Dear Friend,
In our recent newsletter we heard from the Planning Team of the 2002 Gathering and the exciting work the Team is undertaking for a Gathering exploring Racism, Whiteness and Resistance. The VOS Central Team has reached a consensus that this crucial Gathering should take place in the Spring of 2003, not in 2002. The longer period of preparation will allow the Gathering team and the whole VOS community to engage in a process of self-reflection prior to the Gathering. In the Spring, VOS members and friends will receive more information to help us work personally and communally to prepare for the 2003 Gathering. In our ’95 Theses/Illuminations “we call the church to be outraged at racism in the church and in the world, to confess the sin of racism which pervades our lives and institutions, and to work toward creating authentic community where persons of every color can speak from the particularity of their experience and enjoy the fullness of human life.”
In addition to sharing our excitement about the 2003 Gathering, we write to inform you about what will happen in the Spring of 2002. Voices of Sophia is at a crossroads; we have been a feminist presence for justice in the church for six years, grown in numbers and diversified. As this maturing organization we have begun to experience the challenges of growth and age. Directly we have already faced issues relating to staffing our work, meeting financial needs and working with other partners in the Presbyterian Church to address issues of injustice. Our task at the crossroads is not finished. We need to come together to renew our own sense of purpose in relationship to the Presbyterian Church today and in the future and in the lives of women today and in the future.
Thus, we have decided that it is essential for the continued health and growth of this organization to hold a strategic planning event on April 11-14 outside of Louisville, KY. We will gather to vision, plan, organize and be in community as we consider the mission of Voices.
If you feel called to contribute to this visioning and strategic planning process, please join us. You will find enclosed a registration form. Our planning team (Rebecca Reyes, Melanie Hardison, Mieke Vandersall, Jean Snyder, Stefanie Muntzel-Wilkin and advised by Sylvia Thorson-Smith and Mary Kuhns), will meet this month in Louisville to prepare for the 2002 Gathering. We will be in touch soon after that will more information.
We have come this far together and will continue to grow and challenge the church together. May we continue to walk the paths of wisdom and truth toward the reformation of the church into a discipleship of equals!
Blessings,
Jean Snyder
Convener, on behalf of the Central Team and Planning Team
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