by the Rev. Johnnie Monroe
[6-26-09]

These remarks were given by the Rev. Johnnie Monroe on accepting the John Park Lee Award which was presented to him by PHEWA (the Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association) at the recent Big Tent gathering in Atlanta.  The news report of the event mentions his comments, but we believe they need to be heard in full, and throughout the Presbyterian Church. 

We can only say a loud Amen!

If you have comments on Monroe's talk, please just send a note, to be shared here!

He began with Scripture:

I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beast I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream. Amos 5:21-24 (RSV)

Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own. There was not a needy person among them. Acts 4:32, 34 (RSV)

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good. Romans 12:9 (RSV)

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers (sisters), you did it to me. Matthew 25:35-40 (RSV)

Is this not the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Isaiah 58:6, 7 (RSV)

For many years I saw these passages of scriptures along with other passages from the holy unit that deal with love, justice, advocacy and hope lived out in the Presbyterian Church (The United Presbyterian Church – Northern Branch).

I am third generation Presbyterian from Gable, South Carolina, and the product of the Goodwill Presbyterian Church and the Goodwill Parochial School. I, along with my parents and their parents before them, were all Presbyterians. So when I speak about how the Presbyterian Church, my denomination, has lost sight of its mission in recent years, I do not speak as an outsider.

I speak as a member of the family who has been raised and educated in the Presbyterian Church, having attended Presbyterian Parochial elementary and middle school, a Presbyterian university, a Presbyterian seminary, and have been a minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church for forty-three years.

I remember when the Presbyterian Church, my denomination, was socially conscience- and justice-oriented – sending home missionaries to the South to organize churches and to establish schools for the freed persons – those coming out of slavery. It was the Presbyterian Church – Northern branch – that stood against the institution of slavery, and had it not been for the Presbyterian Church, I, and many persons who look like me, would not have believed in education.

I remember how the church, through the Board of National Missions, sent what was called ‘the barrel’ – clothes and other supplies for poor sharecroppers and tenant farmers to help them during ‘hard times,’ when there was no other help. I remember the Board of National Missions ensuring that ministers who pastored in poor rural communities and small towns had their salaries paid so that they could proclaim the gospel and stand for truth and justice without fear; I remember the Presbyterian ministers empowered and compelled by the gospel to go on the picket lines, to organize boycotts and sit-ins and demonstrations for justice, saying with the prophet that, ‘Justice must roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream’; singing all the time the old negro spiritual – ‘Before I be a slave, I’ll be buried in my grave and go home to my Lord and be free.’ These men and those women also marched with Dr. King and encouraged their congregations and their communities to have a sense of dignity and to live in hope with the understanding that they were not alone, but that they had the Presbyterian denomination behind them.

I remember men and women such as Eugene Carson Blake, George Todd, Bill Thompson, Gayraud Wilmore, Bryant George, Thelma Adair, Clarence Cave, Mildred Brown, Edler Hawkins, Robert Pierre Johnson, and many others continuously calling the church to its sense of responsibility and obligation to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world – "an advocate for those who had no voice – a friend to the friendless" – giving food to the hungry and clothes for the naked.

Those were the days when we were proud to be Presbyterians, for we were lifting up the blood stained banner of Jesus Christ. We were making disciples as food evangelists and we were not ashamed or afraid to stand for justice and truth, locally, nationally, and worldwide.

In recent years something has happened to this Bible believing, justice seeking, loving denomination that we call the Presbyterian Church (USA). Instead of transforming the world – instead of being salt and light, the church has become “conformers.” Instead of changing the world, we have gotten like the world – we have allowed ourselves to be changed by the world and we need to get Back to the Business of Being the Church.

Let me tell you what I see; I see a church that, like corporate companies, is seeking to balance its budget by calling out justice ministries and ministries that empower women and ministries with ‘marginalized people.’ When cuts are made we cut ministries that affect the ‘least of these.’ Is not that the way of the world? When the times get tough and things get tight, we cut the education budget for inner city schools and programs that help the elderly and people are made to decide, “Do I buy food, pay rent or buy my medicine? I can’t do all three.”

In secular society we cut programs that feed the hungry and guarantee health insurance, while we spend billions of dollars perpetuating wars that we never should have been in and, as a result, babies suffer and people in this wealthy nation go to bed hungry every night. But I have come to tell us tonight that God is not pleased with the direction the denomination is moving, and we must get Back to the Business of Being the Church – we must lead the way as light to a dark wine and we must be salt to a world that has lost its taste for justice and righteousness.

I am still convinced that there in power for positive change in the Presbyterian Church (USA) – The church of Jesus Christ. There is a power gathering here in Atlanta under the Big Tent and among PHEWA. We must use gatherings like these to draft the docket for the next General Assembly. We must say to the Assembly, ‘He has shown thee, oh men/women, what is good and what does the Lord require of us but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with God.’

I will close in a very few minutes, but let me tell you what else I see in my beloved denomination – I have noticed that in recent years we have become a ‘single issue denomination’ that believes that the only sin in the world is homosexuality, and that homosexuals should not be ordained. It’s all right to have Levites stealing, cheating; racists, sexists in ordained positions – some may even say it’s all right to ordain Rush Limbaugh, who spews poisonous venom through the airwaves – but don’t you dare ordain a homosexual.

Well, brothers and sisters, we are the justice arm of the church – and now PHEWA and the Caucuses must call out the church. Just as they cry out against homosexuals, we must cry out against murder, racism, warmongering, illegal guns in poor communities, corporate executives who make millions of dollars and put poor people out of work, and ‘sell the poor for a pair of shoes.

Who knows that we, PHEWA and people of justice and people of color, are not still in this denomination “for such a time as this. You see, we have not yet assured; we have an African American President and it appears that we will have a Latino woman on the Supreme Court, but we have not yet assured – there is still need for some “Balm in Gilead.” So we must go from under the Big Tent and from the PHEWA gathering determined to fight for justice, determined to help somebody, determined to call this beloved church back to the Business of Being the Church, singing as we go: “I’m going to Live so God can use me.”

The Rev. Dr. Johnnie Monroe

Upon receiving PHEWA’s John Park Lee Award at the Presbyterian Health, Education & Welfare Association’s Biennial Social Justice Ministries Conference at the Big Tent; Atlanta, Georgia; June 12, 2009.

a report from Mitch Trigger, Witherspoon's Secretary/Communicator

[6-23-09]

Ever since the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) went to biennial assemblies, our church has been looking for something to fill the void left in the off-years. I admit to being one of those “GA junkies,” the people that attend General Assemblies no matter where they are at or what issues are being discussed. I missed seeing friends, hearing first-hand stories about what was happening around the denomination, and talking to the many wonderful people who serve the PC(USA) through the offices in Louisville.

This year, the alternative offered was called “Big Tent.” It was a bold choice of names, especially considering how much it is used in politics, but it was an apt description. “One tent, one family, many children” – there was a diversity at this gathering in Atlanta that seemed very natural. As Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA), put it, “I can’t believe this. I’m in a room with 1,500 Presbyterians and I’m not packing a Book of Order!” Unlike a General Assembly, where there is often conflict among those with opposing viewpoints, the “Big Tent” had a much more “grace filled” feeling as all of us gathered to learn and worship together. Ten PC(USA) ministries & groups held their conferences at the same place:

Perhaps the best moment for me, in the midst of the powerful worship and enlightening workshops, happened my last morning. I was eating a quick breakfast before my first workshop when I observed a young man from the conference standing in line at the food counter, with an older couple at his side. The couple ordered hesitantly, looking at the young man, who nodded at them as they ordered. As they finished ordering, the young man paid for their meal, said a couple of words to them and left without getting anything himself. No one else noticed what was going on, but it turned out to be a homeless couple living on the streets. The young man had seen their obvious hunger and responded.

The “Big Tent” event didn’t replace the General Assembly. In its own way, it was better. The full spectrum of Presbyterians was present – young and old, conservative and liberal, men and women, people of many different ethnic and economic backgrounds. What weren’t present were the issues that often divide us. That’s not to say it was perfect. There were the occasional instances of insensitivity – unintended insults to ethnic groups and intended insults to opposing viewpoints – but they were not the rule. What did seem to unite those attending was a clear vision of how our church can share our stories of God’s work in our own lives and how we can be part of that work in the lives of others.

And isn’t that what being disciples of Jesus is all about?

[6-19-09]

We regret that we were not able to be there for what was apparently a very impressive event – or rather a collection of many events, large and small.

But to see a listing of Presbyterian News Service reports from many of them, click here.

Here are a few of the highlights that might be of special interest to Witherspooners:

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And by the way, if you can offer some reporting of your own about one or more of the events under the Big Tent, please send a note, and we'll add it here.

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Justice for neighbors
PC(USA) looks toward a new immigration reality

Julia Thorne, the PC(USA)'s immigration attorney, discusses the issue at the New Immigrant Ministries Convocation at the Big Tent event.

“How we treat people should never be up for discussion” said Thorne. Her workshop audience came to learn about the denomination’s ongoing concern and advocacy for the plight of the United States’ immigrant population, particularly the undocumented segment — one that government estimates place at 12 million men, women and children.   More >>

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More than 100 Presbyterian peacemakers hear call to be neighbors “on the Jericho road of life"

Peacemakers do not stay in the safe places. They go to where the war is, to where the tensions are, the Rev. Mark Lomax, keynote speaker, told more than 100 Presbyterians meeting here for the 2009 Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference. Lomax, pastor of First African Presbyterian Church and interim dean of Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary in Atlanta, put an urban-contemporary spin on Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10.

The parable applies to all “who get jacked on the Jericho road of life,” who are “wounded by the attitudes of people who see something in them they don’t like,” Lomax said. Many of us take detours to avoid the Jericho roads, to avoid encounters with “people of questionable pedigree.”     More >>

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Some twenty of the Peacemakers took a brief “Urban Plunge” into the contrasts and contradictions of downtown Atlanta.

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PHEWA presents Rod Martin award to Phil Tom, says farewell to Nancy Troy

The Presbyterian social welfare umbrella group opened its conference with an award, and a look at the future.

Even those who weren’t familiar with the Rev. Phil Tom got an idea of why he deserves the Rodney T. Martin award, presented to him by the Presbyterian Health, Education & Welfare Association (PHEWA) during the group’s opening reception at the Big Tent event here June 11-13.

Among the adjectives friends and colleagues used to describe Tom — associate for Small Church and Community Ministry in the General Assembly’s Evangelism and Church Growth ministry area — during the presentation: inspiring, faithful, upbeat, innovative.

The PHEWA celebration at its welcome gathering here was somewhat tempered by the group’s response to the GAC’s decision in March to eliminate the Rev. Nancy Troy’s position as associate for Social Welfare Organizations and staff to PHEWA.

PHEWA leaders read a joint public statement from PHEWA and the GAC regarding procedures followed in making that decision and processes for addressing both group’s concerns going forward. The GAC and PHEWA operate under a covenant agreement that has been the basis for the conversations.

The statement grew out of two meetings between GAC and PHEWA leaders — the most recent on June 8 — and commits the two organizations to form three work groups to: 

•          Develop a narrative of the events of the March meeting that reflects the concerns and viewpoints of PHEWA and the GAC. This report is to be completed by the September GAC meeting;

•          Identify work that needs to be accomplished, including position descriptions, staffing, budget and responsibilities for moving forward. This task will be begin immediately and will be completed as soon as possible; and

•          Review and revise the covenant between PHEWA and the GAC to reflect current funding, staffing and mission. The revised covenant will be completed by the February 2010 GAC meeting.

More >>

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Leadership requires knowledge, skills and desire, Racial Ethnic Convocation told

Racial Ethnic members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) must “be able to stand” when they are called to serve the church.

The first key to being able to stand as a leader is knowledge, according to Elona Street-Stewart, associate for racial ethnic ministries and community empowerment for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies.

Street-Stewart led the session, “Plugging in: Let Your Light Shine,” during 2009 Racial Ethnic Convocation here as part of the PC(USA)’s Big Tent event. She stressed the important role that cultural diversity can have within the church, but she also reminded participants that church leadership requires preconditions, including knowledge, skill and desire. She said, “Your culture itself is an asset to the decision-making of the church. … We can help the church make better decisions.”   More >>

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Outlook coverage of the Big Tent event might best be found by clicking here for a search and listing of their reports >>

PVJ's Facebook page

Mitch Trigger, PVJ's Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!

Voices of Sophia blog

Heather Reichgott, who has created this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:

John Harris’ Summit to Shore blogspot

John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive

Got more blogs to recommend?

Plan now for our 2010 Ghost Ranch Seminar!

GHOST RANCH SEMINAR

July 26-August 1, 2010

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