Membership letter

Witherspoon membership letter

The Witherspoon Society

Presbyterians Working for Peace, Justice,
& the Integrity of Creation

www.witherspoonsociety.org

[posted here 12-27-01]

The Rev. Trina Zelle, Membership Coordinator
Manhattan Presbyterian Church
1201 N. Piedras
El Paso, TX 79930

Phone (915) 855-8167
E-Mail: zellerev@earthlink.net

Dear Members and Friends,

I hope that you won't take more than a minute to decide to renew your membership in the Witherspoon Society. It's your ongoing commitment that maintains the Society's progressive witness so necessary to the integrity of our denomination. But if you need some help deciding, here's just a sampling of the good things that have happened because of this unique company of progressive Presbyterians.

In 2001 the Witherspoon Society:

Supported the progressive cause at General by offering pre-Assembly orientation to Commissioners and monitoring all of GA committees and GA plenary sessions.

Hosted our annual GA luncheon. Speakers included James Hudnut-Beumler, Dean of the Vanderbilt Divinity School who explained his "regulatory agency" model of contemporary American denominational life. He sees that "our denominational meetings and processes have become, too often, exercises in attempting to compel and control where we no longer trust our abilities to convince." (Read more about it in the Summer 2001 NetworkNews.);

Issued a "Call to Civility" from Ghost Ranch in August. In part the call says "...We appeal to the church to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit -- love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness, generosity faithfulness and self-control -- which find their roots in Jesus Christ." Currently Witherspoon, the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Executive Committee, several congregations and over 150 individuals have endorsed this call. See the full text on the Witherspoon website (www.witherspoonsociety.org).

Finalized the merger of Witherspoon and Semper Reformanda, strengthening our progressive witness and increasing our membership.

With the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship co-sponsored a Ghost Ranch seminar on economic globalization and militarism.

Expanded our contact base at seminaries to support and nurture progressive seminary students. At this year's GA we sponsored two seminary interns to work with us, one of whom continues to do recruitment activity on our behalf.

In 2002 the Society is looking forward to:

Sponsoring a series of regional conferences marking the 35th anniversary of the Confession of 1967 to explore the continuing importance of that document to our life and witness. With so much emphasis on the Book of Confessions it is critical that Presbyterians understand them both in context and content;

Filling the new staff position of program coordinator (see the accompanying letter from our president, Jane Hanna),

Expanding the number of local and regional chapters of the Society;

Strengthening the scope and number of seminary chapters of the Society;

Sponsoring a seminar at Ghost Ranch: "In Search of Alternatives to Violence," (July 29-August 5), led by Barbara Green, Alan Geyer, and Bruce Gagnon.

Witnessing at General Assembly, as we do each year, with Commissioner Orientation, committee oversight and support, testifying at committee hearings and collaborating with other progressive groups; seeing a lot of you at our annual luncheon and listening to thought-provoking remarks from our featured speakers.

Planning for the 30th Anniversary celebration of the Witherspoon Society in 2003;

And of course, there's always the GA Witherspoon Dance!

And Continuing To Do What the Witherspoon Society Always Does:

Publishes quarterly the Network News with its updates and analysis of our Church's issues and debates;

Maintains our Witherspoon web site (www.witherspoonsociety.org) which keeps you even more current; and

Continues the work of progressive witness to bring healing and justice to our church.

As usual, we're doing a lot. That's because we're driven by a love for the PCUSA and a passion for justice. Thanks to your involvement and support, we'll continue to get a lot done.

In the spirit of God's Shalom,

Trina Zelle
Membership Coordinator

To renew your membership - or to become a new member! - just use the convenient on-line membership form, OR mail in the return envelope in the center of your latest issue of Network News, with your check for the appropriate amount.