Consultation on Native American Ministry Takes Place in Albuquerque

Themes such as collaboration, partnership and accountability emerged over the weekend of April 22-24, 2005 as over 100 gathered in Albuquerque for a consultation on Native American ministries. Over the day and a half event, Native American clergy and lay leaders spanning four generations, from Alaska to New York, met to envision the future of Native American ministry in the PCUSA with representatives from the General Assembly and middle governing bodies. [Read more]

Comprehensive strategy for ministries with Native Americans

1. Recommendation approval with amendment
2. Background Statement
3. Theological Statement: Identity as Peoples in Relationship with the Creator
4. Summary of Historic Relationship between Presbyterian Church and Native American Peoples
5. Findings of Task Force: What We Heard and Saw

Native American Task Force Recommendations to 214th General Assembly

General Assembly Task Force on Native American Ministries (GANATF)

Section IV. Report 5, 2000 Referral: 22.232. B.
A comprehensive strategy for ministries with Native Americans
2002 Supplemental Recommendations of the General Assembly Special Task Force on Native American Ministries

The Special Task Force on Native American Ministries hereby submits the following supplemental recommendations to the General Assembly Committee, pursuant to Action 22.232 of the 212th General Assembly, Minutes (2000) p. 26: [Read more]

Mission and ministry with Native American Peoples:
A Historical Survey of the Last Three Centuries

Introduction

The General Assembly Task Force on Native American Ministries, appointed in 1995 by Overture 95-34, was directed to "study and review mission and ministries with Native American tribes and peoples," and then to develop a "comprehensive strategy for ministries with Native Americans." The Task Force report, entitled "Comprehensive Strategy for Ministries with Native Americans" contains a brief historical summary of the relationship between the Presbyterian Church and Native American peoples. However, in the process of gathering information on Native American ministries, it became clear to the Task Force that a more complete historical survey would be helpful to the larger PC(USA) which is not familiar with much of this history. Hence the decision was made to publish this historical survey as an addendum to the official Task Force Report. [Read more]

Native American Churchwide Policy Statement

Background Statement

The exploring companies of England sought charters from the Crown. In almost all of their charters they stoutly avowed that evangelization of the Indians was a major and chief purpose of British exploration and colonization. Similar charters were drawn up by other countries. Most were designed to secure the wealth and land from the New World. The original great seal of Massachusetts shows and Indian shouting the Macedonian call, "Come over and help us!" The last mention of evangelization in a charter occurred in the case of Pennsylvania. [Read more]