Mission & Advocacy Committee

Vision: Congregational, spiritual transformation through mission and outreach ministries.

Mission: Develop programs that involve all congregations in reflection and action that addresses the disparity between wealth and poverty through Christian faith values.

See our full mission description and membership listing

PC(USA) Mission & Advocacy Links

Want to find out the latest developments and how Presbyterians are involved? Check out these sites!

2009 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study

The Mission & Advocacy Committee of the Presbytery of Genesee Valley is offering congregations the 2009 Mission Yearbook at a reduced cost of $5.50 each.

The 2009 Children’s Mission Yearbook will be available again this year for $6.50 each.

Order form
Ordering Deadline: Friday August 1

Presbytery Commitment to
Rebuilding Hope in New Orleans
Mission Trips Planned Through 2010

Since March 2006, the Presbytery of Genesee Valley has sponsored two mission trips each year and already has plans to continue this work through 2010.

Find out how to join out trips, or learn how to plan your own. See our Committment to New Orleans page.

2008 Mission Trip Partnership

Learn more about this new Mission and Advocacy program for congregations to promote hands-on mission involvement.

Read it here…

Congregational Health and Healing Survey

The National Council of Churches is gathering information about health care ministries in congregations. The results of this survey will provide valuable information about congregational life as regards to health — from healing ministries to advocacy. To take part, take the survey at www.ncccusa.org/healthsurvey.

Happenings with other local organizations

Interfaith Alliance DVD

The Interfaith Alliance in partnership with Let Justice Roll is offering an enlightening presentation that focuses on the poverty issues that continue to affect the greater Rochester community.

This free program centers attention on a 28-minute DVD, “The Faces of Poverty: Not Just Faces, but Our Neighbors”

featuring real people in Monroe County
accompanied by power point presentation; a study guide is available on request
conducted by well-informed discussion leaders

The presentations are designed to help educate the community about the realities of poverty in Monroe County.

The program raises questions such as:

What if you had a sudden large unexpected expense next month? Would your funds cover your essential needs for housing, health care, transportation, child care, food, and clothing?
If not, where would you turn?
If not, which items would you choose to do without?
What links are there between poverty and violence?

Handouts will be available, including a list of suggestions for volunteer involvement.

The time frame is usually 1 to 1½ hours, but could be adapted to the group’s needs.

For details contact Paul Brayer, 271-3479 or Ed Lemon, Jr., 410-0616

Peace Vigils

Reconcilation Network Monthly Witness Against the Death Penalty: Noon, on the Second Friday of every month. Gather at the Hall of Justice, 99 Exchange Blvd. (just down from D&C Building). The 20-minute vigil includes the reading of names of all death-penalty prisoners who have been executed the previous month. For more information: Gail Mott, 381-5606.
Early Morning Silent Peace Vigils: 7:30am–9:15am first Thursday and third Wednesday of each month in the front of the First Unitarian Church, 220 S Winton Rd, Rochester or near Downtown Presbyterian Church at the corner of Fitzhugh & Broad Streets.

Faith-Based Investing
by Rev. Jack Heiser

Most people, in our lives, want to do the best things we can to promote peace, justice and the common good. We go to the polls to vote our conscience. When the recent O.J. Simpson TV-Book proposal came before the nation, the public quickly acted to censor it—for the common good.

There is another way people can make a difference. It is in caring about how we invest our money. Most of us have retirement plans and some of us have investment portfolios.

Water for Sudan

Water for Sudan, Inc. is a Rochester-based 501(C)(3) organization providing clean, safe drinking water to thousands in southern Sudan, Africa.

Our mission is to drill fresh-water wells for the people in the southern areas of Sudan, providing the foundation for stable, healthy communities.

Our goal for the next several years is to drill twenty-four (24) wells per year to service tens of thousands of villagers. Locations are selected by the local tribal leaders. Members of the village are chosen to be trained by Water for Sudan in the operation and maintenance of the wells.

Once operational, a well becomes the property and responsibility of the village, empowering the people in the development of their own stable and healthy community. Our goal is the transformation of lives—bringing life out of the desert.

Salva Dut, President and Operations Manager of Water For Sudan, Inc., will talk about his work and show slides of his work to any congregation that would like to hear him.
Telephone 585/377-9471.

Join the PC(USA) Presbyterian Peacemaking Listserv

The PC(USA) Presbyterian Peacemaking Program has created a read-only email list, which will be used to send announcements about events, resources, stories about peacemaking, and updates to the Peacemaking Program’s web site. There will also be periodic action alerts identifying advocacy opportunities concerning issues related to peacemaking. Subscribe to the list here.

Our Lobbyists in Washington

The Presbyterian Washington Office is the public policy information and advocacy office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Its task is to advocate, and help the church to advocate, the social witness perspectives and policies of the Presbyterian General Assembly. The church has a long history of applying these biblically and theologically-based insights to issues that affect the public — maintaining a public policy ministry in the nation’s capital since 1946.

Ministries Supported by Presbytery through M&A

Ecumenical Ministries

Advent House Residents are in the last three months of a terminal illness, have exhausted all treatment options, and cannot be cared for at home. Advent House provides comfort, care, emotional and spiritual support.
Alternatives for Battered Women The mission of ABW is to enhance the quality of life and empower individuals affected by or at risk of domestic violence. ABW has been at the forefront of efforts to create systemic change to help victims find safety and to hold batterers accountable, thereby reducing the incidence of violence.
Benincasa, Inc. provides skilled, competent, and compassionate care for residents suffering from a terminal illness. They provide a secure and loving environment where the residents and loved one can have their spiritual, emotional and social needs met. Additionally. Benincasa provides holistic, non-sectarian bereavement support for the surrounding community.
Cameron Community Ministries Volunteers and staff at Cameron provide families living in Rochester’s northwest neighborhood with meals, clothing and educational experiences to build life-skills and positive values. After-school and summer youth programs allow school-age children recreational experiences in a structured, safe and nurturing environment
Cephas breaks the cycle of crime by helping individuals who are or who have been incarcerated, as well as at-risk youth, to change behaviors that lead to imprisonment and to rebuild lives
Church Women United has a variety of programs that celebrate church women together in study, reflection and fellowship. The Task Force on Courts continues monitoring the courts and has branched-out into Town Courts
Farmworker Legal Services of New York Through direct outreach to migrant labor camps and other sites used for housing, Farmworker legal Services provides education on workers’ legal rights and training on harmful effects of pesticides and AIDS. In addition, the staff provides information and assistance on gender discrimination, civil rights violations and domestic violence.
Finger Lakes Restorative Justice Center promotes the principles and practices of restorative justice in the nine-county Genesee/Finger Lakes region serving individuals who have been harmed, individuals causing harm, and community members affected by harmful incidents. The Center also serves communities seeking peaceful and healthy ways to handle and forestall dispute and conflict.
Focus on the Children serves children and families with children with needs that cannot be met sufficiently by any other program in Livingston County. With their help, families find the resources they need to better provide a safe, secure and happy environment for their children. The majority of the children FOTC serves are under age five.

Ecumenical Ministries (Cont.)

Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern provides emergency services for the economically poor and assists and encourages members of the poverty community to become independent, self-sufficient contributing members of society.
Habitat for Humanity Wyoming County provides low-income families with new hope in the form of affordable housing. Churches, community groups, and interested individuals join together to tackle a significant social problem. Thirty-five percent of housing in Wyoming County is considered substandard. The goal is to construct a home every 18 months in Wyoming County for families in need.
Irondequoit Senior Transportation Ministry is a faith-based initiative by the ecumenical faith communities in the town of Irondequoit that provides free transportation services to seniors to enhance their lives by contributing to their independence and freedom.
Judicial Process Commission provides support services for those involved in the criminal justice system, educates the public, and advocates for changes in public policy.
LeRoy Christian Community Project is a shared ecumenical outreach ministry with a mission to nurture in Christ’s name and Spirit the children, youth and elderly through programs and activities including an After-School Program, Teen Drop-In Center, and Caregiver Support.
Livingston County Coalition of Churches Through jail ministry, lifestyle education, senior home care and a food pantry network, LCCC fosters empowerment and advocacy to the Livingston County community.
Rural and Migrant Ministry is an educational resource and catalyst for people of faith on issues of rural justice, empowerment, and leadership development. The agency supports the outreach efforts of congregations seeking to build ministry and connections with the wider community, especially migrant farmworkers.
Spiritus Christi Mental Health Center provides free mental health care for uninsured and underinsured children and adult in the Greater Rochester area.

Campus Ministries

Genesee Area Campus Ministries (University of Rochester)
Nazareth College Campus Ministry
SUNY Brockport Interfaith Campus Ministries