Our Team
During one of the interviews for this position, I sat at dinner next to Rev. Sarah Lisherness as she was telling me about the type of work done by the programs under the Compassion, Peace and Justice Ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA). And suddenly, I had this existential, out of body experience. I felt this overwhelming sense of deep awe and gratitude. “I get to be a part of the hands on work God is doing in the world,” I thought, “Wow!” (My deep psyche is not very articulate.)
If you are like me, you might read the first paragraph and think, “Of course an ordained Presbyterian pastor working for the PMA would think that.” But this is new for me.
As a cradle Presbyterian, I somehow missed many of the amazing work done by the Presbyterian Church. I didn’t know about the YAV program until I got to seminary in 2008, I never went to Triennium, and I didn’t know about the work that the Presbyterian Hunger Program was doing with fair trade coffee until… well a lot later than I want to admit. But, I finally made it here.
As a former hospital chaplain, I have a deep passion for the ways God actively moves in people’s lives. I love hearing about those moments when God reaches into this world and into lives of us humans and reveals God’s essence. Working with the Special Offerings team is where I get to hear every day about a new way God is moving in personal lives and in this world.
Truly, what a profound honor it is.
With each meeting, with each new email, with each conversation, I see new ways God is actively moving, right now, in this world. This is the kairos time meeting the chromos time.
My response to God’s movement in this world is to want to tell everyone I know (and everyone I don’t know) about the amazing, life giving work being done by the programs of the PMA, especially those supported by the Special Offerings. I want to raise more funds for more work to be done. I want to raise more awareness of the ways that God is active in this world. I want to hear your stories.
In short, what is it like to have this new gig with Special Offerings? It is a humbling, exciting adventure.
And for this, thanks be to God.