tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20307790185525973742024-03-12T17:42:23.295-07:00Carlisle Executive PresbyterReflections from the Rev. Dr. Mark J Englund-KriegerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-79457337343310572162018-01-18T07:19:00.001-08:002018-01-18T07:19:35.276-08:00Thank You!<br />
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<span lang="EN">I am filled with gratitude; I claim the
beautiful words of the apostle Paul as my own, “I thank my God every time I
remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of
you.” Since the Summer of 2005 when I started my service as Executive Presbyter
I have been abundantly blessed. My particular work within our common ministry
has been meaningful and challenging. I have grown and learned so much. I will
forever carry in my heart the abiding relationships that blossomed over these
years. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve our
Church in this unique and special way, in this very special and gifted
Presbytery. These years have deepened my love and commitment to our Presbyterian
Church. Thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">While I am convinced the future is bright and
there are exciting, new opportunities coming for our Presbytery, it is time for
me to step away from my position as the Executive Presbyter. I am delighted to
announce that I will be serving as the transitional pastor of our Lower Marsh
Creek Presbyterian Church in Gettysburg. My last day of active service as the
Executive Presbyter will be March 15, 2018.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">There are countless reasons why, at this time,
this is a good and appropriate change for me. I hope, also, this creates a good
opportunity for the Presbytery. Indeed, I am earnestly praying that my feeling
that this is a calling from our Lord is accurate and true. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Obviously, since I am not leaving our
Presbytery, this creates a bit of a complicated situation. Thus, while the
Lower Marsh Creek congregation will continue to be involved in and abundantly
supportive of our Presbytery, I personally will not be involved, in any way, in
the ministry of the Presbytery for at least two years after the installation of
your next Executive Presbyter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Grace and Peace in Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Mark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-9450564423745964982017-10-24T10:52:00.004-07:002017-10-24T10:52:34.244-07:00The roots of racism <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The latest paper in the Presbyterian Mission Agency's Theological Conversations is by Professor Hak Joon Lee of Fuller Theological Seminary titled <i>Redeeming Covenant: A Critical Reflection on Puritan Covenant Theology, Democracy and Racism in the United States</i>. This is brilliant theological essay which clearly and precisely helped me understand the theological foundations of "America's original sin": racism. And these foundations are firmly rooted in the Reformed Tradition's commitment to covenant theology. How do we understand the continuing power and attraction of racist and white nationalist ideology within a nation that has such a robust Christian history? Professor Lee's thesis is that we must understand the roots of racism within our Christian history itself, and specifically within the themes of covenant theology which have been influential in our Reformed Tradition all the way back to the Puritans of New England. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am copying here from the concluding section of this important essay:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Covenant theology has played a morally ambiguous and contradictory role in American political, religious and social history. In a certain sense, the idea of covenant symbolizes the best and the worst aspects of the United States. Perhaps, the gap between the universal inclusiveness of the covenant of Christ and the Puritans' practice of racism discloses the fractures within the soul of America." </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The web address to the essay is here:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/wp-content/uploads/TheologicalConversation_RedeemingCovenant.pdf"><span style="font-size: large;">www.presbyterianmission.org/wp-content/uploads/TheologicalConversation_RedeemingCovenant.pdf</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-16578012017362931652017-10-19T08:12:00.002-07:002017-10-19T08:12:43.277-07:00A Prayer for Peace<span style="font-size: large;">A Prayer for Peace</span><br />
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The PC(USA) has a new mission co-working serving in Israel/ Palestine. It is important that our church has a presence and witness in the midst of this volatile region, advocating for Christians and the Church. Douglas Dicks offers this prayer for peace. See his webpage at the Presbyterian World Mission site: <a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/doug-dicks/">www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/doug-dicks/</a>.<br />
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<em style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: SourceSansPro, "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif;">Pray not for Arab or Jew,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />For Palestinian or Israeli,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />But pray rather for ourselves,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />That we might not divide them in our prayers<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />But keep them both together<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />In our hearts.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />When races fight,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Peace be amongst us.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />When neighbors argue,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Peace be amongst us.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />When nations disagree,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Peace be among us.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Where people struggle for justice,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Let justice prevail.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Where Christ’s disciples follow, let peace be our way.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Amen.</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-33880629539071387882017-10-11T11:26:00.001-07:002017-10-11T11:26:17.656-07:00The Bible as a tool of resistance.<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The Rev. Mitri Raheb taught (and published on their website) a Bible study for the recent meeting of the General Council of the <b>World Communion of Reformed Churches</b>. (Google search on "World Communion of Reformed Churches" and search under the tab "General Council for this Bible study and others.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Copied here is a portion of Rev. Raheb's Bible study on the Pentecost story in Acts 2. He connects the multiplicity of languages on the day of Pentecost with the translation of the Bible into the vernacular languages of the people, which was a central thrust of the Protestant Reformation:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Based on this Lukan vision, the role of the native language became key to Christian mission.
While in traditional Judaism the Bible was to be read in Hebrew, and in Islam the Quran can
be recited only in Arabic and no translation is allowed, in Christianity each people have “to
hear the gospel in their own native language.” God wants to speak to us in the languages in
which we dream. This understanding of Acts 2 became key to Protestant theology—
Protestant theologians from Wycliffe in England to Lefevre in France to Luther in Germany.
In a context where Latin was the language of the ruling and oppressing empire (described
often as Babylon) the Bible translation became a tool of resistance and liberation. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>While
celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we do not do the Reformation justice
if we understood what happened in Wittenberg, Geneva, Zurich, Edinburgh or northern Italy
as a mere religious revival. This was a resistance movement to empire, and the translation
of the Bible was one tool of resistance. God had to speak the language of the people and
not the language of empire.
This is why the Bible was translated so far into more than 2500 different languages. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>In fact
without Bible translation some languages would not exist in written form. This is not only
true for tribal languages only but for most languages as well. The translation of the Bible and
the development of written languages went hand in hand, not only in Coptic and Armenian
as indicated before, but in most European languages as well. There is an interrelation
between the King James Bible translation and the development of the standard English
language, between Luther translation of the Bible into German and the development of the
modern German language, etc. </i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-62308466943408174542017-08-28T17:31:00.002-07:002017-08-28T17:32:12.099-07:00Pastoral Letter from General Assembly Moderators<i><span style="font-size: large;">The statement is copied from Presbyterian News Service:</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">August 28, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Friends,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and Reconciler.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We write to you as former Moderators of the General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and its predecessor churches, as disciples of Jesus Christ committed to the Gospel’s witness and promise of reconciliation, and as agents of God’s transformative justice in the church and in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The brazen march of white nationalist supremacist groups in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 11 and 12, 2017, and President Donald Trump’s subsequent responses that equivocated on clearly identifying, denouncing and condemning those same groups as instigators of hatred and violence brought the spotlight upon the deeply embedded and pernicious poison of racism and white supremacy so endemic in society and, we dare say, in the church. We are increasingly alarmed when notions of nationalism and racial superiority are masked and clothed in terms of the Christian faith, or confused with the Gospel, or somehow supersede the clear exhortation of sacred Scripture to love your neighbor as Christ loved the Church, or when the Christian faith is used to inspire and organize hatred and bigotry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We are wisely instructed by the struggles of our faith forebearers when fascism in the form of Nazism was on the rise in the 1930s, resulting in the Theological Declaration of Barmen, which categorically and emphatically denounced the effects of Nazism in the church and in society: “. . .we may and must speak with one voice in this matter today. Precisely because we want to be and to remain faithful to our various Confessions, we may not keep silent, since we believe that we have been given a common message to utter in a time of common need and temptation.” Then again, nearly four decades ago, our South African sisters and brothers stood courageously against the white governmental policy of apartheid and the theologies that undergirded and rationalized that sinful regime. The Belhar Confession stated: “. . .we reject any doctrine which, in such a situation sanctions in the name of the gospel or of the will of God the forced separation of people on the grounds of race and color and thereby in advance obstructs and weakens the ministry and experience of reconciliation in Christ.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In so doing, we join with our Stated Clerk, General Assembly Co-Moderators, and Presbyterian Mission Agency Interim Executive Director in calling the church to confess and repent of the ways in which we have been complicit and failed to disrupt, challenge, and undo white supremacy and racism. (see their pastoral letter:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.pcusa.org/news/2017/8/14/pcusa-leaders-condemn-white-supremacy-racism/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); box-sizing: inherit; color: #2e96df; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.pcusa.org/news/2017/8/14/pcusa-leaders-condemn-white-supremacy-racism/</a> )</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As our concerns, sadness and anger have increased over the state of affairs we find ourselves as a nation, we are also equally determined and committed to active prayer and prayerful action, as we know so many of you are doing in thousands of churches, in counter-protests in streets across the country, in letter writing to and visits with elected officials, in mobilizing through social media, in face-to-face/neighbor-to-neighbor conversations. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in summarizing the 19th century abolitionist leader Theodore Parker, exhorted: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">May we, as the present-future generation of God’s people in this time and for this time, work and pray for the reconciliation of all of God’s children, and may the Lord grant us grace and courage for the facing of this hour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yours in the service of Christ,</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: SourceSansPro, "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel, 214th General Assembly (2002), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Elder (Dr.) Thelma C. Davidson Adair, 188th General Assembly (1976), UPCUSA</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Dr. Susan R. Andrews, 215th General Assembly (2003), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Bohl, 206th General Assembly (1994), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Elder Patricia Brown, 209th General Assembly (1997), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. John M. Buchanan, 208th General Assembly (1996), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. David Lee Dobler, 205th General Assembly (1993), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. John M. Fife, 204th General Assembly (1992), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Elder Price Gwynn III, 202nd General Assembly (1990), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Charles A. Hammond, 192nd General Assembly (1980), UPCUSA</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Robert Lamar, 186th General Assembly (1974), UPCUSA</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Harriet Nelson, 196th General Assembly (1984), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Dr. Neal D. Presa, 220th General Assembly (2012), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Elder (Dr.) Heath Rada, 221st General Assembly (2014), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, 218th General Assembly (2008), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Elder Rick Ufford-Chase, 216th General Assembly (2004), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Dr. Herbert D. Valentine, 203rd General Assembly (1991), PC(USA)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Elder William H. Wilson, 197th General Assembly (1985), PC(USA)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-39466795227305325372017-08-23T11:45:00.000-07:002017-08-23T11:45:15.801-07:00Work for Justice<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dear Presbyterian Brothers and Sisters, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God sends the Church to work
for justice in the world: exercising its power for the common good; dealing
honestly in personal and public spheres; seeking dignity and freedom for all
people; welcoming strangers in the land; promoting justice and fairness in the
law; overcoming disparities between rich and poor; bearing witness against
systems of violence and oppression; and redressing wrongs against individuals,
groups, and peoples. God also sends the Church to seek peace: in the Church
universal, within denominations, and at the congregational level; in the world,
where nations and religious or ethnic groups make war against one another; and
in local communities, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and homes. These acts
of peacemaking and justice are established upon God’s gracious act of
reconciliation with us in Jesus Christ, and are a way of participating in
Christ’s priestly intercession or advocacy for the world </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Directory
for Worship W-5.0304).</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> These
beautiful words are copied from our new Directory for Worship which we recently
approved. After the last General Assembly when I was studying and discussing
this proposed new Directory for Worship, I remember appreciating these words.
In discussing the proposed new Directory of Worship, I remember highlighting
this glorious language about God sending the Church to do the work of justice.
Isn’t it beautiful that this proclamation is part of our understanding of
worship! Amen and Amen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> In
recent days, this beautiful language and this high calling to work for justice
have flooded my heart and mind with a new urgency. And I wonder today, given
how fragile and meek we Presbyterians have become in the public sphere, whether
we can truly claim this calling. Can we work for justice? Can we exercise power
for the common good? Can we bear witness against systems of violence and
oppression?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Today
is the day for this witness. There have been recent, active expressions of Klu
Klux Klan activity within the bounds of our Presbytery. They have gathered
outside Churches to insult and intimidate Church people as they leave worship
services. They smeared the windshields in church parking lots with their
messages of hate. Maybe we want to duck our head, and sigh with relief, that it
happened at a Church down the street, not my Church. Maybe we want to close our
eyes grateful that it happened in a town on the other side of our Presbytery,
not my town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God
sends the Church to work for justice in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Every time that evil thoughts,
and evil people and evil groups crawl out of their dark places where they
typically stay hidden and make an appearance in the light of day, the Church
must respond. Of course, we know this has happened in every era and in every
generation. Now it is happening in ours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Please organize a
vigil, stand in the streets, invite every church and all your friends, light
candles, read Scripture, sing hymns, say prayers and claim the calling to work
for justice. At the vigil organized and gathered on the square in Chambersburg
in front of our Central Presbyterian Church, our colleague Pastor Scott
Bowerman said it well, “The darkness is not strong enough to put out even one
candle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now is the time for the
Church to shine the light of Christ into the darkness of this world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the name of Jesus!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-52545855184964265352017-08-21T11:58:00.003-07:002017-08-21T11:58:28.117-07:00An excellent article from Tim CargalI copy here a very helpful theological reflection from Tim Cargal, our Assitant Stated Clerk in the General Assembly:<br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">“In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage … to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.”</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> (“A Brief Statement of Faith,” 11.65-71)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">The recent events in Charlottesville and the reactions to them have had me thinking once again about idols. There are two broad ways of thinking about idols in the Christian tradition, already clearly delineated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10:19-21. One is that “no idol in the world really exists” because “there is no God but one” (8:4), and the other is that idols are the very real demonic powers that exercise destructive control over people’s lives (cf. 10:20). As the years go by, I find myself more and more in the second camp.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">My thinking about these matters was greatly shaped during the years of my post-graduate theological training by two individuals. From reading Walter Wink’s books on the “cosmic powers of this present darkness” (see Ephesians 6:12), I learned not to demythologize the language of the demonic in the New Testament but rather to remythologize it as the animating spirits within those institutions and structures that run counter to and actively oppose God’s justice. From my studies of Pauline theology with Daniel Patte, I learned to distinguish between two frames through which people have viewed God’s response to the demonic. One is an apocalyptic view that sees God as destroying from without both the idols and those under their sway, and the other a view that sees God unmasking and thereby destroying the power of idols from within so that those under their sway are liberated rather than destroyed. There is an ethical and moral choice we must all make in deciding whether we will view the world through the apocalyptic or the liberating frame.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Let there be no equivocation: racism, sexism, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">(neo-)fascism, and all other “isms” that dehumanize others who have all been created in God’s “image, according to [God’s] likeness” (Genesis 1:26-27) are demonic oppositions to God’s desire for creation, and those who parade with their flags in defense of their monuments are under the power of these idols. There can be no choice for those awakened by the Holy Spirit as to whether they will oppose these idolatrous ideologies. But we do have a choice as to whether that opposition will take apocalyptic or liberating forms. To dehumanize those under the sway of the idols only perpetuates the idols’ continuing sway over us. “If I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor” (so Galatians 2:18).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">In “hear[ing] the voices of those long silenced” we can begin to unmask the idols and break their control over us. May “the Spirit give us courage” to “unmask idolatries in Church and culture” by naming the demonic without dehumanizing those still under its power until all “others [work] for justice, freedom, and peace.” </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Reverend Timothy B. Cargal, Ph.D.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Assistant Stated Clerk</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-78071070753160097542017-08-09T09:34:00.001-07:002017-08-09T09:37:22.664-07:00Big Questions: Part 1<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Institutional Church versus Emerging Church<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I
am a fan of the books of Phyllis Tickle, especially <i><u>The Great Emergence</u></i> and <i><u>Emergence
Christianity</u></i>. (Phyllis Tickle died in 2015 but her publisher is
maintaining her website at PhyllisTickle.com and there is also a nice Wikipedia
about her.) These books discuss the idea of a new, emerging Christianity. My Big
Question: What is the relationship between this emerging Christianity and our
institutional Church? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When
I heard her speak at our 2010 General Assembly, Tickle discussed this point.
She argued, (in part, I expect, because she was speaking to a large room of
Presbyterians) the Presbyterian Church was especially poised to adopt and adapt
to some the sweeping changes which emerging Christianity was introducing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So my big question: What
is the relationship between emerging Christianity and our institutional Church?
Are these strands and styles of Christianity on completely separate tracks
never to touch? Will the new emerging Christianity grow up into expressions and
forms completely separate from our institutional Church? As an institutional church
person, this answer is not adequate. I believe there are enough people in the institutional
Church, like me and those younger than me, who are paying attention to emergent
themes that we will bring these themes and ideas and directions into our
institutions. On the other hand, I understand the institutional Church enough
to know that we are not, by and large, nimble, flexible and quickly creative.
Given the sheer weight of institutional inertia our institutions will not
suddenly become emergent Christian communities. Thus I believe we will have,
for a long time, a sometimes gentle and a sometimes clashing interaction
between our institutional Church and emergent Christianity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These interactions will
inspire a host of auxiliary questions. If the institutional Church will adopt
some of the important and meaningful practices of emergent Christianity, what
are they? And, conversely, what practices and wisdom from the long heritage of
the institutional Church will emergent Christianity need as is flourishes? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another related, big
question is how long will it take for emergent Christianity to fully emerge? We
can do a little bit of fun math on this question. Let us use Tickle’s thesis
that our emerging Christianity today is a reformation in the Church as
significant as the great Protestant Reformation. We can date the Protestant
Reformation as starting in 1517 (500 years ago this year) with Martin Luther’s
95 thesis nailing in Wittenberg. The first generation of the Protestant
Reformation we can roughly count from 1517 to the death of John Calvin in 1564
which is 47 years, from the death Calvin to the writing of the Westminster
Confession of Faith in 1646 is another 82 years, and from 1646 to the first
meeting of the Presbyterian General Assembly in America in 1789 is another 143
years. This is very artificial but we may date the Protestant Reformation from
Luther’s 95 to the advent of the Presbyterian General Assembly in America, a
total of 272 years. Similarly we can date the birth of emergent Christianity in
the year 1960, generally the year when our institutional Churches started our
unceasing decline. Using the Protestant Reformation as our model we may guess
that emergent Christianity will also take 272 to fully emerge. Thus the
emerging Christian faith which was birthed in 1960 will be fully grown and
mature in the year of our Lord 2232!</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-82539248576911993602017-08-09T08:46:00.000-07:002017-08-09T09:36:58.960-07:00Big Questions in the PC(USA)<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Big Questions:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">We had a wonderful conversation at our
Presbytery’s Education Committee last week about, what we called, the “Big
Questions” in the Church today. These are questions that are best described as
discussion starters. These are long term, conceptual, future-oriented questions
for which there are not now clear answers. These questions generally emerge in
conversations about the massive, transformative changes we are living through
in church and society. At our Committee meeting we pondered places and formats
in which we might discuss such Big Questions. We are not sure exactly how to
ask, and nurture discussion around these questions. But the conversation we had
interested me. So I started a list of Big Questions for myself. I hope to write
about them now again here in this blog space. Of course, I hope you will join
the conversation. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-5977771308465258622017-05-08T09:16:00.000-07:002017-05-08T09:17:08.496-07:00The growing ministry of our Krislund Camp and Conference Center<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Golden Warbler</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">With support and encouragement from our friends at Penn State University, our Krislund Camp has received a significant grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service for the habitat development of the Golden Warbler. Over thirty acres of forest land at Krislund will be set aside and specifically protected to encourage the habitat development for this gorgeous, song bird. This is yet another piece in the continuing growth of our Krislund Camp!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/golden_winged_warbler_glamor.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Image result for Golden Warbler" border="0" height="123" src="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/golden_winged_warbler_glamor.jpg" width="200" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-70989850545612314272017-05-04T09:22:00.001-07:002017-05-04T09:22:47.178-07:00A study tour of Palestine and Israel, April 2018<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Mosaic of Peace April 29 to May 12, 2018</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">In 2016, I participated on the Mosaic of Peace study tour sponsored by our Presbyterian Peacemaking Program. This was a beautiful, transformative, experience for me in two ways.On one hand, visiting and experiencing the places of Jesus was a deep and abiding joy. This study tour visits all the great places in the life of Jesus. This experience will deepen your spiritual life and truly make the Gospel stories come alive. On the other hand, this study tour also immersed us in the trauma and pain of the Middle East from the perspective of the Christian Church. There are still Christians in Palestine who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to support them and know their story.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I hope to participate on the Mosaic of Peace study tour again in 2018. I hope to be a small group leader for a group from our Presbytery on the tour. Please consider join using. The details of this study tour are now available at <a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/peacemaking/mosaic/">http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/peacemaking/mosaic/.</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-47728206617861785992017-04-27T10:12:00.003-07:002017-04-27T10:16:24.356-07:00Learning to be the Church<br />
<h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A letter from Tracey King-Ortega, Regional Liaison for Central America, based in Nicaragua</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The mission newsletter linked here is the fulfillment of a dream of mine and a lot of work on behalf of many, many Presbyterians. Please read Tracey's beautiful report here:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/letter/learning-to-be-the-church/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/letter/learning-to-be-the-church/</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our Presbytery works very close with Tracey who serves as the regional liaison for Central America with our Presbyterian World Mission. With Tracey's leadership and abundant support from the Honduras Mission Network including our presbytery, we have begun a comprehensive program in theological education in support of our Presbyterian brothers and sisters in Honduras. This program has been a long time in coming, and I am abundantly grateful that this is now happening. We need your financial support to sustain this vital ministry. Please give generously. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-5242556763932832682017-04-10T11:06:00.001-07:002017-04-10T11:06:46.029-07:00Reformation 500<br />
The 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther's famous 95.<br />
<br />
Our Presbytery of Carlisle will celebrate a special, Presbytery-wide worship service in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation. Hosted by our Market Square Presbyterian Church our service will be on Sunday, October 29 at 4:00. Mark the date! Please join us!<br />
<br />
Do you know about the Protestant Reformation or would you like to learn more? A flurry of new books have been released in honor of this anniversary:<br />
<br />
Martin E. Marty. <i>October 31, 1517: Martin Luther and the Day that Changed the World.</i><br />
<br />
Lyndal Roper. <i>Martin Luther: Renegade or Prophet.</i><br />
<br />
Alec Ryrie. <i>Protestants: The Faith That Made the Modern World.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-29951565675240711402017-03-22T07:11:00.001-07:002017-03-22T07:26:43.681-07:00Theological Education in Honduras<br />
<br />
Our exciting partnership in Honduras.<br />
<br />
Many members of the Presbytery of Carlisle have supported and participated in the housing ministry we have created in partnership with the Presbyterian Church in Honduras. Our mission team going to Honduras next month will be contributing to the twelfth new family home as part of this ministry. This is truly a partnership between our Presbytery, leaders in the Presbyterian Church in Honduras and the families that receive the new homes.<br />
<br />
But this ministry is only one aspect of a larger and growing partnership between USA Presbyterians and Honduran Presbyterians. We have also recently initiated a robust program of theological education into this relationship. Our World Mission Co-worker Karla Koll, who serves with the Latin American Biblical University in Costa Rica, has written about this new aspect of our ongoing mission partnership.<br />
<br />
The link to Karla's recent World Mission enews article about this work is here: <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/letter/new-beginning-honduras/">http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/letter/new-beginning-honduras/.</a><br />
<br />
We expect soon to offer a mission trip to Honduras which will participate in this theological study with our Honduran brothers and sisters. For those who may be more interested in Bible study and theological reflection than mixing mortar and carrying concrete blocks, please consider joining us in this important work.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-26225250408170377722017-03-21T12:00:00.000-07:002017-03-22T07:27:06.678-07:00Theological Conversations<br />
Theological Conversations<br />
"The First 500 Years" by Jerry Andrews<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/wp-content/uploads/TheologicalConversation_First500yrs.pdf">https://www.presbyterianmission.org/wp-content/uploads/TheologicalConversation_First500yrs.pdf</a><br />
<br />
As part of a series of papers sponsored by the General Assembly Mission Agency, Jerry Andrews offers us a beautiful reflection on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. What is the gift that our PC(USA) brings to our cherished Reformed project? Andrews' answer: "This is the gift of the PC(USA) to the next 500 years - a church that thinks through, teaches, and tests the Faith expressed in distinctly Reformed terms, appropriated by conversing with those who first thought through the Faith be being the first interpreters of Scripture."<br />
<br />
Let us be a Church in conversation "with the testimony of the ancients."<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-30634033373201307472016-12-05T13:43:00.001-08:002016-12-05T13:43:12.777-08:00Our Presbytery welcomes Moderator Denise Anderson<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some Moderators of the General Assembly north and south</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We are delighted to have Co-Moderator of the General
Assembly, the Rev. Denise Anderson, with us today. Of course, Denise is not the
first Moderator of the General Assembly. That honor belongs to Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon.
Witherspoon was the Moderator of the First General Assembly in 1789. He was
also one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He became the first
President of the College of New Jersey which became Princeton Seminary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1861, the Rev. Benjamin Palmer was the first Moderator
of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. Rev. Palmer was a gifted
preacher and served as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church on New
Orleans. With his preaching, he helped convince 47 southern presbyteries to
break away from the northern Presbyterians and form their own southern church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1870 Robert Lewis Dabney served as Moderator of the
southern Presbyterian Church in the United States. Dabney served as a Chaplain
in the Confederate Army, and as Chief of Staff of General Stonewall Jackson.
After the Civil War, Dabney had a distinguished teaching career at Union
Seminary in Richmond. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1879 the Rev. Joseph Ruggles Wilson served as
Moderator of the southern Presbyterian Church in the United States. Rev. Wilson
was the father of President Woodrow Wilson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">William Jennings Bryan never served as Moderator of the
General Assembly. Bryan has been called the greatest loser in American history.
Three times – in 1896, 1900 and 1908 – he ran for President of the United
States. Three times he lost. In 1923 he ran for Moderator of the northern
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. He lost. But God is good.
In 1924 the arch-conservative, Philadelphia pastor Clarence Macartney was
elected Moderator. He named Bryan as his vice-Moderator. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1971 Ruling Elder Lois Stair was the first woman
elected as Moderator of the northern United Presbyterian Church in the United
States of America.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1976 Ruling Elder Thelma Adair was the first African
American woman elected as Moderator of the northern United Presbyterian Church
in the United States of America. Elder Adair was a professor in City University
of New York. She spent many years in ecumenical and social justice work in
Harlem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1978 Sara Bernice Moseley was the first woman
Moderator elected in the southern Presbyterian Church in the United States.
Elder Moseley was a strong advocate of the reunion of the northern and southern
churches. Beginning in 1983, she served as the first Chair of the General
Assembly Council in our, reunited Presbyterian Church (USA).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1986 the Rev. Benjamin Weir was elected as Moderator
of our Presbyterian Church (USA). Ben and Carol Weir served from 1953 to 1984
as mission co-workers from our church to Lebanon. In 1984 Ben Weir was
kidnapped off the street in Beirut. After his long captivity, he was honored to
be elected Moderator. Ben Weir passed away this October 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1992 the Rev. John Fife was elected Moderator of our
Church. Fife was the pastor of the Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson,
Arizona. Along with colleagues from several denominations, Fife was a leader of
what was called the Sanctuary Movement. These church leaders opened their
church buildings to undocumented immigrants from Latin America. Their ministry
pushed a very public conflict with the Department of Justice under President
Ronald Reagan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2008 Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow visited our
Presbytery, and taught a class at our Saturday Seminar. That is the only other
Moderator visit we have had since I have been in this Presbytery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And today in 2016 we are honored to have Co-Moderator
Denise Anderson with us. Denise is a blogger. Her blog is better than mine. The
title of her blog is SOULa Scriptura. SOULa is a constructed word: SOULa. The
sub-title of her blog is even better: “to be young, gifted and Reformed.” I was
very pleased to have dinner with Denise last evening. She is indeed, young,
gifted and Reformed. Please stand and greet the Moderator of our General
Assembly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-7057317769726786432016-12-05T10:01:00.000-08:002016-12-05T10:01:57.615-08:00Report to the Presbytery December 6, 2016<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Report to the Presbytery of Carlisle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Dismissal of the Hawley Memorial Church<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Today I encourage you to approve the dismissal
of the Hawley Memorial Church. Our Commission on Ministry has already acted to
dismiss their Pastor Carl Batzel pending our action today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once again today, in official meeting, we
consider the dismissal of one of our congregations to the new denomination, the
Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO). We have done this before. We
dismissed the Upper Path Valley Church and their Pastor Meagan Boozer; we
dismissed the Lower Path Valley and Burnt Cabins Churches and their Pastor
Donna Ryan; we dismissed the Port Royal and Mexico Churches and their Pastor
Crystal Lyde; we dismissed the Shippensburg Church and their Pastor Mike Miller<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Many of you will also remember that
we did NOT dismiss our Faith Church, despite the request of the session at the
time. In seeking to leave our Church, the Session at Faith Church caused
enormous conflict, and more than half of the congregation left with their
Pastor Wayne Lowe to form what is now a new ECO congregation. Our Faith Church
today, although smaller, is thriving with remarkable energy and enthusiasm. I
am grateful to their Interim Pastor Steve Lytch and their new session members. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> My friends, I believe we have
reached the end of an era. My belief is confirmed in conversation with my
colleagues in presbyteries all around Pennsylvania. There are still several
dismissal conversations in process in neighboring presbyteries, but generally,
I believe, the era of church dismissals is behind us. After today’s action we
will not have any active Conversation Teams, and we have not received any
official requests from any other session to begin our dismissal process. I am
not aware of any of our congregations that are discussing dismissal at this
time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> My friends, I believe we have done
this right. I believe we should be proud and grateful for the way we have acted
through this season of deep conflict and turmoil. We wrote, we debated, we
approved, and we acted on repeatedly a policy, and a spiritual stance, of gracious
dismissal. This was and is the right thing to do in Christ Jesus. Like many of
you, I know all the arguments for a different path, a different tone in these
conversations. In many sleepless nights, I have played out those arguments in
my mind. Today, without any doubt, I am convinced that we have done the right
thing with our policy and our practice of gracious dismissal. And I am very
grateful to almost countless numbers of leaders in this presbytery who have participated
in this discernment and these practices, and especially the members of all the
Conversation Teams we have had over these years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Now I see three great challenges
before us:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Our first challenge is to live into
this very new language in our Book of Order: <i>Nothing shall compel a teaching elder to perform nor compel a session
to authorize the use of church property for a marriage service that the
teaching elder or the session believes is contrary to the teaching elder’s or the
session’s discernment of the Holy Spirit and their understanding of the Word of
God.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Our second challenge is live into
this very old language in our Book of Order; one of the historic principles of
our church: <i>“We also believe that there
are truths and forms with respect to which (believers) of good characters and
principles may differ. And in all these we think it the duty of both private
Christians and societies to exercise mutual forbearance toward each other.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Third, if I am correct that we are
now moving into a new era, we need to ask ourselves as a Presbytery in a very
deep and thoughtful way, “What are we going to do now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> I ask you to support the recommendation
of our Conversation Team and our Council and approve the dismissal of the
Hawley Memorial Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-65009762014382380832016-10-23T10:21:00.000-07:002016-10-23T10:56:54.355-07:00Ten Years of Partnership in Honduras (2006 - 2016)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Carmen’s Place, Part 1:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ysxOVm4Hl0E/WAz5y5OWhCI/AAAAAAAACC8/hctvXBj8mJofPJmi7L-10wRCtklHrRgrACLcB/s1600/Carmen%2527s%2BHome.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ysxOVm4Hl0E/WAz5y5OWhCI/AAAAAAAACC8/hctvXBj8mJofPJmi7L-10wRCtklHrRgrACLcB/s320/Carmen%2527s%2BHome.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I begin writing this, it seems
impossible to describe Carmen’s home with words. Truly its very existence seems
almost impossible to believe. If I had not been there, worked there, and seen
it for myself I would doubt that a home could be built, and a family can live
in this place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After twisting and turning on the narrow, bumpy, often steep,
unpaved local streets of a small neighborhood in the middle of Tegucigalpa, our
van backed into an open spot between two homes. We unloaded and were pointed in
the proper direction, “Down”. The hillside simply dropped off into a sheer
cliff. This ravine was much too steep to walk down, but not too steep for plants,
wild grass and small bushes. My view, standing at the top, went steeply down and
the bottom was a lush, thick forest of wild, tropical plants with the large
leaves and tangle of vines, maybe 100 yards down from the top edge where I
stood. The sound of a rushing stream at the very bottom was loud but invisible.
The water obviously fed the lush green everywhere at the bottom of the ravine.
Coming up out of the ravine, presumably on the other side of the rushing stream,
was a steeper cliff, bare rock too steep for plants to grow. I could see homes
perched on the top of the other side of the ravine. My view went straight down
this ravine, and it caught my attention. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I wondered, </span><span style="font-size: large;">“Where are we going? How could there
be a house down here?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is impossible to walk straight over the
edge of the ravine, and quickly I realized a well-worn path hugged the side of
the ravine off to the right and dropped down very steep directly behind and beneath
the home which was next to our parked van.
With only several steps down the path, the back wall of this home was
straight up above my right shoulder. The path dropped precipitously, so much so
that I checked my traction, making sure each step was planted solidly and I was
not going to start sliding. The path dropped, then flattened out a bit and
continued down to where I could see two homes perched below, one sort of above
the other. But our direction switched back fully, and started down several,
precarious steps which were carved into the hillside. Now, because of the
switchback, the steep hillside rose up on my left, the ravine fell downward to
my right side. And there is Carmen’s place. A carefully constructed, new,
concrete landing welcomed us and we arrived at her front door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I still do not have any idea how a
previous generation of Carmen’s family had acquired this property and this home
was built on the side of this very steep ravine. But there it was, and the
contribution from our Presbytery and our work for the week was a major
renovation and remodeling of her home. Welcome to Carmen’s place. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-7409584623542339112016-10-23T10:16:00.000-07:002016-10-23T11:08:14.460-07:00Ten Years of Partnership in Honduras (2006 - 2016)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Carmen’s Place, Part 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We have done this before with several of
our home construction projects. Because homes in the poorest neighborhoods of Tegucigalpa
are packed close together, the walls of the home itself are often the property
lines. There are no yards, very little outside space, and, of course, the
families are living in the homes during reconstruction. Thus in a remarkable
exercise of flexibility and creativity, we are often systematically
deconstructing an old, dilapidated home while at the same time building a new
home on the same spot, at the same time. Each situation, each family’s needs,
and each home moves through the delicate process of destruction and construction
in different ways. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At Carmen’s place, the powerful,
tropical deluges, which they call rain in Honduras, was most of the problem.
Because she lives on the side of the steep ravine, the force of the water
rolling down on her home was powerful and destructive. With funding from our
Presbytery and a lot of expertise from her church, a construction team created
an amazing, concrete waterway which funnels all the rushing storm water away
from a direct hit onto the side wall of her home, and into a new, concrete
channel which carries it safely around her home, and directs it down a safe path,
and ultimately into the stream far below. This new storm water system which now
protects her home is the most remarkable concrete construction project I have
ever seen, in a place where construction is done without any power tools or
equipment. This storm water system was made in a way that also created a new, open
landing which offers a small outside space in front of her home. Previously,
Carmen, in the worst downpours, needed to keep her front door closed and sealed
to prevent the rushing water from entering her home. When we arrived that
remarkable concrete work was complete, and I spent some time standing on her
new, front porch chatting with the lead mason on this job, Alejandro, about how
this project was conceived and built. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8BUbZXxs8Y/WAz8eGkWX9I/AAAAAAAACDQ/W_K2xTp7uGATEz7Ki4zP5mkUfCQUOZ_hwCLcB/s1600/IMG_2108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8BUbZXxs8Y/WAz8eGkWX9I/AAAAAAAACDQ/W_K2xTp7uGATEz7Ki4zP5mkUfCQUOZ_hwCLcB/s320/IMG_2108.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">These are poor people. Statistically
these are some of the poorest people on earth, living in one of the poorest
neighborhoods in Tegucigalpa. Despite being poor, these people are resilient,
creative, resourceful, smart and hard working. The concrete, storm water system
which a small, group of volunteers from a small Presbyterian church in their
neighborhood designed and built at Carmen’s place is a profound testament to the
fact that our perceptions about “poor people” are probably all wrong. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-85642068035914451372016-10-23T10:11:00.000-07:002016-10-23T11:03:00.927-07:00Ten Years of Partnership in Honduras (2006 - 2016)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Carmen’s Place; Part 3:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Carmen is a warm, energetic, athletic woman
who never stopped working in support of this project in her home the whole time
we were there. When she was not directly supporting the construction work, or
cleaning up, she was maneuvering all her household belongings to keep the way
clear. Her two daughters and her three, young grandsons live in this home with
Carmen. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Abuyz0HFmM/WAz7RYhvlCI/AAAAAAAACDI/NMjsZ5B8pQwlxOSCUBtGk5LFuSmhUZvRACLcB/s1600/Carmen%2Band%2BMark.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Abuyz0HFmM/WAz7RYhvlCI/AAAAAAAACDI/NMjsZ5B8pQwlxOSCUBtGk5LFuSmhUZvRACLcB/s320/Carmen%2Band%2BMark.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Prior to our adopting this project, this home was one room. Part of our
construction project is to add additional inside walls which will divide the
space into two, tiny bedrooms and a small kitchen area. These new inside walls
are being built with concrete block because they will be load-bearing walls for
the new rafters and steel roof that is also part of this project. For Carmen’s
place, the four outside walls of her home will remain in place. Our project
includes the addition of significant concrete and block support around the
foundation of this home (remember that this home sits precariously on the side
of a steep ravine), the storm water system which will prevent the erosion of
her foundation in the future, the construction of the new inside walls, and the
complete replacement of her roof which includes replacing rotten wooden rafters
with new steel rafters and a new steel roof. From within the four walls that
already existed at Carmen’s place, a completely new home will rise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This description of Carmen’s place gives
a hint at the way we have developed our home construction ministry in
partnership with the Presbyterian Church of Honduras these past ten years.
Carmen’s place is the eleventh home we have built or remodeled as part of this
partnership. The congregations we work with in their Presbytery truly own this
mission work. Their mission committees recruit and identify families for new
projects. They interview and carefully vet each family and proposal. The family
is consulted concerning exactly what they want the project to include. Each
home is truly a custom construction job. No two projects are alike. Our
Presbytery has contributed to this ministry by providing the financial support.
We budget from our Honduras Designated Fund $3,000 for each new home project. We
support the organizational, administrative and accounting efforts which must be
the basis for a sustainable mission program. We send mission teams to
contribute to the construction of each home. The Hondurans do not need us to do
construction, but we believe our presence at each home for a week puts a face
on our commitment and enhances our partnership. After all these years working
together, while we are there the construction sites take on the tone of
festive, family reunions. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-56034050391532772192016-10-23T10:06:00.002-07:002016-10-23T10:06:59.367-07:00Ten Years of Partnership in Honduras (2006 - 2016)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Carmen’s Place, Part 4.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bienvenidos a Tegucigalpa! Welcome to
Tegucigulpa! This is a huge, sprawling city set among steep mountains. In the
States now the issue of the vast distinction between the very rich and the
working class is a public discussion. Here in Honduras, the distance between
the rich and the poor is glaring and blatant.
The high walls, razor wire and security guards keep the upper class protected
and cocooned. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We work with the poorest. I am proud and blessed by the fact that
the Presbyterian Church of Honduras is immersed among the poor both in the city
and in the rural areas. This, of course, is not true of our PCUSA. When we come
here the spiritual and theological lessons about being the church among the
poor and for the poor often challenges our comfortable worldviews. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had a quiet,
personal conversation with Pastor Juan last year. We visited his congregation
to distribute food to their community in response to the devastating drought.
He needed to ask me a question; I could see the pain in his eyes. He humbly
asked if it was okay if his own family could receive a food packet or should he
give theirs away also. I assured him that he should indeed take one of the
packets to his own family. I remember Pastor Enrique sharing a miracle story
with our group. His family, which includes three young children, had run out of
food and was, at last, sharing one egg for their whole family dinner. Before
they ate it together they prayed, and their children prayed. The next day
members of their congregation arrived with some basic food supplies to carry
them through. Enrique tells this story with a tone of powerful rejoicing in the
providence of God. I hear his story and my heart aches with sadness. While
working at Carmen’s place which had taken on the feeling of a construction site
– concrete being mixed on the kitchen floor, bags of mortar piled in the
corner, a pile of sand on the front porch, blocks piled high in the living area
– I asked if she was going to sleep there that night. She responded, “Yes, of
course”, and pointed to the roof. I interpreted her sign as meaning that the
roof over her head was most important, despite the construction mess within.
This is not a family who has the option of staying at the local Hampton Inn for
a night while their kitchen is being remodeled. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was theologically educated in the era which included Liberation Theology as part of the conversation. I studied
the idea, and I truly believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has a
“preferential commitment to the poor." I do not fully understand what this means.
I wish our church conversations today were more interested in the exploring
this idea together. What are the great gifts which the poor offer to the church today? </span> <o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-57780884581112879822016-10-23T09:58:00.001-07:002016-10-23T09:58:19.745-07:00Ten Years of Partnership in Honduras (2006 - 2016)<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Carmen’s Place, Part 5.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Members of the church always drive for
us in Tegucigalpa. The road system is awful, traffic is horrendous, and finding
your way around seems like some strange magic. I am too intimidated to drive
here. The few large modern highways, often paid for by American grants, are
clogged with traffic. These highways teem with tractor trailer trucks of every
variety, many of which belch ugly, black clouds of exhaust. The city streets
are filled with old school buses which serve as the principle means of public
transportation. It is ironic to see the name of some American school district
still printed on the sides of these re-purposed buses. As far as I can tell, there
are no marked bus stops and no indication anywhere of the bus routes. I have no
idea how one would learn to use this bus system. But most times of the day, the
buses are packed to standing room only. (I know about this bus system from
chatting with Herbert, a successful businessman who owns of a large bus company
in the city and also serves as a leading Elder and Treasurer in the Presbytery.
Herbert pays enormous “fees” to the gangs which allow his buses to keep
running. This is a cost of doing business.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In addition to the trucks and buses
which are pervasive in the city, there is also a deep, ubiquitous ethos of
crime, violence and gangs. It is important to say that I have never, in ten
years of visits to Honduras, ever been the victim of a crime; I have never seen
any crime; I have never witnessed any violence. I believe to the bottom of my
heart that when we are in Honduras our church friends keep us safe. They keep
us safe with their powerful commitment to prayer. They keep us safe by very
practically watching out for us, surrounding us with their presence, and
protecting us. Of course, safety cannot be guaranteed or promised but my
experience here thus far has been safe. This is a gift from God; this also
includes a careful attention to all the details of personal safety and
security. But there is everywhere an uncomfortable sense that this is a dangerous
place. The way buildings, stores, and homes are locked up tight with metal
gates, razor wire, fencing or high walls is a sign. The presence of security
guards, usually carrying shotguns, at most stores, businesses, banks, gas
stations and office buildings is a sign. The statistics of gang violence and
murder are signs. This may be one of the troubling and nagging spiritual issues
for Christians here. We know the reports we hear in the States about Honduras
being one of the most dangerous nations in the world; we know about the flow of
drugs through these small Central American nations into the States which have gorged
streets gangs with money and power. We feel the stressful obsession everyone
has to be safe and stay safe. In such a context what does it mean to trust God?
What does it mean to have faith? What does it mean to pray for protection and
safety? As North Americans we do not live with this daily ethos of crime in our
society. Should we avoid the risk and stay home? No, we will keep coming here.
But it is essential for anyone considering one of our mission trips to
understand that this is a dangerous place. </span> <o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-62712100408855324562016-10-23T09:35:00.000-07:002016-10-23T09:35:46.696-07:00Ten years of Partnership in Honduras (2006 - 2016)<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Carmen’s Place, Part 6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Presbytery of Honduras has 25
congregations, three of which are in Tegucigalpa. The number of the
congregations in the Presbytery is always in flux given their commitment to
evangelism. The pastors and leading church members are always exploring and
planting new congregations, typically starting with a Bible study and worship
service in someone’s home in a new neighborhood. Some of these projects wither
and fail; many develop into new congregations. Often these little house churches
will attract Pentecostal or Baptist leadership and go a different direction,
never joining the Presbytery. Nonetheless, the commitment to evangelism, to
constantly look for opportunities to create and plant a new community is part
of the culture of these Presbyterians. This is an important witness to us: these
Presbyterians in Honduras can form a new
community and plant a new church without any money. All they need is a deep
spiritual commitment to share their faith, the Bible, and someone to host a small
gathering in their home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We work very close with the three
Presbyterian congregations in Tegucigulpa. The Pena de Horeb congregation,
which sits on a major city highway, is their leading church and is served by
Pastor Juan Rodas; the Roca de Israel congregation (Carmen’s home church) is
tucked into a small, poor neighborhood, which we are told is controlled by a
gang, and is served by Pastor Edin Samoya; the Tierra Prometida congregation
also is tucked into a poor neighborhood and is served by Pastors Fernando and
Gloria Huete, who have a small apartment upstairs from their small sanctuary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our home construction ministry started
in the city, serving families from the Pena de Horeb congregation. That
congregation had the vision, leadership and resources to implement our dream of
doing ministry into the city. It was their idea to try building new homes for
Presbyterian families that were living in substandard housing, essentially
wooden shacks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our team had an important strategic
decision to make. Along with the leadership at the Pena de Horeb congregation,
we wanted to expand our housing ministry to the other congregations in the
presbytery. Outside the three congregations in Tegucigalpa, all the other
congregations in the Presbytery are either rural or located in small towns.
(Several of the congregations are only accessible to us by four-wheel drive
pickup trucks; the people who live in those communities, of course, walk for
miles anywhere – stores, schools, doctors, jobs.) We made a strategic decision,
at this point, to only work in the city. A large part of our motivation for
this decision is that, in our years of working here in Tegucigalpa, we have
never seen another mission team from the States working in the city. We have
talked with many, many mission teams. Every flight to Honduras typically
includes mission teams; but without exception these other teams after landing
at the airport quickly leave the city to do their mission work in some
far-flung rural area. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We believe this is our calling: to serve
our Presbyterian brothers and sisters in these three, small congregations in
the city of Tegucigalpa and by connection the whole Presbyterian Church of
Honduras. This calling has been a remarkable blessing to me, and many others
actively involved in this partnership. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-29630323971708641402016-10-23T09:28:00.003-07:002016-10-23T09:30:12.971-07:00Ten Years of Partnership in Honduras (2006 - 2016)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Celebrating Ten Years of Partnership between the Presbyterian Church of Honduras and the Presbytery of Carlisle.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The family homes in Honduras to which the Presbytery of Carlisle has contributed:</span><br />
<ol>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Juan and Maria <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Maria Ellena and Exsel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Santos and Francesca<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rene and Mercedes (Mercedes deceased 2014)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sandra<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Armando<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Betsabe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Doris<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Denia and Fernando<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pocita<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Carmen<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030779018552597374.post-58852613965271559662016-10-10T11:18:00.000-07:002016-10-10T11:18:00.374-07:00Questions for your Mission Committee:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 18.6667px;">Doing Mission</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and Giving to Mission:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Challenging Questions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These questions may help guide the discernment of a mission committees as they discern how to define and allocate money from the congregation directed to mission work outside the congregation:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How much money which
the congregation receives should be turned around and given out beyond the
congregation? How is this amount determined? Does the session define and
communicate a goal for mission giving beyond the congregation? Or is this
amount determined by default, after all other financial obligations are met?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What projects beyond
the local congregation do you support that do NOT involve giving money?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How much of your
giving beyond the congregation supports local projects and how much supports
PCUSA projects?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of all the projects
you support financially – both local projects and through the PCUSA – with how
many do you have a personal and spiritual connection? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do you perceive in
your congregation now any difference in the level of commitment to our
Presbytery and the level of commitment to the General Assembly? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Presbyterian World
Mission has focused their work into three critical initiatives: <i>Evangelism, Global Poverty and Reconciliation</i>.
Which of these areas would be most important for your congregation? Into which
area do your mission projects fit?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com