This document discusses the mission priorities and partnerships of the Chicago Presbytery. It highlights three key mission priority teams: Empower Ministry, Develop Congregations, and Advance Justice. Each team oversees various mission covenants that congregations and organizations can partner with to support causes like youth ministry, leadership development, church planting, affordable housing, and anti-trafficking efforts. The document encourages churches to financially support these mission efforts through shared mission giving to help accomplish more as a presbytery.

1. TOGETHER WE
CAN DO MORE

2. Faces of the Presbytery in Mission
• You’ll see our partners in mission as you
scroll through this display of our Mission
Covenants.

3. Christian Mission: Six Saving
Events of the New Testament
• The faces of Christ’s Mission can be seen in each:
• Incarnation
• Cross
• Resurrection
• Ascension
• Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
• God’s Reign
• Here we highlight three: Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension.
Source: David Bosch, Transforming Mission--Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, Orbis
Press, 1991, Sixteenth Printing, August 2001

4. Crucifixion/Cross
• Crucifixion Theme--Death of Jesus
• Apostles’ Creed: “…suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died,
and was buried; he descended into hell.”
• Points to Jesus’ faithful self-emptying for the sake of reconciliation,
forgiveness, love of enemies--all faces of 21st Century Christian
mission.
• Cross
– Symbol of death and destruction
– Sign of the brokenness of humanity
– Jesus faced it with an open heart

5. Crucifixion/Cross
• Jesus to the Disciples after washing their feet:
“For I have set you an example, that you also should do as
I have done to you.” John 13:15
• Paul to the Corinthians: “Therefore, I am content with
weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and
calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak,
then I am strong.” II Cor. 12:10
• Look for the faces of the Crucifixion theme in Mission
Witness 2012

6. Resurrection
• Easter Theme: Christ is Risen
• Creed: “On the third day he rose again”
• God’s gift
– A symbol of God’s power to contradict the forces of death and
destruction and to counteract the violence of the cross.
– Jesus to the disciples: “For those who want to save their life will
lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 16:25
– New humanity in Christ--freedom for partnership in mission with
God and neighbors.
• A sign of peace and renewal resulting from sacrifice.

7. Resurrection
• Resurrection-- “Central theme of our missionary
message is that Christ is risen, and that, secondly
and consequently, the church is called to live the
resurrection life in the here and now and to be a
sign of contradiction against the forces of death
and destruction--that it is called to unmask modern
idols and false absolutes.”
– David J. Bosch
• Look for faces of the Resurrection theme in
Mission Witness 2012.

8. Ascension
• The reign of Christ. Christ rules!
• Creed: “He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the
father almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”
• “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
John 12:32
• Hopeful perspective on what may be achieved in human history.
• “It should be natural to be committed to justice and peace in the social
realm.” David J. Bosch
• “Religion is our greatest source of dissent and difference…Religion inspires
people to step forward before the whole society and say, ‘Here I stand.’ ”
Stephen L. Carter
• Look for faces of the Ascension theme in Mission Witness 2012.

9. Three Key Questions About Mission
in the Chicago Presbytery
• What are Chicago Presbytery’s mission
priorities?
• Whose Mission is it?
• Where is mission located?

10. Chicago Presbytery’s Mission
Priorities
• Empower Ministry: Liturgy, Education, Leadership
Development, Service
• Develop Congregations: Evangelism, Transformation, Church
Planting
• Advance Justice: Healing, Reconciliation, Peace, Liberation

11. Whose mission is it?
• It is Christ’s Mission
• Includes many faithful partners
• Christ’s mission cannot be reduced simply to one
perspective

12. Where are the faces of mission
experienced?
• Inter-Personally
• Local Communities
• Regionally
• Globally
• The faces of Christ’s mission may be experienced
anywhere

13. Chicago Presbytery’s Mission Priority
Leadership Teams (MPLT’s)
• Activate mission covenants with churches and
organizations.
• Focus on Chicago Presbytery’s three mission
priorities.
• Many Chicago area congregations and other
organizations are Chicago Presbytery mission
partners. What follows is information about many
of these mission partnerships.

14. Mission Programs of the Chicago
Presbytery
• Empower Ministry Mission Priority Leadership
Team
• Develop Congregations Mission Priority Leadership
Team
• Advance Justice Mission Priority Leadership Team
• Other Presbytery Missions

15. Empower Ministry Mission Priority
Leadership Team
Rev. Grayson Van Camp
» Moderator

16. Empower Ministry
Our Focus:
Our members are our foundation and our youth are
our future. We empower ministry through
Bible study and other church-based education
programs, identifying and developing spiritual
leaders within congregations and providing
opportunities for children and youth to continually
grow in the Christian Spirit.

17. Empower Ministry
Covenant Partnership: Youth Ministries Team
Focus: Equip and strengthen Presbyterian youth for leadership in
Christian Ministry.
Activity: Youth from Chicago Presbytery attended the 2010
Youth Triennium, bringing together 5000 youth for worship, study
and fun.
Covenant Partners: Presbyterian Church of Homewood and the
Presbyterian Church of Western Springs.

18. Empower Ministry
Covenant Partnership: Hispanic Ministries
Focus: Five Hispanic Ministries working together to strengthen their
congregational ministries through leadership training, sharing of
ideas, resource development, and fellowship. Some of the workshop themes
have been how to grow a church, evangelism, and immigration issues.
Activity: 500th Anniversary Celebration of John Calvin’s birth. Workshop
explored Calvin’s theological and social legacy..
Participating Churches: Ravenswood, Canto de Esperanza, Emmanuel,
Vida Nueva, and Hanover Park Mission.

19. Empower Ministry
African-American
Covenant Partnership:
Congregational Transformation Covenant
Focus: multi-year program, begun in response to the 206th
General Assembly mandate to increase the denomination's racial
ethnic membership.
Activities: Liturgical dance ministry, racial ethnic leadership
camp, after school computer projects, Bible literacy fellowship,
leadership development.

20. Empower Ministry
African-American
Covenant Partnership:
Congregational Transformation Covenant
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Partners: Eight Churches: Cornerstone, Chatham-
Bethlehem, Crerar Memorial, Hope Chicago,
Pine Avenue,Pullman, Sixth Grace, Seventh;
Presbytery of Chicago;
National Black Presbyterian Caucus, Chicago Chapter; Synod
of Lincoln Trails; General Assembly Mission Council.

21. Empower Ministry
Covenant Partnership: Leadership, Education, and Development
Mission Team (LEAD)
Focus:Plans and implements an annual, Presbytery-wide educational event for the
whole church that feeds attendants spiritually and intellectually and equips them for
service. Worship inspires and workshops provide resources for clergy, elders,
deacons, clerks, Christian educators, musicians, youth workers, committee chairs
and seminary students. A bookstore and international marketplace are also offered.

22. Empower Ministry
Covenant Partnership: Leadership, Education, and Development
Mission Team (LEAD)
Covenant Partners:LaGrange First; Glen Ellyn Southminster;
McCormick Theological Seminary; Worship, Music, and the
Arts Group.
Activity: LEAD Worship

23. Empower Ministry
Covenant Partnership: Discovering Opportunities for
Outreach and Reflection (DOOR)
Focus: DOOR invites people to see the Face of God in the city.
DOOR's programs include short-term (Discern), semester-long (Discover) and
year-long (Dwell) opportunities for service-minded education.
Activity: DOOR participants preparing and serving a meal.
Partners: Western Springs Presbyterian, Presbytery of Chicago, and the
Young
Adult Volunteer (YAV) Program of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

24. Empower Ministry
Covenant Partnership: Worship Alive
Focus: Worship Alive is a project that organizes four annual
workshops that provide interactive training and
educational opportunities in the worship arts. Renowned
worship practitioners from around the world are brought in
to teach theologies, models, techniques and resources for
renewing worship in congregations. Workshops are
multisensory, participatory and inspiring, celebrating
multicultural diversity. Worship Alive in an ecumenical
venture.
Partners: United Church of Rogers Park; Presbyterian
Church of Western Springs; Northern Illinois Conference,
United Methodist.

25. Develop Congregations Mission
Priority Leadership Team
Rev. Deb Kapp
Moderator

26. Develop Congregations
Our Focus:
To respond to Jesus’ call to “follow me”
and become “fishers of humanity” by
drawing believers, disciples and seekers
into congregations that are centers of
celebration, healing and witness.

27. Develop Congregations
Covenant Partnership: Grace Commons Ministry
Focus: Grace Commons is a transformative ministry, using art to
engage people in questions of meaning and to re-experience
Christian ideas, when Christianity hasn't been meaningful to them in
the past.
Activity: Creation of an Icon of Mary and Jesus, created during
Advent.

28. Develop Congregations
Covenant Partnership: Acts 16:5 Initiative
Focus: An educational program which invites congregations to
engage in a deliberate process of transformation, assisting them
to design specific transformational ministries to help them
REACH, GROW and SERVE.
Activity: More than 20 churches have participated in this
process.

29. Develop Congregations
Covenant Partnership: New Church
Development Visioning
Focus: A small group of presbytery leaders is developing
future strategies for forming new congregations.

30. Develop Congregations
Covenant Partnership: South Asian Fellowship
Focus: The South Asian Fellowship is a New Church Development of
Chicago Presbytery. It is a congregation of predominately Pakistani
Christian Immigrants. The congregation is passionate to promote
multiculturalism, and plans an annual International Christmas Caroling
and invites racial ethnic and other congregations to participate.
Activity: Carolers from the International Christmas Caroling in 2011 .

31. Develop Congregations
Covenant Partnership: Small Church
Focus: The Develop Congregations Mission Priority
Leadership Team (MPLT)has gathered pastors of small
congregations to share ways they can support and enrich
their ministries. They are working on identifying strengths
and challenges and considering ways the Presbytery can
help congregations.

32. Develop Congregations
Covenant Partnership:Pro-Active
Transformation Project
Focus: To identify and then provide
visioning, strategies and resources for
congregations who are interested in
engaging or reengaging their
surrounding neighborhood or
community in new ways, via a grant
jointly funded by Shared Mission
Giving of General Assembly, Synod of
Lincoln Trails and our local presbytery.
Partners: Develop Congregatins MPLT,
Empower Ministry MPLT, Presbytery
of Chicago, Commission on Ministry,
McCormick Theological Seminary,
Synod of Lincoln Trails, Office of the
General Assembly, PC (USA)
Activity: Interpretive Painting by
Shawna Bowman of the Pro-Active
Transformation Project.

33. Advance Justice Mission Priority
Leadership Team
Rev. Dean Lindsey
Moderator

34. Advance Justice
Our Focus:
We advance justice by helping people in need.
The Presbytery of Chicago provides human and
financial resources that enable congregations to
work outside their physical walls to serve those
who are poor, oppressed and disenfranchised.

35. Advance Justice
Covenant Partnership: Family Promise
Focus: Helping Homeless families with children regain a secure home
environment, by providing temporary shelter for the family and keeping the
family together, while providing assistance in finding employment.
Activity: Guest use computers to look for jobs.

36. Advance Justice
Covenant Partnership: Mission Team Against
Child Sex Trafficking
Focus: This Mission Team was formed to Educate, Advocate,
Collaborate and Motivate the Presbytery congregations
concerning the tragic circumstances associated with commercial
sexual exploitation of children in the Chicagoland area.
Activity:The team is committed to stop this exploitation before it
occurs by introducing educational prevention, intervention and
service delivery methods.

37. Advance Justice
Covenant Partnership: Waukegan to College
Focus: To enable more immigrants and low income families
in Waukegan to navigate the college-going process. The
program includes one-on-one counseling, bi-lingual
workshops, tutoring sessions, and mentoring.
Activity: Counseling, mentoring workshops.

38. Advance Justice
Covenant Partnership: Cuba Partnership
Focus: Developing and maintaining partnerships with
congregations in the Presbytery of Havana.
Activity: Glen Ellyn Southminster and their sister church in
Guanabacoa celebrated simultaneous anniversaries in 2011.

39. Advance Justice
Covenant Partnership: Church World Service
Focus: Church World Service works with national partners
to eradicate hunger and poverty, and to promote peace and
justice around the world.
Activity: Hygiene Kits. 54 churches participated in the
Hygiene Kits harvest in 2011. 2400 kits were developed
and delivered to those in desperate need.

40. Advance Justice
Covenant Partnership: Dakota Partnership
Focus: An organization designed and developed to promote and
develop Christian values within the Native American
community.
Efforts include conducting Vacation Bible School, assisting
Native Americans to upgrade church facilities, and providing
financial support to supplement pastor's salaries.
Partners:Naperville Knox, Glen Ellyn First, Arlington Heights
First, Chicago Pullman, Presbytery of Chicago.
Activity: Partners work on a building project.

41. Advance Justice
Covenant Partnership: Lincoln Park Community Shelter
Focus: The Lincoln Park Community Shelter provides comprehensive
programs and services that offer individuals the opportunity to break the
cycle of poverty and homelessness. The shelter works to empower people
through the On Track program, addressing sobriety, mental stability,
healthy lifestyles, employment and permanent housing.
Partners: Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church, Lincoln Park
Community
Shelter, Park Ridge Presbyterian Church, Fourth Presbyterian Church,
Presbytery of Chicago.
Activity: A Computer lab provides shelter guests with
Access to job applications, and developing computer skills.

42. Other Presbyterian Mission
Program: Presbyterian Camps
Focus: Presbyterian Camps at Saugatuck is a “Holy Place”, a Christian Camp
in a rustic setting, for renewal of the spirit, and community building.

43. Other Presbyterian Mission
Program: United Campus Ministry at Northwestern
Focus: Provides a spiritual home for thousands at Northwestern

44. Other Presbyterian Mission
Program: Agape House at UIC
Focus: A community of faculty, staff, and students at UIC
that gather together to learn and share in their faith journey.

45. Other Presbyterian Mission
Program: Presbyterian Resource Center
Focus: Provides books, DVD’s for worship planning to
churches, saving churches the cost of purchasing.

46. Invitation: To Covenant with the
Chicago Presbytery in Mission
Use the Mission Covenant Application Form, available on the
Presbytery Website, under the “Ministry and Missions” Tab.

47. Invitation: To Covenant with the
Chicago Presbytery in Mission
• Covenant Partnerships include one or more
congregations.
• Some Covenants also include non-profit agencies
of justice or compassion.
• “Together We Can Do More!”

48. Invitation: Support the Faces of Chicago
Presbytery Mission
• Shared Mission Giving from congregations makes possible Chicago
Presbytery’s Mission Witness 2012 Covenants.
• Use the Pledge Card to provide your 2012 Shared Mission Pledge.
• Thank you to congregations who have made their 2012 Shared
Mission Pledge.
• Those who have not done so are invited to pledge soon.

49. Shared Mission Giving:
Together We Can Do More!
More: To help our young people grow
in faith and understanding.
More: To strengthen congregations.
More: To feed the hungry.

50. Through Covenant Partnerships and Shared Mission Giving,
We Presbyterians support and become the faces of mission.
• We embrace and enact a spirit of:
“Together, We Can Do More!”