June 29, 2006

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, the 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) met in Birmingham, Alabama at the end of June. As we heard news about the proceedings, we were flooded by memories of two years ago, when we completed our coast-to-coast speaking tour by attending GA in Richmond, Virginia. What a sight to see! The city was thronged by thousands of Presbyterians, easily identifiable by the red woven Guatemalan bags we each received to hold registration materials. We were energized by being there and by observing the workings of our church’s polity—committee work has never been so exciting! Commissioners prayerfully considered scores of proposed actions, from the death toll in Juarez to educational materials for evangelism, from fighting AIDS to the conflict in Israel and Palestine. The last, of course, was of special interest to us, and we were pleased by the 216th Assembly’s concern and unity of spirit as it passed four actions almost unanimously. (Read the actions.)

At this year’s Assembly, again there were overtures related to Israel and Palestine, many addressing the church’s process of corporate engagement with companies active in that region. This process, technically called “phased selective divestment,” was approved in 2004, with the hope that we might change problematic practices of companies in whom we’re invested. That is, if their behavior contributes to injustice and violence among Israelis and Palestinians, we want to help them change. If they refuse to work with us toward these goals then our church can consider divesting of their stock.

Since 2004, an unprecedented lobbying campaign developed around this process, and it looked as though there would be a heated battle at this Assembly. We feared that this issue had become, like sexuality and abortion, a wedge in our denomination. We feared that our church might be pressured away from the principled and prophetic stand it took—of putting our money where our mouth is, as it were. General Assembly attendees driving into Birmingham were met with the billboard message “Divestment is an obstacle to peace.” High profile activists, such as former CIA head James Woolsey, came to Birmingham to add their clout to the campaign around the engagement process.

We should not have been shaken; we should have rested firm in the message of angels throughout scripture: “Fear not!” On June 21, by an overwhelming margin of 483-28, the General Assembly’s commissioners approved an action that maintains our commitments to peace and justice in Israel and Palestine, to integrity in our financial investments, and to nurturing interfaith relationships. The full text is available here. Indeed the Spirit was at work in Birmingham!

We observed all this from a distance, reading articles and watching live web-casts, the reason for our absence a joyful one. One very small person kept us home in Atlanta—one very small person whom we’re thrilled to introduce. Our son Ramsay Marthame Sanders was born on April 20, weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces, with red hair and 21 inches in length. In Arabic, his name means “my sign,” as in a symbol of faith or a sign from God. The name also connects to Marthame’s family roots in Scotland (where it means “wild garlic island”). Ramsay’s eyes are still blue, and in the past few weeks he has learned to smile, giggle, laugh, and coo. We are utterly transfixed and filled with joy. Praise God.

Ramsay arrives at a new phase of our lives. As you know, this past autumn, Marthame left his position as missionary-in-residence to accept a call as pastor of Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. And as of the end of June, my appointment as a missionary-in-residence—the last part of which I spent on family leave—has come to a close. I’m not seeking employment for now, content (and plenty busy) being a mom. Even though both Marthame and I have moved on from our positions as mission personnel, we remain deeply and fully committed to continuing relationships and efforts to support Christians in the Middle East through our words and actions, through our film, our Web site, Salt Films, and hopefully visits.

And so this is a kind of farewell. This is the last Mission Connections letter you’ll receive from us. Beyond news about General Assembly or even about our new baby boy, what we’d like you to hear most profoundly right now is gratitude: Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support throughout our years of service to the Middle East. Thank you for your interest and involvement with our denomination’s mission program, serving Christ around the world. Thank you for opening your hearts to brothers and sisters thousands of miles away. In short: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

In Christ,

Elizabeth Sanders

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 261