ACSWP Fall 2009 report
Justice Issues in the Southwest and Economic Values at ACSWP’s Fall Meeting
By ACSWP associate for policy development and interpretation the Rev. Belinda M. Curry
The Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) held its fall meeting in Phoenix October 15-17, 2009. The committee engaged in dialogue with members of the Grand Canyon Presbytery and other invited guests on immigration, energy and Native American concerns. The committee authorized a resolution on the economic crisis and worked with representatives of a General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC) Review committee. The Committee heard project updates from members assigned to various study groups and other Committees, including matters of compensation, gun violence, HIV/AIDS and public education. In addition the Committee spent some quality time during its fall meeting reflecting on the ministry, witness and life of the Reverend Dr. Lewis (Lew) S. Mudge who died on September 11, 2009.
Social justice concerns in the region
As at each of its meetings, the Advisory Committee seeks to learn from local Presbyterians and others concerned with the church’s witness in their region.
Immigration issues
The Rev. Debra Avery, pastor of Palo Cristi Presbyterian Church in Paradise, Ariz., helped ACSWP identify two Hispanic representatives to share their perspectives about immigration issues in that region. Ms. Martha Lopez, an outreach minister at Memorial Presbyterian Church, and Mr. Alfredo Gutierrez, a local activist and radio host, both spoke about challenges facing Hispanic immigrants.
With the Rev. Avery translating, Ms. Lopez described to ACSWP the fear that most immigrants experience every day. They fear that they may be rounded up and taken into custody per the instructions of the local sheriff, the well-known Joe Arpaio, whose methods for seeking and prosecuting undocumented immigrants have raised basic human rights questions. For more than six years, Ms. Lopez, a Mexican American, has reached out to the Hispanic immigrants in her community by offering encouragement and support so they will be afraid to stay at home. Since she started this outreach ministry through the Memorial Presbyterian Church community, 40 immigrants have joined the Presbyterian Church. She stated that more would have joined by now if there were not so many immigration challenges in that region. Fifty percent of the immigrants crossing the Mexican border into the United States are Catholics, but the others include many Protestants and unchurched people.
Mr. Alfredo Gutierrez spoke about the violence and hate that is increasing across this nation as the immigration debate continues to heat up. He spoke about how increasing security along the border has contributed to immigrants taking more risks by going through treacherous areas to enter into the United States. He pointed out that because of section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Delegation of Immigration Authority, which allows the federal government to deputize local police agencies, more immigrants have been at risk of being taken into custody well within the border areas.
At the time of ACSWP’s October meeting, a local car wash had been raided in this region and a number of Guatemalans were taken into custody. Gutierrez stressed the need to confront both parties of Congress (Democrats and Republicans) in order to bring about effective strategy to address immigration border concerns. And he thanked the General Assembly moderator, the Rev. John Fife, for his advocacy efforts to ensure that undocumented persons living and working along the border may receive the kind of humane and just treatment due to all children of God affirmed in the immigration policies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). (Fife was present in the meeting representing the study team on the Theology of Compensation noted later). Mr. Gutierrez also took pleasure in noting that he had been educated in a Presbyterian mission school.
The Rev. Trina Zelle, the Justice and Peace Chair of Grand Canyon Presbytery, distributed to the committee a package of resources produced by the Interfaith Alliance for Worker Justice (IAWJ) where she serves. The IAWJ is a strong advocate for the humane treatment of immigrants living in the United States, and workers generally. Wage theft is an area where she has focused much of her attention recently. She informed ACSWP that since 2008 there have been more than 120 cases of wage theft in the region, impacting over 1,000 people. She described to the committee how local residents often convince immigrants (especially undocumented persons) that if they perform a task such as cleaning a messy house they will be paid. But after the task is completed these individuals are often denied the monies they have rightfully earned for services satisfactorily performed. Thanks to organizations like IAWJ immigrants living and working in the United States are finding some support to fight for the wages they have been denied.
Energy issues
Ms. Mitra Khazai, a Presbyterian elder and representative from the Arizona Interfaith Power and Light ministry organization, informed the committee that on Wednesday, October 14, the Arizona Interfaith Power and Light ministry had been officially launched. She underlined the urgency of energy conservation. She pointed out that the California Interfaith Power and Light was officially launched in 2001 under the leadership of the Rev. Sally Bingham, an Episcopal priest and environmental activist. Since 2001 more than 20,000 congregations have joined in working to bring about the energy changes advocated by Interfaith Power and Light. She stressed the importance of each of us doing our part at home, work or wherever we may find ourselves to preserve the global energy resources entrusted to our care.
Native American issues
The Rev. Martha Sadongei, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, described her work in that community of faith. She is serving in the only organized Native American urban congregation in Grand Canyon Presbytery. Some of the challenges facing the Native American PC(USA) congregations in that region include:
(a) Many of the congregations cannot afford full time pastors.
(b) Most of the congregations are not growing.
(c) The churches continue to want to do things the way they’ve always done them.
(d) Many of the current Native American church buildings are in poor condition.
It was suggested that one of the best ways that churches with large mission budgets can do mission with the Native American PC(USA) congregations is by designating that a portion of their mission funds go toward the salaries of Native American pastors.
In an effort to appreciate and understand the Native American community in Grand Canyon Presbytery, instead of dining in a local restaurant in the city on Saturday evening, October 17, members of ACSWP feasted on a dinner prepared by the Pima Maricopa Indian Elders and Deacons Association at Vahki Presbyterian Church. The vice moderator of the association, Ms. LaBerta Collins, and Mr. Dean Saxton, a Wycliffe Bible translator, welcomed the committee. Following dinner, the group listened in on part of the 103rd Annual Pima Maricopa Indian Camp Meeting, which was held on the church site. The committee was also given a tour of the sanctuary of VAH-KI Presbyterian Church and learned about the history of the church from lifelong member and tribal judge, Ms. Annette Stewart. This was a wonderful and rich cultural learning experience for the members of ACSWP.
A Social Creed for the 21st Century
The Rev. Francis W. Park, pastoral associate at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, Ariz., shared ways his congregation is working to interpret and spread the word about A Social Creed for the 21st Century. The Pinnacle Theological Center is sponsoring “A Transforming God’s Dream Into Reality” series of presentations focused on the themes of the centennial Social Creed, which was approved by the 218th General Assembly (2008). These events will be held between October 14, 2009, and April 15, 2010. The event was kicked off with a presentation led by ACSWP coordinator, the Rev. Dr. Christian T. Iosso, on Wednesday evening, October 14, 2009. Over the next six months, seminars will be led by Dr. Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty, associate professor of theology at Bellarmine University, on November 12; Elder Lidia Serrata Ledesma, moderator of ACSWP’s former Social Creed Work Group and an attorney, on January 14, 2010; Dr. Ronald Stone, former ACSWP member and former professor of Christian Ethics at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, on February 18, 2010; Fr. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, on March 18, 2010; and Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, director of the Department of Religion at Chautauqua Institute on April 15, 2010.
Learn more about this program.
Project Updates
The committee heard updates on the following study projects.
Theology of Compensation (on updating the 1983 study)
Former General Assembly Moderator the Rev. John Fife and ACSWP co-chair the Rev. Dr. Gloria Albrecht reported on the work of this study team. They asked the members of The committee to respond to a brief compensation survey developed by the Research Services office of the General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC) to solicit feedback from the members of the Presbyterian Panel on compensation concerns. Comments and reflections from the Panel Survey and the comments shared by the ACSWP members will be taken into consideration by the study team as they work to strengthen their draft report. This group is scheduled to hold its third meeting in New York in early December.
Gun violence
Bryan Miller, moderator of the study team, presented his team’s first draft to the committee. Bryan is Director of Cease-Fire New Jersey and also a leader in “Heeding God’s Call,” a grassroots organization in Philadelphia that has been remarkably effective in curtailing the illegal gun trade. After hearing his presentation, the members offered comments and suggestions that they thought would help the study team strengthen the draft report. Committee members stressed that they wanted to make sure that the team’s revised draft report effectively responded to the concerns included in the general mandate for this project. The committee suggested that including more reference to previous General Assembly gun violence policies would strengthen this report, along with a greater treatment of urban gun violence. Mr. Miller’s argument for a social change strategy involving grass roots action was affirmed. Consultant ethicist Katie Day, professor at Lutheran Seminary, Philadelphia, will help revise the text for ACSWP’s January 2010 meeting.
HIV/AIDS
The Rev. Dr. Marsha Fowler, ACSWP’s liaison for this study, gave an update on this project. Since the May ACSWP meeting, the HIV/AIDS Work Group has held one additional meeting. The group met in late September in San Francisco, Calif. At this meeting the Work Group heard presentations from a pharmaceutical industry representative, the executive director of a Native American AIDS project, a Latino programs manager of an AIDS foundation and the executive director of a global AIDS church center. This group will present its report to ACSWP in January 2010.
Public education
ACSWP liaisons, Elder Esperanza Guajardo and Elder Christine Darden, reported on the work of the Public Education Work Group. This study team has held two meeting since the May ACSWP meeting. The first meeting was held in San Antonio, Texas. A second meeting was held in New Orleans, La. Some of the speakers the Work Group heard from included parents, teachers, charter school representatives, experts on affirmative action in relation to K-12 public schools and a union representative. This group will present its draft report to ACSWP in January 2010.
For information about the mandates of these respective work groups, please review ACSWP’s summer update.
Other business
General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC)’s Review Committee on the advisory and advocacy committees
Two of the voting members of this Committee, Elders Sylvia Washer and Joyce Smith, met with ACSWP on Saturday morning, October 17. In preparation for this meeting, the Review Committee submitted to ACSWP 15 questions on issues to be covered during this face-to-face meeting.
In their opening statement to ACSWP, the Review Committee members clarified that this GAMC review was put in place to help the GAMC get a better picture of the ministries currently being performed by ACSWP and the two advocacy committees, Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns (ACWC) and the Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns (ACREC), and understand how these General Assembly standing committees related to each other. There was good rapport between the Review Committee and ACSWP throughout this discussion as both sides engaged with each other’s questions and responses. ACSWP agreed to send the Review Committee its typed responses to their questions and other issues addressed during the discussion.
Remembering Lew
At the time of his death on September 11, 2009, the Rev. Dr. Lewis (Lew) S. Mudge was working on two projects linked to ACSWP. The first project was designed to update the 1981 General Assembly study, “The Nature and Value of Human Life.” Along with ACSWP co-chair, the Rev. Dr. Ronald (Ron) J. Kernaghan, Lew was a co-liaison assigned to this project. The 1981 report offered biblical and theological guidance to pastors, individuals, families, and citizens facing ethical issues surrounding abortion, euthanasia, suicide, war, human experimentation and capital punishment. The update that Lew and Ron were working on explores our Reformed understanding of the nature and value of human life in light of various global changes that have taken place over the decades since the adoption of the 1981 study. These changes include advances in biomedical technology, changing population demographics, increasing violence in our society, etc. Now, this project will be brought to fruition under Ron’s guidance, honoring Lew’s wisdom about the complex moral, theological and ethical issues addressed in this report.
The second project Lew was working on was related to the “global economic meltdown.” He had received authorization from ACSWP at the committee’s January and May 2009 meetings to develop a report focused on the economic challenges and lessons we, Presbyterians in particular, and others might learn from the 2008-2009 global economic crisis. In the months before his death, Lew revised his draft report titled, “Global Meltdown: Can Any Good Come Out of It?” He had hoped to receive comments and reflections on his latest draft from diverse populations (i.e., age, gender, race and ethnicity, socio-economic status) of the PC(USA). At its October meeting, ACSWP agreed to explore ways to make Lew’s draft paper available for comments by more diverse individuals as he had hoped it would be. At the same time, the committee recognized that Lew’s widow, Dr. Jean Mudge, may also want to work with the full document and the responses already received.
As a part of ACSWP’s reflections about Lew, The committee gathered one night in a circle and shared memories about him while eating popcorn. The popcorn was provided by co-chair Kernaghan who shared with the group that Lew’s last words to his wife, Jean, were to bring back some popcorn. This was a refreshing way for the committee to remember and grieve the loss of their friend Lew — a scholar, teacher, colleague and mentor to so many. ACSWP also voted to draft an official letter to send to Jean expressing the Committee’s appreciation for Lew’s faithful service as a member of ACSWP. In addition, the committee voted to include a copy of this letter as an attachment in their October 2009 minutes.
Economics, a new resource and a colloquium
Economic crisis resolution
Prompted by Lew Mudge’s paper on the “global economic meltdown,” the committee focused on the core of his argument and his recommendations. They affirmed the need for a short presentation of the key Christian values at stake in the economic crisis and the underlying need for a re-application of ethical principles to a very unbalanced economy. A subcommittee of co-chair Gloria Albrecht, an ethicist, Bill Saint, a development economist, and coordinator Chris Iosso was authorized to prepare a draft in advance of the January meeting. This resolution would build upon the Social Creed (see below).
Connecting to the Creed
The committee received hard copies of Connecting to the Creed—a recently published guide for understanding and applying the centennial Social Creed.
Hard copies of the guide can be purchased for $3.00 each through the Presbyterian Distribution Service (PDS) at (800) 524-2612. Please specify PDS #02-052-09-004 when placing your orders.
Confessing when empire trembles
The Accra and Belhar Confessions in Conversation, a colloquium on these two church statements and their ethical implications, is scheduled for January 15-17, 2010, at Stony Point Conference Center. ACSWP is a co-sponsor along with the Covenanting for Justice groups of North America and the Caribbean. This meeting is open to the public and looks toward the uniting General Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches in June of 2010 in Grand Rapids, Mich. Learn more about the January colloquium.
For information about other reports published by ACSWP in 2009, please read ACSWP’s summer update.