was a quick yes, but after I asked one boy this question, he became very quiet. Trying to move the conversation along, I asked what else he would like Santa to bring him. He promptly replied, "Another train."

The struggle which we reported a few days ago is continuing, as union members seek ways to get Express Scripts not to close its order fulfillment facility in Bensalem, PA. I have not been able to get in touch directly with anyone from the SEIU, but it appears that Express Scripts suspended without pay a few of the workers who were involved in the union protests. They were charged with communicating with ESI clients, which apparently meant specifically the Presbyterian Church (USA).

For a bit more from the union’s perspective, click here and scroll down a bit, to the second headline.

One Presbyterian minister sent this note in response to our earlier report:

I wrote the Board of Pensions – I am very troubled by Express Scripts wanting $8million in concessions from its workers in Bensalem or they will close the plants there. Especially since George Paz, the CEO, makes about $8 million a year. How about he gives up a year's salary? I don't want to save money through Express Scripts at the expense of these workers and for management's benefit. The Board of Pensions should get involved in this and threaten to go elsewhere for prescriptions.

Dennis Maher
Lake Luzerne, NY

CBS Evening News will broadcast a report this evening, on 50th anniversary of Harvest of Shame, CIW's Campaign for Fair Food!

Don't miss tonight's CBS Evening News, as the network that produced the seminal documentary Harvest of Shame returns to Immokalee for a look at conditions in the fields 50 years later and the Campaign for Fair Food. The PC(USA)’s involvement in the Campaign may be highlighted.

The show airs at 6:30 p.m. EST, and the story on Immokalee should run around the mid-way mark in the show (but the story's time slot could change, so it would be best to tune in at 6:30 and wait for it!).

Psalm 24 reminds us that “the earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live within it.” As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let us remember God’s good intention that the earth and all people thrive.

Happy Thanksgiving,

26 PEOPLE ARRESTED AND HELD IN THE COUNTY JAIL ON MULTIPLE CHARGES

This past Tuesday (November 16, 2010), history was made as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers  and the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange signed an agreement to extend CIW’s fair food principles across over 90% of the Florida tomato industry!

Starting immediately, participating FTGE members will pass on the penny-per-pound from retailers to farmworkers and cooperate with a financial audit of the penny-per-pound.

They will also adopt the Fair Food Code of Conduct – including a worker-to-worker education process, a cooperative complaint resolution system, and a participatory health and safety program – with a goal of full implementation by the 2011-2012 season.

The Fall 2010 issue of Network News, the newsletter of Presbyterian Voices for Justice, is now at the printer and will soon be in the mail.  In the meantime, it's all here in PDF format.  You can download it in high-resolution format for a better appearance, or in lower resolution for a faster download.

Fall 2010

On religion and politics:
    The Editor’s Spot: Religion – dividing or healing?           page 2
     Putting Hussein in Christmas, by Rita Nakashima Brock      7

Resources for issues coming to presbyteries:
    Amendment 10-A – GLBTQ ordination                                 9
    Amendment 10-2 – the Belhar Confession                          16
    Amendment 10-1 – new Form of Government                       21 

Ghost Ranch
    A report from our Summer 2010 seminar                              23
    Two seminars for 2011:
        A Faithful Response to Immigration                                25
        Sex, Faith and Culture                                                  26

Religion – dividing or healing?

The recent eruptions of Mount Merapi on the island of Java (the photo on the front cover shows an earlier, gentler eruption) have brought back many memories for me. The clouds over the mountain carry a majestic beauty – along with the terrible destruction they bring to so many people. I lived for ten years within sight of that beautiful volcano, as a Presbyterian fraternal worker (now called a “mission co-worker” I guess) teaching at Satya Wacana Christian University.

Like many who go to places and people that are strange to them, I learned far more in those ten years than I ever expected. One thing I learned was to respect and learn from a huge variety of religious beliefs and practices. While most of our neighbors in the small city of Salatiga were nominally Muslim, many of them were also members or supporters of the Communist Party, until it was outlawed after a purported coup attempt in 1965. Many were also deeply influenced by the worldviews of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths that had dominated Central Java centuries earlier.

So our city contained mosques, Protestant and Catholic churches, Buddhist temples, little neighborhood shrines to various local spirits, floral sacrifices to gain fertility for the rice fields, and more. A couple hours’ driving took us around Mount Merapi to the ancient Hindu temple of Prambanan; a little further brought us to the Buddhist temple of Borobudur. ...

Now, why am I dredging up all these ancient memories? The cloud from Merapi’s eruption is just part of the reason. I’ve been thinking of how deeply our society is becoming divided, not by religion itself, but by the ways religion is being used. People have been using religion to throw the mantle of holiness over one political cause or another, and to condemn as evil the people and groups that they see as “different from us,” and beyond the limits of our tolerance.

Albany increased its traditionally strong support for inclusiveness with a tally of 83-15-4, up from 78-25-2 on 08-B. Despite ample opportunity, there was no debate.

Water from wells

Isaiah 12:2-3

² Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. ³ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Bobbie G McGarey 11.09.10

The Rev. Bobbie McGarey is living in Albuquerque, NM, as the Designated Pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church.

Corporate Greed as a Family Value? Express Scripts' New War on Union Workers

by Mike Doyle, Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 05:16:17 PM EDT

This should be the story of a win-win situation. In the middle of the Great Recession, a nationally prominent mega-corporation manages to achieve phenomenal profitability and decides to share its good fortune with the wage workers who helped make that profit possible. All of that happens to be true about Express Scripts (Nasdaq: ESRX), the nation’s second-largest pharmacy benefits manager--all except for the decision about how to thank its workers. To show their gratitude, Express Scripts managers went in a different direction. First, they publicly lauded union workers at their most efficient processing plant. Then they told them they were losing their jobs. Sometimes corporate America’s capacity to stick it to the little guy is so astounding, you can’t help but feel impressed by the chutzpah.    The full article >>

Is our PC(USA) supporting union busting?
prepared by Doug King

The union workers have offered $8 million in wage and benefit concessions to help keep the plant open. Even though these concessions included giving in to the company’s demand that workers give up their pension plan, so far the company management has been unwilling with the union, which unites 20,000 health care workers from all areas of the health care industry in Pennsylvania.

Now the union is approaching a number of organizations that have sizable contracts with Express Scripts for mail-order prescription medicine, asking their support. One of those customers just happens to be the Presbyterian Church (USA). So a few days ago, a delegation of Express Scripts workers, who are union members, went to the main office of the Presbyterian Board of Pensions, seeking to make the church aware of the issue.  No one at the Board of Pensions would meet with them, and no one has responded to their letters.

We’re one of Express Scripts’ clients, since over 120,000 people with medical coverage under the Board of Presbyterians have their prescriptions filled by the company. The union believes this puts the Board of Pensions among the top 25% of Express Scripts’ largest clients.

Our church’s social policies clearly support workers’ rights, just wages, and the principle of labor unions as a means to achieving justice.

So ... how might the PC(USA) respond to this conflict between management and labor?  What does God's call to "do justice" mean for us in this situation?

A "good sign" for Mayfield, by Berry Craig

Mayfield, Ky., my hometown, will have a Muslim prayer space after all.      

The city Board of Zoning Adjustments recently reversed itself and approved a Somali man's request for such a space, which the media and many townsfolk have been calling a mosque.      

“This is a good-hearted town,” Tom Waldrop, a former city council member, told the Louisville Courier-Journal after the vote. “This is not a mean town.”      

The Rev. Hank Bremer, who served for some years as treasurer of the Witherspoon Society, died last Monday. He had been in failing health during the last year, with numerous stays in the hospital. A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Santa Fe, NM, on Saturday, November 27, at 11 a.m.

We're happy to announce that we will be sponsoring (or co-sponsoring) two very special seminars at Ghost Ranch next summer.  Click below to check out the descriptions and leaders:

Sex, Faith, and Culture:
Understanding the Mix in our Lives and Society
July 25-31, 2011

A FAITHFUL RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION

August 1-7, 2011

by Robert C. Koehler – an award-winning, Chicago-based journalist and nationally syndicated writer.

Here's the opening of a report published at the end of September on the use of drone attack planes by the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As new reports come out on this fearsome new tactic, here’s some helpful background.  We posted this on Sept. 30, but since the issue is back in the news, we'll tell you about it again.

Drone warfare — assassination by unmanned aircraft — is arguably one of the most hellish spawns of the modern military-industrial era, and its use is becoming routine in the Af-Pak war, yet (what else is new?) there’s no debate about it at the level of national policy, just a shrug and a void.

The nation’s future is itself on a sort of autopilot. It belongs to the market forces, in tandem with the reckless, short-term strategic interests of the Pentagon and the politics of empire. There’s no moral voice at the core of this system — not even, any longer, a voice of common sense. We live in a spectator democracy: Our role is to gape at the spectacle. The news cycle runs 24/7 and tells us nothing, if the act of “telling” includes in its meaning an invitation to participate.

Like the students who sat in at segregated lunch counters and otherwise disrupted the nation’s Jim Crow status quo nearly half a century ago, we have to find a way to interrupt the false consensus of military-industrial America at the level at which it wages war and engages with the rest of the planet. Doing so takes persistence and courage — and sometimes a breakthrough occurs.

I bring you the Creech Air Force Base 14: Father John Dear, Dennis DuVall, Renee Espeland, Judy Homanich, Kathy Kelly, Father Steve Kelly, Mariah Klusmire, Brad Lyttle, Libby Pappalardo, Sister Megan Rice, Brian Terrell, Eve Tetaz, Father Louis Vitale and Father Jerry Zawada.

MLP reports that on Wednesday, Nov. 10, two more presbyteries refused to approve Amendment 10-A, which would remove the explicit ban on ordination of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Santa Barbara Presbytery, arguably one of the most conservative in the denomination, voted 25 for, 69 against. But two years ago their vote was 20 to 85 – so perhaps there’s a little shift there. And Shenandoah Presbytery voted 93 to 106 against the change, with the margin a bit narrower than two years ago, when it was 82 to 112.

Former Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery Executive advocated for women’s rights, mission, and more

by Jerry L. Van Marter, Presbyterian News Service

A memorial service was held Oct. 31 in St. Louis for the Rev. Evlyn Wehling Fulton, executive presbyter of Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery during the crucial years before and after Presbyterian reunion in 1983 and a tireless advocate for mission, ecumenical cooperation, women's rights, and gender equality during her entire 60-year career in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She died Sept. 19 in St. Louis at age 87.

Born in Bellevue, Pa., Fulton graduated from Chatham College (1944); Carnegie Mellon University (1946); and Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary (1949), seven years before the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) began ordaining women. She was finally ordained in 1978.

Fulton served in a variety of church posts, visiting more than 40 countries during her years of ministry. She served Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery from 1979-1988 — she was named executive presbyter emeriti when she retired — and then moved to the newly-established PC(USA) national office in Louisville as coordinator of middle governing body relations. At the Presbyterian Center she was also trusted friend and valuable mentor to this reporter.

Following her "retirement" in 1997, Fulton served two years as temporary pastor of Northminster Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, and continued worshiping there until her death. Her memorial service was held at Northminster Church.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will not see another like Evelyn Fulton again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are thoughts of Evlyn from people who have known and worked with her over the years, in Voices of Sophia and elsewhere:

Evlyn was such a tough and talented role model for women -- stood her ground on issues but with compassion for adversaries.

Mary Kuhns

In the patriarchal society of the church and the world, Evlyn dared to climb the stairs that would open the door for many women.

Emily Wigger

Evlyn was on the front lines of the march for women's rights in the 70s and 80s; many women and men joined the ranks because of her leadership, passion, humor, and deep caring.

Sylvia Thorson-Smith

Jerry L. Van Marter, for Presbyterian News Service, reports:

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians has announced that its executive director, Pamela Byers, will retire in summer 2011. Byers has held the position since the founding of the Covenant Network in 1997.

Byers is an elder at Old First Presbyterian Church in San Francisco and is actively involved in her presbytery. A graduate of Wellesley College, she earned a Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree from the San Francisco Theological Seminary in 2009.

More Light Presbyterians is maintaining a table with the results of voting on 10-A in the presbyteries.

On November 1, the Presbytery of Boston became the first to approve Amendment 10-1, by a vote of 53-30. Boston, which sent the overture originating Amendment 08-B in 2008, had approved that version by 54-42.   [Thanks to Tricia Dykers Koenig, Covenant Network National Organizer, for this report.]

So far three presbyteries (Alaska, voting 9 for, 20 against, and 2 abstentions; Mississippi, 11 for and 47 against; The Presbytery of the James, 152 to 152, with a tie vote meaning the motion was defeated) have voted to reject the amendment. This follows the pattern of recent years, in which a number of conservative presbyteries have apparently chosen to vote early, with the hope of setting an example for others.

For details on each vote, go to the MLP table and click on the link for each presbytery reporting.

Here’s one interesting and very positive take on the proposed new Form of Government, by Talitha Phillips, a student at San Francisco Theological Seminary. She wrote it while attending the 219^th General Assembly.

We have received this notice from the members and staff of the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.

The General Assembly voted to recommend a revised Form of Government to the presbyteries by a vote of 468 in favor, 204 against, and 6 abstentions — a 70%-30% margin. The new Form of Government includes:

• Foundations of Presbyterian Polity — the principles that are foundational to government, worship, and discipline for the PC(USA) — preserves the vast majority of the material in the first four chapters of the current Form of Government.

• Form of Government — in six chapters, which spells out the constitutional framework for government of the PC(USA) as it seeks to respond to God’s call to life in mission.

• Advisory Handbook for Councils for the Development of Policies and Procedures — required by the Form of Government as an aid to councils (governing bodies) of the church for developing the policies and procedures to carry out their mission.

Nothing will actually be changed until a majority of presbyteries vote to approve this new Form of Government. Voting must be completed by July 10, 2011, and if affirmative, the new Book of Order would take effect the next day.

We're offering some resources (and hope to add more very soon!!) to aid individuals, congregations, and other groups in preparing to give this very important change the thoughtful consideration it deserves.

For those of us who may find this election day rather long, the Rev. Bruce Gillette has created a crossword puzzle to keep us occupied. Its theme is no less exalted than Presbyterians and Politics. It’s posted here in PDF format, so you can print it out and carry it to your polling place, or hold it through the long evening of election results.

The Revs. Doug Hagler and Aric Clark have completed an LGBTQ Ordination Resource that they hope to distribute to every presbytery for the upcoming debates on 10-A. It is a 4page document responding to common arguments against LGBTQ inclusion and making our own in favor.

Clark writes:

We aimed to be comprehensive (though not exhaustive) in a pithy, quick and dirty and to the point kind of way. We have included many people in the editing process to help cover our blind spots. We hope we have produced something useful to complement the other resources out there.

We hope you will read this reflect on it and share it with friends. The most important help you can give us though, is helping us distribute this. ...

We have created two layouts of the document for ease of use. One is a half-fold booklet format. The other is a full-page portrait format. In the coming weeks we will be doing a detailed breakdown of the arguments at http://twofriarsandafool.blogspot.com/ with citations to support every point, so this resource will only grow and improve over time.

Here is hoping we are in a more just and inclusive church in the near future.

Doug Hagler & Aric Clark

Engage in Nonviolent Direct Action to Close the School of the Americas/WHINSEC

This announcement comes from School of the Americas Watch

November 19-21, Vigil to Shut Down the SOA

Gather at the gates of Ft. Benning in nonviolent resistance to let our voices be heard.

This year there will be different ways for people to be involved in the Saturday action including crossing the line of the base of Fort Benning which risks federal arrest, or a city side action, outside the permitted area. But note that you may also participate without risking arrest. SOA Watch has permits for the activities in front of the base, and the acts of civil disobedience for those risking arrest will be clearly marked.

Due to our presence at the gates of Fort Benning every year, SOA Watch has become known as one of the largest, grassroots movements in the U.S. We gather in the diverse traditions of nonviolence of those who walk before us. It is one of our strongest strategies of defiance to U.S. militarism that is increasing throughout the Americas. This direct action is also what keeps pressure on the Department of Defense and Congress to SHUT DOWN THE SOA/WHINSEC.

See you at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia!

Interns will gain experience, discernment opportunities

from Presbyterian News Service

When the Rev. J. Herbert Nelson took the reins as director at the Washington-based Office of Public Witness in May, he made clear the importance of involving young adults in the work of the Washington-based office.

Now, with a revived internship program, OPW is taking a step to provide work and guidance for those seeking “experience and vocational discernment in the church and in the public square,” according to the internship posting.

“It stems from (Nelson’s) commitment to young people and providing opportunities for education and discernment and also developing a network of folks who know and love this office,” said Leslie Woods, OPW’s representative for domestic poverty and environmental issues.

Although the office has had interns before, Woods said she didn’t know of a formal internship program.

According to the position description, interns will be assigned a public policy issue to follow through the political and decision-making process. This task might include compiling news reports, communicating General Assembly positions to Congress, attending hearings and producing resources. Other tasks will include outreach, communication or event planning.

More >>

GA actions going to the presbyteries   

A number of the most important actions of the 219^th General Assembly are now being sent to the presbyteries for their action, to confirm or reject them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.

We're providing resources to help inform the reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.

Our three areas of primary interest are:

If you like what you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and growing!

Please consider making a special contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve this service.

Click here to send a gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.

Or send your check, made out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to our PVJ Treasurer:

PVJ's Facebook page

Mitch Trigger, PVJ's Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!

Voices of Sophia blog

Heather Reichgott, who has created this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:

John Harris’ Summit to Shore blogspot

John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive

Got more blogs to recommend?