Church and Society Mission Team -- MUP

Twelfth Meeting: June 28, 2009

First Presbyterian – Columbia, MO

Members Present:

C&S Team  Moderator Debby Howland, 1st Presbyterian, Jefferson City

Ray Schneider, 1st Presbyterian, Jefferson City

Ron Roberts, Climax Springs Presbyterian, Climax Springs

Bill Jessop, 1st Presbyterian, Fulton

David Meerse, MUP Interim General Presbyter

Kathryn Bell, Covenant Presbyterian, Marshall

Guests from MO Healthcare for All:  Ben Martin, Stacy Sickler, Amy Smouche

Moderator: Ruth Thompson, 1st Presbyterian, Columbia

Moderator Howland called the meeting to order and opened with a prayer asking for blessing and guidance in our work and lives.  After introductions of the C&S Members and the guests from Mo Health Care for All, Moderator Howland noted the Ruth Thompson the Moderator of the Peacemaking Mission needed to leave early so we would first take up the issues of the Peacemaking Mission Team. The meeting of the C&S Team was recessed and a meeting of the Justice and Peacemaking Mission Committee was called to order by the Moderator Ruth Thompson.

Social Justice and Peacemaking Mission Team  

Ruth Thompson introduced a request for Peacemaking Offering funds made by David Meerse.  The Synod of Mid-America is providing a 5-day intensive training program in mediation and conflict resolution for pastors within the Synod at a reduced rate.  Each presbytery will select 5 persons to attend the event to be held at St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, September 14-18, 2009.  Persons who attend the workshop will be expected to be “on-call” by COM, by congregations, or by individual pastors to assist in working with conflict effectively, not destructively.  The total cost to MUP is $1,250.  A grant from Hildebrand Trust is providing $310.  David requested that we fund the remaining $940 from the Peacemaking funds, which have a current balance of $1,919.63.  The vote to approve this expenditure was unanimous.

Ruth then stressed that the yearly Peacemaking Offering was coming up on October 4, World Communion Sunday.  She encouraged all Presbytery churches to participate and asked that Kathleen Edwards (kathleenedwards34@gmail.com be added to our e-mail list. Social Justice and Peacemaking meeting adjourned.

C&S February Meeting Summary Review:

The February meeting summary meeting of the Church and Society Mission Team had been distributed by e-mail but was reviewed by Moderator Howland.  The primary work of the February meeting was to work on the Legislative Seminar which was rescheduled.  The minutes were approved.

Update on Activities:

Since the February meeting we conducted the Legislative Seminar on April 21, 2009 and participated in the “Faith & Families Summit” related to health care for Missourians at the state capitol, which was organized by Community Creating Opportunities (Eva Schulte – Executive Director, KC). Consistent with the survey of the concerns of the MUP survey respondents, the C&S team posted briefings on the state budget, health care legislation and the cost of college tuition. Ray reported that since the last posting on health care, the Legislature had adjourned with out taking any action to expand health care in Missouri. Debby reported that she continues to make calls to the other Pastors and Presbyteries to build interest in our work.

Presentation by members of Affordable Health Care For All.

Stacey Sickler explained that Missouri Health Care for All is a non-partisan, grassroots organization committed to securing access to affordable health care for all Missourians. They have 103 endorsing organization and over 5000 individual endorsers.  They have a state wide Steering Committee to determine the issues, activities and direction of the organization. They are linking with other groups to help move the health care issue on the national level but most of their work will be in Missouri.

There was a good discussion about where action was most likely to happen and the difficulties of moving the issue in the current Legislature. Health Care for All is working to establish relationships with the current and possibly future Legislative leadership in hopes of getting support.  They indicated that we can help by becoming individual or organizational endorsers or working on the steering Committee.  Members of the C&S Mission Team signed the endorsement form.

Other Business

Pastor Dave Henry from First Presbyterian in Jefferson City asked that the C&S Mission Team considering signing on to the resolution proposed by the Missouri Poverty Summit. The resolution calls for Governor Nixon to appoint a Task Force to study and report on poverty in our communities and strategies to reduce or eliminate poverty. A signature page for the resolution was distributed.

C&S Mission Team “To Do” List:

√ Set a meeting with Giddings-Lovejoy

√ Prepare the annual Mission Team review

Next Meeting:

September 13, 2009 @ 2:30 PM – First Presbyterian Church, Columbia.

Respectfully submitted, Ray Schneider