• Our “in-person” Worship Services and community outreach
• Church members/friends who have lost loved ones, are recovering from surgery or facing upcoming surgery and those with medical issues
• Our PC(USA) Denomination (including congregations and mid-councils) response to “Black Lives Matter” and systemic racism
• Teachers/students returning to in-person school or distance or hybrid learning
• Front-line medical workers and those in “essential services” during COVID
• Those who are unemployed, homeless or in need of food or medical care

1. In contact tracing, 749 cases of COVID in Minnesota have been associated with faith communities since May 31.
2. Disproportionately, Minnesotans of color are being affected by the disease.

1. Reviving our committee requires adding at least two people of color who can be Presbyterians or not.  They will be certified in 2021 by training from national staff; but they can begin serving now.
2. Seeking funds requires applications be submitted to the Committee before the September 15 deadline. The committee will review, and if approved, send the application to the national office before the November 1 deadline. Community, not church, projects that improve people’s self-development are funded. 

• the project is “owned” by the people who originated it (at least 6 people; ideally at least 10); 
• the funds and operation are controlled by these people; 
• the people who originate and control are the people who benefit from the project.

1. volunteer to serve on the committee or to refer someone else – before Sept 1
2. discuss possibilities for your community – before September 1 Who are the poor disadvantaged people who want to improve their situations? 
3. receive application forms – before Sept 15

• An introduction to the series, including some suggestions about how to use history in thinking theologically about current issues related to race.
• A brief introduction to some of my own experiences with learning about race and Christianity and how that has affected me as a white person and a Christian.
• Some guided exercises (based on the curriculum) to help people think about what they are bringing to the series.
• Time for questions.

• Complete the courses at your own pace
• Use the courses as a resource later
• Share your playlist with other congregational staff
• Access courses and resources at no cost to you

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?—Psalm 27:1

• For Rev. Bill Yueill, retired pastor, Zimmerman
• For Rev. John Lindholm, retired pastor, Fergus Falls
• For Rev. Mark Chamberlain, retired pastor, Willmar
• For Rev. Bob Bartlett, First Presbyterian Churches of Brewster & Round Lake
• For Rev. Michael Roys, retired pastor, Winnebago
• For Rev. Elaine and Kent Boyd at First Presbyterian Church of Amboy

• Rev. Araceli Itzep from the Occidente Presbytery
• For Bety Cifuentes, the treasurer of the Partnership Committee, beginning new type of chemotherapy
• For the "Men in the Mirror" program. Men from Occidente that MVP supported financially to attend the classes a couple of years ago are sharing the information they gained with different churches in the eastern and central parts of Guatemala. They, along with the chaplains of the national Presbyterian church, are training Christian policemen in what they learned from "Men in the Mirror."
• The Executive Committee met in April, but has not been able to meet since as folks in Guatemala cannot travel between cities. Occidente Presbytery has not met; the projected purchase/buying of buildings is on hold; pastoral elections are on hold; they do hold services via Zoom; the economy is very bad.
• They continue praying for us and ask that we continue to pray for them and for all of the things they cannot get to, and for their living conditions that get more complicated every day.