Crop Walk Update

     We received a Thank You for helping to stem world hunger through the Crop Walk. Though it’s difficult to guess at any type of total figure this early in the collection period but we do know that more than 200 people walked. This year the WHAM Crop Walk had a corporate sponsor for the first time, Western Pest Services. They provided water, T-shirts and contributed $2,500. Our church collected $1,033, $300 more than last year.   Michael Whaley collected the most. Thanks to our walkers: Larissa Kwong Abazia, Dennis and Gabby Anderson, Anita Milne, and Jessica Schultz. Thanks to Jill Hunold for coordinating our effort. Thanks to all who contributed!

Volunteer Opportunities at Crisis Ministry!

Summer is here!  On Saturday, July 15th from 9am until noon, the Crisis Ministry is in need of volunteers!  We have various tasks of stocking shelves, helping our clients shop, delivering food to homebound and packing home food bags.  Help us help our neighbors, call now to sign up! 

The Crisis Ministry Food Store is open from 9 am- noon, M-F, during the last three weeks of the month in Trenton.  During the summer months, we welcome youth and families that might want to volunteer in our store.  Hunger does not take a vacation, so during your summer vacation volunteer to help your neighbors in need! Our Trenton location has more volunteer opportunities than Princeton, so please contact Marcia MacKillop if you are interested in volunteering. 396-9355, x12

Annual Summer GLEANING PROJECT:

 On July 12, 2006, at 9:30 am, The Crisis Ministry and Farmer’s Against Hunger will partner with the Honey Brook Organic Farm in Pennington to glean fresh produce. These vegetables will go to low-income households who are affected by hunger in our community.

Light Refreshments will be served around 10:30 while we hear about legislative updates and prominent issues that affect those who rely on hunger programs.

Gleaning has it roots in the Old Testament jubilee laws whereby Community members who owned land were required to leave part of their field unharvested for those who had no means to feed their family.  An RSVP is required, to Marcia MacKillop at 609-396-9355 ext. 12. There is a limit on the number of gleaners that may attend. The directions can be found on www.honeybrookorganicfarm.com.

Backpack Drive:

The Crisis Ministry will be collecting  backpacks and back-to-school items for our annual  Back Pack Drive.  In August, we will begin collecting backpacks for our children who are in the 1st through 6th grades.  Please donate a backpack full of school supplies, such as a notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, markers etc.  If you want to do this as a group or an individual, e-mail Marcia at marciam@thecrisisministry.org.  Our distribution date will begin on the week of August 22, 2005.  Thank you!  

Great occasions for serving God come seldom, 

but little ones surround us daily.

Spring 2006 Work trip 

If there is enough interest we will arrange a week-long trip to the Gulf to help with clean-up and rebuilding for Katrina victims.

If you are interested contact Deb Hallisey at HallisD@aol.com

The Problem of Sweatshops:

By Anne Watanabe

     Woe to the one who builds a house by unrighteousness, and upper rooms by injustice; who makes neighbors work for nothing, and does not give them their wages; But your eyes and heart are only on your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood and for practicing oppression and violence.  

-- Jeremiah 22:13,17

     Every day, we wake up and wear the clothes that hang in our closets, sit folded in our drawers, or lie
scattered on the floor. What we don’t stop to think about is the origin of this clothing. Behind the trendy styles
and the famous logos is hidden an entire industry of injustice.

     The majority of the clothing and footwear sold in America is made in sweatshops: factories and workplaces
characterized by extremely abusive conditions that exploit the workers.1 This means that the workers are
subject to long hours, the absence of a living wage, dangerous or unhealthy working conditions, physical,
verbal, or sexual abuse, and the threat of losing their jobs for unionizing or asking for their rights.1 There are
 also often cases of child labor and sexual discrimination, such as women being fired as soon as they become pregnant, in sweatshops.1

     The perpetrators of these worker abuses are simply ordinary American companies that we see every day: Wal-Mart, Nike, Target. In a global free trade system, companies naturally compete for the cheapest labor.2 This results in a fiercely competitive garment industry, where business and factory owners can pay workers whatever they wish, coupled with inhumane working conditions in countries where the law does not protect workers.1 Any who dare to speak up for their rights lose their jobs.

     Workers at the Wellco Factory in China, making Nike shoes, are paid 16 cents an hour, 70 cents short of a living wage for a small family. Shifts are 11-12 hours long, 7 days a week, and workers are fired for refusing overtime, which they are not paid an extra rate for.3 This is not unusual; sweatshop conditions like these occur all over the world in factories for companies that we, as ordinary consumers, frequently make purchases from.

     How is the situation improved? There is growing support for fair trade—products made by workers who are not abused or exploited, and paid a living wage. PCUSA’s Sweat-Free T Program provides a way to participate in a just global economy,

by allowing consumers to support the workers by selling fair trade t-shirts.  As part of the Clean Clothes campaign, Sweat-Free Ts are made by manufacturers who respect the rights of workers by complying to the UN’s fair trade standards, ensuring the following:4

·         Children are not subjected to working conditions dangerous to their development

·         Women are not discriminated against or harassed

·         Workers are free to organize and negotiate bargaining agreements

·         Workers receive a fair living wage and benefits

·         Working conditions are just, meaning freedom from excessive working hours and forced labor, from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, and protection from workplace health and safety hazards.

     As customers and citizens, we are constantly affecting the global economy with our purchases and choices. If we remember the consequences of these decisions, we can be more socially responsible. Sweat-Free T helps support the growing fair trade movement, and protects the workers’ right to a decent life.

     Our church will have the opportunity to participate in this program by ordering Sweat-Free T shirts through the Clean Clothes campaign later on this summer. A special Minute for Mission and a display with samples during Fellowship Hour is planned for Sunday, August 21.

1 Sweatshop Watch

2 “Sweatshops”, Co-op America

3 A World Connected - Sweatshops and Globalization

4 Sweat-Free T – PC (USA) Home

     The Missions Committee is looking to host a Mission’s Fair sometime in the fall.  All of you are involved directly or indirectly in some sort of mission activity.  We hope that the mission fair will be an opportunity to learn about the various ministries that each of us is involved with.  If you have a ministry that you would like share with other members of the congregation, please talk to Dennis Anderson.  These ministries might include a missionary or mission that you support financially or through prayer, a child that you support through a relief agency, a mission trip that you have been on, a local ministry where you volunteer to name just a few ideas.

Many thanks from the Youth group for your support, - in prayer, word and deed - for our 30 Hour Famine. We had a total of 10 participants, one of whom stayed home and fasted because she was ill - said she didn't feel like eating anyway! We think our total funds raised will be around $2700 this year - wow!

     Our special thanks to you folks who helped out during our fast:

     Dian Wisdom, who helped us clean up Styrofoam peanuts from our Snowman activity, and sat vigil with us as we prayed and watched while 100 candles were blown out one by one, to represent the children who would die of hunger-related causes in 5 minutes, then participated in a Bible study about Hunger stories. Dian also was sweet enough to bring Hot Wings to the Feast, having learned that dish was a favorite of several youth group members.

     Luke Jones, who leant his expertise on Biblical issues for our Hunger study and sat through the movie “Supersize Me,” providing comfort when Lynn discovered that there were a couple of scenes one usually does not normally expect to present in a church setting...

     Tadd Maffucci, who also caught a good part of “Supersize Me” and whose “Way to preview the movie, Lynn!” comment provoked Lynn's somewhat hysterical laughter after she reminded him that HE had shown the youth group “Psycho.” Tadd also was a great sport about playing Sardines in the dark, even though he had a bad cold and laryngitis.

     Clay Spence, who probably had the hardest job because he slept on the floor in the Fellowship Hall with us. His snoring was a delightful counterpoint to Tony's wildly emphatic sleep-talking. Clay also was a big help delivering things for our food drive. We discovered that the floor of the Fellowship Hall is colder that the floor o7f the Stults room.

     Lisa Minich, who joined us bright and early Saturday morning and cheerfully encouraged us to wake up for our study on the Beatitudes. She also helped us set up the food drive and hung in there with us as we braved windy weather in the 20's.

     Deb Hallisey, who helped u7s with the last part of the food drive and even helped haul food in her car when there proved to be too much for the McCarty wagon to handle. She stayed with us through our “free time,” witnessing teens having lots of fun building structures with Legos and overhearing the distant sounds of piano practicing from a couple of musicians in the group - all this while the youth group leader had a nap.

     Dennis Anderson bravely captained the boy's team for the Photo Scavenger Hunt: One and a half hours of ranging around the village area taking pictures of various objects or persons, some of which were quite a challenge. He also helped us set up the Fellowship Hall for the pot luck Feast. He must have heard a lot about the foods certain youth group members were longing for, as he generously undertook to bring their favorite pizza to the feast that evening.

     Philip Tran, who besides helping set up chairs and tables for the Feast, was instrumental in freeing a table that was stuck inside the storage unit because one of the legs had opened and caught on the side brace. Phillip sat and laughed with us through the movie “The Gods Must Be Crazy.

     Anita Milne, who entertained the youth during that last half-hour with a sneak preview of her Jordan presentation, and everyone who brought food to the potluck so we could eat to our hearts content - thank you!!!

Presbytery of New Brunswick members the Reverends Joanne Martindale and Jan Koczera, are stationed in Iraq as U.S. Army chaplains.  When asked what is most needed by our military in Iraq, Joanne suggested AT&T international and domestic prepaid phone cards.  The military personnel use these cards to call their families back home in the States.  The demand for the phone cards are so great that our U.S. Post Exchanges in Iraq quickly run out of them. 

     Our Presbytery is sponsoring a drive to collect phone cards to send to our military in Iraq.    We are asking our congregational members to support this cause by purchasing AT&T prepaid phone cards for at least 100 minutes and bringing them here to the Church Office.  We will then ship the cards to the Presbytery for shipment to Joanne and Jan.

     Many stores such as Sam’s Club and Walmart sell the cards.   You may also go to http://www.consumer.att.com/prepaidcard/ and order them online.  If you choose this option, you may have the cards delivered directly to the Presbytery office. The Post Office also carries them. Questions, please call the Presbytery office at 609/392-8866.

     Thank you in advance for your support of this important cause. Please continue to keep Joanne and Jan and all of our military in your prayers.

 The earthquake and tsunami that hit South and Southeast Asia on December 26 has been a devastating event throughout the world.  Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is already using One Great Hour of Sharing funds to support the devastated areas.  Please go to  page 3 to read further about the Presbyterian relief effort. If you want to respond financially, please note “tsunami”on the memo of the check and send it to:

Jack Britton, Financial Secretary
First Presbyterian Church
500 Plainsboro Road
Plainsboro, NJ  08536-2005

 Go to http://www.pcusa.org/pda/response/asia/asia-earthquake1204.htm to read about the Presbyterian effort.

We have been privileged to participate in the training of church leaders in the Middle East through our partnership with the Kennedys at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt.

 The Kennedy’s write:

 Dear Friends,

We have been in Cairo for several years now, long enough to look back on momentous changes in the life of our family and community. As in any culture, major events in Egypt are marked with special ceremonies. Sometimes we yearn for familiar Western traditions, as when we gather with other missionaries in Cairo for Thanksgiving dinner, or stay up late to watch the Super Bowl nine time zones away. At other times we’ve been blessed by the unique traditions of the Middle East adding richer dimensions to our experience, from a countrywide annual picnic to celebrate the beginning of spring to a national holiday on Darren's birthday that ensures he always has the day off! But the times that have meant the most to us are those when a particularly meaningful life change brings together people from the East and the West in shared sentiment and fellowship. At such times we have found our emotions deepened and our viewpoints expanded as we participate in Egyptian traditions marking these significant events. Looking back over 2003, we thought of four such ceremonies.

In March our seminary community was shaken by the sudden death of a student’s older brother, a young man in his twenties. The family had lost their father when the boys

were children, and this brother had been the only wage-earner for the family since Emil, our student, had decided to enter the ministry. Emil was not only bereft by the tragic loss but suddenly confronted with responsibility for his mother and younger siblings, who live in a town ten hours’ travel from the seminary. Gameel had passed away in the morning, and according to tradition, the funeral happened the same day. No one from the seminary could make the trip in time for the funeral. However, that evening the church in their village hosted the traditional 'Aza. The term 'Aza means “comfort.” The tradition allows for perhaps the only possible response to such a tragedy: a ministry of presence. Gameel’s family was at the church, where hundreds of chairs had been set up inside and outside. Late into the night and for several days afterward, everyone who knew the family came to the church to sit in silent vigil with them. At a 'Aza no food is served, no handshakes are exchanged, and men and women sit in separate areas. Usually the only words spoken are when a pastor or community leader stands to share a brief message from Scripture. Mostly, however, people simply sit, in row upon row of silent, solid assurance that no one should be left to bear their grief alone. The overpowering message of the event is the almost physical strength of sheer community to bring individuals through their private anguish.

Darren and others from the seminary traveled ten hours each way to be present at the 'Aza for Gameel. It was Darren’s first time at such an event and he was unprepared when someone asked him to stand and share a message. All he could do was speak simple words of witness to the Christian hope of the resurrection. After spending a few hours at the 'Aza, Darren and the others returned for the long journey home, arriving at dawn for a long day of teaching. All that travel time simply to sit for a while with a family who had experienced a terrible loss. However, that is what Egyptians believe is the best way to support the bereaved.

In May, Elisabeth preached at the ordination ceremony for one of our students, Firas, who has been a special friend and Calvin’s favorite babysitter. Firas was being commissioned by the Egyptian

church as a missionary to Syria, so my part in the service as an American missionary to Egypt contributed to the theme of the ceremony: the work of God across cultures to bring people together and send the good news to all. All of us present—Egyptian, American, and Syrian—rejoiced together in God’s calling of Firas to use his gifts for the spread of the gospel in Syria.

In August I preached at another happy occasion, the wedding of one of our graduates. Safwat comes from a village in rural Egypt. He was in the first class of master’s students at our seminary, earned another master’s degree in the United States, and has since been teaching part-time at the seminary while co-pastoring a church in Alexandria. His wife, an Egyptian raised in the United States, serves as a nurse in the church clinic. At the wedding, farmers in traditional long robes and skullcaps mixed with urbane Alexandrians in strapless evening gowns. This juxtaposition of old and new is quite common. Safwat and Caroline are examples of the new generation of those engaging in ministry who are called to give a message relevant to all parts of society.

November 16th brought us great joy with the birth of our second son, Samuel Marcus. We held a traditional Subou', the Egyptian party marking the first week of the newborn’s life, with dozens of guests, tons of food, traditional party favors of chocolate and nuts, candlelit processions around the baby (who was required to spend the evening lying in a sieve!), special poems and prayers composed for the occasion, and the joyful knowledge that our little one was being welcomed into a community that will surround him with faithful love as he grows.

Thank you all for sharing in our lives. Please keep us in your prayers.

Peace in Christ,

Darren and Elisabeth