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.

Returning Thanks to God

This Thursday – Thanksgiving Day – is not an official entry on our liturgical calendar. Nevertheless, this is a significant holiday for Christians, as we humbly seek to give thanks to God for all of the countless blessings we have received.

Throughout this special season, as we celebrate, enjoy, and give thanks to God for God’s bounty, it is also appropriate to intone the refrain from Psalm 116, “What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?” In that very spirit, our Presbyterian Hunger Program through its Enough for Everyone ministry has resourced us with a wealth of alternative Thanksgiving ideas,which can help us to extend the love and fellowship of Christ both at – and beyond – our own dining room tables. Through activities such as worship, play, service to others, and advocacy initiatives, we can do justice, make a difference, and live faithfully, thereby truly returning thanks to God.

Wherever this Thanksgiving Day may find you, I pray that you will be sated both physically and spiritually in the One in whom we neither hunger nor thirst. May our prayers, praise, and actions on Thanksgiving Day – and every day – serve to raise a triumphant song of thanksgiving to God!

Celebrating 20 Years in the Presbyterian Center

20 years in the Presbyterian Center. Now that was something to celebrate. And we did – with worship, songs, greetings, honored guests and laughter.

On October 29, 1989, the Presbyterian Center was opened. Two industrial buildings with a railroad track running between them were transformed into the Center that has served us well for two decades and became an anchor for the transformation of the waterfront development in Louisville. Mayor Jerry Abramson (mayor then and mayor still) led an energetic contingent of Louisville religious and civic leaders to lure the Presbyterians to Louisville, and they still love to tell the colorful story. A number of the people who were instrumental in promoting Louisville were on hand for our celebration last week.

We began with worship in the chapel which was brimming with staff and guests, led by members of our Office of Theology, Worship and Education, and joined in by instrumental and vocal musicians, readers and a liturgical dancer. With familiar verses from 1 Peter as his primary text, Joe Small, in his sermon, “Built into a Spiritual House,” addressed our celebration not only of the anniversary of a physical building – but more importantly the mission and ministry it houses. Joe cautioned us that “we are most in danger of stumbling when we imagine that we are the builders” rather than God.  “We must give up the illusion that we are the architects,” he said, “but the raw material from which God builds the church.” Rhashell Hunter serving Communion was the picture of the event that appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal newspaper – a Good News story we like to share.

After worship we moved to the atrium, the large center area that joins the two once-separate buildings. The mayor brought greetings by video, happily recalling the civic effort and outcome for Louisville. Dot Ridings, a member of the Louisville delegation, recounted in colorful terms the joyful reaction by the Louisville team when the vote was taken at the General Assembly. Words of gratitude were shared, and Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, introduced and thanked our guests. I shared how the first time I came to the building with my husband, Chris, he looked at the pictures of the renovation that are on display in the cafeteria. He said “I know this building. I used to ship grass seed into here when I was in the seed business and it was the Belknap Hardware distribution facility.” Chris now tells people, “I used to ship seeds in, now Linda ships seeds out!”

The afternoon then moved to staff awards, our annual honoring of employees of the General Assembly Council (GAC), Office of the General Assembly (OGA), and the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program (PILP), who have served for 5, 10, 15, 20, and up to 40 years. This year we had fun with the awards. Our first class of honorees was the class of 1968. That year, young seminarian Curtis Kearns was added to the United Presbyterian Church of USA’s Committee on the Consultation on Church Union, in response to a directive calling on each denomination to add one young member.  Cliff Kirkpatrick began his service in the church that year. Thirty five years ago, colleague and friend Jay Hudson, President of PILP began his service as did Nohra Carrillo from Theology, Worship & Education, Joan Richardson from the Office of the General Assembly, and Perfecto Romero from Shared Services. For each 5 year class, two of our colleagues began introductions by mentioning things that had happened in the world and in the church and then read the names of the employees we celebrated. Considerable ad libbing and humor ensued, mixing with expressions of honor and gratitude. And, of course, we all rose to our feet to honor seven new retirees, as they set out on a new chapter in their respective vocational journeys.

With such a word and such a visible witness of hope, how can we help but “tell to all the joyful Gospel,” as our closing hymn proclaimed.  May it be so for each of us, for the next 20 years and always!

(*Photos courtesy of Jerry Van Marter and Evan Silverstein of the Presbyterian New Service)

Young Adult Volunteers in the Blogosphere!

On line, we are increasingly connected with one another in ways that are complex, unexpected, surprising and newly relational.  In this brave new world of social media, a multiplicity of connections is changing and enhancing the landscape of communication even in our most basic human relationships.

One group that is especially well represented on line is our PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs).  Across the miles, the Young Adult Volunteers’ blogs invite us to connect with them and know them personally, as we share in their experiences of mission, moving among God’s people as the hands, feet, eyes and ears of Christ.

Rock a baby with Rachel Brown, a YAV who is serving in Kenya, as she experiences hope and encounters God’s presence at the New Life Home for Children, an organization of homes for orphaned babies that gives first priority to those born with HIV/AIDS.  Learn why Vice Moderator Byron Wade calls the YAVs “the Bomb Diggety” in a recent blog entry.   

A great source of information on who YAVs are and what they do is the YAV website.  Included on that site is a list of YAV blogs – current and past – as well as a link to the Mission Connections website for newsletters. Or go directly to the list of YAV blogs. The World Mission ministry area of the General Assembly Council presently counts 17 international YAVs as writing blogs thus far.  Since their stories, hopes, and prayers are but a mouse click away, I hope you will join me on line in meeting, supporting, and praying for these faithful and joyful disciples of Christ!

A True Milestone

Our Presbyterian UN representative, Joel Hanisek, with whom I have just spent time in New York City, had shared with me that this week in the month of September marks a true milestone. We are now at the midpoint to 2015, the year in which the United Nations, governments of the world, and civil society have challenged us to reach eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS to providing universal primary education. These MDGs have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest. The United Nations 63rd General Assembly, which convened in New York last week brought renewed attention and commitments to reaching these goals.  On Monday night, a few hundred people gathered in the chapel of the Church Center for the United Nations for a service to call forth the urgency of addressing the issues of poverty, such as child and maternal health, that the Millennium Development Goals lift up. The Church Center building, where our own Presbyterian UN Office and many partner ecumenical and interfaith organizations are located, sits just across the street from UN Headquarters. It was surrounded by a buzz of diplomatic pomp and security that included street closures and barricades as well as the ubiquitous presence of cars with dark windows and guards with earphones who lined the sidewalks. In the midst of all this, the chapel of the Church Center for the United Nations was filled with song, candles, prayers and members of the faith, diplomatic, and NGO community at the UN who gathered to mark the importance of the MDGs and manifest their commitment to the work of making them happen. A banner with the words, "MDGs: Partners for Justice - We Said It. Let's Do it," was prominently displayed on the outside of the Church Center as challenge and encouragement to all the many leaders who passed through the halls and meeting rooms of the United Nations this past week. This service, the attention and work on the MDGs, and our continued presence at the UN are all ways that PC(USA) continues to bear witness in the midst of the community of nations to Christ’s call to reach out and serve the least among us.

I had been attending the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA meeting uptown at the Interchurch Center, which, too, houses many denominational and religious organization offices at 475 Riverside Drive. Discussing, deliberating and discerning issues of immigration, interfaith relations, eco-justice and Christian presence in the Middle East with representatives of Methodist, United Church of Christ, Episcopal, African Methodist Baptist, American Baptist, Syrian and Greek Orthodox and other churches is illuminating, as various voices coming from different traditions and experiences provide unique insights.

My brief yet profound sojourn in New York has given me a wealth of information and a ray of Christ’s hope to carry with me to the meetings of our Middle Governing Bodies and General Assembly Council at the Snowbird Conference Center in Utah throughout the weekend and into the coming week.