219th General Assembly 2010

219^thGeneral Assembly
2010

Click here for our index page on GA 2010

PVJ Events at the Assembly
Page 2: reporting on the events!

Voices for Justice Awards Luncheon offers moments for meditation, celebration
[7-7-10]

With over a hundred people present, the new Presbyterian Voices for Justice gathered on Sunday, July Fourth, just after the Assembly worship service.

The Rev. Bill Dummer, PVJ co-moderator, welcomed everyone to the luncheon, and then introduced the Rev. Landon Whitsitt, the newly elected Vice Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Whitsitt greeted the group on behalf of Moderator Cynthia Bolbach, and expressed appreciation for the work of both the Witherspoon Society and Voices of Sophia in the cause of justice.

The invocation was given by the Rev. Catherine Snyder, and after giving everyone a few minutes for enjoying their lunch, PVJ Treasurer Darcy Hawk and Secretary Mitch Trigger made a pitch (with the Treasurer in drag of sorts, playing the role of Sophie Witherspoon) for support for PVJ through memberships and gifts.

Sylvia Thorson-Smith, a member of the PVJ board, then introduced the speaker, the Rev. Mary Elva Smith. Smith served as Director of Women’s Ministries in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) from 2001-2006, and is now the Acting General Presbyter for the Sierra Mission Partnership.

Mary Elva began by describing what she had in mind for our time together:

What an auspicious day to gather to celebrate the Voices of Justice as you begin a journey unified by interest and passion. For the next span of time, we are going on a mini-retreat … to take time to listen for the voice of Godde and to allow the movement of the Spirit space to work…To that end join me in affirming your purpose by reading your mission statement:

We are a spirited and passionate community of women and men in the Presbyterian church (USA) who is called to proclaim the gospel vision of God’s extravagant love and justice in church and society. We seek the wisdom of the Spirit for following Christ’s example and for living into the hope of sustained gender equality, racial reconciliation, full human rights for LGBT persons, economic justice, environmental wholeness, an end to war and all forms of violence and a justice-loving shalom over all the earth. We commit to risking the transformation of our own selves and our organization to live into this vision, even as we invite both church and society to meet this challenge.
Were going to open this moment in time together by listening: not to me or to you but … to GOD!
The psalmist admonishes: Be still and know that I am God… Psalm 46:10 (pause…silence)
What a time to call for silence, in the midst of the opening days of a General Assembly…

The Psalm, where God speaks this word to us is out of the chaos of that day offering a promise of stability and change.

Smith went on to invite us into this silence, to attend to our own breathing and to images and words from Scripture and from our own deep consciousness.

She then asked us to focus on a few questions for reflection, the written versions of which you can read – Questions for Conversation and Questions for Clarity – which she offered for our reflection in our few minutes together, and in the days to come.

She closed with an invitation to listening:

Take time to listen, first for the still small voice of God, then to each other that the Spirit may move within you to breathe new life and direction into the call you hear to do justice, to love kindness and walk humbly with your God.

We encourage you to join in on the very brief “mini-retreat” on which Mary Elva Smith led us, by reading through and reflecting on the prepared material she has generously shared with us:

For the full prepared text of Mary Elva Smith’s meditation >>

For her Questions for Conversation >>

And her Questions for Clarity >>

If you have thoughts that arise out of this reflection, we’d be grateful if you could share them with us, as material for our own thinking as a Coordinating Team (formerly known as the Board) of PVJ. Please just send a note!

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The recipient of this year’s Whole Gospel Congregation Award, Kwanzaa Community Church (Presbyterian) in Minneapolis, was introduced by the Rev. Bebe Baldwin. She described vividly some of the many ways in which Kwanzaa’s commitment to its community has changed lives and made a difference in the quality of life in its community. More about the congregation >>

The award was presented “in grateful recognition for ‘bringing saving freedom to body, mind & soul’ through the Good News of Jesus to all the people of the community.” The Rev. Alika Galloway, who is co-pastor of the congregation with her husband, the Rev. Ralph Galloway, accepted the award on behalf of the congregation, which was represented by some 20 of its members.

PVJ Acting Co-Moderator Colleen Bowers presented the Andrew Murray Award to Ann and Manley Olson, long-time active Presbyterian leaders at congregational, presbytery, and national levels. The award was presented “in grateful recognition of their commitment and passion to social justice for all of God’s people in their service to the entire Church.” More about the Olsons >>

The Reverend Sylvia Carlson, another member of the PVJ Coordinating Team, offered the benediction, using the words of a blessing the comes out of the Franciscan tradition. We’ve been asked by a number of people for the words of that blessing, so here it is:

A Franciscan Blessing

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. Amen.

PVJ/Voices of Sophia speaker Chris Smith reflects on de-centering privilege
‘Perhaps it’s time we move to the margins.’

Voices sings a blessing to the new Moderator

Moderator Cindy Bolbach receives the traditional Voices of Sophia blessing.

Photo by Danny Bolin, PNS

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Moderator Cindy Bolbach arrived early for the PVJ/Voices of Sophia breakfast, and we were delighted that she chose to stay for the meal. Many of the women present, who have been active in the Voices of Sophia organization, stood and joined in singing their traditional blessing for the new Moderator. Given the history of years of conservative attacks on the group, its leaders, and numerous women members of the national staff, it was a rich and resonant moment.

GA219 Communication Center, by Sandy Sweep

Minneapolis, July 8, 2010

More than 100 people gathered early Tuesday for the Presbyterian Voices of Justice (PVJ)/Voices of Sophia breakfast as part of the 219th General Assembly (2010).

The Rev. Christine Smith, professor of preaching at United Theological Seminary, Twin Cities, spoke to those gathered on "Reimagining Church: De-Centering Privilege as an Act of Global Citizenship."

"This notion of de-centering privilege requires reimagining what it means to be human from those who are not privileged," began Smith. "Then the definition of (who are) God’s people needs to reflect the more than three-fourths of God’s people who are not so privileged."

"As I walk into my furnished house and eat the food I have – like this breakfast – and realize that I spend more on my dogs than most people earn to support a family, I realize where I am in all this and that I am not like most of God’s people, and that’s painful for me," Smith said.

She concluded by challenging attendees to examine the center-to-margin concept. "We are guilty of creating a pseudo-reality where we put ourselves in the center," Smith said. "Perhaps it’s time we moved to the margins."

EDITOR’S NOTE: We hope to publish the full text of Dr. Smith’s presentation before too long, at least on our website, and perhaps in the next issue of Network News.