General Assembly February 14-17, 2012

Anne meeting Guest Speaker

Delegates Eating Together

Assembly Worship Together

         It was an unexpected opportunity for us to be accompaniers at the bi-annual General Assembly of la Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia (IPC) February 14-17 in Apartado. Each of the three presbyteries sent five elder delegates and five pastor delegates. Nine of the thirty delegates were women. About half a dozen males dominated the conversation. It was obvious that more pastor delegates were familiar with the national church. It was very interesting to observe the process in electing officers included humor and evidence that these delegates like one another.

         The Synod executive secretary and secretaries of the presbyteries provided positive leadership. It appeared that delegates from the same presbyteries remained together at breaks and at meals; possibly some caucus activity took place. As expected, there was some business to be transacted, but there was more energy around issues affecting the future of IPC and the future to which they feel God is calling them.

          We began with an evening worship. There was singing and prayer, reading of Scripture and proclamation of the Word by Linda Eastwood the coordinator of the PPF Colombia Accompaniment program. Her theme was the tension between tradition and traditionalism. The second day Sarah Henken, PC(USA) Andean regional coordinator, led the morning devotions, following singing. Her focus was God’s love for all and God’s plan for us to live together as one.

            A significant portion of the Assembly revolved around an opening presentation by the Reverend Chris Ferguson, pastor of the United Church of Canada, whose topic was “Necessary Reforms for the Church Today.” He challenged the delegates to look beyond their internal business to see the problems in society around violence. Basing his text in Mark, Ferguson stated that violence is a result of fragmentation of the society. Therefore he posited that it is essential for the Christian church to work ecumenically in order to alleviate that violence. Following his address the delegate reflection activity was to work in presbytery groups to respond to three questions: What does the Bible say? What statement should the national Presbyterian Church make about the Victim’s Law? What actions should the local churches take? Each group reported back briefly with their considerations. A final consolidating report was to be made by a small committee just before closing of the Assembly.  That smaller group will spend the coming weeks drafting an official IPC response to the Victim’s law. Local congregations and presbyteries will develop activities around their plans to stop fear and violence working toward peace and justice.

          The third morning, the devotion was led by the former moderator, Javier Rodriguez. He told a parable about sharing an orange – everyone gets something. He invited participation from the delegates and they were energetic in their responses! Some of the ideas expressed were: we need to be willing to “give,” to share with all who are in need; unity in the IPC is necessary or there will be no church; we need to leave here with a clear vision; and may God help us to interact through the Holy Spirit.

The Assembly was closed with Holy Communion.

Anne Eaton, David Eaton and Connie Cochran                          February 19, 2012

Some Victims in Colombia

Land Victim

Learning about Victim´s Law

Mother tells of personal attack

Some Victims in Colombia

When we received training as potential accompaniers, we learned about the continuing desire of the Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia to minister to victims of injustice.  We have wanted to be open to an expanding understanding of the breadth of experiences which produce victims.  January 2012 marked the implementation of the Victim’s Law.

Victimization includes murder of parents leaving children without a family, the loss of land denying farmers their vocation, physical attack which produces disability, and the lack of adequate employment. All of these situations are a call for justice.

The church is trying to bring peace and justice. In cooperation with NGOs and international organizations Christian churches are working ecumenically. Some individual victims continue to expect the church to give them more direct aid while others recognize the value in helping themselves. The IPC promotes self-development of the people.  Victimization is a continuing issue in Colombia and some told us “we are all victims.”

We met two young adults whose father, a mayor, was assassinated because he brought a charge of higher government corruption.  The son left the country in fear but returned after two years to help other victims.

Another contact is a woman who was brutally attacked seventeen years ago.  She was a secretary for a local government official.  After extensive medical treatment, therapy and fear, her whole family moved several times.  Her brother was killed.  Her current employment situation is thwarted by her disfigurement, and her daughter’s education has been disrupted by continued moves.  After seventeen years, this woman and her family continue to experience post-traumatic stress.

We traveled as an ecumenical group with members of human rights agencies to meet with indigenous people who have received a ‘communal’ parcel of land.  It was clear that this pre-Victims Law settlement has not been satisfactory largely due to the  government’s failure to provide a 9km road to their farmland.

Another woman told of her family’s experience in being victimized in a financial transaction involving the purchase of land for a tomato farm.  The bank took several expenses off the top of the loan before any funds changed hands. Government red tape slowed completion of the project yet money is still owed and the tomato workers have nothing to show for the effort. In the department of Atlantica, 95 government projects were proposed to get people back to work but only five have actually started functioning.

The Victim’s Law has been enacted by the national government in an effort to resolve some of the injustices experienced by the people.  A lawyer spoke for over an hour about elements in the Law and was forthright in suggesting that the process of applying for and receiving reparations will be complex.  There will be limits to the length of time one has to apply, and some legitimate victims will become discouraged before getting reparations.

We have had the chance to observe several groups of representatives of social service agencies discussing how they are attempting to aid victims.  We heard about public demonstrations and bumper-sticker/sign publicity to protest a new real estate tax.

We were impressed by the work of a Women’s Rights organization which receives support from the Presbyterians.  They provide education about domestic abuse. It is one concrete response from Presbyterians promoting justice for victims.

Most terrorists and paramilitaries are still around. A few top leaders have been jailed as a show but the majority of “foot soldiers” continue acts of terror.

What is God calling us to do about victimization in Colombia?  The IPC continues to discern how to respond to the need to accompany victims.   As PCUSA accompaniers, we too, are still listening and learning.

Respectfully submitted,

David Eaton, Anne Eaton, Connie Cochran

February 17, 2012

National IPC Synod Assembly

Anne delivers Peacemaker Invitation to German Zarate

Dear Family and Friends,

This week is another of the unique opportunities Anne and I have on this Accompaniment.  The Church's National Assembly takes place every two years, and it will be next week in Apartado - Uraba, a 12 hour drive from Baranquilla.  We will be going with a National Staff member German, who heads the Diakonia Service Division.  His English is excellent and he's been invited to be one of the International Perace-Makers in the U.S. next year.  He has a great sense of humor and traveling with him should be fun.

There are a number of differences between this meeting and a General Assembly in the U.S.  There are only three Presbyteries, each represented by five pastors and five elders.  So, there are 30 Commssioners rather that 1,500+.  We aren't entirely clear about the agenda and there isn't the big stack of pre-assebly papers U.S. Commissioners have to read in advance of GA.

Anyway, we'll be away from our computers for most of next week, so we won't be sending our next blog posting until a week from tomorro w.  When we return, CARNIVAL will have just begun.  Carnival is a BIG deal here for both Roman Catholics and many Protestant / Reformed groups like Presbyterians.  [Rather like Mardi Gras in New Orleans]  The Woman's Rights group sponsored by IPC will be in one of the parades [more about them later].  We'll be attending the Battle of Flowers Parade on Satuday.

Our warm greetings tgo you and we send thanks for your friendship and support.

Love, Joy and Just Peace,  Anne and Dave

Doing God's Work Together - Ecumenical Relations

Ecumenical Perspectives

                Most of us are aware that the nature of PCUSA world mission has changed dramatically in the last century.  Denominational identity was of prime importance; missionaries were the representatives of the Boards which sent them out, and in some areas, there was significant competition between various efforts in evangelization. 

The World Mission Conference at Edinburgh 1910 marked some new perspectives in the sense of call, training of workers, and recognition of need for cooperative efforts.  [A 2010 anniversary Edinburgh Mission Conference reinforced the ecumenical perspective and included Roman Catholic and Pentecostal representatives.]  For many decades agreement has been reached that competition would be replaced by cooperative agreements allowing each denomination to specialize in geographical and national areas.  The concept of missionary was replaced by Co-workers who were invited by the national church to “accompaniment” [as in walking along side the national church.]  Our experience has illuminated these changes.

                In our first week in Colombia, we had the opportunity to begin to learn about how the ecumenical commitments are being seriously followed by La Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia.  On our first evening, we were invited to a lecture at the Reformed University given by a Roman Catholic priest who talked about common approaches to developing effective pastoral leadership.  His major emphasis included listening, discernment, presence and sense of family relationship.  In the discussion that followed, he emphasized his role in regional ecumenical endeavors with the acceptance and support of the Bishop and the approval of his Roman Catholic peers.

                Other visits this week permitted us to see the results of cooperative efforts among ecumenical Christian groups and Non- government organizations [NGO] and City leadership in a Senior Center program.  Such is the case at the Senior Center [Foundation Misaños Bellos] which recently lost promised support for a feeding program.  As we made two visits in Sincelejo, which have particular focus on implementation of the Victims Law, once again, we recognized the importance of associations of different groups of people providing support to victims of displacement and injustice in the court system.  Another Roman Catholic told of the importance of the Latin American Council of Churches in addressing similar poverty and injustice concerns regionally from a cooperative approach.

                It is our expectation that further experiences we will have in the next weeks will continue to illustrate this ecumenical spirit which has been firmly adopted by regional church bodies, both Protestant and Roman Catholic.  It should be mentioned that the fastest growing church bodies – the Pentecostal churches--tend to be closed to this type of ecumenical endeavor.  Some evidence would suggest that such cooperative efforts are less well implemented at the local church level where denominational identity remains stronger.  The commitment to such joint-church efforts by Presbyteries and regional leaders and some local pastors may be seen as positive role-modeling for others to follow.

THE LORD’S DAY IN SINCELEJO

Sincelejo-Sucre Presbyterian Church

Sincelejo-Sucre is a city of 235,000 in north-central Colombia.  The Presbyterian congregation is located in a very poor community of people who work two jobs to feed their families.  Their roads are dusty; their homes are small.  We were welcomed as part of the family.   



Sunday morning in Sincelejo began with breakfast in the home of Pastor Josue Vargas and his wife Andrea.  Andrea sells breakfast items daily to earn some extra money for the household.  She prepared a very welcome Colombian breakfast of arepas and coffee.   Andrea gave up her electric fan in the kitchen that her guests might be cool.  Jairo Barriga, Secretary of the Presbytery (the exec), came to preach and celebrate communion because Josue, has not yet been ordained.  (He has more Presbyterian hoops to jump through.)                                                                                                               



Session meets prior to worship



Following breakfast, we walked the half block to the one-room church for a meeting of the Session.  The pastor, serving as clerk, and the Secretary of the Presbytery serving as moderator along with 2 of the 3 ruling elders met.  This appeared to be the first meeting of session since early November.  One of the elders is newly-elected.  Agenda items included clarification of the pastor’s terms of call and a break-down of the financial responsibilities of the congregation for the pastor’s salary.  A list of goals for the year was presented as was a request for pastoral study leave. The moderator requested reports on their progress by the end of the month. We were impressed with the teaching mode used by Jairo for a new pastor and a new ruling elder.

This was our first Sunday worship in Colombia.  La Iglesia Presbiterana de Sincelejo is a smaller-membership (40-45) congregation.  Worship began with singing and clapping led by three women, including an elder and the pastor’s wife.  The singing was lively and most of the congregation joined in enthusiastically.  Following the invocation, there was more singing, the prayer of confession and more singing!  The youth (ranging in age from sixteen to twenty-six-ish) were the majority of the congregation.

Jairo’s sermon text was Job 7:6, “My days pass by without hope.”  He reminded the congregation that hope is in the children, youth, and young adults, if they have the Son.  This congregation has a young adult group that meets Saturday nights. And they were also in worship on Sunday!

For communion, the children were invited to the table first.  They were given a cracker and a grape.  They were hesitant and then all (about fifteen?) approached.  One little girl, who had been outside, came in late and was invited to the table.  As she turned from the table, her joy—her excitement—left us wishing we all felt the enthusiasm and the hope of this young child when we turn from the Lord’s Table.



Pastor Joshue greets visitor



Then, as communicants, adults were invited to come in pairs to the table; break the bread and feed one another; take the cup and give to the other.  Members of the congregation paired with us and then we shared a hug and God-bless.  There was no suggestion of needing to rush. 

 We were welcomed as part of the family.  We are part of the family.   

























Session meets prior to worship

Greetings from Baranquilla - TWO WOMEN

Preiliminary  Greeting: 

                Joy and Just Peace to you from North Coast Presbytery, Baranquilla Colombia.  We are safe and in a comfortable setting in this city of 1.4 million folk.  We met our team companion Connie in Pamana City and were met by the Presbytery Executive [Jairo]  and the Director of the Diakonia Dept  [German] of Iglesia Presbiteriana Colombia with no delays at Immigration or Customs.  The Presbytery Office and quarters for the Accompaniment Team are in temporary facilities loaned by a well-to-do Presbyterian family on the 9^th Floor of a Condo.  There is a wonderful breeze and temperate weather at present.

Safety

                We want to reassure you that the concerns for threat  that led to the initial creation of this Accompaniment Program are very much less significant.  There are reasonable threats of being in a large city and we usually go out as a team or at least 2 people and use Taxi after dark.  Apparently, after the election of President Santos, threats and violence against Protestant Church lessened substantially.

Accompaniment

                Accompaniment has been  reaffirmed for the relationship with PCUSA in terms of ‘walking with’ Christian brothers and sisters, and a sense of solidarity and presence which the Colombian church values highly.  Accompaniment is also a foundation for IPC to describe their call to the mission of standing with victims of injustice and structures of poverty.  There seems to be a commitment to approaching this mission ecumenically when possible.

Two Women

                In our first week here we have been struck  by the important influence of two women.  One of the women , whose strong women whose strong influence on the Colombian Presbyterian church we’ve come to appreciate is Lidia Bourelli .  When she died on our second day here, we were invited to accompany the Presbytery Secretary to the funeral and had the opportunity, not only to see the cultural pattern  of funeral behavior in Colombia, but to hear the many personal family and Presb ytery-wide ‘witnesses’ to Lidia’s influence on individual lives and programmes of the church.

This Presbyterian Leader from Baranquilla, has had an almost lifelong influence.  From a wealthy family, she gave away most of her resources and committed herself to work with women and children’s programs and influenced others from the IPC to take-on  such ministries very seriously.  In many ways the values and curriculum of the Presbytery’s Collegia  [elementary and high school] and the programme of the Presbytery reflect the leadership of Lidia.       One Pastor told us of his experience with a number of other young people of having Senorita Lidia as their Sunday School teacher, and of the life-long impact that had on their lives and careers.  At some point, Lidia became concerned about some pattern of behavior  among the pastors and wrote them admonishing the need for change.   The Pastors quickly paid Lidia a visit, agreed on the need for change and implemented her suggestions.

                The second woman is Alice Winters who was a Presbyterian Mission Co-worker for over 30 years in Colombia and retired recently.   It is remembered that in her early years here, Alice  travelled through the countryside by foot to make contact with people about God’s love.  An account is told of Alice coming  into direct contact with a Guerrilla leader who became convinced of Alice’s commitment to the rural poor of Colombia, and her role and influence became firmly established.  In later years, Alice taught Old Testament, Theology and Exegisis  and other courses at the Presbyterian University Program of Theology, so most of the Pastors have been influenced by Alice Winters.  We understand that Alice is to be honored by the PCUSA General Assembly this year for her long-term service.

                The commitment of the Colombian Church to the leadership of women is long-standing.   Almost half of the Pastors and local church leaders are women.  It has been a great aspect of our initial time here to have the experience of introduction to the great roles of these two women.

Other Activities of the First Week

                Orientation to current social political situation in Colombia; history and current Presbyterian church situation; visit to Collegio Americana and attendance at a Seminary Class with an Ecumencally committed R. Catholic priest as guest lecturer discussing Pastoral Leadership  and we felt his directive to us to Listen, Discern, Be Present, and Be Family;  visit to a Senior Center program supported by a number of Presbyterian individuals as well as NGO and city support.  We made  an overnight visit to Sincelejo-Sucre [about 5 hours from here] where we visited about implementation of the Victim’s Law, and shared worship and youth events with a Presbyterian congregation. 

Greetings

                We send greetings, early in our month.  Hopefully it will reassure you of our safety and the feeling that we are learning a lot and contributing by our presence.  We are feeling very busy, but are having time to rest.  It is our expectation that we will have a rewarding experience, and we look forward to sharing more with you  bi-weekly.  We appreciate your prayer for us.

                In  addition to our blog, you are encouraged to see material about about us and other aspects of Presbyterian Peace Fellowship at colomia@presbypeacefellowship.org .

Almost Prepared to Depart

                                                                                                                                        

Greetings Friends

     This past week we finally received our 'appointment' forms from PCUSA as short-term Mission Volunteers to the Colombian Church and we  have a formal invitation from Presbytery of the North Coast to visit them in this accompaniment role.  

They have offered us the opportunity to visit the Colombian Presbyterian General Assembly in Aruba Feb. 14-17, and we know that there is a 14 hour van ride there and back, but the opportunity to see the church in action will be an unexpected and special  opportunity

     When we return to Baranquilla, it will be into Carnival, and we'll have the chance to see one or more of the spectacular parades as we begin Lent.  There will certainly be the opportunity to spend 4 or 5 days with a Pastor in one of the rural churches, and to visit one of the Internal Refugee sites to which Presbyterians are called to minister.

     Our congregation here in Bloomington-Normal is having a Commissioning Service for us this Sunday.  They have been wonderfully supportive.  We thank you for your love and interest.

                                                Later,  Joy and Just Peace, 

                                                Anne and Dave