Social Action Ministry
Committee
Minutes
May 15, 2008
Gather
in God's Name
The Social Action Ministry committee of the
Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys met at the
Presbytery offices in Willmar,
Minnesota at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2008. The meeting was
called to order with prayer by
Chairperson Rev. Randal Lubbers. Other members
present were Doris Hemp, Jim
Merritt, Marvin Parks, George Warrant, Arlene Johnson,
LaVonne Brass, Rev. Tom Gard, and Roger Headrick.
Rev. Lubbers used the
prayer, "O God, Each Day You Bless Us" and read from
Psalms 97: 5-8 and
James 3:
13-18.
Jim Merritt moved and
Marvin Parks seconded that we accept the minutes from
the March
meeting. The motion
carried.
The National Mission
Statement for the Social Justice Committee was
emphasized (To educate and engage
the Presbytery and its congregations in social action
ministry) as was the Local Mission Statement (To
educate, engage, and encourage the Presbytery and its
congregations in social action
ministry).
Discernment
& Decisions
Funding
requests were reviewed. It was noted that the
Brainerd request was formal and
complete and
would be considered at the July meeting.
Arlene Johnson moved
and Marvin Parks seconded that we send application forms
for formal funding requests to all
Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys churches and remind
churches that all
requests must complete these
forms.
These forms and a
cover letter will be sent on June 6 and
will carry a due date for completion of
September 30, 2008. Committee review
of the requests will be October 30, 2008. The motion
passed.
There was a general
consensus that the Immigration memo from the National
Peacemaking
Committee of the Presbyterian
Church, USA
be sent to all Social
Action Committee members of
the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys.
A committee of Rev.Tom
Gard, Arlene Johnson, and Doris Hemp was selected to
find possibilities of projects or
salaries outside our Presbytery who might receive
funding from the Riverside Church
funds. The total to be
distributed is $27,857.00.
The committee received
a thank you from John Lindholm for the funding that he
used for his tuition at Hazelden
where the training he received will help him to serve as
a board member of My Father's House. This organization
provides housing for former prisoners and for those
suffering from chemical
dependancy
.
There was a general
discussion as to whether we should move from Presbytery
packets and
toward cluster groups to
provide Social Justice
information.
Dismissal
Jim
Merritt moved and George Warrant seconded that we
adjourn.
Rev. Tom Gard started the group prayer and Rev.
Randy Lubbers closed the prayer. The meeting was
adjourned.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Roger
Headrick
