From the desk of Wendy Gist,
the Mission Advocate for Hunger, Poverty, and Peacemaking
Issues
Hunger Action This season
2010 Peacemaking
Offering
The theme for the 2010
Peacemaking Offering is “Celebrate Christ, Our Peace.”
The Peacemaking
Offering was created in 1980 to support the efforts of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) to live out a deeper commitment to peacemaking as part of
our faithfulness to God. It is one of four special offerings designated by
the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s General Assembly.
Most churches receive
the Offering on World Communion Sunday, the first Sunday in October, which
this year is October 3. We encourage churches to use whatever Sunday works
best for them.
Each congregation is
encouraged to retain 25 percent of the Offering it receives to use for local
ministries of peacemaking within the church and its community. Twenty-five
percent is used by presbyteries and synods, and 50 percent is used by the
general Assembly ministries through the
Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.
In accordance with the
action of the 217th General Assembly (2006), we encourage congregations to
consider directing a portion or all of their 25 percent of the Peacemaking
Offering as a faithful Christian response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
It’s time to prepare for:
CROP Walks
We are celebrating the 35th
anniversary of two CROP Hunger Walks in our area! Each year each of these
Walks raises thousands of dollars to help hungry people in our area and
abroad. 25% of the proceeds raised are used locally bringing much needed
funds to local food pantries, shelters, Meals on Wheels, and/or children’s
programs.
·
Santa Clarita: Sept. 6,
2010 in Santa Clarita
·
Antelope Valley: Oct. 23,
2010 in Lancaster
·
San Fernando Valley: Nov.
7, 2010 at St. Paul’s UMC, Tarzana
·
Greater Pasadena Area: Nov.
7, 2010 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Altadena
Let’s make this year’s events more
successful than ever. Please get involved by walking or sponsoring a
walker!
Clean Water U
Clean Water U is the training school of
Living Waters for the World. Clean Water U is a simulation
experience designed to equip mission teams with the skills
necessary to form partnerships with communities in need of clean water,
equip local leaders to lead ongoing health, hygiene and spiritual education
and install the Living Waters for the World
clean water system.
These learning objectives are taught in
three separate workshops which run concurrently during the five-day
session. Graduates of Clean Water U then serve as their mission
group’s team leaders in subsequent water-focused mission trips.
See the Ideas and Programs section below
for more information on Living Waters for the World. The next Clean Water U
in California is Oct. 3-7, 2010 at Calvin Crest. Contact me if you’re
interested in more information or interested in attending Clean Water U and
or visit the Living Waters for the World - Clean Water U website at:
http://www.livingwatersfortheworld.org/cwuindex.php
Follow-Up
The Urban Plunge that was scheduled to start
on July 4th was cancelled due to lack of participation. Look for
future intergenerational mission/service programs next year sponsored by the
JPIC Work Group.
Ideas
and Programs
Living Waters for the World
Living Waters for the
World (LWW) trains and equips mission teams to share the gift of clean water
with communities in need.
Living Waters for the World
is the global mission resource of the
Synod of Living Waters (Presbyterian
Church USA).
Their mission
is to serve as a resource to
churches of all denominations, civic organizations and others in mission,
enabling them to share clean water with their partners in need.
LWW water treatment systems and
related educational programs fill a critical niche in the
world water crisis - communities with available but contaminated
water.
San Gabriel Presbytery has begun the
process of building relationships in Peru with members of several
Presbyterian churches and people in the communities that these churches
serve in the towns of Ayacucho and Huanta. We look forward to return trips
during which we can continue to build and strengthen relationships, create
Covenant documents to guide our work together, and train the local people to
construct, maintain, and correctly use the water treatment system.
Currently the SGP LWW team includes Rev.
Cyndie Crowell, Rev. Rob Crowell, Wendy Gist, Octavio Guerrero, Rev. Andrea
Messinger, and Rev. Betsy Straeter. We would love you to join us and become
part of the LWW team! Training at Clean Water U will be occurring the first
weekend in October at Calvin Crest. Call or email the Presbytery Office if
you would like to attend training or get involved in another way.
For more information on LWW, please
visit their website at:
http://www.livingwatersfortheworld.org/index.php and/or contact one of
the SGP LWW team members.
hunger, poverty, and peacemaking calendar
Summer:
How
you can contact me:
Email me at
MissionAdvocate@sfpresby.org
Phone me at the Presbytery of San Fernando office on Thursdays between 10:00
a.m. and 3:00 p.m. or you can leave a message anytime. The phone number is:
818-891-4781.
Phone me at my home: 626-564-0678. Feel free to leave a message if I’m not
home.
I look forward to hearing from you or meeting with you to discuss your
church's involvement in hunger, poverty, and peacemaking issues. Together
we can work to bring an end to hunger and poverty locally, nationally, and
globally. We can also look for and urge others to look for peaceful
solutions to situations we face.
I am available to meet with any group at your church with an interest in
mission work, lead an adult education program, or take part in your worship
service. Just let me know where and how I can fit into your schedule.
I look forward to connecting with you!
