Friday, May 16, 2008

Appalachia/environment discussion



Participants:
Ada Asenjo
Becca Barnes-Davies
Stew Bridgman, Sr.
Katherine Futrell
Barbara Hedspeth
Luke Hemming
Amy Linfield
Ken Linfield
Mary Love
Andrea Trautwein

The Appalachia/Environment discussion began with sharing information about the Appalachia region, the impact of mountaintop removal on the area and a review of the Stream Saver Bill. The group agreed that there needs to be constant pressure on the government, continually lobbying and writing to make these election issues.

We need to make a direct connection between MTR and the personal use of electricity. We need to educate ourselves and others regarding the consumption of power from a coal burning power plant. We hope to find a tangible measure of energy saving habits and then demonstrate that to the congregation (i.e.: switching to mini fluorescent light bulbs = saved energy = this much coal not used …). We need to find and use sustainable energy. We would like to have bulletin and newsletter updates about our church’s progress in its efforts to save.

We also discussed creating a program for children about saving energy and encourage them to motivate their parents and other adults.

-- Andrea Trautwein

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Farmers, farm workers, & food consumers conversation


Participants: Ana Lara, Marianne Booth, Jo Ella Holman, Jen Tamborski, Andrew Black, Jeff Gilbert, Stewart Bridgman, Stephen Bartlett (facilitator), Andrew Kang Bartlett (notetaker)

Stephen gave a brief history of recent and ongoing work that CHPC has been involved with:

1) Hosting of Coalition of Immokalee Workers and support of there advocacy efforts with fast food corporations
2) CHPC Community Garden – Summer Gardening Camp is in its 6th year this summer with 4 weeks of camp. All weeks are full for June. One participant came up with a “Our Garden Camp is a Growing Thing” phrase for a possible t-shirt. The need for an descriptive wood sign for the garden was mentioned.
3) A few CHPC folk are members of the Community Farm Alliance (CFA).
• CFA has started a farmers market at Victory Park in west Louisville, which needs support and involvement of volunteers.
• One challenge for them is getting more youth involved.
• CFA advocacy efforts include pushing Metro to in-act a buy local policy. The platform also includes asking for a subsidies program ($100K) to provide incentives to some of the 67 corner stores in west Louisville to stock fresh, healthy foods. They are also pushing for Metro money to create a Community Kitchen.
• This spurred conversation about the merits of having one big Community Kitchen or many smaller kitchens spread around the city and taking advantage of the facilities in existing churches and other institutions. We wondered whether United Crescent Hill Ministries might be one such place. We also thought it would make sense to consider upgrading the CHPC kitchen if remodeling is done on our buildings to certification standards for community kitchen purposes. Talk of cooking and nutrition classes.

Then, we went around the circle and introduced ourselves and spoke briefly about our interest and involvement in these issues – why we came to this breakout group.
• Jo Ella was a CFA member in North Carolina years ago and has been hearing about what CFA is trying to do in the West end.
• Jen is moving to Florida and wants to keep working in support of Committee of Immokalee Workers
• Andrew Black will be the Associate Director of Religious Live at Eckerd College and plans to bring these issues to the college
• Jeff talked about the need to think about local activities also as mission
• Lowell said something funny
• Andrew Kang Bartlett is also a member of CFA and works on these issues at work, so likes the idea of working on them here in Louisville
• Stewart worked on the organic garden at Warren Wilson College and has agarden in backyard
• Ana wants to do volunteer work and is interested in local, fresh foods
• Marianne is a avid new gardener and was THRILLED with her first tomatoes and likes sharing gardening with her grandchildren

Other Louisville initiatives include the farmers’-owned local local foods distribution business called Grasshopper at 18th and Main Street; growing new farmers, transitioning mostly former tobacco farmers to become direct marking farmers; and more people growing their own food in community gardens and at home.

There seemed to be most energy around linking with churches in the west end and supporting the Victory Park Farmers Market, the community kitchen idea, and also checking out Stephen’s new curriculum on this stuff.

We decided to stay in touch on these issues via email and others are welcome to get in on that loop. It was suggested to put a summary of our activities in the church newsletter and on the web site along with opportunities for people to become involved. Stephen said he would write up something describing opportunities, and an email list was circulated. Stephen invited people to volunteer for the Gardening Camp that takes place for four week-long sessions in June.

-- Andrew Kang Bartlett

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Presbyterian mission co-workers conversation


Present: Bob and Wanda Abrams, Larry Ann Bridgeman, Gail Bingham, Sally Pendleton, Bill Gee, Peter Kemmerle (scribe).

Most of the people present have had serious experience with PC(USA)’s mission sending work: Larry Ann and Stu Bridgeman were mission co-workers in Taiwan and in Bangladesh. Bob and Wanda were mission co-workers in India. Bill Gee worked for the General Assembly Council as a photographer, videographer, and video producer and has traveled the world photographing mission co-workers. Gail Bingham works with mission workers doing health ministries. Peter K was missionary in Brazil from 1989 to 1995 and since 1995 has worked for GAC helping mission workers tell their story.

Bob presents information about CHPC-related mission co-workers.

CHPC members who are mission co-workers: Jeff and Christi Boyd, Ruth Farrell, Tricia Lloyd Sidle (clergy member), Dorothy Hanson, John Strong, Bruce and Lora Whearty, Irene and Michael Sivalee, Nancy Collins. Bob says that that he has known Irene Sivalee since she was a “mish kid.”

It’s noted that the Furlough Home at LPTS has contributed greatly to the forging of links between mission workers and CHPC.

The question is: As a first step, “How can we enhance our relationship with our mission co-workers?” (The second step is implicit: “How can we prepare ourselves to be led and informed by our mission co-workers to become more deeply involved in servicing the needs of the world, with which the mission co-workers are more experienced and knowledgeable?”)

Bill Gee wants to know if we are still supporting the work that the Farrells were doing in Peru? Bob clarifies that funds for their ministry was not in our budget, but we’ve always sold the handicrafts made by the Peruvian artisans who Ruth worked with.

Gail explains that she works with the International Health Ministries Office of Presbyterian World Ministries. She suggests that we take advantage of email and write them encouraging emails—let them know that we care, that we’re interested, that we’re praying for them. During our correspondence we shouldn’t make too many demands. We should write regularly but briefly. Gail has talked to many mission workers who have told her how much they appreciate their service. She cautions against offering to send equipment, which can be costly and be more work and expense than its worth.

Sally suggests that we provide a link from the CHPC Web site to the missionconnections Web site, which is at www.pcusa.org/missionconnections.

Wanda remembers the days in the 1950s when women used to send birthday greetings to the missionaries and their children. This ministry seemed to be well appreciated by the missionaries and their families. Birthdays of all mission workers and their children are available on the Web at the Mission Connections site.

Larry Ann recalls how grateful she was when she’d get a magazine that someone would send. She recalls one time she was home alone with nothing to read and had to take to reading cereal boxes.

Peter K recalls how encouraging it was when people wrote to him and showed genuine interest in what he was doing.

Bill Gee wonders about the new way the denomination seems to be putting in place of funding missionaries, that is, requiring missionaries to be much more involved in the raising of funds? How does that effect us? Bob says it’s unfortunate that missionaries are now having to be more active in raising funds. Bob regrets that the old culture is gone and now missionaries have to plead for money.

Bill suggests that maybe we should give more money.

Larry Ann cautions against this because it can favor missionaries who are good speakers and not necessarily good mission workers.

Bob praises the Mission Connections Web site, says it’s by far the best resource for finding out who is doing what where.

Sally suggests that an effective way to help would be simple to ask straightforwardly of the missionaries, ”What would you like from us?”

Bob cautions that we shouldn’t expect immediate or detailed replies to our inquiries because sometimes missionaries are too busy to write detailed responses to everyone who writes them.

Peter K shares how important it is for missionaries to have the chance to tell their story, to share the burden of being a witness to poverty and oppression.

Sally lived in the Philippines. Her dad was in the State Department. She lived in Manila. She recounts to us what a a great time she had sharing with Mary Nebelsick (PC(USA) missionary in Philippines) over Christmas.

Wanda says that the Whearty girls will need household utensils this year because they’ll be living together in an apartment while their parents are serving in Ethiopia. We should keep in touch with them to let them know that we’re still their part of their community. This will ease the Wheartys’ minds.

-- Peter Kemmerle

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Louisville/Kentuckiana mission conversation


Izzy [Jones] gave some information on what CHPC is already doing.

Presbyterian Community Center
• CHPC serves meals at the Kids Café the third Tuesday of each month.
• PCC needs more tutors.

United Crescent Hill Ministries
• One Monday per month during the school year a group serves a meal.
• UCHM also has a senior program.

Habitat for Humanity
• One Friday and Saturday a month, three people each day are needed to volunteer.
• Sometimes difficult to find volunteers. Maybe this is not what we should be doing now.
• May 16 and 17, CHPC taking lunch to those working on the house.
• The old guys really know what they are doing.
• Habitat for Humanity gives lessons on how to handle money.
• Houses are not given to people.

Other
• CHPC sells fair-trade coffee.
• CHPC Mother’s Day cards.


Comments and Suggestions from the Group

• We need to hear more about organizations (PCC, UCHM, and Habitat).
o Have directors come to CHPC and discuss what is going on, and what they are doing.
o Give directors sermon time.
o Will get best audience if directors speak during service rather than afterwards.
• Move beyond organizations and build relationships.
o Maybe partnership with another faith community – maybe from South Louisville.
o Do this as a congregation and/or one on one.
• Meals.
• Involved with Cottage Suppers.
• Work together on local mission.
• Work together on local social justice issues (new munitions depot).
• Joint worship service a couple of times a year.
• Once at CHPC.
• Once at other congregation’s worship space.
• Or at a neutral location (such as the zoo).
o Maybe joint service with the congregation worshiping in our building Sunday evenings.
• Don’t want all CHPC members to just show up one Sunday evening and scare the other congregation.
• Maybe joint dinner with the other congregation followed by attending the worship service.
o We don’t know what fruits will be born from building relationships.
o Find out what other churches associated with UCHM are dong and attach ourselves to their mission projects.
o Make sure to involve children and youth in such activities.
o Talk with presbytery to see if they have model for churches in partnership.
o Talk with Kentucky Association of Churches for model of churches in partnership.
o Talk with CHPC members who work at other united ministries about possible church connections.
o Members of St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church were in Washington, D.C. lobbying and joined up with CHPC people there. Worked well together.
o When looking for partnership, do we want to stay within the “church” [within Protestant denominations or Christian faith] or go outside?

-- Dave Bush

Friday, April 11, 2008

CHPC Mission Co-Workers


Furlough Home (pictured above), Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and the Presbyterian Center have been sources for Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church relationships with mission co-workers. When people arrive in Louisville on assignment, CHPC members in the Center invite them to attend worship, which has then developed into a more lasting relationship. In addition to prayer support,

CHPC sends annual financial support to each person.

Several co-workers are members of CHPC: Christi, Jeff, Matthias, Salome and Naomi Boyd; Hunter (clergy member), Ruth, Ndaya, Billie and Andrew Farrell; Dorothy Hanson; Tricia (clergy) Elena and Sam Lloyd-Sidle; John Strong; Bruce, Lora, Kinsey and Emily Whearty.

Christi and Jeff Boyd with their children Matthias, Salome and Naomi returned from the Congo and came to us from the Furlough Home. They transferred membership to CHPC and when they left for another term in Cameroon, CHPC shared support for them.

Rev. Tricia Lloyd-Sidle. Coordinator for Cuba, came from the Center. She, husband Phil, children Elena and Sam had served in Ecuador. Phil is now pastor of nearby James Lees Presbyterian Church and when Tricia was re-assigned as a mission co-worker to Cuba, part of her support came from CHPC.

John Strong was already a CHPC member when he married Kim who had been serving in China. Together, they serve as mission c-workers in Hong King with their son Ben.

Rev. Michael and Irene Sivalee, of Brazil came from the Furlough Home to CHPC when invited by former Brazil co-workers, Peter Kemmerle and Maria Arroyo. Irene is a "mish kid" whose parents served in Brazil. I had the privilege of working in campus ministry in Oxford, Ohio with her father during a furlough, when she was a little girl.

Nancy Collins and son Charles also came from the Furlough Home while preparing for another term in Egypt. Her work with CEOSS, the social outreach agency of our partner Coptic Evangelical Church, provides literacy training along with skill training and health care.

Ruth Farrell and husband ,Rev. Hunter, served in Peru after years in the Congo. Children Ndaya, Billie, and Andrew assisted with children's work in the Andes mountains. Ruth is now "missionary-in-residence" and Hunter has moved from mission co-worker to Director of World Mission.

Dorothy Hanson was on the Center staff when she began worshiping at CHPC. As a "mish kid" in Ethiopia she accepted a call to serve there again, as part of the PC USA effort to prevent the spread of AIDS.

Bruce and Lora Whearty, and their daughters Kinsey and Emily, came from a term in the South Pacific island of Vanuatu to the Furlough Home, and to CHPC. All have joined as church members, active in the choir, as Session members and committee members. Lora is missionary-in-residence at the Center while Bruce will soon complete an advanced degree in education. Both daughters are enrolled at the University of Louisville and will stay in Louisville while Bruce and Lora leave in August for a new assignment in Ethiopia.

(The "Presbyterian Mission Co-Workers from Our Congregation" link, to the right, i connected to the church Web page with pictures of most of these folks.)

We are grateful for the faithful witness and courageous work these servants of Christ provide to people in need of Christ's love in their lives. Thanks are also given to Peter Kemmerle and Maria Arroyo who completed service in Brazil and to Ben and Shannon Langley for their term of service in the Dominican Republic.

-- Bob Abrams

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Louisville/Kentuckiana (and elsewhere)


In our own town, Crescent Hill members and friends have helped build Presbyterian House (house currently under construction pictured above) each year for 8 or 9 years (with 12 other churches)! We work with the partner-families to put up the frames, put on the roof, nail up blue board, insulation, siding, doors, windows, painting, whatever job we're taught to do, we do our best....----and by the grace of God, Presbyterian House gets built each year and is dedicated and celebrated by the family who works so hard to buy and build it -- and by the people who help them. We work 1 or 2 weekends a month for about 4 months (as a church).

At the Presbyterian Community Center we do several different jobs. Two of us go to a liaison idea time at the center with other Pres churches to see how we can best be helpful. A group goes down on 3rd Tues. to serve Kids' Cafe to any children who come in from the community--about 60-80 children (or sometimes even more) each time. We've been doing this for 5-6 years. Others of us work as tutors to the children and still others work to help neighborhood families do their tax returns.

At United Crescent Hill Area Ministries we serve Kids' Cafe dinners to a much smaller group of children on 1st Mon. of the month. Several of our members have served on the board Some have helped with the very active Senior Citizens group.

Some members of the church take the many warm coats, scarves, caps, gloves, and backpacks that we all bring to church, down to the Homeless Coalition.

One church member started a church garden (with the help of another member), on a plot in the back yard of the church and invites children (ages --to--) to come to Garden Camp. Children who wouldn't otherwise have opportunity to learn about growing one's own food, making meals, and canning salsa from it, are invited and transportation provided.

In our Gathering Room at the entrance to the sanctuary, we have a cabinet that holds many delicious coffees, teas, cocoas and cooking chocolate from Equal Exchange which we love to buy in aid of the Presbyterian Coffee project.

In the spring we sell the Mothers' Day cards from the Presbyterian Network program in order to buy treated mosquito nets for women and babies in Malawi to save their lives.

In the summer we love to bring our money to provide the funds for as many wells as we can for villages in Africa which so desperately need clean water.

We are very blessed to know and be close to the 9 mission co-partner families that are associated with our church. Their work is very important to us and we want to and try to be helpful where we can.

We have also been blessed to know the Immokolee Farm Workers and some church members have been to their work and living place in Florida. Then when they came here to Louisville to seek justice for the tomato pickers, we were able to have them come to our church to eat and sleep, and to worship together.

--Izzy Jones

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Farmers, farm workers, and eaters (us)


Long-term participation in and solidarity with alliances of farm workers, farmers, rural women's organizations, indigenous organizations and movements are for some the key to building a movement capable of creating that Other World to which so many aspire. (A protest at McDonald's by Committee of Immokalee Workers activists and supporters is pictured.) What are the challenges and joys of living into relationships of mutuality, long-term solidarity, and informed advocacy with and on behalf of those most directly impacted by structural economic injustices, racism, exploitation and oppression? How is a tomato consumed from the garden a link in the web of transformation we all pray for? What is God asking of us now?

-- Stephen Bartlett

Monday, March 17, 2008

Guatemala


Crescent Hill began connecting with folks in Guatemala in earnest a couple of years ago, when Pastor Jane Larsen-Wigger returned for a visit and Pastor Carlos Lara Gabb came to preach and pastor us for several months. Last summer a group of 19 Crescent Hill folks visited an Eastern Guatemala area on the shores of the country’s largest lake, Lago Izabal, where most folks speak an indigenous Mayan language, K’ekchi. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) mission folks helped connect us with folks in a group of six congregations that were part of the PC(USA)’s partner Evangelical Presbyterian denomination there. We helped build cement floors in houses and led youth, women’s children’s, and elders’ and deacons’ workshops. (A group of children who intereacted with us in connection with one of our construction projects is pictured above.

Guatemala is one of the poorer, more dangerous countries in Latin America, with water we couldn’t drink, machine gun-toting security guards, and a history of inequality, civil war, and military rule. The country also features a vibrant, growing Protestant culture, with hospitality, joyous worship, and a yearning for greater scriptural literacy and theological depth.

We left with an idea of building a longer-term partnership, but mediocre relationships between the PC(USA) and the Evangelical Presbyterian church in Guatemala, low budgets, and other pressing demands have us wondering whether it’s something that we can pursue. The PC(USA) Guatemala Mission Network next meets in Guatemala City in November, and we have considered sending some folks to that meeting with hopes that they can connect with Izabal area folks either in Guatemala City or back in El Estor.

Communication remains a serious challenge. Some of us speak Spanish but others don’t. None of us speak Kek’chi. The mail service we’re told is not trustworthy. Although everyone has cell phones there we haven’t established phone contact. And although we’ve gotten an e-mail address for one person, that person would have to go to the Internet café regularly (and be able to afford to do so)

These were a very hospitable group of people who I personally would love for us to build deeper relationships with. Guatemala is such a rich country and yet such a poor country, only five or so hours flying time away, and we have a chance to work with folks with growing congregations who don’t see North Americans all the time. In addition to consulting with Izabal Presbyterians (not an easy task), however, we would need more people interested, perhaps with more time and money, and/or some financial investment by the church as a whole in this.

-- Perry Chang

Appalachia/Eastern Kentucky/environmental justice


Following the summer of Pastor Jane Wigger's sabbatical in which we heard music, teaching, and preaching on Appalachia, adults and youth from Crescent Hill participated in two environmental education tours of Eastern Kentucky. We met local residents such as Sam Gilbert who told us about his battle to preserve his land from the encroachment of mountaintop removal mining. We viewed a film about the sludge pond disaster that contaminated all the water in the Big Sandy river basin and learned of advocacy efforts by Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. During the day, we hiked in pristine areas such as Lilley Cornett Woods which contains old growth forest and some of the greatest species diversity in the United States. At night, we joined residents for a bluegrass concert and square dance. On Sunday, we worshipped with folk at Isom Presbyterian Church.

Not long after our trip, some of us formed an environmental justice group to study ways in which we could be more environmentally responsible with our use of energy and natural resources. The energy we consume derives from coal, and thus, has a direct bearing on the lives of those we met in Appalachia whose wells have been contaminated and house foundations have cracked due to blasting from mountaintop removal.

As a church, we'd like to continue our dialogue about how we might partner with people in Appalachia--what we might learn and receive from people like Sam Gilbert, and what we might have to offer.

-- Leslie Townsend

One on ones: Going deeper


Outline for some of the presentation that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Community Ministry staff person Phil Tom (pictured to the left) made to the deacons, elders, and others and the activities he led on Wednesday, February 20:

Why do one-on-ones?
1. To build and deepen relationships
2. To uncover self-interests
3. To gain clarity about yourself
4. To gain some information about the other person

Respond to the following questions (20 minutes total - 2 minutes each):
1. Where did you grow up?
2. What challenges did you face?
3. What from your growing up impacts you now?
4. What led you to your current vocation?
5. How does your faith impact your vocation?

Doing one-one-ones is not doing counseling, but to build public relationships. Public relation information is never used for personal gain.

Go deeper II [we didn't get to this]
Spend another 30-45 minutes picking up "bits" from the first conversation.

So what is a "one-on-one" or "relatoinal" meeting?

It's a face-to-face conversation between two people for the explicit purpose of exploring and developing a relationship. Done well, it's a conversation grounded in passion, vision, stories, and self-interest, NOT in issues and programs. At the end of the day, the goal is to increase the power of the organization (congregation) by getting the person - who presumably has somethign to offer (passion, a following, etc.) - to join the collective.

Probing vs. prying

You don't do relationship meetings for chit-chat. Nor do you get into them with the goal of selling something - membership or affiliation with your organization. Intead, you're going after a person's core, their spirit. You want ti know what makes them tick. Your'e looking for the personal stories behind their public persona. When probing, the most radical thing you can do is to ask the person "Why?" "Why teach?" "Why do you do social justice work?" To reiterate, relational meetings are NOT an indiscriminate search for information. You're looking for something very specific - talent, passion, vision, and energy.

- Adapted from the Center for Community Change Fair Immigration Movement's "Ten Rules for On-on-Ones/Relational Meetings"

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Next steps


What did I like most about the Epiphany celebration on January 6th, a great breakfast event that focused on mission in partnership? I’d say – the connections we made about the kind of relationships we want to have. In various ways, we said that what we want for our relationships in our own homes and church, we also want for our relationships with people in other places such as Smoketown, Appalachia and Guatemala.

The marks of good relationships are nicely distilled in a pamphlet called “Presbyterians Do Mission in Partnership,” and they include: “shared grace and thanksgiving, mutuality and interdependence, recognition and respect, open dialogue and transparency, and the sharing of resources.”

At the beginning of our Epiphany event I talked some about why there is so much interest in partnership. Good reasons include:

A. Respect for what God does in lives other than our own
Faith in Jesus Christ reveals to us that we are “co-heirs” of God’s grace, none of us having earned it, and all of us gifted as members of “the body of Christ”.

B. Respect for the variety of contexts
In partnerships, we acknowledge that the people already in each place have a lead role because of their understanding, and because they will live with the results.

C. Hope for transformation, growth in discipleship and “new creation”
Being in a discipline of partnership helps keep our own culture from dominating, opening us to more rapid and profound work by the Holy Spirit and to unimaginable adventures.

D. Hope for an enduring, positive impact

No changes “take” unless embraced by and rooted in the persons who can make those changes endure. In partnership, one discerns what can become embraced and grounded.

Then we heard from Ben Langley, who shared moving reminiscences of his experiences in the Dominican Republic (DR) where he learned from his hosts and found himself transformed by that relationship. He was then better able to help other people enter into mission cooperation with the church in the DR.

About half of our time was in table conversation. The notes reveal insight and experience in how relationships can evolve to be the basis for the kinds of person-changing and world-changing we believe God has in mind. Words used repeatedly included: patience, perseverance and prayer; asking and listening; and humility and humor. Participants also emphasized being clear about one’s own expectations and motivations, staying in a learning mode about how different people express (or don’t) what they really want, building trust, and taking the time to share in what another’s life is (or working with people who have already done that).

Many said that long-term partnership relationships that acknowledge God’s love can “stretch” us, help us learn to ask and receive, and heal us, make us more whole.

The people who pulled this event together shared, I think, a sense that the mission involvements of CHPC members reveal a longing for this kind of conversation. The fact that 70-80 people participated just confirms that. The deep insights that surfaced that morning showed (and “epiphany” means “showing”!) that CHPC-ers have a longing for integrity that will “carry us a long way” on our journey with God. Please be part of the conversation about “next steps”!

-- Marian McClure

Epiphany celebration small-group discussion notes

First Discussion Question: Most of us have had the experience of thinking we knew someone well enough to know what he or she wanted, only to find out we were mistaken, and the potential for error is increased by differences of language, culture, and socio-economic status. In forming mission partnerships that involve such differences, what are some ways to foster a really mutual relationship of understanding and care?


Group 1: Ways to foster mutual relationships – listening; clarifying (intention to really want to know them), openness; not judging (assumptions), automatic responses – not necessarily helpful – need time to swallow and digest first (need patience); denial (want it to go differently – [must be] willing to let go of control; freedom to speak up and disagree; knowing [our] purpose is to work together; must want to work together – allow for differences in expectations (working in groups [?])

Group 2: What is imposed won’t endure. Do not create dependency – always need a degree of ownership and control [on the part] of the people being served; Even the people [closest to us] we don’t [really] know – we assume reactions and responses based on our [own] personalities. We assume we are the mean - Our frame of reference is to compare things to what we know; There is a sense of being uncomfortable because of others’] customs and expectations; Show that you are trying and are watching; Demonstrate [an interest in a] ministry of presence; Ask others what they need – they won’t [necessarily] initiate.

Group 3: Listening involves forming trust – Understand the meaning of love and respect in each culture; Understand the status and power differences already evident in other groups; Listen for evidence that others do or do want help/dialogue; Use lots of humor; Listen using respectful actions (“don’t mess with each other”); Acknowledge their [spoken] words – also [use/watch for] body language and expressions; [Ask:] Can we eat together? Understand . . . [eating] customs; Listen for what they need – Use humor – Look at eyebrows, hands, and pitch changes. People don’t always mean what they say – study others’ culture

Group 4: Immerse yourself in learning culture and language; Recognize that we [at Crescent Hill; in the United States] are not with greater wisdom; Learn to listen/step back; Be sensitive to why we are there; [Stress -] learning [and] developing relationships; Put aside our feelings about how things need to be or [how things need to be] fixed; Recognize and understand the reasons why things are as they are; Avoid alienating partners you need by ignoring what they need; Place value on these relationships; Apply these values to other areas of your life; Can’t discount everything that was there before.

Group 5: Story about remote control cards (from Doug Yeager); Come to the table and listen (listen to see if your ideas get any traction); Careful balance of putting things on the table and letting someone else pick things up [or not?]; If we’re coming from different experiences, you also have to give input (sewing machine story); Another story: no electrical infrastructure to support cooking items given to coop in Mexico; Other stories (redecorating – gang issues – color choices) (coats children – couldn’t wear) – Must do research; (Holly) didn’t think decorating was important, but kids convinced her of its importance; Easy to get stuck in cross-cultural communication – bring in ideas as suggestions; We must be giving from our perspective.

Group 6: [Be] patient, waiting – Ideas [may] ripen, whereas our culture tends to rush; Concentration of work in mission – Don’t spread ourselves too thin because there’s so much complexity; Don’t assume we see the priorities of “recipients,” and make sure they are in the leadership and on their way to becoming the givers, not the recipients; Use what already in you [?]; Let distant mission enlighten you about what needs to be done in your own community; Remember that some people have great trouble accepting assistance, but really do need help; Learning to ask for help may be a key in mission.

Group 7: We need to be listening … for differences. Observing is a way around this; Don’t take the lead – small steps could be a contribution; It’s the type of mind[set] to listen (with a “humble” mind); Listening takes time; Ask what they need; Have a spiritual openness” – so that going to minister we may be ministered to; Get to the root of the problem – Don’t just address symptoms; Developing trust – takes time; See people as people, not as problems.

Group 8: [We] desire to be helpful but [sometimes take] wrong actions (for example, donating tuxedos to a clothes closet; designated giving to low priorities; donating junk that no one can use). Most Western countries want to “do”; most Eastern folks want relationships first and activity second (exactly the reverse of Western culture); building relationships is paramount. Working in partnership is more time-consuming than just “doing something,” and so we get frustrated at the lack of progress. Shot-term [mission tripping] is inferior because there is little opportunity to get to know people. Individual or small-group travel – preferable – because large groups are too constricting and too intimidating for the partner.

Group 9: What are ways of fostering understanding? Try to learn as much as possible first (have to have deep knowledge); Ask first: Is this something we should be doing? Make a friend you can trust; Hang out with ears open and mouth shut – absorbing culture; Find a mentor who is trusted by the community – this person can be your gatekeeper; Joint decision-making (not just accepting a suggestion from the most powerful community member); Must “park” pre-conceived notions; Have patience – Recognize others’ sense of time; Persevere in relationships (try to focus on long-term relationships); Include follow-up in planning; How do we focus on true transformation? Real transformation takes time, sometimes many missions, or many decades – It’s hard to overcome our habits and our inertia; Look at mission as a journey, not a one-hit wonder, not a “trip”; Give ideas of how to extend commitment and how to continue the journey
Second Discussion Question: You may be able to imagine someone, somewhere buying a Christmas present for, say, a spouse or a sibling that you think they probably will like, but it is really something you want. It is very important to be aware of one’s motivations. What are your motivations for ‘doing mission’? What do you think you will get out of it? More broadly, how do you think this congregation will benefit?


Group 1: Seeing others is our suffering too; To alleviate suffering is to alleviate our own suffering; Seems futile [to attack suffering] and easy to give up; The causes of suffering are embedded in structures even bigger than we are; Don’t deny our own aggression (sports arenas are cultural phenomena); People want to believe in things (for example, British soccer fans [?]);

Group 2: Our perspective changed in a way we didn’t expect; What has been very helpful: Having other come to us (Immokalee workers; Soila) [Not to make lists of the differences between us, but what unites us - the love of God)

Group 3: Wanting to know people and know them better; Learn differences; [Make] friends in a community; Keeps us humble to what’s out there; Adjust expectations – set up for disappointment; Like the spontaneous, unexpected learning and joy; Deal directly in relationships, not “through” someone; Building trust to lay the foundation for joy; Leads us from talking to doing and learning; Validating our reason for being; Helps us discover internal motivations;

Group 4: Reward-oriented society – sometimes [there] is no personal reward; Know others well enough to know what they want or need – this is very hard and can make mission efforts go wrong; Are you listening – really listening? [One doesn’t] always get a thank you; Finding the role of prayer in this; Pray to show us the way; Taking us out of our comfort zone; Our congregation does a lot in this area – creates comfort; Recognizing that this may be intimidating to “newer” people; Recognizing each others’ passions and supporting them instead of trying to recruit them (?); Can’t rest on what we have already done; Heightened awareness; Mission creates greater wholeness in a fragmented society and expands out of our comfort area.

Group 5: Building relationships – giving/receiving; Being present/listening; (Sharing (?)) hopes and dreams; Foster child – who had been in institutions for past 2 ½ of his 5 years. Very violent, self-destructive, impulsive child. Everyone had ideas. Day program at Caritas kicked him out – School wouldn’t take him either. They therefore had him 24 hours a day. He liked computer games. Beth sat by him on another computer hour after hour and that was what he needed. After eight weeks with Beth constantly there – same person; same place – He could go into school. She had to be where he was. They needed to have hope and notice little signals. They could tell he was listening. Stopped and spent time building a relationship – That was what mattered. Being with someone, to learn what was wanted/needed.

Group 6: Share love of Christ – share/receive; accompaniment/solidarity – agricultural mission (Dan Bliss – melt needs of the world); Appreciation of universal human experience – “Washington bubble” – example of disconnect from those one serves – Christ love – antidote; Connection between someone and “others” – find similarities as examples of universalities; Missions – being open to the surprise of God; Missions – healing the worker/receiving from God; Change of venue/atmosphere/change “time” paradigm – open to healing by going from U.S. time – to “garden” or “Appalachian” time; Benefits – learn to view time differently; Learning to let people help; Example: Tuesdays with Maury – example that at end of life – total dependence allows us to receive/know the love and care of those around him/us. Proposed summary: Mission= Sharing time with others – receiving/sharing true communication; changing our view of time – open to receiving from the one who loves us enough to give us each other.

Group 7: We want to share the things we have, things we can do; It’s been our tradition - we have a history of mission; We want to be of service; We need to be aware of our motivations; It makes it [church?]a more welcoming place people want to be among others.

Group 8: Building relationships – not a new concept (Egyptian retreat center – 1960s [?]); Have eyes opened – see others and myself more clearly; Tension between/balance of activity/relationship-building; How to sustain relationship beyond a short-term mission trip? Establish relationships with others who are engaged and participate in a mission network; Look for individual opportunities as well as more group efforts to extend relationships.

Group 9: Keeping us grounded; giving us perspectives on materialism and distractions from spirituality in our culture; How do we incorporate our learnings from mission into our own lives? There are many opportunities – how do we rein ourselves in and choose where we put our emphasis? The ongoing relationship will continue to give to us [?]; My personal call may be somewhere else; how do we support mission without having the time or financial resources?; We need to remember the power of prayer; Offer several options for people to choose from – join a limited number of missions; narrow the focus; Write a check! If you have no money, write a letter! Knit a hat to give away; Avoid giving people a guilty conscience; Mission strengths our faith; Mission gives us a way to say “thank you” for all we have received.