First Presbyterian Church, Flandreau, South Dakota. Photo courtesy of First Presbyterian Church
About Native American Congregational Support
The Native American Congregational Support Office’s purpose is to enable the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to respond to Native American congregational issues, enable Native American Presbyterians to participate actively in the mission of the PC(USA), facilitate the church’s task of evangelism and leadership development and serve as a liaison to ecumenical and denominational entities in relation to issues affecting Native American Presbyterian churches and chapels.
Meet the Rev. Martha Sadongei
The Rev. Martha Sadongei has joined the General Assembly Mission Council as church specialist for Native American Congregational Support. A member of the Kiowa Tribe on her father’s side, Martha’s mother was Tohono O’odham. The church specialist is a deployed position, in which Martha works from her office in Phoenix, Ariz., as well as from the GAMC offices. She also continues to serve as part-time stated supply pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, the first organized urban Native American congregation in the PC(USA), established in 1915. As church specialist, Martha’s areas of focus are Native American leadership development, congregational transformation, evangelism and church growth. She will continue her work with the Presbytery of Grand Canyon and she will collaborate with other presbyteries, synods, and General Assembly offices to initiate conversations and facilitate ministries that transform Native American congregations into vital and healthy churches. A 1996 graduate of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Martha taught for thirteen years in the public school system as an elementary teacher prior to her ordination to the ministry in 1997. She was a member of the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church, and has preached at General Assembly and the Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women in Louisville, as well as being a keynoter for the National Evangelism Conference. Martha also served as program coordinator for Cook Native American Ministries in Tempe, Ariz., and as the Native American stewardship consultant with the Synod of the Southwest. She says, “My sense of call has been one of ‘bridge builder,’ which has given me many opportunities to share the story of Native Americans within the PC(USA).”
Theological Context
The Church of Jesus Christ is built on the universal love of God and its power to transform people of every race, culture and class into a community living together as the Household of God. If the church honestly recognizes the gift of Christ as a cherished possession and genuinely manifests that gift in joyful celebration, then it will naturally be a gift to all people. This is the essence of the message in both the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-18).
Historical Context
The Congregational Enhancement offices were created as part of the 1986 Structural Design for Mission to ensure that the PC(USA) would become a racially inclusive and just denomination by means of enhancing racial ethnic congregations. The specific circumstances were the reunion of the two previous denominations in which the racial ethnic membership was in jeopardy of serious decline and congregations needed strengthening in order to produce a vital racial ethnic witness and leadership.
The Native American Congregational Support Office and the Native American Consulting Committee (NACC) work collaboratively on issues related to Native American Ministries.
The Native American Congregational Support is available to assist synods and presbyteries, congregations and others in developing a partnership for new ministry with Native Americans.
On this website you'll find various synods and presbyteries, ministries and committees, related institutions, resources and events related to Native Americans.