A Minnesota congregation has pledged a lead gift of $1 million to help better educate children around the world.
The session of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis agreed in principal to pledge the amount to the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s newest initiative called “Educate a Child, Transform the Word.”
The pledge was announced during a plenary session of the 221st Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly held Sunday at the Cobo Center in Detroit.
Westminster already has paid half of the pledge, and two other churches — Fourth Presbyterian in Chicago and Second Presbyterian in Indianapolis — have agreed to pledge funds to the cause. As of June 14, the three churches had pledged $1.65 million.
Frank Dimmock, Poverty Alleviation Catalyst for PMA, noted that three areas of focus for the church are eliminating poverty, especially for women and children, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and reducing cultures of violence.
He noted an increased quality of education goes a long way toward accomplishing those goals, especially when addressing the issue of poverty. He explained that the initiative to Educate a Child, Transform the World is designed to increase the quality of education for one million children in the United States and around the world by 2020.
“There are millions of kids out there who need us,” Dimmock said. “They are still dreaming. We are a denomination that seeks to honor God’s age-old call of mission through Jesus Christ.”
Westminster Pastor Tim Andersen said his session and congregation embraced that notion, and he contacted PMA Director of Presbyterian World Mission Hunter Farrell about helping educate children in the newly-formed, yet strife-laden country of South Sudan.
Farrell challenged Andersen and his congregation by asking them to launch a $1 million lead gift to jumpstart the initiative.
Westminster sent a team to South Sudan to learn more about the needs there. Additional research and prayer showed the session and congregation they needed to engage in the effort, thus the decision to make the pledge to promote education and reconciliation in the African nation.
“Anytime someone tries to tell you the PCUSA has lost its compassion and energy for global missions, they are wrong,” Andersen said, extending an invitation to other churches to join the effort. “I invite you to consider joining us. It’s not for large congregations. All our gifts matter. Let’s do this together.”
Farrell applauded the three churches for their acts of generosity in jump starting the PMA’s new world mission program.
“I’d like to thank these three congregations for taking the first step,” Farrell said. “We know God will take and bless each gift given. In this time of divisiveness and polarization in our denomination, this is a campaign that can hold us together. These children have dreams. Will you and your congregation be part of helping them reach their dreams?”
The Educate a Child, Transform the World initiative will be discussed more fully later this week.