GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE
CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
“TOOLS OF HOPE”
Help provide blankets, tents and emergency supplies in the wake of disasters that devastate lives here in the United States and worldwide. PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO THE ”TOOLS OF HOPE” PROGRAM BEGINNING JUNE 8TH, AND CONTINUING THROUGH JULY AND AUGUST.
Through the Tools & Blankets Program, congregations and groups around the country reach out in compassion to people in need in more than 80 countries. Simply said, the right tool at the right time can make a world of difference in the lives of a family or a community. You can be part of that rainbow of caring.
USE THE COLORFUL RAINBOW ENVELOPES FOUND IN THE PEW RACKS AND DROP YOUR DONATION IN THE OFFERING PLATE ON SUNDAYS.
Sponsored by Peacemaking/Social Concerns Committee
Souper Bowl scores record
$9.9 million for hunger
Presbyterian churches collected more than $1 million of the record $9.9 million total given to fight hunger in this year’s Souper Bowl of Caring. Faith Church participated in this event which occurs every year on Souper Bowl Sunday. By late March contributions reported by Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations totaled $1,031,664--second only to the amount reported by Catholic churches. Faith Church members and friends contributed $791.48
The Souper Bowl began in 1988 at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C. and has since spread to thousands of participating churches in all 50 states.
Food Bank News
Members and friends brought in 173 lbs of food on May 4! This food went to the Youngtown Valley View Community Food Bank. Contributions made in the pink Food Bank envelopes in May will also go to Valley View Food Bank.
Did you know that $1,310 was received during April, the first month the food bank envelopes were in the pew racks? A check for this amount went to the Agua Fria Food Bank in Avondale. In June the food and monetary gifts will again go to Agua Fria Food Bank. Renato Alvarez, a Presbyterian minister, is the executive director at the Agua Fria Food Bank and also directs outreach programs in the neighborhood. A note of interest: Renato Alvarez participated in our ACT program here at Faith Church several years ago!
Peacemaking Banner
Have you noticed the Peacemaking Banner hanging on the right side of the Sanctuary the last few Sundays? This banner commemorates Faith Presbyterian Church’s Commitment to Peacemaking, first adopted by the Session in 1984. Faith Church made it official that it would act in deliberate ways to promote peace and justice in the world. A Recommitment to Peacemaking was adopted by Session in September of 1994 and again in December of 2002.
Our banner will go to the 2008 Presbyterian General Assembly being held in late June in San Jose, California. At the General Assembly there will be a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Commitment to Peacemaking. 4,521 Presbyterian congregations have adopted the Commitment to Peacemaking and many of them will be sending a banner to aid the celebration. Our banner will be returned following the weeklong meeting. Betty and Dave Forsberg plan to attend the General Assembly as visitors.
Paul DeBeer did a great job in coordinating the banner project. Various persons related to the Peacemaking Committee submitted ideas for the banner and then Bonnie Skaugrud, member of Faith, designed the banner adding her own creative ideas. The sewing, cutting and assembly were done by Maggie Lahey, a member of the Faith Church Quilters. Many hours of time were spent in the development of this banner. Thanks to all who helped in any way.
The Going Green Committee
CFL bulbs
Did you know that using compact fluorescent light bulbs can save on air conditioning costs? The incandescent light bulbs we grew up with produce more heat than light! 90% of the energy used by an incandescent bulb escapes as heat, so only 10% produces light. CFL bulbs use 75 % less energy and last 10 times longer. Plus they produce so little heat that your air-conditioner won’t even notice they are on. During Arizona’s hot summer days, a reading lamp with the old incandescent bulbs makes the reader very warm.
Uses for recycled plastics
We are being urged to recycle plastic containers with a 1 or a 2 on the bottom. Products that can be made from recycled plastics are being identified by those manufacturers aware of the opportunities in recycling products that are, or can be, made from recycled plastics. Today these include non-food containers, trash cans, fiber-fill for vests and jackets, traffic cones, carpet backing, insulation, plastic lumber and drain pipe. Yet, before we can begin to absorb more of the wasted plastic that is not being reused, more products must be identified as compatible with recycling and more effective recycling methods must be found.
We have not heard so far that a recycling bin for #1 and #2 plastics has been made available in Sun City. But a large bin is available in Sun City West behind the Safeway Store for our members who live out that way or who go out there to shop from time to time.
There are barrels to recycle glass bottles and jars at 99th and Greenway in Sun City behind the Dollar Store. And bins for newspapers and junk mail and aluminum cans right in our Faith Church parking lot.
Water Shortage
Water is a power issue. Those with capital have water. Those with no capital go without. In Mexico City, 3 percent of households use 60% of all potable water while 50 percent of households make do with 5 percent.
Clean water isn’t a given for billions of people. According to the World Health Organization, the right to water is being denied to:
1.1 billion people who lack access to safe drinking water.
2.6 billions people who lack adequate sanitation.
1.8 million people who die prematurely every year from water related diseases, 90 percent of whom are children under five.
An objective of the Millennium Development Goals is to significantly improve access to clean water. This doesn’t require new water sources. It requires investment in infrastructure to get water to people. The investment -- more than $1 trillion --requires public willingness to reinvest in a basic human need.
Habitat for Humanity has
a great Faith Day Celebration
The dedication of the Presbyterian - Episcopalian Habitat house on April 26 was a great success. The Reyak family from Sudan Africa expressed their deep appreciation to all who have given financial and moral support to the establishment of their new home. Mr. Reyak gave a lengthy emotional speech extolling the wonders of America and their new home in Peoria. Twenty-five members of Faith Presbyterian were present to celebrate with the Reyak family. A picture of the family is posted at the south end of the breezeway.
The house dedication was followed by a dedication of the entire El Amor de Cristo village, which is now complete with 17 new homes and 17 families from various cultures, religions and countries. It is truly a unique American melting pot. There are 53 children and 32 adults living harmoniously and happily in their new environment. All are deserving and have met ridged requirements in order to be a Habitat homeowner. To qualify a prospective owner must have a steady job, a good credit rating and contribute a minimum of 400 sweat hours of on-site building, before they are permitted to purchase the home with a 30 year no interest mortgage.
Two Cents a Meal Program
Some have asked how the two cents a meal funds are used. Money from the program here at Faith Church is forwarded to the Presbytery of Grand Canyon where the Presbytery Hunger Task Force proposes allocation of the funds, subject to Presbytery approval.
The most recent allocation was:
Kids’ Cafe $1,500
Glendale Family Development Center $1,500
The Cultural Cup Food Bank $1,500
Flagstaff Food Bank $1,500
Faith Church member Jean Bachman serves on the Presbytery Hunger Task Force. Members of the Task Force made ‘On Site’ visits to each program prior to deciding on distribution. Following are Jean Bachman’s accounts of ‘On Site’ visits to the Glendale Family Development Center and Kids' Café.
Glendale Family Development Center
“In April we made an on-site visit to a wonderful place called Glendale Family Development Center. What is remarkable about this place is that the staff works with entire families. We saw new-borns in cribs, toddlers in attractive play and learn rooms and rooms where children receive breakfast and proper clothing before the school bus arrives.
Counseling is provided for adult members of the family including parenting classes and job skills training. Grandparents even need to take part in these development experiences. The Center also has a ‘mercado’ where families can shop for clean clothing and household needs. I believe this center is unique in that the whole family must take part in the development experiences.”
Kids’ Cafe
(at Westside Food Bank in Surprise)
Another on-site visit was made to Kids’ Cafe. This program involves, each day, an all-volunteer staff making hundreds of bag meals, distributed through the schools. Each meal includes a sandwich, a cookie, a piece of fruit and a box drink. Some 1200 meals were going out the day we visited. These meals are given out at the after school programs and provide supper for children who would otherwise go to bed hungry.”
Aging Creatively Today (ACT)
Aging Creatively Today (ACT) has been a mission of Faith Presbyterian Church for nearly 20 years and seeks to provide Seminary Students with opportunities to study and experience life in communities and congregations composed of older adults. It is expected that the knowledge gained can be applied later as those students and pastors make choices in the various ministries that include the unique needs of older adults. Faith Church and the Presbyterian Church USA have had interfacing actions regarding the need for education in older adult ministry. Every year in January, Seminary Students spend two weeks in Sun City in an academic setting learning more about ministry with senior adults.
