TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORE

Faces of the Presbytery in Mission

• You’ll see our partners in mission as you scroll through this display of our Mission Covenants.

• The faces of Christ’s Mission can be seen in each:• Incarnation

• Cross

• Resurrection

• Ascension

• Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

• God’s Reign

• Here we highlight three: Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension.

Christian Mission: Six Saving Events of the New Testament

Source: David Bosch, Transforming Mission--Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, Orbis Press, 1991, Sixteenth Printing, August 2001

Crucifixion/Cross

• Crucifixion Theme--Death of Jesus

• Apostles’ Creed: “…suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died,

and was buried; he descended into hell.”

• Points to Jesus’ faithful self-emptying for the sake of reconciliation,

forgiveness, love of enemies--all faces of 21st Century Christian

mission.

• Cross

– Symbol of death and destruction

– Sign of the brokenness of humanity

– Jesus faced it with an open heart

Crucifixion/Cross

• Jesus to the Disciples after washing their feet: “For I have set you an example, that you also should do as

I have done to you.” John 13:15

• Paul to the Corinthians: “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” II Cor. 12:10

• Look for the faces of the Crucifixion theme in Mission Witness 2012

Resurrection• Easter Theme: Christ is Risen

• Creed: “On the third day he rose again”

• God’s gift

– A symbol of God’s power to contradict the forces of death and destruction and to counteract the violence of the cross.

– Jesus to the disciples: “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25

– New humanity in Christ--freedom for partnership in mission with God and neighbors.

• A sign of peace and renewal resulting from sacrifice.

Resurrection

• Resurrection-- “Central theme of our missionary message is that Christ is risen, and that, secondly and consequently, the church is called to live the resurrection life in the here and now and to be a sign of contradiction against the forces of death and destruction--that it is called to unmask modern idols and false absolutes.” – David J. Bosch

• Look for faces of the Resurrection theme in Mission Witness 2012.

Ascension• The reign of Christ. Christ rules!• Creed: “He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the

father almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”• “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 12:32• Hopeful perspective on what may be achieved in human history.• “It should be natural to be committed to justice and peace in the social

realm.” David J. Bosch• “Religion is our greatest source of dissent and difference…Religion inspires

people to step forward before the whole society and say, ‘Here I stand.’ ” Stephen L. Carter

• Look for faces of the Ascension theme in Mission Witness 2012.

Three Key Questions About Mission in the Chicago Presbytery

• What are Chicago Presbytery’s mission

priorities?

• Whose Mission is it?

• Where is mission located?

Chicago Presbytery’s Mission Priorities

• Empower Ministry: Liturgy, Education, Leadership Development, Service

• Develop Congregations: Evangelism, Transformation, Church

Planting

• Advance Justice: Healing, Reconciliation, Peace, Liberation

Whose mission is it?

• It is Christ’s Mission

• Includes many faithful partners

• Christ’s mission cannot be reduced simply to one

perspective

Where are the faces of mission experienced?

• Inter-Personally• Local Communities• Regionally• Globally• The faces of Christ’s mission may be experienced

anywhere

Chicago Presbytery’s Mission Priority Leadership Teams (MPLT’s)

• Activate mission covenants with churches and organizations.

• Focus on Chicago Presbytery’s three mission priorities.

• Many Chicago area congregations and other organizations are Chicago Presbytery mission partners. What follows is information about many of these mission partnerships.

• Empower Ministry Mission Priority Leadership Team

• Develop Congregations Mission Priority Leadership Team

• Advance Justice Mission Priority Leadership Team• Other Presbytery Missions

Mission Programs of the Chicago

Presbytery

Empower Ministry Mission Priority Leadership Team

Rev. Grayson Van Camp» Moderator

Empower Ministry

Our Focus:

Our members are our foundation and our youth are our future. We empower ministry through Bible study and other church-based education programs, identifying and developing spiritual leaders within congregations and providing opportunities for children and youth to continually grow in the Christian Spirit.

Empower MinistryCovenant Partnership: Youth Ministries TeamFocus: Equip and strengthen Presbyterian youth for leadership in

Christian Ministry.Activity: Youth from Chicago Presbytery attended the 2010 Youth Triennium, bringing together 5000 youth for worship, study and fun.Covenant Partners: Presbyterian Church of Homewood and the Presbyterian Church of Western Springs.

Covenant Partnership: Hispanic MinistriesFocus: Five Hispanic Ministries working together to strengthen their

congregational ministries through leadership training, sharing ofideas, resource development, and fellowship. Some of the workshop themeshave been how to grow a church, evangelism, and immigration issues.

Activity: 500th Anniversary Celebration of John Calvin’s birth. Workshop explored Calvin’s theological and social legacy..

Participating Churches: Ravenswood, Canto de Esperanza, Emmanuel,

Vida Nueva, and Hanover Park Mission.

Empower Ministry

Covenant Partnership: African-American Congregational Transformation Covenant

Focus: multi-year program, begun in response to the 206th General Assembly mandate to increase the denomination's racial ethnic membership.

Activities: Liturgical dance ministry, racial ethnic leadership camp, after school computer projects, Bible literacy fellowship, leadership development.

Empower Ministry

Partners: Eight Churches: Cornerstone, Chatham- Bethlehem, Crerar Memorial, Hope Chicago, Pine Avenue,Pullman, Sixth Grace, Seventh;

Presbytery of Chicago; National Black Presbyterian Caucus, Chicago Chapter; Synod

of Lincoln Trails; General Assembly Mission Council.

Empower Ministry

Covenant Partnership: African-American Congregational Transformation Covenant

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Empower Ministry

Covenant Partnership: Leadership, Education, and DevelopmentMission Team (LEAD)

Focus:Plans and implements an annual, Presbytery-wide educational event for the whole church that feeds attendants spiritually and intellectually and equips them for service. Worship inspires and workshops provide resources for clergy, elders, deacons, clerks, Christian educators, musicians, youth workers, committee chairs and seminary students. A bookstore and international marketplace are also offered.

Empower MinistryCovenant Partnership: Leadership, Education, and DevelopmentMission Team (LEAD)

Covenant Partners:LaGrange First; Glen Ellyn Southminster;McCormick Theological Seminary; Worship, Music, and the Arts Group.Activity: LEAD Worship

Empower Ministry

Covenant Partnership: Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection (DOOR) Focus: DOOR invites people to see the Face of God in the city.DOOR's programs include short-term (Discern), semester-long (Discover) and

year-long (Dwell) opportunities for service-minded education. Activity: DOOR participants preparing and serving a meal.Partners: Western Springs Presbyterian, Presbytery of Chicago, and the YoungAdult Volunteer (YAV) Program of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Empower Ministry

Covenant Partnership: Worship AliveFocus: Worship Alive is a project that organizes four annual

workshops that provide interactive training and educational opportunities in the worship arts. Renowned worship practitioners from around the world are brought in to teach theologies, models, techniques and resources for renewing worship in congregations. Workshops are multisensory, participatory and inspiring, celebrating multicultural diversity. Worship Alive in an ecumenical venture.

Partners: United Church of Rogers Park; Presbyterian Church of Western Springs; Northern Illinois Conference, United Methodist.

Develop Congregations Mission Priority Leadership Team

Rev. Deb Kapp

Moderator

Develop Congregations

Our Focus: To respond to Jesus’ call to “follow me”

and become “fishers of humanity” by drawing believers, disciples and seekers into congregations that are centers of celebration, healing and witness.

Covenant Partnership: Grace Commons Ministry

Focus: Grace Commons is a transformative ministry, using art to engage people in questions of meaning and to re-experience Christian ideas, when Christianity hasn't been meaningful to them in the past.

Activity: Creation of an Icon of Mary and Jesus, created during Advent.

Develop Congregations

Develop CongregationsCovenant Partnership: Acts 16:5 Initiative

Focus: An educational program which invites congregations to engage in a deliberate process of transformation, assisting them to design specific transformational ministries to help them REACH, GROW and SERVE.

Activity: More than 20 churches have participated in this process.

Develop Congregations

Covenant Partnership: New Church Development Visioning

Focus: A small group of presbytery leaders is developing future strategies for forming new congregations.

Develop CongregationsCovenant Partnership: South Asian FellowshipFocus: The South Asian Fellowship is a New Church Development of

Chicago Presbytery. It is a congregation of predominately Pakistani Christian Immigrants. The congregation is passionate to promote multiculturalism, and plans an annual International Christmas Caroling and invites racial ethnic and other congregations to participate.

Activity: Carolers from the International Christmas Caroling in 2011.

Develop Congregations

Covenant Partnership: Small Church

Focus: The Develop Congregations Mission Priority Leadership Team (MPLT)has gathered pastors of small congregations to share ways they can support and enrich their ministries. They are working on identifying strengths and challenges and considering ways the Presbytery can help congregations.

Develop Congregations

Covenant Partnership:Pro-Active Transformation Project

Focus:  To identify and then provide visioning, strategies and resources for congregations who are interested in engaging or reengaging their surrounding neighborhood or community in new ways, via a grant jointly funded by Shared Mission Giving of General Assembly, Synod of Lincoln Trails and our local presbytery. 

Partners: Develop Congregatins MPLT, Empower Ministry MPLT, Presbytery of Chicago, Commission on Ministry, McCormick Theological Seminary, Synod of Lincoln Trails, Office of the General Assembly, PC (USA)

Activity: Interpretive Painting by Shawna Bowman of the Pro-Active Transformation Project.

Advance Justice Mission Priority Leadership Team

Rev. Dean Lindsey

Moderator

Advance Justice

Our Focus: We advance justice by helping people in need. The Presbytery of Chicago provides human and financial resources that enable congregations to work outside their physical walls to serve those who are poor, oppressed and disenfranchised.

Advance Justice

Covenant Partnership: Family PromiseFocus: Helping Homeless families with children regain a secure home

environment, by providing temporary shelter for the family and keeping the family together, while providing assistance in finding employment.

Activity: Guest use computers to look for jobs.

Covenant Partnership: Mission Team Against

Child Sex TraffickingFocus: This Mission Team was formed to Educate, Advocate,

Collaborate and Motivate the Presbytery congregations concerning the tragic circumstances associated with commercial sexual exploitation of children in the Chicagoland area.

Activity:The team is committed to stop this exploitation before it occurs by introducing educational prevention, intervention and service delivery methods.

Advance Justice

Covenant Partnership: Waukegan to CollegeFocus: To enable more immigrants and low income families in Waukegan

to navigate the college-going process. The program includes one-on-one counseling, bi-lingual workshops, tutoring sessions, and mentoring.

Activity: Counseling, mentoring workshops.

Advance Justice

Advance Justice

Covenant Partnership: Cuba PartnershipFocus: Developing and maintaining partnerships with

congregations in the Presbytery of Havana.

Activity: Glen Ellyn Southminster and their sister church in Guanabacoa celebrated simultaneous anniversaries in 2011.

Covenant Partnership: Church World Service

Focus: Church World Service works with national partners to eradicate hunger and poverty, and to promote peace and justice around the world.

Activity: Hygiene Kits. 54 churches participated in the Hygiene Kits harvest in 2011. 2400 kits were developed and delivered to those in desperate need.

Advance Justice

Advance Justice

Covenant Partnership: Dakota PartnershipFocus: An organization designed and developed to promote and develop Christian values within the Native Americancommunity. Efforts include conducting Vacation Bible School, assistingNative Americans to upgrade church facilities, and providing financial support to supplement pastor's salaries.Partners:Naperville Knox, Glen Ellyn First, Arlington HeightsFirst, Chicago Pullman, Presbytery of Chicago.Activity: Partners work on a building project.

Advance Justice

Covenant Partnership: Lincoln Park Community ShelterFocus: The Lincoln Park Community Shelter provides comprehensive programs and services that offer individuals the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. The shelter works to empower people through the On Track program, addressing sobriety, mental stability,healthy lifestyles, employment and permanent housing.Partners: Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church, Lincoln Park CommunityShelter, Park Ridge Presbyterian Church, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Presbytery of Chicago.Activity: A Computer lab provides shelter guests withAccess to job applications, and developing computer skills.

Other Presbyterian Mission

Program: Presbyterian CampsFocus: Presbyterian Camps at Saugatuck is a “Holy Place”, a Christian Camp

in a rustic setting, for renewal of the spirit, and community building.

Program: United Campus Ministry at Northwestern Focus: Provides a spiritual home for thousands at Northwestern

Other Presbyterian Mission

Other Presbyterian Mission

Program: Agape House at UICFocus: A community of faculty, staff, and students at UICthat gather together to learn and share in their faith journey.

Other Presbyterian Mission

Program: Presbyterian Resource CenterFocus: Provides books, DVD’s for worship planning to

churches, saving churches the cost of purchasing.

Invitation: To Covenant with the Chicago Presbytery in Mission

Use the Mission Covenant Application Form, available on the Presbytery Website, under the “Ministry and Missions” Tab.

Invitation: To Covenant with the Chicago Presbytery in Mission

• Covenant Partnerships include one or more congregations.

• Some Covenants also include non-profit agencies of justice or compassion.

• “Together We Can Do More!”

Invitation: Support the Faces of Chicago Presbytery Mission

• Shared Mission Giving from congregations makes possible Chicago Presbytery’s Mission Witness 2012 Covenants.

• Use the Pledge Card to provide your 2012 Shared Mission Pledge. • Thank you to congregations who have made their 2012 Shared

Mission Pledge.• Those who have not done so are invited to pledge soon.

More: To help our young people growin faith and understanding.

More: To strengthen congregations.

More: To feed the hungry.

Shared Mission Giving: Together We Can Do More!

• We embrace and enact a spirit of:

“Together, We Can Do More!”

Through Covenant Partnerships and Shared Mission Giving,We Presbyterians support and become the faces of mission.