Linda Valentine

Royal Treatment in the Queen City

Although it has been some time since I last visited Charlotte, N.C., I’m clear on one thing.  Based on the encounters I enjoyed earlier this week, I certainly intend to return!

My N.C. travels actually began on Monday in the small, Piedmont town of Stoneville, where I had an opportunity to take part in a retreat attended by all of the executive presbyters representing the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic and synod executive, David McKee.  It was an informal and relaxing time of worship and community, during which time I was invited to lead a conversation on the considerable challenges that we are all facing as well as to celebrate the Good News of Christ’s church. The St. Francis Springs Prayer Center, although secluded, was warm and welcoming, the perfect setting for a lively dialogue among these dedicated partners in ministry on how we can best support and resource each other as we work though the financial, programmatic, organizational, and polity challenges that affect each – and all – of us.  As I travel and regularly invite conversation on what the church most needs from the national offices, I continue to be encouraged by the new models for collaboration and mutually supportive ministry that consistently emerge.

From Stoneville, Sam Roberson, General Presbyter/Stated Clerk for Charlotte Presbytery drove me on Tuesday to the “Queen City,” where I was introduced to Charlotte’s vitality and hospitality.  On Wednesday, my day began with a gathering of about 15 pastors and elders held at the Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, which set a Good News tone with the bustling activity of its very active pre-school program.  Good Shepherd’s pastor, the Rev. Dr. Robert Austell, is also Charlotte Presbytery’s current moderator.  I was grateful for the perspectives shared by this faithful group.

At the lunch hour, I sat down to an excellent meal hosted by Charlotte Presbytery with all of its remarkably gifted staff members. In addition to addressing together a wealth of topics and issues, we celebrated the presbytery’s recent 20th anniversary commemoration held at Johnson C. Smith University Chapel on February 14, 2009.  This is a presbytery deeply engaged in the work of compassion, peace, justice, leadership development, new church development, church transformation, Latino ministries, and so much more.

In the afternoon, I was hosted at Myers Park Presbyterian Church by Steve Eason, pastor/head of staff, where another gathering of 15 or so pastors shared their impressions of the General Assembly Council while lifting up some excellent recommendations as to how the GAC could become an even better catalyst in connecting people across Christ’s church.

Leaving for the airport, I gave thanks to God for such vital witnesses to the reality that the church is alive!

Developing Presbyterian Leaders for Today and Tomorrow

At yesterday's meeting of the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, my colleague, the Rev. Marcia Clark Myers, director of the PC(USA) Office of Vocation, provided an outstanding overview of the challenges and realities of leadership development in the PC(USA) of today and tomorrow.  Her presentation, which can be viewed on line, has already opened up a lively dialogue on Twitter and among bloggers.  I hope that you will read about where we are as a denomination and join the conversation.

John Calvin: His Life and Legacy

Our church in Chicago has wonderful young adults who serve as youth leaders, and in many cases become friends of us in the parent generation. One came to mind last night, with whom we have a running joke. As she heads off with her friends, or our teens, we often joke that we are heading home to drink Ovaltine and watch the History Channel, neither of which we do, but you get the image. Last night we sat down to watch a DVD and the machine jammed. “Do you have a DVD that you know works? We’ll see if it’s the machine or the DVD,” asked my problem solving husband. I pulled out one that Joe Small of our Office of Theology & Worship has recently given me and the first few minutes of which I had watched: John Calvin: His Life and Legacy*. It did indeed work and there we sat for the next hour fascinated by this beautifully produced documentary, listening to a dozen or so pastors and scholars, several of whom are friends or familiar faces, talking about Calvin’s life and words and work. Visually interesting, many of the parts were filmed in Geneva, Switzerland.  What a remarkable and wonderful tradition Calvin set for us, and as this story reminds us, how meaningful it is for us today. I commend it to you, for private viewing, or church school study. Sit with the drink of your choice and enjoy it! I plan to watch it again, as I'm sure I'll notice things I missed on my first time through.

*John Calvin: His Life and Legacy comes with a study guide and Power Point supplement, the case says.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I have a special interest in Valentine’s Day, as might come as no surprise. A few months over twenty-five years ago, I married my first true love and along with a wonderful man came a delightful name. As we left our wedding reception in Pasadena, California in July 1983, the guests threw not rice but those little candy conversation hearts, a treat orchestrated by a friend and work colleague there who now all these years, and for each of us many cities later, lives less than a half mile from me in Louisville, Kentucky. Such is the power of friendship that she and her family, including one of my favorite people, her mother Margaret, took me in and hosted me for five months when I first moved here, and have been generous, loving and frequent companions now that we live close together.

As for our family, we play up the Valentine theme, sending Valentines rather than Christmas cards, complete with the family letter like those we receive from many friends at Christmas time. Many years we have a party, or sometimes two.  On the day before Valentine’s Day this year, we had heart shaped cookies in the cafeteria at the Presbyterian Center. I love to see colleagues greeting one another, relaxing and laughing as we all take a short break and enjoy each other’s company. Valentine’s Day is a great excuse for special words and gestures of friendship and love. Happy Valentine’s Day – or as we often quip in our family – let every day be Valentine’s Day.

Spirit-Filled Encounters in Atlanta

Last Friday, I had just flown in from Atlanta where we had a wonderful and inspiring series of meetings with Ed Albright, executive presbyter and stated clerk for the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, his presbytery staff colleagues, pastors of established churches and emerging ones, the Korean Community Church - see the church's Website for a photo of our visit, and a recent Presbyterian News Service feature for a related story - Calvin Center camp, and the former and future Moderator. Tired though I was, I joined 13 new mission workers who have just completed their 3 weeks of orientation and preparation before being sent out around the world. Tired as they must have been after so much information and experience, they were energized and so, too, was I. I must say, we do prepare our mission workers well. They commented about that, too. 
  
They had begun in Toronto with the Canadian Churches’ Forum for an ecumenical component.  With mission workers from several Canadian denominations, they reflected on Biblical, historical and contemporary perspectives on mission, cross-cultural skills, interfaith relations, regional and global issues, and much more—all within an interactive learning process that included visits to various cultural and faith groups within the multicultural setting of Toronto.

Then they came to Louisville for another week, learning about our Presbyterian mission and missiology, policies and the resources that support them. One described having several dozen people in the room, all members of the GAC staff, who support our World Mission work and workers.  "It was like the Verizon commercial,” she said. “There I was and I could wave my arm and say with confidence, 'these are my people.' I feel so well supported." This spirited woman from Blackhawk Presbytery, Brenda Harcourt, who had been in mission service a number of years before, has been newly assigned to do lay and clergy training with the Evangelism department of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa.
 
In our many interactions together and in hearing the nature of the many assignments that our mission workers were about to undertake, I now see them more clearly as those critical connectors who engage us U.S. Presbyterians with our work in the wider world.  Through their work and witness, we expand our support of our partners as well as make the engagement of those in the United States for more effective and meaningful mission, connecting as we do with longstanding relationships, cultural understanding and ongoing presence as we walk alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. It had been a long week, but thanks to such Spirit-filled encounters, I left with renewed energy.

Inauguration Week

Everyone, it seems, has their inauguration story!

Mine began on Inauguration Day, of course, with the early morning television and radio stories; actually, it seemed that the stories had already been going on for days! Then at 11:00 a.m., I joined our many colleagues at the Presbyterian Center in the cafeteria where we had set up a television, as we also did in the Atrium and in conference rooms around the building. There we shared in the excitement of those on the Mall and watching all over the country. We sang, stood up, clapped and shared in the hope and energy of those on the Mall, though we were much warmer.

Both while we were gathered - and also via e-mail - I heard many favorable comments on the full-page ad that Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) took out in the January 18, 2009 special Inauguration issue of the New York Times Sunday Magazine. The ad, with its focus on PDA's providing financial, spiritual, and volunteer assistance in the Gulf, brought both a visible witness to Jesus Christ and a bold invitation to join our relief efforts.

That evening I flew to Washington D.C. and joined Bruce Reyes Chow (at right), Moderator of the   218th General Assembly, and Gradye Parsons (at left), Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, and other religious leaders at the Fifty Sixth Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service at National Cathedral. We had front row seats in the transept, looking right at the Obamas, Bidens, Clintons, and behind them rows of congressional and other national leaders, as well as at the 20 clergy who were participants in the service. While waiting for the service to begin, we had the chance to speak with many of our friends and colleagues from other denominations, Jewish and Catholic leaders.

How fitting that our new President and Vice President would begin their service in worship. And glorious worship it was. The National Cathedral is a beautiful, soaring worship space. The voices of choirs rose to fill the cathedral. Worship participants included The Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), who delivered a compelling sermon, speaking directly to the President with a message that resonated with us all. Jewish Rabbis, Bishops, Greek Orthodox and Episcopalian Primates, President of the Islamic Society of North America, Hindu Temple Society, Pastors, and other leaders also led worship.

The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, gave the closing prayer, drawn in part from Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865:

On this radiant day we give thanks to you, O God, For the freedom to gather united in prayer.

Strengthen and sustain Barack, our President, that in the days to come he may lead your people with confidence and compassion.

Grant patience and perseverance to the people of this Nation. With malice toward none, with charity for all, may we strive to finish the work you have given us to do that we may achieve a just and lasting peace.

In this time of new beginnings, new ventures and new visions, light in us the fire of justice, and the passion for forgiveness.

Give us the strength to hold fast to what is good that we may go forth renewed and committed to make hope a reality Amen.

Africa Trip 2008 - Muputo, Mozambique (continued)

It has been a joy to be with our mission workers for several days here in Maputo. They connect and engage us with partner churches and provide helpful interpretation of issues and dynamics based on years of experience living and working in the region. They rarely walk alone, as people from all over Africa seek them out to engage in conversation and fellowship. The respect and friendships that they have developed are evident in their many encounters. As PC(USA) mission worker, Ted Wright, said, “If Presbyterians in the States could see how much the PC(USA) is appreciated here in Africa they would be amazed.” With me are:

Ted and Sue Wright, regional liaisons for East and Central Africa, from Zambia;
Frank Dimmock, Africa Health Liaison, from Lesotho;
Jeff Boyd, regional liaison for Central Africa, from Cameroon (who has also been speaker and on the writing team for health issues);
Janet Guyer, HIV/AIDS coordinator, from South Africa;
Phyllis Byrd, who although working officially with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa also relates to a number of other organizations.  She also serves as coordinator for the Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) site in Kenya;

YAVs: Leslie Fuller, Shelvis Smith-Mather and Blair Moorhead, a YAV from last year's group, 2007-2008 academic year, for whom the AACC requested that her time be extended, since she has been so vital in the organization of the AACC gathering.  (Read her most recent letter.)

During our layover in Johannesburg on the way back home, we went out for dinner and had the delight of celebrating the 4 year old birthday of happy and adorable Jack Dimmock, along with three of his seven siblings, his parents Frank and Nancy, and new mission workers from Malawi, Paul and Darlene Heller - more fellowship and inspiring stories of our mission workers witnessing to Christ’s love in the world.

AACC General Assembly:

The All Africa Conference of Churches General Assembly takes place every 5 years, bringing together church and faith leaders from all over the continent, joined by partners like the Presbyterian Church (USA), European mission agencies, the World Council of Churches and World Alliance of Reformed Churches, although the Africans are by far in the majority here.

The theme of the Assembly is “Africa, Step Forth in Faith.”  Rt. Rev. Dr. Nyansako-ni-Nku, President (and moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Cameroon), and Rev. Dr. H. Mvume Dandala, General Secretary, describe the theme as “a ringing call to the Church to assist Africa more determinedly to reverse the misfortunes of the past and move forward to a bright future that God has in store for Africa. We therefore meet here in faith and in a spirit of hope.”

That spirit indeed was present, even as harsh and often horrible realities were confronted in presentations, workshops, reports and resolutions covering a range of topics critical to the continent of Africa, including HIV/AIDs; gender equity and women as agents of peace, reconciliation and development; moving from political liberation to economic liberation; Zimbabwe; the environment; youth; urban mission and human rights. Hearing the experience and perspectives of Africans on these issues is enlightening. There were frequent, ringing calls for the churches of Africa to step up, speak out and engage as active participants on these issues with individuals, communities, societies and governments in Africa, as well as with church partners on other continents.

In the opening speech, HE Lawrence Broleph, Minister of Information and Culture, brought on behalf of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, called for practical solutions to problems and for transparency and accountability by governments. Citizen participation is crucial, he emphasized, and the churches play a vital role, especially when they join together ecumenically to address matters of justice and peace, poverty and environment. These sentiments were voiced throughout the days of the assembly. More reports and pictures on the assembly can be found on the Website and on various blogs.

Worship:

Worship has been a highlight. Led by PC(USA) mission co-worker, Phyllis Byrd, who enlisted the help of Claudio Carvalhaes, a Brazilian professor at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, each day lifts up a theme important to the African continent. One particularly moving worship focused on violence against women.

All eyes were focused towards the front of the room, when from behind came the resonant voice of Shelvish Smith-Mather, a pastor and Young Adult Volunteer in Kenya. As he walked down the aisle singing sonorously, “There is a balm in Gilead,” voices joined in, first softly then rising in moving intensity.

Women of the Presbyterian Churches in Africa:

Four women who participated in last year’s Tumekutana women’s gathering in Kenya greeted us warmly. They are Beatrice Ngeh, Presbyerian Church of Cameroon; Veronica Murchi, Presbyterian Church of East Africa; Bridgett Eli Adzo Ben-Naimal, Presbyterian Church of Ghana; and Mercy Akapama, Presbyterian Church off Nigeria. Tumekutana was organized as a conference for women, sponsored by the PC(USA), that brought together women from our church partners from across the continent. Veronica spoke about - and I paraphrase here - how important that was for them:  “We didn’t know each other before. Now we pray for each other, and reach out to support each other. When we had trouble in Kenya last year, I could feel the other women pray for me. When trouble broke out in Congo, we reached out to women there. We started a project, called the Tabitha project, to provide feminine supplies to women in refugee camps. When I learned about this conference, I told women in other churches, and several of them are here because of that.” Tumekutana was transformational for these women leaders, and they are already making plans for the next one. Some of them plan to attend the 2009 Presbyterian Women’s Gathering in Louisville in July, to continue to deepen our relationships.

Africa Trip 2008 - Muputo, Mozambique, December 7

The opening of the 9th General Assembly of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC)included an address by the Mozambique President Armando Emilio Guebuza. Once a freedom fighter, he spoke about overcoming oppression and at the same time of the pervasive conditions of poverty in Africa. He spoke of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. The churches, he said, are partners in solutions. Intervention is needed in education, health, water, agriculture, income producing activities. He called upon the assembly to make churches major actors in defeating poverty.

I sat at dinner next to a second generation Presbyterian Church of Mozambique pastor and leader in the Mozambique Council of Churches. He described a program of the church to collect weapons from people. 600,000 weapons have been collected and will be made into a monument with the Isaiah passage: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks," (Isaiah 2:4).  Asked why the Mozambique flag still has an AK 47 on it, he displayed discomfort, saying that has been the subject of much discussion. The AK 47 is a symbol of freedom, of overthrowing oppression he explained, and the people are not ready to take that off of the flag. “Someday we will,” he said.

We don’t quite have the transportation figured out. After a long day and big dinner hosted by the President, with no bus in sight we took up the hearty invitation of His Eminence Seraphim Kykkotis Archbishop of Johannesburg and Pretoria of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.   He had enlisted the aid of a Mozambique pastor with a pick up truck to drive the 15 minutes back to our hotel. While he climbed in the front seat, we climbed in the back, along with a pastor from Zimbabwe. A bumpy, crouched down ride it was, but fascinating – and distressing – to hear about Zimbabwe.

The pastor said “life is just impossible, but somehow by the grace of God we still live.” Schools have been closed all year. Hospitals, too, are closed. Nurses on strike. The church has supplemented the pay of doctors and nurses to keep them working. Disease spreads, as does hunger. Especially cholera, with water supplies tainted. What is needed, he says is food aid and medicine. “Do you think of leaving the country?” we asked. “No, I represent the church, the source of hope. I can’t leave. I don’t even consider it,” he replied.

Africa Trip 2008 - Soweto Township, December 6

Soweto is a shortened name for South Western Townships. Soweto was the area in which blacks were forced to live during the oppressive apartheid regime, and to which they had been moved even long before from other parts of Johannesburg as it grew from a small mining town in the late 1800’s to a large city. Nowadays, the population ranges from 2.3 million (official estimate) to 4 million (local estimate, per Lonely Planet guidebook).

It was in Soweto that we visited some of the work of the Presbytery.

We were met on the premises of a school by Ms. Phindi Madonsela, coordinator of the Sinenhlanhla HIV/AIDS group. Phindi is simply an inspiration. Her testimony, which she eloquently and frankly tells, is compelling. Infected with HIV 12 years ago when she was raped by someone she knows, she is now a picture of energy and vitality. Recently she accomplished what had been a lifetime goal. She climbed Mt. Kilamanjaro. She spoke of her goal to her church and they supported her. With a guide, she made the climb in 6 days. She returned confident, feeling fit, and filled with forgiveness at the person who infected her. She tells her story to give confidence to others. One woman in the group also testified, saying before she found this group she was depressed and weak. Now, with the support of Phindi and the others, she has gained confidence and overcome guilt and stigma, is taking care of herself physically, engaged in her community and thanks God for each day. “Do I look sick?” she asked with a smile. No indeed. In addition to counseling and support, the women sew and make beaded items to sell. They also have a garden on the grounds of the school to grow healthy food, which they know is important for them and their families.

We then visited Rev. Tieho Letshelela at Lukholweni, Soweto, pastor of a church that also has on its grounds a facility for cancer patients to stay, and a school. This vibrant church is part of the Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa's Egoli Presbytery, which is in partnership with North Alabama Presbytery, where Warner Durnell is Presbytery executive. Pastor Tieho and a group from the presbytery recently visited North Alabama, and they are looking forward to having a group from there visit them in the near future. Speaking of the partnership, Rev. Tieho mentioned that they have experienced the power of congregations working together. The UPCSA’s priorities are HIV/AIDS, Evangelism and Stewardship.

Rev. Vusi Mkhungo, mission enabler for the Presbytery joined us, along with his wife Malinda. Malinda described one of their evangelism efforts. “We can’t stay within the walls of the church,” she explained. So, members of the church, with banners and flags, go out into the neighborhood. They visit the sick and the bereaved. People see them, observe their caring witness and very often will start coming to church. This reminds me of the line of the well known hymn: “They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love.”

We visited the Hector Pieterson museum, named for the 13 year old child killed in the June 16, 1976 uprising of students and young people. The picture of Hector being carried by a man with his distraught sister at the side is a famous, iconic image that captured the horror of police clashing with thousands of black students protesting the requirement that they be taught in the Afrikaans language. The museum chronicles the events leading up to the student uprising, the events of June 16, in which scores of children were killed by police, and the several days afterwards with pictures, videos and text descriptions. While we worked our way up the ramped hallways, the sounds of young people gathered in an auditorium listening to poetry performances by their own peers repeatedly burst through, with enthusiastic clapping and appreciative calls, providing a wonderful backdrop sound of affirmation and freedom of expression.

Lunch was in an open air restaurant run by an enterprising woman, who made a point of observing that she hires young people from the neighborhood to give them training and experience and to occupy them in productive work. We had a delicious meal and good fellowship.

Leaving the restaurant, we heard children singing “Happy Birthday to you . . . Hip Hip Hooray!” over and over again. It was an added treat to walk over and observe this cute and exuberant scene.

Africa Trip 2008 - Johannesburg, South Africa, December 5

The story of my deeply fulfilling and transformational journey to Africa is written - and continues to unfold - as of last Friday, December 5, when I began my travels with Doug Welch, PC(USA) area coordinator for Africa; Kathy Reeves, mission associate for Presbyterian Women; and PC(USA) mission worker, Doug Tilton, regional liaison, Southern Africa.

Friday, December 5

Staying here in Melville Manor, one of several lovely guest houses in Melville, a nearby Johannesburg suburb that includes a lively four block row of restaurants.

I have highlighted below key encounters and experiences with our partners in ministry here. 

Eddie Makue, General Secretary, South African Council of Churches [SACC]

The first topic mentioned by Mr. Makue was Zimbabwe, where conditions are dire and very much on the hearts and minds of their neighbors in South Africa. People are fleeing, and bringing with them cholera, which is taxing the health care systems of neighboring countries. Churches are critical sources for distributing humanitarian aid, as there is no legitimate government in power with which to work. Seed and fertilizer are among the aid being provided, to supply lasting sources of food.

 “How can we help?” we asked. His reply: (1) Pray; prayer is powerful. He knows this from his time in detention, when he felt the power of people praying for him. (2) Support relief efforts led by the churches in Zimbabwe. (3) Provide support for clergy so they will stay. (4) Support the Fellowship of Christian Councils in East and Southern Africa [FOCCISA], so that they can continue to provide support. (5) Provide humanitarian support, and he cited a Lutheran church provision of $1 M in aid.

Eddie expressed gratitude for the partnership of the Presbyterian Church (USA), particularly in seconding our mission co-worker Douglas Tilton, who has worked with SACC for ten years, and who now will move on to devote more attention to his role as regional liaison for Southern Africa. Doug has provided support in technology, communications and press, budget and policy matters.

He cited a number of areas for potential continuing partnership between the PC(USA) and the SACC. (1) Work on land and eviction issues. (2) Ethical code for investments, particularly with Benchmarks foundations. (3) Assistance with organic farming, supporting communities in agriculture. Currently Donegal and Northern New England Presbyteries are in partnership on these issues. There are a number of other efforts going on, and SACC would like to connect them better. (4) HIV/AIDs, currently supported by our mission co-worker Janet Guyer, Regional HIV/AIDS consultant for Southern Africa. As we heard in each of our other visits, HIV/AIDS is an overwhelming issue for the church and the society. (5) Theological education. SACC does not have much activity in theological education but sees a need for clergy training in economics, HIV/AIDS and advocacy.

SACC is an ecumenical fellowship of 27 denominations that played a leading role in facilitating the involvement of South African Christians in the struggle for national liberation, democracy and human rights. Bishop Desmond Tutu was once General Secretary of SACC.

Rev. Buyelwa Maringa, HIV/AIDS Coordinator for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa(EPCSA)

Rev. Maringa described to us the programs to educate clergy and members about HIV/AIDS in this denomination of approximately 60,000 members . She spoke of the critical importance of de-stigmatizing HIV, and of providing education and support. The moderator of the Presbytery also joined in this conversation. They expressed appreciation for the support that Janet Guyer provides.

Tom Coulter, Acting General Secretary, Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa

This denomination of approximately 180,000 members resulted from the union in 1999 of the predominantly white Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa and the Reformed Presbyterian Church in South Africa. Tom had provided us a list of topics for discussion that very much resembled a list that we would have compiled of issues facing the PC(USA). After trading descriptions of how our denominations are structured and undertake work, our conversation ranged widely through these topics that included: consensus decision making, state of the union of the two denominations, empowerment of presbyteries, human sexuality debates, acceptance of the manual of faith and order (like our Book of Order), partnerships and mission including financing, HIV/AIDS, reorientation of vision and mission of the denomination and creating an understating of implications of living in a changing world.

I look forward to recounting more highlights of my trip as Internet access allows.