|
View
From
The
Booth
|
|
|
John Harris and Kate Van Brocklin
at work in the booth |
by John E. Harris, Vicki Moss, and Kate Van Brocklin
[6-19-02]
The Witherspoon Society Booth in the General Assembly
Exhibit Hall is officially known as "Booth # 343". By mutual
agreement we share booth space with Voices of Sophia (VOS) and the
Shower of Stoles (SOS). Each of the three groups pay for their own booth
space but for the past few years have requested to be next to each
other. By creatively arranging the tables and chairs our booths look
like one big booth and allow for plenty of access. The curtain behind
all three booths are draped with stoles from the Shower of Stoles
Project.
VOS is a community of women and men, being reformed by
God through the Spirit of the Living Christ. They exist because the full
equality God intended for all has not yet been realized. They work
toward the reformation of the church into a discipleship of equals, and
focus this work on the challenges to the full participation of women in
the life of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Shower of Stoles is a collection of hundred of
liturgical stoles from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of
faith from all over North America, from Canada to Cuba, Alaska to
Hawaii. The collection was created as a witness to give a voice to these
faithful people, many of whom have been forced to choose between serving
in silence or losing their livelihood. SOS is one of the "Three
Sisters," the other two being That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) and
More Light Presbyterians (MLP). By sharing booth space with SOS, I guess
that makes The Witherspoon Society a cousin to TAMFS and MLP.
The Witherspoon Booth anchors the corner of the row of
booths. Facing us across the aisle is the Board Of Pensions, those folks
who work so diligently to keep us healthy and wealthy (really?) if not
wise (we leave that up to VOS).
Anchoring the corner at the other end of the row of
booths but not sharing space with us like VOS and SOS is the Covenant
Network of Presbyterians, working for a faithful church, a just church,
and a whole church. I guess that makes the four of our booths a
"Liberal Line" or Progressive Parade" of booths in the
Exhibit Hall.
Across the other aisle is the Presbyterian Coffee
Project, a Presbyterian project linking congregations with small farmers
and their families through fair trade. They have been distributing free
sample cups of coffee whenever the Exhibit Hall has been open. Their
booth may not be Starbucks but it is the next best thing, and the folks
there are the friendliest folks to boot.
Cattycorner is the Global Marketplace of SERRV
International. SERRV International is a nonprofit alternative and
development organization which promotes social and economic progress for
people in developing regions of the world through alternative trade.
Perhaps the best part of staffing the WS Booth is
meeting and talking with commissioners, observers and staff from all
over the church. The subversive and liberal buttons we sell for one
dollar (six buttons for five dollars) not only helps us raise a little
for the Society but also enables people to wear their theology and
politics on the lapel, or stoles, or day pack. The buttons also serve as
a great conversation starter as some people will spend five or ten
minutes looking for that perfect button.
Our WS Booth not only sells buttons but gives away
W&W's (also known as M&M's by people with a different
perspective) scooped out of a bowl by nothing less than a
"wither" spoon. That makes the booth a popular place for
chocaholics as well as progressive Presbyterians. Of course we also are
distributing copies of Network News, signing up new members, answering
questions, and interpreting the mission and work of the Society.
One popular button (and sticker) has featured the
attention-getting slogan, "Up Your$."
It's an effort to encourage congregations and individuals to increase
their giving to the UPC(USA), to compensate for efforts to reduce
support for our church and its mission.
Yesterday (Tuesday) was a short day at the booth. The
Exhibit Hall was only op en from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Today
(Wednesday) however, the booth is open from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., our
longest day (even though the solstice happens on Friday.).
