Today in the Mission Yearbook - Home sweet home: Native Americans return to their roots in Alabama

Indigenous Maskoke community reflects self- determination

August 31, 2021

The Ekvn-Yefolecv Indigenous Maskoke Ecovillage was established in 2018 by Maskoke people who wanted to return to their roots and an agrarian way of life. (Photo courtesy of Ekvn-Yefolecv)

Nearly two centuries after many of their ancestors were displaced from their native homelands in the southern United States, a group of Native Americans is preserving their language and traditions in a unique community in Alabama.

The Ekvn-Yefolecv Indigenous Maskoke Ecovillage was established in 2018 by Maskoke people who wanted to return to their roots and an agrarian way of life.

“We’re committed to this place because we are in service to the land, to the place that we come from,” said Tawna Little, the partner of Ecovillage co-founder Marcus Briggs-Cloud. “Our people were from here. Our people had ceremony here. These trees that are here heard our people … speak our language.”

The Ecovillage is located in Weogufka, Alabama, about an hour south of Birmingham in a region that was inhabited by Maskoke before its people were scattered to other parts of North America during the country’s early history.

“Our people were forcibly removed from our homelands here in 1836,” Briggs-Cloud explained during last year’s COVID at the Margins series by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A). “Most of our folks were sent westward to what’s now commonly colonially known as Oklahoma, and some of our folks were sent southward to Florida and some to the Alabama-Florida border.”

About a dozen people live at the Ecovillage full-time and others stay part-time in the community whose name means “returning to the Earth” or “returning to our homelands.”

Little is from Oklahoma, where her great-grandmother Effie Lena maintained a camp house at Hilltop Indian Presbyterian Church in Wewoka.

“We’re from a diaspora of Maskoke people,” Little said. The residents are “like-minded” people with a commitment to making “drastic change to save the language,” which requires reconnecting with the land and immersing the children in the indigenous language, which is taught by their elders, she said.

Briggs-Cloud realized many years ago that the language was endangered due to few remaining speakers and that “language immersion methodology was going to be the only pathway to keep our language alive.”

But that takes more than just creating a language school, he said. “It’s that we have to be embodying these traditional values to which we say we subscribe.”

Part of the reason that preserving the language is so important, according to Little, is that “all of our ceremonies, our renewal ceremonies, are in our language, and if we can’t have our renewal ceremonies, in our prophecy it says that our people will perish.”

Ekvn-Yefolecv lies on 1,206 acres of property that was purchased with funds from individuals, foundations and religious groups.

“While there is surely irony around the need to purchase ancestral land, it is wonderful that people in Alabama and around the country rallied to support the repossessing of the land their ancestors had stewarded over centuries,” said Andrew Kang Bartlett, National Associate for the Presbyterian Hunger Program, a funding partner. “PHP is thrilled to be a small part of this growing national movement to get land back to its original caretakers.”

In the income-sharing community, each person in exchange for their labor receives a $400 stipend and lodging and food, Briggs-Cloud said.

“We are building small, 400-square-foot tiny homes with timber framing, strawbale walls, earthen plasters for floors and walls, and living roofs,” he said.

Other ecofriendly practices include doing rainwater catchment, creating an aquaponic system, and using composting toilets and biodigesters as part of the community’s goal to live in a healthy way and be good stewards of the Earth.

“The traditional ecological practices used by the Maskoke and other Indigenous peoples are greatly needed to adapt to a changing climate where uncontrollable fires have become commonplace,” Kang Bartlett said. “Last year, Ekvn-Yefolecv did a prescribed burn on a portion of their land, employing this time-honored strategy for increasing biological diversity and preventing too much burnable material to accumulate. These practices have global applications.”

Farming, fishing, and foraging also are part of life at the Ecovillage, where things like cucumbers, squash, tomatoes and herbs are grown.

The community welcomed four bison in 2019 and has released sturgeon, a sacred fish to the Maskoke, back into the watershed. “We did go to Canada to get the eggs and hatch them out here,” Little said.

Darla Carter, Communications Associate, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Cameron Stevens, Associate, Constituency Relations, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Larry and Inge Sthreshley, Mission Co-workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, World Mission, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray

Faithful God, even amid tragedy and suffering, you abide with your people. As you continue to heal our wounds and strengthen our spirits, draw us closer to you and closer to one another, so that all your people may be one. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - A sign of life in one of the most contaminated places on the planet

A tidal wave of green is growing in Peru

August 29, 2021

 

Decades of toxic emissions from a nearby smelter in La Oroya, Peru, have caused acid rain that has burned the hillsides. (Photo by Jed Koball)

La Oroya, Peru, is one of the most contaminated places in the world. Poisoned by the emissions of a U.S.-owned metals smelter, nearly 1,000 miles of surrounding land is contaminated as much as 4 inches deep with lead, cadmium and arsenic.

Despite the fact the smelter has not operated at full capacity for over a decade, more than 50% of La Oroya’s children have extreme levels of lead in their blood.

But among the acid-rain, white-washed tracts of rockface 13,000 feet above sea level in the Andean mountains, the largely infertile lands are experiencing a tidal wave of green.

With the help of mission co-workers, the Joining Hands Network, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) and the Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP), a small group of seniors who call themselves the “Conservation Committee of Villa El Sol” developed a simple plan: plant trees to restore life.

With shovels and picks, they tilled the land. More than 20 years later, they have planted more than 30,000 trees and cared for them daily, season after season, often watering them by hand using recycled 2-liter soda bottles.

In the short term, the project will facilitate better growth of the trees being planted on the hillside. This will bring stability to the land to help prevent mudslides while also keeping water in the soil for planting. Once terraces are more firmly established, native plants can be utilized to remediate contaminants from the soil.

In the long term, the land will not only be adapted to climate change, but it will also become fertile for local food production. At present, food must be shipped into the area because contamination prevents the growth of produce.

Because of its immense biodiversity, economic inequality and decaying infrastructure, Peru is considered one of the three countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change. Having responded to massive flooding, mudslides and displacement due to unprecedented rains near the coast of Peru, Red Uniendo Manos Peru (Joining Hands Peru) knew that the long-term struggle against climate change in Peru must focus on retaining water in the mountains.

PHP, through its Joining Hands initiative, has long supported the organizing work in the community. Much of it has focused on calling for an environmental health policy to address the contamination in La Oroya. Through years of advocating for specialized health care, the enforcement of environmental policy and the remediation of lands poisoned from decades of mining activity, it became clear that the community would have to take on some of the work itself. This led to the idea of bio-remediating the land — introducing microorganisms to consume and break down environmental pollutants.

PDA became involved following the 2017 mudslide, which was attributed to climate change. While climate change has long been a concern of the community, it became apparent that urgent action was needed to adapt the land to changing weather patterns. The community, with the help of Red Uniendo Manos Peru, applied to PDA for a grant to facilitate the ongoing re-forestation work in Villa El Sol by building an irrigation system.

The proposal to PDA called for capturing water using pre-Incan strategies of canalization, reservoirs and slow-building terraces while also introducing more diverse native species of plants to generate quicker growth, remediate toxins and return nutrients to the soils.

World Mission has accompanied the community through the presence of mission co-workers like Jed and Jenny Koball now serving in Peru, as well as visiting churches from the United States, some of whom have gotten their hands dirty in the re-forestation efforts.

“More than anything, mission co-workers have provided encouragement to the community to continue its advocacy work,” said Jed Koball.

Koball said the hope is that the project will demonstrate what is possible in other parts of Peru also affected by mining contamination.

“While the community is taking on this work with the support of Red Uniendo Manos Peru, PHP, WM and PDA, the work on a larger scale is really the responsibility of the State and the mining companies that have allowed for such contamination to take place,” he said. “In this way, the project becomes part of the ongoing advocacy work for environmental health policy in response to mining contamination.”

Kathy Melvin, Director of Mission Communications, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

David Staniunas, Records Archivist, Presbyterian Historical Society, Office of the General Assembly
Marsha Stearley, Desktop Support Analyst, Information Technology, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)

Let us pray

Great God, bless the hearts and hands of those who work in your name. Bless those they help, those with whom they travel, those who host them and those who hear their stories. Give us heart to live as witnesses in all the places where the presence of faith shouts hope despite all the chaos of our world and its disasters. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Preacher, prophet, poet the Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr. extols the blessings of Black love

The Riverside Church’s senior minister emeritus speaks with the New York City chapter of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus

August 28, 2021

The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr. was the guest last week of the New York City chapter of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus.

The New York City chapter of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus was recently privileged to hear the prophetic voice of the Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr. You too can hear Forbes’ talk here.

Forbes is senior minister emeritus of The Riverside Church in New York City and before that was a preaching professor at Union Theological Seminary, also in New York City.

Asked to talk about the blessings of Black love, Forbes initially stuck to the topic at hand.

For years, Forbes has been one to write poems and songs. He gave one, which he said was about “the blessedness of Black love,” to his wife’s chorale, the Ebony Ecumenical Ensemble, to sing: “I expected mission impossible, a call to service far away, but instead this gentle assignment God sends to us each day: Love my children, that’s all I ask of you. Love my children, that’s all we’ve got to do. If you love them as I love them we shall see them safely through. Love yourself, love me too, and whatever else you do, love my children.”

The Black community’s “vulnerability in the face of COVID-19 reveals that every day we find ourselves victims of circumstances which have compromised our immune system,” Forbes said. “We also found when it came to testing we were last in line. In the early phases of the vaccine, we had to fuss, fight and fume to make sure that the naturally ingrained pattern of last and least would not be visited upon us in the wake of this pandemic.” Many churches and other organizations are working to make vaccination and testing efforts more equitable, “but it’s very clear that if nobody else is going to love us, the blessedness of the Black community should be love that begins at home,” he said.

Or, to put it in the words of another Forbes poem: “Stop the virus of hate from spreading across the land, Bigotry is a deadly weapon the nation cannot stand. The ‘isms’ of division and the seeds of fear will start an epidemic throughout the atmosphere. The spirit of our nation is desperately pleading today: This is our blue-green planet, don’t let hatred take it away. Take the vaccine of love in a hurry, Let’s spread it far and near. Teach it and preach it everywhere until the air is clear.”

Two years ago, while writing a chapter for a book his goddaughter was editing on the 400th anniversary of the arrival to these shores of the first enslaved people, Forbes said he ran across what he called “the biblical quadricentennial,” found in Genesis 15:12-14. In the biblical account, Abram falls into a deep sleep. God tells Abram his offspring will be aliens in a land that is not theirs. They’ll be slaves there, oppressed for 400 years, when God will “bring judgment on the nation that they serve.” After that, they’ll come out “with great possessions.”

“I asked God a question,” Forbes recalled upon rediscovering that story. “God, I see that after 400 years of brutality and dehumanizing activities, you couldn’t stand it any longer. You decided, I’m going to do something about this, and you sent Moses to Pharaoh,” who told Egypt’s ruler, “Let my people go.”

“Since God and I talk plain,” Forbes went on, “I asked God, ‘That was the biblical quadricentennial. What about ours? It’s the 400th year coming up now, God. Do you love us Black people as much as you love the Israelites?’ The Spirit said to me, ‘I love my Black people and I love my white people and yes, I am going to do something dramatic in the direction of your liberation.’”

“Since those words, I’ve been a different person,” Forbes said. When God says, “I’m going to give a dramatic demonstration of my determination to bring deliverance,” it’s not just for Black people, Forbes said, “because your bondage is mutually connected. I’m going to bring deliverance,” he said, quoting what the Almighty told him, “to people who are oppressed and who are oppressors.”

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Alex Spoelker, Director, Relationship & Development Operations, Mission Engagement & Support, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Champaka Srinivasan, Associate, Finance, Young Adult & National Volunteers, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray

Open our eyes, O God, to see your way. And if your eyes aren’t ready to see, open our hearts to the movement of the holy Spirit. Keep pointing us in the right direction. We want to answer your call, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - A big mission for a tiny church

Prayer and study undergirds feeding others

August 27, 2021

The Chapel by the Sea Hunger Action Team (HAT) made and delivered Coronavirus Safety Kits with hand sanitizer, mask and information about food and emergency resources to area residents. Courtesy of Chapel by the Sea Presbyterian Church

Chapel by the Sea Presbyterian Church is where wedding dreams come true. Nestled among knotty pine trees on the rocky Washington coastline, the chapel, however, provides more than just nuptial photo ops. It provides a snapshot of hope for residents living in the hamlet of Moclips who struggle to put food on the table.

Since 2015, the “tiny, but mighty” church — as the congregants lovingly call themselves — has been focused on living out Matthew 25 by feeding the hungry. It was then that member Phyllis Shaughnessy founded The Green Lantern Lunch Program to help children have nutritious meals during the summer. The program soon expanded to provide weekend lunches during the school year.

Chapel by the Sea has also been assembling COVID-19 safety kits. When the pandemic hit a year ago, the Hunger Action Team of Chapel by the Sea — yes, the “tiny, but mighty” church even has an action team — saw a need for better safety precautions and began assembling kits with masks, hand sanitizer and information sheets with food and emergency resources listed. And when member Cindy Stearns applied for and was awarded a CARES Act Grant to help churches during the pandemic, Chapel by the Sea did what they always do. They didn’t look inward, but rather used that money to buy meals for others from local restaurants.

The pastor-in-residence, the Rev. Dr. Linda Flatley, who came to the church in 2018, has seen this commitment to helping others keep the congregation energized and vital.

She tells them that with now 22 members on the roll, up from 15, Chapel by the Sea might soon have to stop referring to itself as “tiny.” How does the congregation, though, keep its focus when many small congregations falter?

Becoming a Matthew 25 congregation has helped, Flatley says. While already doing the work of eradicating systemic poverty — one of the three focuses churches may choose to address as a Matthew 25 congregation — it was the prayer and Bible study resources that were offered by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that grounded the congregation. “We had the signed certificate showing we were a Matthew 25 congregation, but what now?” said Flatley. Rather than jumping into “doing,” the congregation spent time “being” submerged in the Matthew text, thus providing a stronger foundation for the church to build its dual mission of revitalization and feeding the hungry upon.

This focus on prayer was second nature to Chapel by the Sea’s pastor. Flatley is a native of Scotland and did her doctoral work in Celtic spirituality. Since the beginning of 2021, Flatley has offered Celtic spirituality studies via Zoom, which has garnered attention from the community. New faces have joined Flatley on the Celtic spirituality Zoom gatherings. And, even at the height of the pandemic, when sheltering in place was the norm, Flatley made sure the chapel doors remained open for prayer and that there was always a light on to shine out into the community.

“I felt the strong need to do this. We are on a state route, and it is important for those passing by to see the doors open and the lights on,” she said.

Donna Frischknecht Jackson, Editor, Presbyterians Today

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Roger Spalding, Prospect Research Analyst, Relationship & Development Operations, Mission Engagement & Support, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Frank Spencer, President, Board of Pensions

Let us pray

Lord, we thank you for loving volunteers who feel they cannot do enough to help their neighbors and serve those in need. We thank you for donors who bring their items so that they may continue to serve your children. Amen.

God's Mission Our Gifts: August 2021

Your September Mission & Service Stories SEPTEMBER 5 Support for the People of Haiti   [Photo credit: Tearfund Canada, 2021. All rights reserved, permission required for further use.] Saturday, August 14 was a shattering day for the Haitian people. A devastating earthquake struck that morning, destroying homes, community buildings, hospitals, and precious lives. And Tropical Storm Grace hit Haiti on August 16, making an already bad situation even worse. Join us in prayer for the people of Haiti, and find out what Mission & Service partners say you can do to help.   SEPTEMBER 12 No Longer Asking “Where Will I Eat?”   [Photo credit: Our Place Society]   When the pandemic first struck, we told you that guests at Our Place Society were asking “Where will I eat?” Thanks to the generosity of supporters, that’s no longer a question. SEPTEMBER 19 You Are There Every Step of the Way: Jason’s Story   [Photo credit: The United Church of Canada]   “I thought that when my kids were born, that was kind of the size my heart would be, but I’ve come to love the church, the people, and the vocation of ministry more deeply than I ever imagined,” says Rev. Jason Meyers in this heart-warming story about how Mission & Service supported his journey to ordination. A video of Jason's story is also available.   SEPTEMBER 26 Wondering What More You Can Do to Become Anti-Racist?   Wondering what more you can do to become anti-racist in your local communities? You aren’t alone. 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism may be the next step you are looking for. MODERATOR PRAYER VIDEOS All of the prayers in Your Generosity Matters are now available in video format! Share them in worship, social media and other communications. Get them all here. Congregational Stewardship/Generosity This is your resource to help you grow generous disciples and gather the resources you need to do God’s mission. Please modify and use these ideas in your context.   Fall Planning  As you are looking ahead at the fall, here are some specific things you can do to nurture stewardship. Choose one or more and try them:   Find ONE story about a way your community of faith made a positive difference in someone’s life in the last six months. With any necessary permissions, share it as broadly as you can within your community of faith--and even beyond. Try to make it fit with a Sunday theme. There is a lot going on in the world right now. We could all use the lift of good news. Mission & Service is helping to save and transform lives, inspire meaning and purpose, and build a better world. Check out Your Generosity Matters stories and share them with your community of faith (during worship, in the newsletter, on Facebook, or all three!)  Consider how you are going to share your abundance this fall with your church and the world. Make a giving plan for the last quarter of 2021. Can you increase your regular contributions by 2%? How about 5%? Invite others to join you. Call three people in the congregation to ask why they contribute to the life and work of the church and thank them. DO NOT ASK for anything as part of these calls. Children’s Story Books That Nurture Generosity  Because Brian Hugged his Mother, by David Rice (ISBN: 978-1883220891). "Because Brian Hugged his Mother is an uplifting tale that makes children more aware of their special effect on the world, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference." Harold Loves his Woolly Hat, by Vern Kousky (ISBN 978-1524764678). "In this sweet picture book that celebrates selflessness and the joy of helping others, a little bear named Harold loses his beloved woolly hat--only to discover that others need it more." Sidewalk Flowers, by JonArno Lawson, Sydney Smith, illustrator (ISBN 978-1554984312). In this wordless book, a girl is walking through a city neighborhood with her father. She gives flowers to those she encounters and her gifts brighten the world around her. We Share Everything, by Robert Munsch (ISBN 978-0590514507). It's the first day of kindergarten and Amanda and Jeremiah have a problem. They both want to read the same books. They want to paint with the same paints. And they refuse to share. The teacher tells them, "Look. This is kindergarten. In kindergarten we share. We share everything." Called to Be the Church: The Journey Called to Be the Church: The Journey is a set of tailored and topical modules with coaching and ongoing support to meet your stewardship needs.   With ongoing coaching and support, you will make solid, achievable stewardship next steps with the Stewardship Best Practices Module: four two-hour online classes to dive into these vital best practices. Claim Your Mission –it really is why people give to you   Cultivate Generosity –practical ways to increase giving   Create A Culture of Gratitude –saying thank-you is critical   Stewardship Is Discipleship –integrating stewardship in your spiritual growth programming   Using the recommendations in your customized Stewardship Analysis report, you will accomplish your solid, achievable, stewardship next steps. These sessions will be open to only three communities of faith per region, so be sure to SIGN UP EARLY! Questions? Email us. More sessions may be added as needed. GOD’S MISSION, OUR GIFTS is your newsletter. We want to provide news and information that you can use in your community of faith, whether you’re a minister, a board member, an administrator, a treasurer, or anyone else who wants to make a difference.   What else would you like to see? What can we do to help your community of faith get where it needs to go? Send us your thoughts! Visit the United Church’s COVID-19 page for tips and resources for members and communities of faith during the pandemic. And for help with government COVID-19 support, visit the United Church’s emergency funding page. Donate Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn   Your generosity enables the United Church to love, serve, and minister in the world. Make an online donation or learn more about your options to support the work of the church.

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Today in the Mission Yearbook - The Preaching Lab: Well-told stories can make sermons memorable

The Rev. Dr. Alice Ridgill offers tips

August 26, 2021

The Rev. Dr. Alice Ridgill, associate executive of the Presbytery of Charlotte, spoke to about 40 participants in The Preaching Lab on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Presbytery of Charlotte)

Preacher, tell us a story.

People who listen to sermons week after week will usually sit up and take notice when the preacher launches into a good story, according to the Rev. Dr. Alice Ridgill, associate executive presbyter for the Presbytery of Charlotte. Ridgill spoke during the third installment of The Preaching Lab, a five-part online workshop offered monthly by New Hope Presbyterian Church in Anaheim, California, through a grant by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Stories, Ridgill said, “transcend race, culture and class. All of us identify with a good story.” Someone said once the “shortest distance between two people is a good story,” Ridgill said.

Jesus’ stories, his three dozen or so parables, remain with us today for a number of reasons, including:

• They’re relatable and easy to understand
• They’re examples used to illustrate a doctrine or precept
• They’re earthly stories with a heavenly meaning
• They have a way of drawing us in
• They force us into considering their underlying meaning
• Often they contain an element of shock.

Most people listening to their preacher weekly would prefer a story to mere information-sharing, she said. Ridgill said one study shows stories are 22 times more memorable than the facts alone. “You say, ‘Once upon a time,’ and they know what’s coming next,” Ridgill told the group, made up largely of preachers. “You see people sit up and lean forward when they know a good story is coming.”

Ridgill recalled a sermon she once delivered “that was not going well. I was presenting a lot of information, and I had done my homework. My exegesis was tight, but the longer I preached, the more I could see people were fading. My one saving grace was the story at the conclusion. When I started it, people sat up and were more engaged, giving me their undivided attention. There’s something about a story that helps people relate to what you’re saying.”

Ridgill offered up three don’ts and three dos to the gathered preachers.

• Don’t assume you aren’t a good storyteller
• Don’t overload your stories with unnecessary details
• Don’t make yourself the star of the story
• Do consider the point you’re trying to make
• Do use stories that are relatable to your audience
• Do use sensory language. Better to say, “She sat in a tub of ice-cold water” rather than just, “She sat in a tub,” Ridgill said.

Oh — and make your stories sticky, she urged.

Sticky stories engage the senses, evoke emotion and paint a picture, Ridgill said. “In the preaching moment, we have to help listeners not only hear the truth of God’s word, but to see it,” Ridgill said.

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Teresa Sontarp, Director, Financial Reporting, Board of Pensions
Jake Souder, Program Assistant, Educational Resources, Office of the General Assembly

Let us pray

Loving God, we are mindful that you have called your people to sit together in the kingdom of God. We are thankful for new ministries within our midst that give witness to that calling. Please bless these ministries. Amen.