New SeaPres Podcast Episode: Leading Change
Seattle Presbytery
Leading Change: Join a fireside chat with Co-EPs Eliana Maxim, Scott Lumsden, and Tali Hairston, Dir. of Community Organizing, Advocacy, and Development.
July 8 SeaPres Update from Co-EP Eliana Maxim
Seattle Presbytery
Dear Friends,
In the midst of a global pandemic and a national uprising about racial injustice, our denomination the PCUSA held its biannual General Assembly (GA) a couple of weeks ago. What normally takes place over 10 days at a convention center with a couple thousand folks attending plenary sessions, special events, bookstores, and city tours, had to be quickly adapted in less than 3 months online.
Realizing that an online assembly could only cover so much ground, it was determined by the Office of the General Assembly (and its board COGA) that only critical business would be addressed. This meant matters that if left unattended, would breach polity, financial, or leadership denominational requirements.
The technology was there and GA was technically successful. Commissioners were attentive, were able to vote smoothly, and business was tended to. You can read more about key decisions made here.
What was also on full display though, was our denomination’s proclivity toward institutional racism and white supremacy. Not once or twice, but throughout the three day assembly, a variety of micro and macro aggressions were perpetrated against BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), most especially against Black women. I recommend my colleague Ryan Landino’s blog for a more detailed account.
I was dumbfounded. I serve on the committee (COGA) that helped move the traditional GA to its digital expression. We had taken so much into consideration when planning, anticipating a myriad of variables. We had not, however, planned for how to deal with commissioners wielding their white privilege in order to silence voices nor how our existing structure and polity would support and even encourage this damaging behavior.
The church is obviously not exempt from the sin of racism, and there is much work to be done in dismantling the structures, processes, and attitudes that enable this brokenness. This is true for the national expression of the church in the General Assembly as well as our local congregations where each of us is complicit in centering whiteness in our faith communities.
Although my experience with GA was painful and disheartening, as a person of color in the PCUSA I find hope in the insistent and intentional commitment to this work of Gospel truth and justice. God expects this from us. God expects better from us.
And I find strength in the words of the prophet: “Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry.” (Amos 5:24) and invite you to join me in this hard, but faithful labor of love.
Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
Race & Equity Development and Training
Seattle Presbytery
Yesterday over 70 people from the Seattle Presbytery gathered for a Zoom call hosted by the Race & Equity Task Force. One of the most encouraging aspects of our time together was toward the beginning of the call, when participants were invited to comment in the chat if their home congregation had a group, team, or committee working on addressing racial injustice. The comments flooded in, and something in the atmosphere shifted. Every chat entry was a reminder that we are all in this together. We do not labor alone.
The Race & Equity Task Force, as well as the presbytery staff and Executive Board, are committed to walking alongside church communities and the leaders who shepherd them. To that end, our quarterly forums will become monthly opportunities. We will be offering monthly learning opportunities throughout the summer and fall -- panel discussions, guest speakers, and more -- designed to equip and encourage leaders.
It's important to ask, however, equip leaders for what? Last night, the topic of individualism came up, and I felt the familiar sting of conviction. I regularly fall back into an individualistic mindset, even when I think I'm focused on the common good. I wonder... is our goal to equip leaders to become anti-racist individuals? Or can we imagine a way to become leaders of communal transformation?
Moving forward, our hope is that we will embrace this model of community-based change, not only because it works, but also because our theology is built on mutuality and neighbor love. I hope you will consider attending the upcoming learning opportunities hosted by the Race & Equity Task Force, not only for yourself as an individual, but for the sake of the beloved community.
Haley Ballast
SeaPres Race & Equity Task Force Chair
Resources from June 25, 2020 Zoom:
Zoom recording link available upon request. Contact SeaPres Communications.
Organizing Clergy with White Privilege for Black Lives
Seattle Presbytery
Invitation from Rabbi David Basior, Kadima Reconstructionist Community:
This is one way to reach out to you, beloved fellow clergy with white privilege.* **
I am part of an effort to organize us to be showing up in support of the demands made by Black leaders for justice in these times. If this is you, please take a moment to fill out this form. If that doesn't work, be in touch directly and I will work to include you.
We have potential roles to play, on the streets and not, and we want to get a sense of who is already and can start doing what - from chaplaincy to protestors, clergy presence at rally, using our privileged bodies to prevent violence, de-escalation, disruption, social media, tradition-based messaging, organizing other clergy, and more. We recognize that more than ever this is a time where our ability to participate will be varied, and we honor whatever you are able to bring to this. We want to assess what we are able to offer as a group.
I am working on this with Rev. John Helmiere (Methodist) from Valley and Mountain and Rev. Cecilia Kingman (UU) from Edmonds Unitarian, as well as Griff, a Episcopalian priest who works at the UW.
Please forward this to anyone else you feel might wish to be involved in these ways (fine if they get it more than once :)
With gratitude and may we all go in peace,
David
*knowing there is a variety of relationships with whiteness, while I myself identify as a white, Ashkenzi Jew, I know we might vary with our personal identities. My point in this language for the sake of this email is to include anyone who would be seen as white based on appearance and affords privileges white people are granted in our society. Not wanting us to get caught in the language at this time.
**If you know non-Black clergy of color who might want to be involved, there is likely some organizing happening for them to be plugged into also - have them be in touch or share who they are.
--
L'hayim,
Rabbi David
Pronouns: he or they
224th General Assembly (2020)
Seattle Presbytery
The 224th General Assembly (2020) Convenes on Friday, June 19 at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Watch the livestream on the 224th GA website or on the Facebook Spirit of GA page. The gathering is being held online June 19, 20, 26 and 27.
GA 224 Frequently Asked Questions
Follow GA 224 Business
We pray for Seattle Presbytery’s GA commissioners and thank them for their faithful service. In addition to their own preparation, they’ve already spent many hours in virtual trainings and other meetings.
Top (from left): Todd Peterson/RE Woodland Park, Stephanie Neu/YAAD Newport, Rev. Kelly Wadsworth Bottom (from left): Glen Ferguson/RE Overlake Park, Rev. Eyde Mabanglo.
We also pray for all PC(USA) staff and leaders who are coordinating this historic assembly, including our own Eliana Maxim who serves on the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA).
June 12 SeaPres Update from Co-EP Scott Lumsden
Seattle Presbytery
Dear Friends,
Many pastors and sessions are asking what they can do collectively as a church to make a difference in the work toward racial justice. The Executive Board of the presbytery asked this same question last year, which led us to seek a formal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Assessment. Often reports like this garner a few difficult conversations, but then get swallowed up by the urgency of daily work.
As a staff we decided to try something different and we’re already seeing some changes in how we work.
If you’re interested in learning more about what we did and why, and what steps you can take as a pastor or session, I invite you to listen to Eliana, Tali and I talk about it in this week’s podcast.
Also, check out our new Racial Justice resource page on our website.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 6:12, read by Rev. Al Sharpton at the Houston memorial for George Floyd)
Scott Lumsden
Co-Executive Presbyter
Stated Clerk says don't rush to get back into a church building for worship
Seattle Presbytery
J. Herbert Nelson, II, urges caution as the COVID-19 pandemic continues
Rick Jones & Randy Hobson | Office of the General Assembly - June 9, 2020
LOUISVILLE
Don’t rush to re-open your church sanctuary for face-to-face gatherings. That’s the word from the Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). As local, state, and federal governments continue their work to re-open businesses and allow for houses of worship to hold services once again, Nelson believes caution is still the best action to take.
Spirit of GA: Message from Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk
Seattle Presbytery
The recent deaths of three African Americans have once again raised concern about racial injustice across the country, including the cities where the deaths occurred. The Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) says there is work to be done.
Document of Lament and Resolve from Seattle Presbytery's Executive Board
Seattle Presbytery
“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King1
The recent unjust deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd; and the harassment of Christian Cooper have outraged us as a faith community. As families and communities grieve their lost loved ones, we join our lament to theirs, crying out to God for justice and peace in our land.
We recognize that this response captures one moment in time. Yet, it bears witness to the long string of injustices that have been intrinsic to our nation’s history, and that have yet to stop. As our nation struggles with the loss of life due to coronavirus and its disproportionate impact on the Black community, we believe that communities of faith are called to speak out and to continue the labor of justice.
The Board of Seattle Presbytery, therefore, offers this document of lament and resolve as a commitment to our ongoing labor to claim our common humanity forged in the image of God until race is not a barrier to the experience of being fully human:
Appendix:
Resources for Communities of Faith:
We recognize that there are many resources that support the work of Antiracism. This list offers a starting point and is in no way meant to be comprehensive or exhaustive.
A Service of Grief and Remembrance for Ahmaud Arbery:
The Cross and the Lynching Tree: A Requiem for Ahmaud Arbery, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III
Resources for Identifying Racism and Implicit Bias:
https://www.ibramxkendi.com/how-to-be-an-antiracist-1
Organizations that help to identify areas of racism:
Jared Chase
Dani Forbess
Brocc Snyder
Hugo Torres
Loretta Pain
Seattle Presbytery Executive Board
Heidi Husted Armstrong
J.P. Kang
Lina Thompson
Jesse Mabanglo
Leslie Ferrell
COVID-19: May 28 Update from Co-EP Scott Lumsden
Seattle Presbytery
Some of you may have read the article The Coming Pastoral Crash by John Dobbs. It’s gotten a lot of attention in pastor circles lately for obvious reasons. The article asserts that because of the unprecedented challenges of adjusting to COVID-19, many pastors are destined for burnout. It’s a short read and for what it’s worth I have similar concerns, however as I was reading it I kept thinking, “yes, but what can we do to avoid or mitigate this coming ‘crash?’” He has some good ideas at the end that need a little more development, but I’m wondering what you're doing to adjust to these challenges. Here are some things I’ve noticed.
Finding a New Rhythm
It’s easy to get lost in the weeds these days. Everyday there’s new information to digest, new data to analyze, and lots of little nuances to pick up on as we try to navigate daily life. And that’s just before our morning coffee. Then there’s church life -- sermon, worship, staff meeting, session/committee meetings -- and before you know it, you’re zoomed out.
If you haven’t found it yet, I’d encourage you to find a new rhythm -- with yourself, your staff, and your session. It’s simply not possible (or healthy) to keep everything going as before. Naming those things that are most important right now and doing them (and letting some other things go for now) is holy work (and enough).
Taking Breaks
Yet even doing this holy (reprioritized) work takes about twice as long as it used to. A pastor told me recently that though his sermon is shorter, his sermon prep takes about the same amount of time, but then to this he adds the video part -- recording it, and editing his “sermon” (adding about a day to his normal routine).
Though it’s a bit counterintuitive to take good (even long) breaks -- finding some chunks in the day to regroup and recharge have been life giving for me. It’s true I’m not as “productive” as I was before, but by taking some quality time during the day for my own daily renewal allows me to stay engaged. As I’ve shared before, I have my good days and my bad days, but despite this I’ve made most of my meetings.
Connect with Friends
Another thing that I’ve noticed is that I need to have some social connection with friends throughout the day. Whether it’s a call, a zoom, or a physically distant happy hour in someone’s yard, these times to renew relationships have been the thing that has kept me going. It takes a little work and some time (sometimes even in the middle of the day), but these connections have reminded me that I’m not alone and that we’ll get through this. Heck, a few days this was my “work” for the day. Yes, it’s that important (see above).
Most recently, I’ve had a weekly reunion of sorts with my seminary buddies. Though we text and call from time to time, we haven’t seen each other together for at least 10 years. Well, now it’s every Thursday -- and we’re adding a new person each week to catch up with.
What Are You Doing?
So, as you reach the end of this letter, it’s probably no surprise to you that I’m taking a few days off to go hiking -- three days, two nights with my two daughters and my hiking buddies along the West Fork of the Dosewallips River. It’s just three days but it’s time doing something I enjoy with people I love. We’ll give ourselves a good six feet, but we’ll also share some quality time in the wilderness.
What are you doing to pace yourself for the long haul? What new rhythms have you discovered? What do you do to get “breaks” to regroup and recharge? And what connections are you nurturing to feed your soul in this wilderness?
I continue to pray for you and our churches and for God to show us the holy work in this season. And as I do I pray for times of rest and reconnection, for renewal and hope for all of us.
Scott Lumsden
Co-Executive Presbyter
COVID-19: May 27 Update from Co-EP Eliana Maxim
Seattle Presbytery
Dear friends,
Governor Jay Inslee has provided new guidelines for religious services in the state of Washington during Phase 1 and 2 of the Staying Home mandate.
As of today’s date, churches may host an outdoor in-person worship service for up to 100 people. Social distancing and face masks are required.
Once the county moves to Phase 2, indoor worship may be observed with up to 50 participants (or 25% of the building capacity, whichever is the lesser number). Again, social distancing and face masks are required.
Reminder: King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties are still at Phase 1 and are not expected to move to Phase 2 in the near future.
Although the Governor has provided these new guidelines for houses of worship, I want us to remember that central to our faith is our commitment to care for our neighbor. We need to take into consideration that our congregations are made up of a great many individuals categorized as vulnerable either due to age or health. We also need to take into account that the number of new Covid-19 cases each day in King County is still in the double digits, and we have already hit the heartbreaking mark of 100,000 lives lost in this country due to the pandemic. We also know that issues of justice and access have been accentuated as communities of color are more severely impacted by the virus.
Despite “virtual” worship services and Bible studies as well as church facilities left empty, we continue to be church, to serve our communities, and proclaim the good news of the Gospel. There is no rush to leave our safe practices of worship and engagement, only to expose our communities, our congregations, our pastoral leaders, and ourselves to possible illness. We have witnessed what can happen when congregations gather in person despite their best intentions.
“...believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem…” (John 4:21)
Let us continue our practices of worshiping safely while caring for one another and our communities. It’s a matter of faith and justice.
Grace and peace,
Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
New SeaPres Podcast Episode: Public Health, Faith, & Race: A conversation with Rev. Dr. Curtiss Paul DeYoung
Seattle Presbytery
Public Health, Faith, & Race: A conversation with Tali Hairston, Dir. of Community Organizing, Advocacy, and Development and Rev. Dr. Curtiss Paul DeYoung.
Read the Op-Ed Dr. DeYoung co-wrote with Minneapolis NAACP President Leslie Redmond: https://m.startribune.com/white-privilege-shines-with-covid-19/569903692/.
COVID-19: May 21 Update from Co-EP Eliana Maxim
Seattle Presbytery
Dear friends,
I know many of you, like I, were grateful for Scott’s words last week. His acknowledgement of these unsettling times and the emotional challenges it has presented has, I believe, given us permission to speak more honestly about our struggles even while troubleshooting Zoom worship, calling congregants, and trying to think about what’s next for us as church, as families, and as individuals.
It’s also caused me to reflect on how I've felt tested during Covid - which changes from moment to moment - to stay focused, positive, and motivated. And what I realize is that living and working in the midst of pandemic keeps me dislocated. The location I call home and has always served as my sanctuary, now must serve as my “everything” place, where I work, play, and rest. Time is a moving target; meal times are any times, and the separating lines between work time and non-work time have blurred. All this dislocates me.
We are not accustomed to this reality. Frankly, we are rooted in a culture that has conditioned us to believe that we actually have power over our space and time. We take delight in planners and syncing calendars on our electronics. We desire to plan and depend on a semblance of predictability all to remind us we are in charge of our life.
Living in a global pandemic, with its restrictions and guidelines, throws all that away.
But I like to think that dislocation invites us into re-orientation. If we dare to engage in it, we can take time to simply step back from all that was, all the things we used to do and ask: what does this mean? What value does it have for me today? Is there another way?
It’s what allows us to experiment and take a chance. We’ve seen that with how churches are responding to celebrating worship, conducting Bible studies, and even providing children activities. I’ve witnessed congregational meetings online and been able to speak on an international panel from the comfort of my home. Perhaps this is exactly the time and place we all need to be - this discomfort of being dislocated from our usual - in order to rethink and reimagine church as both place and mission.
As we look to the end of the month, with hopes of moving into the Governor’s phase 2 of Sheltering in Place, I pray that church leadership will be more engaged in conversations around the long view of being church and relevant to their communities, rather than anxiously looking for when to re-enter the building.
Let’s not rush through this period of discomfort, dislocation, and reorientation.
Let’s encourage one another to think creatively about the big picture, of how God may be using us at this particular time, to bring about something new.
Let’s be kind to one another, care for another (yeah, use those masks in public), and grant each other grace.
Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
Join us tonight at 7:00 on Zoom
The Race & Equity Task Force of the Seattle Presbytery invites you to join a continuing conversation on how to pursue racial justice in our churches and communities. Join us tonight: Thursday, May 21 at 7pm via Zoom for this time of learning and discussion. Please register online.
COVID-19: May 15 Update from Co-EP Scott Lumsden
Seattle Presbytery
Tuesday was a tough day, and by tough I mean tougher than usual. Like many of us since March I’ve had some good days and some bad days; but I don’t have a category for Tuesday. My first clue was our 10am staff meeting -- everyone looked waylaid, which gave me pause -- really, all of us on the same day? -- that’s never happened before. I had an errand to run after the meeting, so I decided I’d crank my favorite music in the car -- uh, nope -- didn’t change a thing.
I knew at that moment that whatever was going on in me was way, way deeper than anything I’ve dealt with in a very long while. That’s when the panic set in.
I immediately called a friend, someone I knew I could talk to. She answered. I could barely get the words out, “Hey, can we just talk?” Not missing a beat and in the calmest of voices, “Yes, Scott, tell me what’s going on.” I rambled between sobs, and she stayed with me as friends do. We talked for a good long while. It helped. Immensely.
I say this because I know I’m not alone. Having recently spoken with pastors and leaders from here and around the country, the phrase “when I broke down, when it hit me, when I just couldn’t handle it anymore” is a part of every conversation now. And it should be. As should the next phrase, “that’s when I called ...”
I am truly blessed to serve among some of the most creative, caring, thoughtful, and inquisitive pastors and leaders in the country here in Seattle Presbytery. But we all have our good days and our bad days. Whatever kind of day we’re having, let’s keep being there for each other. This is an important part of our work. And if I can be there for you, don’t hesitate to call 206.778.6263.
In a related way to our personal challenges of dealing with this pandemic, our national trauma around racial inequities have come to the surface again related to the Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor murders. We talked about this on our pastor zoom on Wednesday.
Like a lot of people, #IRunwithMaud this whole week, but all I did was emotionally bounce between grief and anger at his senseless murder. And then we learn that not even a month later in Louisville, Breonna Taylor, a young black woman who is a decorated EMT, is shot eight times as police officers issued a questionable search warrant. Two beautiful lives, in whom the image of God resides, gone.
As a white, male, Christian leader I have failed to speak as I must, not only about the violence and horrific injustices perpetrated upon people of color, but about the systems that support them. As much as I’d like to pretend it doesn’t exist, white supremacy in some form or another exists in every institution in America, including its churches; and as a Christian leader I have a duty to name it when I see it. Not only do I need to #SayHerName, and affirm unreservedly that #BlackLivesMatter, but I need to do so from my place as a white, Christian male who speaks this truth from his faith.
I’ve been reading Genesis lately and it struck me again that as much as we focus on the promise to Abraham, God’s promise to Hagar, a slave woman cast aside by her masters, is equally important. For in it, God not only gives the same blessing of numerous children (16:10) and a great nation (21:18), but through Hagar’s struggle we learn of an important aspect of God’s character -- that our God sees and is present to the marginalized and oppressed, to those who are cast aside by the powerful. This character is revealed to us in a new name for God -- El Roi, the God whom I’ve seen (or the God who sees).
In this strange time of COVID, there is indeed a lot going on under the surface. As fellow bearers of God’s image, may we see and be present to the struggles in one another and in our world in ways that bring truth and healing. And may we see God at work in new ways that bring our world closer to the beloved community of peace, and hope, and justice for all God’s children.
Scott Lumsden
Co-Executive Presbyter
COVID-19: May 5 Update from Co-EP Eliana Maxim
Seattle Presbytery
For some reason, May 4 became a special destination on my calendar. It was the day the state was to lift the social isolation mandate, and in my mind I had envisioned a family dinner where I would finally embrace my daughters and parents. Yes, I know. How naïve of me.
And truth be told, I don’t believe that’s how things will unfold when we do begin the work of re-engaging in person with the world. But nevertheless, I was a little more than disappointed when Governor Inslee extended the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order until at least the end of May.
So here we are, staying in place for another month. Practicing social distancing when in public for those furtive but necessary grocery trips, and trying to understand how and when we will begin to experience the familiarities of our old ways.
Groups of 50 or more are not expected to gather until the state moves into Phase 3 of the governor’s staged re-opening of the state, and the earliest they anticipate this would be the end of July, if we give each phase 3 weeks as prescribed.
Which of course presents a series of questions for church leaders to consider.
If your church usually has 50 or more attending worship (including worship leaders), will you offer more than 1 in-person service a week? How will you ensure that your facility is safe? Are there separate entry and exit doorways? What form of sanitizing process will you use after every building usage? Will you offer childcare? Will you continue to offer a virtual service for those who choose to not risk coming to in-person worship?
How will you handle communion? The offering? Sharing of the peace? Will you still have greeters? Bulletins? Bibles and Hymnals? Will there be a coffee hour? (The Wisconsin Council of Churches has produced an excellent document outlining considerations and practices for returning to the church building. https://www.wichurches.org/2020/04/23/returning-to-church/)
As you can see, the questions can go on and on. And some of these may not have answers at this moment.
But let’s see what we do know. For now. At this moment.
1. Our churches, pastors, and sessions have been incredibly resourceful, creative, and resilient. You have pivoted and adapted in ways you may never have imagined, and have been able to not only provide meaningful worship in a variety of virtual ways, but also to create community and keep your congregation connected. I know this has been hard work. Long hours, and lots of learning. But you did it and it is good.
2. We will need to continue this social distancing form of worship for at least through mid-summer, if the state’s plan stays on track (a spike in contagion can set us back).
3. Our pastors, particularly those serving as solo pastors, need a break. You can only keep up this pace and intensity for a certain amount of time. We value you and we need you to care for yourself. So let us invite you to consider this: Take a break. Take a week off from preaching. We will cover for you. We have preachers available in our presbytery who would be happy to lend a hand, including your Co-EPs (that would be Scott and me). Lean into our connectional DNA and collegiality and allow yourself the gift of respite.
4. Finally we know that God is doing and will continue to do amazing things in and through us. That in the midst of our grief and losses due to covid-19, God’s faithfulness will break through in doing something new among us.
May this time of sheltering in place, thinking of what might be, and planning for the immediate future be filled with peace, imagination, and yes, joy.
Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
Mobile Meal Alliance
Seattle Presbytery
Overlake Park Presbyterian Church in Bellevue responded to the need for meals in their community and the desire to support restaurants by creatively partnering with a taco truck on their campus and other ministry partners.
From OPPC:
Each week, OPPC prints vouchers for free tacos at El Maestro del Taco and provides them to the Salvation Army and YMCA to give to their individuals and families. The coupons are presented and weekly OPPC reimburses the truck owner, Martin Delgado, for any meals redeemed.
We have invited other churches duplicate our program through the WA State Food Truck Administration’s Mobile Meal Alliance to support other food trucks and organizations providing food. Other churches or businesses can sign up here to be paired with a food truck in their area. This is a way for us to support local businesses and people in need of a comforting meal!
Visit El Maestro del Taco to support Martin and thank him for his ongoing partnership. Located on the OPPC campus off Northup Way (1836 156th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98007).
Invitation from Rev. Becki Barrett, OPPC Pastor:
I am so grateful that all of our churches are working together to collaborate our efforts to help as many people as possible! Our church has been working with the WA State Food Truck Administration and Eastside Nourishing Networks to create a way to quickly and affordably feed people AND support locally owned food trucks AND provide resources for non-profits you support.
The process is simple and brings a food truck and neighbors onto your campus to get a free meal! At our church, 100 coupons are given out per week for free taco plates at El Maestro Del Taco (about 2/3 are utilized every week).
Any church or business is invited to duplicate the program to grow our efforts! Here’s a document explaining how it works and we have made it simple for you to sign up here so that you are paired with a verified business and all health and insurance issues are satisfied!
Please pass this email along to any other churches or businesses you think may participate.
Don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or if I can help in any way.
May God bless you as we serve our city together with the love and hope of our God!
-Becki Barrett
COVID-19: April 23 Update from Co-EP Eliana Maxim
Seattle Presbytery
“I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident in this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:3-5, NSRV)
Dear friends,
This much beloved verse has been of particular comfort to me these past weeks. I've been focusing both my thoughts and prayers on all of you, our congregations, our ministry partners, and the strong work you are all doing for the sake of the Gospel. In these days of social distancing and quarantine, I am comforted by the knowledge that the Spirit of God is unrestrained, and will both comfort and challenge God’s people. And all this is due in no small part to your faithfulness to your call, your gifts of imagination, and your spirit of courage.
One of the comments I hear the most among colleagues both within the PCUSA and among ecumenical partners is that perhaps this pandemic has offered the church a way to move more quickly to inevitable change than it would have done so voluntarily. This obviously does not mitigate the grief and fear being experienced around covid-19 illness, financial hardships, and emotional weariness. But what if we are being called to reexamine what it means to be church and do church through this universal experience?
The presbytery’s Executive Board has been meeting more frequently, discussing issues of financial support for our churches, and reimagining (and ultimately redesigning) what direction we are all headed in the midst of the pandemic. At its most recent stated meeting, the Board voted unanimously to cancel our May presbytery meeting. We do not believe that there is pressing business that warrants a meeting.
Instead, both Scott and I will be making it a priority to visit (virtually) session meetings throughout the presbytery in order to share what we are hearing about both short term and longer term planning for the church, locally and denominationally. We look forward to these opportunities for conversations with church sessions and pastors in order to think about next steps.
In the meantime, should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us. Also, be sure you check out the SeaPres podcast, now available on both Google Play Music and Apple Podcasts. Join us in the conversation!
With you on this journey, in peace and grace,
Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
COVID-19: April 9 Update from Haley Ballast, Race & Equity Task Force
Seattle Presbytery
A reflection by Haley Ballast, SeaPres Race and Equity Task Force:
Exposed.
During a pandemic, that is a frightening word. No one wants to be exposed to the virus that has taken so many lives and brought whole nations to a standstill. But as hospitals fill and businesses close, I keep wondering... what else is being exposed by this global crisis? When so much is stripped away, what is revealed to us about our world, ourselves, and our faith?
As statistics roll in from cities across the US, the failures and systemic injustices of many of our institutions are exposed and laid bare. In Chicago, African Americans make up about a third of the population, but account for 50% of infections and 72% of virus-related deaths. Similar numbers have been reported for Michigan, Louisiana, and South Carolina. Racial disparities in healthcare are nothing new, but rarely have they been exposed so starkly.
Alongside revelations that devastate are others that offer profound hope. What is being exposed about our capacity to embrace a completely new and unprecedented way of life for the sake of our neighbors and communities? Any experienced leader knows that transformational change takes time. And yet, this season of dizzyingly rapid change has exposed our capacity to make massive shifts together in a matter of days, if not hours. Our creativity, flexibility, and ability to innovate is far beyond what we imagined.
While we cannot afford to ignore the foundational cracks the virus has exposed in our society, we also cannot afford to miss the possibilities for transformation. During this Holy Week we walk with Jesus toward the cross, where the religious and political institutions of the Roman Empire are exposed for what they are - violent, oppressive, and profane. We walk into the darkness of death and the silence of the grave. And together we follow Christ into resurrection - the ultimate transformation which empowers and exposes a new kind of life we are invited to share, centered on the abundant and death-defying love of God in Christ.
Haley Ballast
SeaPres Race & Equity Task Force
Listen to Tali Hairston’s conversation with Haley in SeaPres Podcast episode 4: Hard to Hear
Additional guidance from SBA on Paycheck Protection Program loans for churches
Seattle Presbytery
This information is included in this comprehensive guide created by K&L Gates.
Update on April 3, 2020:
On April 3, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued additional guidance on its affiliation rules as applied to faith-based organizations. This guidance provides a helpful clarification: because of statutory and constitutional protections for the free exercise of religion, the Government is not going to examine polity or otherwise question the eligibility of churches for PPP loans based upon whether or how the church that is applying for a loan is affiliated with other churches.
Every PC(USA) church should include the following addendum to their Paycheck Protection Program application on a separate sheet of paper, entitled “Addendum A” with the following text:
ADDENDUM A
The Applicant claims an exemption from all SBA affiliation rules applicable to Paycheck Protection Program loan eligibility because the Applicant has made a reasonable, good faith determination that the Applicant qualifies for a religious exemption under 13 C.F.R. 121.103(b)(10), which says that “[t]he relationship of a faith-based organization to another organization is not considered an affiliation with the other organization . . . if the relationship is based on a religious teaching or belief or otherwise constitutes a part of the exercise of religion.”
COVID-19: April 3 Update from Co-EP Scott Lumsden
Seattle Presbytery
April 3, 2020: SeaPres Update from Co-EP Scott Lumsden
Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. (1 Cor 3:18-19a, NRSV)
Dear Friends,
About 12 years ago on April 1, I attended my first Seattle Presbytery meeting. It was pretty different than most SeaPres meetings I’ve been a part of because the purpose of this meeting was to be nominated (and then elected) to serve as Executive Presbyter. I actually still remember many things about that night: someone giving me a CD of their music; the nominating committee saying kind, if not exaggerated things about my character and abilities; and as we waited for the election results, being asked the ominous question every pastoral nominee gets asked -- what percentage of NO votes would result in me turning down the call. I also remember Madeleine Brenner and how meaningful her partnership would be to me in the coming years.
Shelter in place has officially flattened me. Time isn’t just blurred, it’s completely unreliable. Memory and emotion are now the x and y axis on my mental wellness graph and the cases and intensity of both are spiking.
A few days ago, almost instinctively, I downloaded a Great Courses lecture series, “Ancient Mesopotamia: Life in the Cradle of Civilization.” Only later did the meaning of it hit me: Scott, isn’t this how it all started for you? With your love for the Old Testament and its world? Oh, yeah. Wow. How could I have missed that?
What are you noticing about yourself in this disorienting time? What touchstones are you returning to? What memories stand out? What emotions are coming to the surface?
Though hard, I’m finding it necessary to set aside time to listen to how God might be speaking in the midst of life right now, strange as it is. I could keep going as usual, and most days I try my darndest to do just that, but to ignore the manna in this wilderness would be...well truly foolish.
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In other news, here are some resource updates for you and your church. For more information on these resources, visit the Relief page on our website.
In short, here’s what you need to know.
On a national level, the new Paycheck Protection Program includes churches, so feel free to apply to this program. You do NOT need to call a congregational meeting to receive PPP financial support, but your session must vote to approve the application (to receive a loan). We do not yet know which banks are participating in this program so if you find one, please share that info with our office. Please also read this important guidance from the SBA specifically for faith-based organizations.
The Board of Pensions just approved “dues relief for churches with congregations of 300 or fewer members that have a single pastor enrolled in Pastor’s Participation.” The dues relief is for no more than three months, but this is really good news for those churches who might be considering weighing layoffs and furloughs. This gives another option to ease the financial stress. The BOP also approved deferments of up to two months on payments for benefits for “other churches and employers, including presbyteries and affiliated organizations.” ,
Last, in addition to waiving 3 months of per capita, the Executive Board of Seattle Presbytery also approved a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant. This grant provides up to $5,000 to churches and new worshipping fellowships in our presbytery who need financial assistance.
In grace and peace,
Scott Lumsden
Co-Executive Presbyter
Seattle Presbytery Churches & New Worshiping Communities
(Links to churches & NWCs who have shared live streaming & other worship information. If you have information to share: send links to SP communications).