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Mission & Advocacy Committee

Mission & Advocacy is responsible for global and local mission of justice and peace, oversees support for campus ministries, elder care, support programs of direct service and advocacy. Meets 2nd Thursday 5pm @ Twelve Corners.

New Presbytery Disaster Readiness and Response Team ByBarbara and Bill Smith, Presbytery Disaster Readiness and Response Team (DRRT) Coordinators

Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast brought focus to volunteers helping with disaster relief. Our Presbyterian Church nationally provided opportunities for volunteers through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA).

Many of us as church groups or as individuals have given of our time or resources to assist with the recovery efforts. Now the Mission and Advocacy Committee of our Presbytery is initiating a Disaster Readiness and Response Team (DRRT) to plan and prepare our church members for future events. Recent local tornadoes (like the one in Corfu), floods (like the one in Gonanda) and even the Swine flu outbreak are evidence that this an important task at this time.

We will begin by gathering information for a Presbytery web page that will enable churches to share what they have done to help in times of disaster.

Send us your stories and pictures of your efforts on the Gulf Coast (or elsewhere) to help clean up or rebuild homes or churches. There might be a story about a local storm where your church members found the need to help out neighbors. Please email materials to .

Meanwhile we are also actively recruiting members for the DRR Team to promote, develop, and organize readiness for and response to disasters.

The team will help individual churches explore how you can be prepared for disaster response within your own communities, and how you can participate in broader responses within our Presbytery, neighboring Presbyteries, or nationally. Did you know there are some wonderful resources available online?

Most importantly, please consider who in your congregation would be interested in joining the team. It might be

Team members will meet monthly for planning and will be asked to share information with local churches. Other avenues for service and involvement will be explored and encouraged. Any and all are welcome to participate. If you have names to suggest or questions about this work contact us directly at wsmith4@rochester.rr.com.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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”

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

The program raises questions such as:

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

Child at wellWater 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

  • 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.
  • 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
  • Center For Teen Empowerment empowers youth and adults as agents of individual, institutional and social change. Teen Empowerment initiatives are designed to enable and motivate Teens to actively become part of the solution to issues they face, especially those related to social injustices and hopelessness related to disparity, poverty and discrimination.
  • East Rochester Community Resource Center offers a food shelf, used clothing center, used furniture and household items. A crisis fund is used with discretion to help people in emergency situations for help with back rent, utilities shut-offs, medical bills and prescriptions. A transportation pool with drivers who will take people to doctor appointments, run errands, grocery shipping with a weeks notice is another service provided.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Judicial Process Commission provides support services for those involved in the criminal justice system, educates the public, and advocates for changes in public policy.

Ecumenical Ministries (Cont.)

  • 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.
  • Project Empower is a holistic program designed to empower women to live into their full potential. The program has proven effective with women from all age groups, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Women are helped to heal and embrace their authenticity and strength.
  • RAIHN The overall goal is to increase the quality of life for homeless families in Rochester; enabling them to become self-sufficient and independent. This goal is achieved by providing temporary shelter, meals and support for the parent(s) and their children so that they may find housing and, if possible, employment.
  • Rural and Migrant Ministry acts to overcome the prejudices and poverty that degrade and debilitate all members of our society by building communities that celebrate diversity and offer dignity and opportunity to all. This mission is implemented by endeavoring to improve working and living conditions, raise leadership skills and awareness of opportunities and issues, and through youth empowerment program to work for changing unjust systems and structures.
  • Spiritus Christi Mental Health Center provides free mental health care for uninsured and underinsured children and adult in the Greater Rochester area.
  • Two Doors Community Resource Center is a neighborhood outreach program established by Bethany Presbyterian Church as a mission to the urban Dewey-Stone Neighborhood of Greece. Two Doors' After School Homework Assistance Program is open to all students at risk of, or presently exhibiting a reading or math achievement below grade level, or those that are in need of academic, social or emotional support. The program has expanded to also include cultural arts programs, summer camp with an educational component and family outreach to teach families about healthy lifestyles and choices.

Campus Ministries

Related Organizations

Documents

Mission & Advocacy owns and maintains the following documents