219^th General Assembly
2010

Here's a little more information about our hotel arrangements and rate:

Presbyterian Voices for Justice has made a tentative reservation for up to 100 rooms at the Best Western Normandy Inn & Suites, which is located about 5 blocks from the Convention Center. All you need to do is call the reservations number and say you're reserving a room under the Witherspoon Society group reservation.  (Sorry about the name, but this was set up before we had our new name!)

Get Ready for GA!!      [5-22-10]

Presbyterian Voices for Justice is about to come out at the General Assembly in Minneapolis. We are a new creation and there’s every need to be loud and proud. Our name shouts out our mission and purpose. There is no guessing about who we are and what we stand for. So, in that spirit, we are going to speak the truth in love at our booth by offering some new products for progressive Presbyterians who wish to proclaim their proclivity for justice.  

In addition to our ubiquitous barrage of buttons, we are also stocking bumper stickers, postcards, and bookmarks at pre-recession prices! That’s right. Everything is $1! Yes, I said that. Everything is $1! (It will help those of us who are math-deficient to keep it simple.) Many of the items for sale – like some of the buttons – are one of a kind, meaning there is only one button that says it. Once it is bought, people will have to bribe/trade/negotiate with the owner if they wish to obtain it. (This could give us all practice with our mediation skills and create some interesting dialogue and discussions.) Postcards can be mailed with messages to the folks we left at home in our churches, or framed and given as gifts to our justice-loving friends. Bookmarks can be put to use immediately since we know our suitcases incur excess baggage fees from all the books we cram in them for the flight home. Bumper stickers pack well and they are useful for so many of those opportunities when our words fail us. These items can all be harbingers of hope in the places that need it the most. 

We are also providing a great service to those who visit our booth. We are replacing W & W’s and Skittles with ... throat soothers. We wish for everyone to take special care of their voices. All voices need to be heard and sometimes require some assistance when they are tired and sore. Along with the throat soothers we will also have a TIP Sheet on how to care for your voice. (I’m a singer; it is useful knowledge.) 

If there are other suggestions for our booth or ideas for enhancing our “theme”, please let me know. I am thinking that we need to have some sing-alongs to raise awareness of our new presence and to keep our voices warmed up. I’m still pondering this angle, but I think I like it. I am always looking for people to help staff the booth or contribute their creativity to make the space welcoming and inviting. If you can help, contact me by email: luseana@me.com or cell: 347.907.9849.

See you at GA!

We’re looking for a few good volunteers
     ... to help staff the PVJ booth at General Assembly   [3-27-10]

Vicki Moss, our long-time Gracious Hostess at our Exhibit Hall booth, is looking for folks who can spend some time meeting and greeting people who come by the booth, helping them with any questions or concerns, introducing them to the materials and events that we will be providing ... and whatever else comes along.

There will be a sign-up sheet at the booth for anyone who wants to take a turn at staffing, or you can contact Vicki directly to pre-request a shift. Just e-mail her at luseana@me.com

The General Assembly website now has things set up for you to register both for the Assembly itself, as well as for hotel rooms and the many events that you may want to attend.

Click here for the first registration page.

The first official Assembly events are on Saturday morning, July 3, and adjournment is scheduled for around noon on Saturday, July 10. You may want to arrive early for events like the Voices for Justice Commissioner Orientation, which will be an early breakfast on Saturday morning. 

For the docket of official Assembly events >>
For the complete schedule of events >>  (This is 36 pages, in DPF format)

Please note that in the registration form for event tickets, you'll find our Commissioner Orientation on Saturday morning listed as "Presbyterian Voice (oops, just one voice?) for Justice Commissioner Orientation/Breakfast," 7:00 am-8:30 am

What once was the Witherspoon Awards Luncheon is now the Presbyterian Voices (we got our other voice back) for Justice Luncheon -- Sunday noon.

On the registration form, our name is abbreviated as PVJ.

About hotels – you’ll find the official GA hotels listed in the registration information, along with a map of the hotel locations.

Yes, the hotels are fairly costly, but Voices for Justice has a block of rooms reserved at a relatively good rate at the Best Western Normandy Inn, just about 5 blocks from the Convention Center. For more information, get in touch with Doug King, by e-mail at dougking2@aol.com, or by phone at (608) 782-5275.

Ralph Carter offers this advice for on-line registration: 

I strongly recommend you print out the schedule of events first, before doing the registration. Another caution: there are 5 pages with <continue> between them with the online registration. Be sure to make sure all fields are the way you want them before clicking <continue>. If you have to go back (I forgot to put in my email address, for instance), the computer gets confused and you have to start all over again. 

Another problem with the online registration: You don't get an itemized list of the tickets you have ordered, even when you are asked for your credit card. So, be sure to make sure the tickets are what you want. When you put in the quantity for each ticket, be sure to click the <tab>, so the dollar amount shows for the ticket. This may or may not make a difference, but better safe than sorry.

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

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

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

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

PVJ's Facebook page

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

Voices of Sophia blog

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

John Harris’ Summit to Shore blogspot

John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive

Got more blogs to recommend?