Why I Am Standing for Moderator:

It was through Presbyterian Mission that I was introduced to a living God. My first exposure to Presbyterians was as a troubled teenager, homeless with my family, angry and alienated. A group of young people, their youth leader, and a dedicated pastor befriended me - their witness and love and introduced me to a warm and vibrant personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. I owe to these persons, and to the church which nurtured all of us, a great debt of love. In my ministry I have tried to return to the church, and to others who are experiencing alienation and homeless, the same blessing of hope which was extended to me in my need. I feel a strong call to stand for Moderator so that I can share this passion of my ministry with the church that I love. I can offer a unique perspective on the importance of mission and evangelism - it is a deeply rooted part of my heart and my personal journey with the Lord.

Presbyterians are people of strong faith, opinion, and personal commitment. This same zeal and passion which is our hallmark is also that which can alienate us from one another. The world needs us desperately because it needs to know the life we have found in Christ, and the redeeming power of it. It is the good news which calls us together as the church. We hold in our hands the power to bless the world. The power of this calling is far more intense than anything that could divide us. We are the agent of the most powerful force for change the world has ever seen.

In my quarter century of ministry with Meeting Ground, I have learned the powerful dynamic that God calls us to witness as part of a loving community. This means, not that we are all the same, but that we stand together in our diversity and use it as a powerful advantage to accomplish our purposes. I have also learned in my work that this is a fragile accomplishment at times, and that wishful thinking is not enough to achieve a strong unity. I don't have all the answers to achieving reconciliation or resolution of differences, but I have learned that often in our helplessness we can find a greater reliance on grace and allow ourselves to be moved together, in ways we don't fully understand, by the loving hand of God.

In my ministry I have been called to bring together and lead churches and individuals from a wide variety of faith perspectives - conservative, liberal, evangelical, radical - moving beyond labeling to fulfill a common desire. I don't think that techniques or rearranging structures and methodologies will do anything to promote our health and optimism as a community of faith. I strongly believe that our willingness to lose our life, practice an uncommon example of sacrifice, and devotion to a radical discipleship we all meet the desire of our hearts. By radical I mean to return to that which is our root, from which we draw the water of our life - the heart and person of Jesus.

I feel called to do all I can to promote the peace, unity, and purity of the church by inspiring our commitment to mission - especially to those among us and in our world who are homeless, living on the margins, outcast and yearning for that love, hope, and justice which only comes through the work of a committed community of faith. I believe our Presbyterian Church, while not the largest of denominations, is powerful in its commitment to the Gospel and to the need to witness and evangelize with power, persistence, and passion. I feel we are poised on the edge to a call to a "new thing," thirsting to say yes to a fresh moving of the Spirit's power to transform: first us, and then through the uniqueness and genuineness of our mission.


If I am elected Moderator, this is how I envision the church to be different at the end of two years:

More diverse: particularly extending the boundaries of our community to be more inclusive of persons who struggle at the margins of society: persons who have experienced homelessness, persons struggling to survive on low-incomes, those who are dispossessed or alienated from church and society.

More unified in being missional: extending the boundaries of what we mean by "parish" and "community" - focusing on creative and energizing mission, redemptive service that makes a difference in the lives of persons who are hurting, commitment to a more just society in economics, environment, social dignity, and equality of rights - including the right to housing, education, healthcare, and the right to live with dignity by one's own means.

More committed to creative mission, based on justice: mission that brings the gospel and the power alive in a mutuality of service. One that includes those being served in service, and gives to all equally the power to be givers as well as receivers. Mission that is focused on building community and relationships, not simply providing goods and services. Mission that transforms the church as well as the lives of all persons involved.

More radical in its message: moving forward to our roots - to the person of Jesus, the power of the Gospel, and our unity in these.