[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22.3″ transparent_background=”off”][et_pb_row parallax_method_1=”off” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.22.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”750px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”750px”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/sangabpres.org\/?page_id=3027″ button_text=”Return to Reflections” button_alignment=”right” _builder_version=”3.16″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”14″ button_text_color=”#e09900″ button_border_color=”#e09900″ button_use_icon=”default” background_layout=”dark” button_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”on” button_letter_spacing__hover=”0″ button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_post_title categories=”off” comments=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” parallax_effect=”off”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”3.2″ height=”4″ hide_on_mobile=”on”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.22.7″ header_font=”|on|||” header_font_size=”66px” header_line_height=”1.7em” text_orientation=”justified” max_width=”750px” use_border_color=”off”]<\/p>\n
I am writing this from beautiful Zephyr Point, the conference center on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, co-owned by the Synod of the Pacific and Synod of Southern California and Hawaii.\u00a0 This is my second weekend in a row here\u2014last weekend several of us came to participate in a consultation to Presbyterian World Mission about the future of their work.\u00a0 This weekend I am a leader in the Mentoring Conference for Leaders of Color.\u00a0 When I completed my term on the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board, I told Rhashell Hunter, Director of Racial Equity and Women\u2019s Intercultural Ministries, that the one thing I would commit to is help encourage leaders of color in the PC(USA).<\/p>\n
As it turns out, we in San Gabriel Presbytery can be proud of our leadership development efforts.\u00a0 We are known for our racial and ethnic diversity, but others have noted how many young leaders we have in the Presbytery.\u00a0 When I came to San Gabriel, I was told that the practice is that at any given time, the three Presbytery leaders (Moderator, Vice Moderator, and Moderator of the PEC) would include at least one person of color, women and men, ruling elder and teaching elder.\u00a0 We have been able to maintain this, though we have to work a bit harder to ensure we have proper ruling elder representation.\u00a0 Our installation and ordination commissions also hold to these patterns.<\/p>\n
In many ways, we have become a witness to what the PC(USA) hopes to be:\u00a0 diverse in age, ethnicity, perspective, and church size, active partners in ministry, wise stewards of our assets, and welcoming to the community around us.\u00a0 On a regular basis, I have shared stories of our presbytery with others who are new to welcoming immigrant churches, or partnering with other presbyteries and organizations such as International Theological Seminary (see the article on our partnership in the recent \u201cPresbyterian Outlook\u201d).<\/p>\n
At the World Mission consult, several of us (including Magdy Girgis and James and Charlene Jin Lee from our Presbytery) shared our different experiences in mission around the world, but we also pointed out how many people from around the world are now in our presbyteries.\u00a0 For us, we have personal connections with several countries through our members\u2014so when we help rebuild a church devastated in a Mexico earthquake or support a mission trip to the Philippines or help buy food for a ministry with the homeless in Eagle Rock, it\u2019s not just charity to strangers, it\u2019s family.\u00a0 So yes, while we continue to support our partnerships in Peru and around the world, we can celebrate that the world has also come to us\u2014and we are found to be welcoming to Christ who greets us in the stranger, the hungry, the naked, the imprisoned.<\/p>\n
I am happy to share that two of our recent initiatives have been given the green light.\u00a0 ITS has been granted a Conditional Use Permit to operate the seminary on the West Covina campus, so they should be moving on campus in mid-June.\u00a0 And when I sent a draft grant request to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, to partner with Presbytery of the Pacific in funding an organizer to support and encourage churches and individuals to offer various forms of hospitality to families seeking asylum from violence in Central America, they responded by approving the grant!<\/p>\n
So at our June 8th<\/sup> Presbytery meeting, we will celebrate both these initiatives:<\/p>\n In addition, we will welcome Rev. Ming Hsu, who has been called to be the new pastor for Good Shepherd Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Monterey Park, and we will pray with Grace Presbyterian in Highland Park, as they honor their ministry which will be disbanded this summer.<\/p>\n\n