June
17
“For the wonders that astound us, for the
truths that still confound us,
Most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.
“For the Fruit of All Creation,” Glory to God #36
These were among the words that opened
our day yesterday, words that have echoed through me since. If you are reading
this via my website (www.steveshussett.com)
and blog (www.steveshussett.blogspot.com
) you’ll see that they are entitled “be astonished, be astounded…” so you can
imagine those lyrics caught my eye. But this verse says so much about the life
of faith: God is doing wondrous things, if only we have eyes of the heart to
see. That does not mean, however, that we are cannot be perplexed, troubled, or
confused. But neither that confusion, nor powers and principalities, not even
death itself, have the last word; love has found us. For that, thanks be to God!
This morning we got to the heart of our
work in the Acronym Committee, and you’ll be pleased to know that the Presbyterian
Foundation is not lacking: FDN! But there was much more to learn that was far
more important. Since its establishment in 1799, the Presbyterian Foundation
has been a forward thinking ministry of the church. This continues to this day.
The portfolio managers who direct our investments does the same for Harvard,
Yale, and other major account holders. It was the Foundation that was used for
a “best practices” model regarding our Mission Responsibility through Investment
(MRTI) program, which makes sure that the companies we invest in follow the church’s
stance on justice issues.
Similarly, the “positive” or “transformational”
investments made into Palestinian-owned business through the action of the 2012
Assembly are cutting edge, and a model others are examining for use. Our committee
learned of the three-pronged approach the Foundation, on behalf of the PCUSA,
has taken in that region, in a way that can change the world. A divorced mother
of four has started a series of dress shops that have changed her life, a $3000
investment become $20,000 in profit as part of microfinance loans that have
leveraged a $250,000 investment into 4500,000. The Middle East has plenty of
sunshine, something we in eastern PA can sometimes covet, but technology is
needed to turn that solar into solar power; a $300,000 loan is doing just that.
Finally, education is such a key to peace, progress, and prosperity, and nearly
a million dollars has been raised in support of Palestinian schooling.
It is easy to say, “it’s the money,” but
my excitement with these initiatives is the same as that when I see these 1001 New
Worshiping Community efforts. It is vision, leadership, energy, commitment,
things that can and often do exist in our churches, but go untapped,
unrecognized. And look at what happens when that is identified and released!
Consider this a promotional announcement for the Committee on Ministry’s
Self-Assessment Process!
We also learned about Project:
Re-Generation, for repurposing church resources for new ministry, including buildings
and ministry that could be used in a better way.
Is your congregation wrestling with these issues?
- The upkeep of the building is creating a financial drain for your congregation.
- You love your church and have many memories, but not sure how to keep it going.
- The population has changed around you and you are uncertain of how to be relevant.
The
Presbyterian Foundation can help your congregation repurpose financially
burdensome church buildings into new opportunities for ministry.
We can help
open the door for your church regeneration.
Go to http://www.presbyterianfoundation.org/Our-Services/Project-Regeneration.aspx
to learn more!
We were informed that a governing principle
for the Foundation’s is something called the Lund Principle of 1952, from the
World Council of Churches meeting in Lund, Sweden. According to all-knowing
Wikipedia:
After "earnestly request[ing] our Churches to consider whether
they are doing all they ought to do to manifest the oneness of the people of
God", it continued: "Should not our Churches ask themselves whether
they are showing sufficient eagerness to enter into conversation with other
Churches, and whether they should not act together in all matters except those
in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately?"
This means that, instead of doing ecumenical things, Christians and
churches should try to do things ecumenically, in particular, to do things
together which are already a part of their normal life, i.e., to share a common
life.
In
these sometimes divisive times in which we find ourselves, this is a powerful
question: “Should not the Churches act together in all matters except those in
which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately?”
---------------------------------
Since
I turned fifty a year ago, I’ve been made aware of, and reminded of, my bucket
list. GA commissioner, reading ordination exams later this year, and now I can
cross off addressing a General Assembly committee as an overture advocate (I’ve
actually addressed a committee and the whole Assembly before, but this was a
more personal investment). (As I type this, I realize that I really need to get
a life….or a better bucket….)
Some
of you will have read the statement elsewhere on my blog or on Facebook, so for
now I will simply say I was glad for the positive comments I received from
colleagues in regard to my statement at the time, and subsequently from friends
and colleagues around the country, including folks in the Presbytery. The end
result was out of my hands, but I wanted to do the best I could in what I
could, on the Presbytery’s behalf and my own.
I
can tell you now that in committee, the overture was a little less than
successful. I wrote to my wife that it was “ca-rushed” (“crushed” was
inadequate), 69-0. There really isn’t a way to sugarcoat that. What I heard
from a number of folks is that, as we experienced in Lehigh, it is just such a
different way of thinking that unless one gives adequate time to it, it is hard
to wrap one’s head around it — and many of you gave it plenty of thought and
decided it wasn’t a good idea even then.
That
said, walking around with “Overture Advocate” ribbon, and sharing which
overture, has been one of the best experiences of my church life. To discover
how many people have read and agreed with it, and to learn this so spontaneously,
without any premeditation, to see the recognition on people’s faces, and then
to hear their stories and the reasons for their support, has touched me deeply.
--------------
A few quick hits before I collapse…again…
Got to see a little US World Cup action
yesterday, and then highlights this morning. Kept hearing them talk about
Bethlehem, so much so that I thought the guy who hit the game winner was from
Bethlehem! Turns out he was born in Germany, which is sort of close to
Bethlehem….in an intergalactic kind of way…. Then I saw all the people in front
of Steelstacks — and you can bet I’m going to try and catch a game there before
the US’s World Cup comes to an end.
Had a lovely experience of inter-presbytery
cooperation tonight, as Lehigh and Lackawanna had a joint dinner tonight with
commissioners and members of the presbyteries who were attending GA. Andiamo
had great food and great service, and if you are in Detroit it is well worth a
visit. From Lehigh we had Commissioners Jack Felch, Barbara Lucia, Chris
Dudley, and me, and Young Adult Advisory Delegate Chris Palmer, and guests RC
Smith, Rachel Shussett, Vince Stravino and his wife (sorry!), and Paul Lucia.
It was nice to catch up and have a leisurely time together.
Hasta Mañana, which is in about four minutes….sigh…
No comments:
Post a Comment