Dear Friends,

As summer began here in Peru, I asked a few of the young people I know, “What are you going to do now that school is out?” Expecting an excited response, I instead saw confused or blank expressions, reminding me that for many of the children in Huánuco, there is nothing special about the summer. There are no pool parties or soccer camps, no long-awaited family vacations. For some, the end of the school year is devastating as it means returning to a stressful, and oftentimes violent, home life. However, if you ask the young women and children that visit our office “What are you doing this summer?,” their faces light up with anticipation of the annual summer camp for the TAMAR Collective, the support group for young survivors of sexual abuse.

Each summer in February, the TAMAR Collective attends an overnight camp at the Granja, the ecological farm owned by Paz y Esperanza. One week of camp is for teenagers, some of whom are mothers, and another week is for children. Los campamentos offer these young survivors something that few Peruvian children experience—a summer vacation filled with fun games, good food, spiritual development, and therapy sessions with a team of compassionate psychologists.

Some loud and confident, others timid, the teenagers attending in the first week were a diverse group. Three of the young women brought their babies, and everyone took turns holding, calming, and caring for the little ones. This provided relief to the young mothers, allowing them to run and play without a bundle tied to their back or a mouth to feed. The three young mothers were startlingly mature and responsible and had overcome trauma in a way that I could not quite comprehend.

Each morning after breakfast we met to sing songs, to tally up the points earned during the previous day’s games and field competitions, and to follow a Bible study focusing on personal change. The Bible study theme, Rumbo al Cambio (“Heading Toward Change”), included discussions on how to be one’s true, authentic self and how to relinquish one’s stubborn self-sufficiency and trust in God.

During one of the many spontaneous moments I experienced during the camp, I found myself standing in front of twenty-five curious faces as I shared my own story of how I arrived in Peru. In an effort to listen to God’s intentions for my life, I stepped outside my own comfort and structure, and yes, stubborn self-sufficiency, in order to place more trust in God. As I came to know these young people, they reminded me that faith doesn’t need to be kept a secret, but is meant to be shared.

Lynn Hasselbarth

Lynn Hasselbarth is serving for one year in Huanuco, Peru, as a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She is working with an ecumenical social justice organization, Paz y Esperanza (Peace and Hope), that brings together psychologists, pastors, and lawyers to prevent sexual abuse and domestic violence against women, teenagers, and children. Her family attends Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church, in Guilderland, New York. Read more about Lynn’s year in Peru at www.lynnmission.blogspot.com.

The Pentecost Offering provides a way to directly meet the needs of children at risk, youth, and young adults. The benefits can be seen all around us. Congregations are trying new ways to minister with the children at risk in their communities. General Assembly programs are advocating for children and providing leadership development opportunities for our youth and young adults. Since 1998, Presbyterians of all ages have raised over $4.8 million for these ministries that benefit younger members of God’s family.

40 percent percent of the Pentecost Offering is kept by congregations for use on behalf of children at risk.

10 percent supports General Assembly Child Advocacy Ministries in 2008 to:

• Empower children on behalf of other children through the launch of thefor older elementary children.
• Continue to develop Kids 4 Kids a Web site designed to empower older elementary children on behalf of other children. The site has a new interactive design, and work has begun on providing safe, appropriate social networking for children.
• Facilitate the denomination’s ongoing emphasis, the Decade of the Child (2001–2011).
• Launch a new network, “Presbyterians in Covenant with Children,” uniting congregations and groups in making a difference with and for children.
• Provide resources on consumerism, child trafficking, and child protection.
• Advocate to eradicate child poverty and to provide access to quality health care and a quality public education for all children.

25 percent percent of the Offering supports General Assembly ministries with youth in 2009 to:

• Offer twenty new studies for parents of youth, through the online resource “The Thoughtful Christian” (parents of teens series).
• Support thousands of Presbyterian adult youth workers through the Presbyterian Youth Workers’ Association. www.pywa.org
• Host new mission opportunities through the “Centered in Mission” project.
• Create a free online, interactive daily devotion for youth and youth leaders, d365. www.d365.org
• Create new Youth Ministry Quick Reference resources. These focused topic papers on young people, the church, and current issues can be used for teacher training, small group, or parent studies.
• Continue the work on the Be Tweens project, a resource offering older elementary youth and their parents a study on faith and life.
• Support the work of the 2010 Presbyterian Youth Triennium design team.
• Host six new youth leader training seminars as a part of the “Pathways” series.

25 percent percent supports Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) opportunities, which in 2009 will:

• Prepare young adults from the United States and around the world to serve as YAVs in the U.S. The Offering funds are matched with funds that each YAV raises to participate in this year of mission involvement. These young adults serve in communities of need and explore their call to the work of Jesus Christ.
• Help pay the travel and living expenses of young adults ages 19–30 serving abroad. Offering funds match those raised by the young adults as they prepare for this life-changing opportunity to experience and share God in a community of need in another culture for one year.

Forty percent of Offering receipts are retained by congregations, and 60 percent are forwarded to General Assembly ministries for children at risk, youth, and young adults. Look for an upcoming detailed financial report of how Pentecost Offering funds were used in 2008 on Offering’s Web site.

Here are some of the ways congregations used their share of the 2007 Pentecost Offering on behalf of children at risk. This is a great place to start if your congregation is looking for ideas

Becoming a Partner

• Support existing children-at-risk programs in your presbytery or synod
• Combine your share of the Offering with that of other congregations in your area to support a common community need
• Combine congregational portions of the Peacemaking and Pentecost Offerings to meet community needs that satisfy the criteria of both offerings

Providing for Needs of Children at Risk

• Contribute to the local childrens’ home
• Fund scholarships for the communityday-care program
• Support a program that ministers to children with severe emotional needs
• Provide support for children at the local Presbyterian home
• Support a youth mission trip to work with at-risk children
• Assist an organization that works on behalf of children with developmental difficulties

Supporting Families of Children at Risk

• Help fund a community resource center that helps families in need
• Assist families of foster and adoptive children
• Provide support to a ministry that helps homeless and working poor families
• Assist at-risk ministries at a Native American reservation
• Support a homeless shelter

Responding to Abuse or Violence

• Assist a ministry helping to break the abuse cycle by teaching healthy parenting skills
• Support a shelter for children who have been abused

Sponsoring Ministry with At-risk Youth and Teens

• Assist a community ministry that advocates and provides services for at-risk youth
• Support a group home for middle school girls
• Contribute to a task force to study neighborhood gang-related violence
• rovide support for the Boys & Girls Club in an inner-city school
• Contribute to a Christ-centered teen after-school program
• upport a home/school for pregnant teens

Providing Support to Education of Children at Risk

• Contribute to the Head Start program or other preschool program
• Provide a back-to-school shopping trip for children at risk
• Provide vouchers for new school shoes
• Support an elementary school’s fund for children at risk
• Provide an after-school enrichment program
• Collect and provide school supplies for children at risk

Giving Support in the Summertime

• Provide scholarships for summer camp
• Contribute to a summer lunch program for children at risk
• Support summer programs for at-risk children and youth
• Contribute to a summer reading program at local libraries
• Support a gardening program that gives children the chance to grow their own vegetables

February

• Ask the session to set a date to receive the Pentecost Offering. The Offering is traditionally received on Pentecost Sunday (May 31, 2009), but some congregations receive it on other youth-focused Sundays in the church year.
• Encourage the session to set a fund-raising goal and to consider options for using the congregational portion (40 percent).
• Develop your interpretation plan by reviewing the promotional packet. See above for ideas..
• If you need additional materials to interpret the Offering, order them using the order form.
• Share the Children and Youth Activities sheet with your Christian education and worship committees.
• Review the PowerPoint and resource materials and “The Pentecost Offering Thanks You!” video on the Web site.

April

• Display the Pentecost Offering poster at your church.
• Show the Pentecost Offering DVD at children’s worship and distribute a coin box and a photocopy of the Kid’s Kountdown to each child.
• Work with your pastor to help plan the worship service for Pentecost Sunday.
• Use Pentecost Offering place mats for congregational dinners and events.
• Talk with your pastor about sending the reminder postcard, a promotional e-mail, or a letter to every person in your congregation.

May

• May 4
  Place “The Holy Spirit will teach you all things” insert in the worship bulletins and place offering envelopes in pew racks.
  
• Introduce the Pentecost Offering from the pulpit using a minute for mission from the Leader’s Guide, showing the Pentecost Offering DVD, or with PowerPoint.
• May 17
  Ask a young person to present a minute for mission from the pulpit and place the corresponding insert in the bulletin.
• May 24
  Ask someone who represents the ministry receiving the congregation’s 40 percent to present a minute for mission from the pulpit.
• May 31
  Place a bulletin insert and offering envelope in the worship bulletin.
  Receive the Pentecost Offering!

Follow Up

• Thank the congregation for participating in the Offering.
• Report how much was received and how the congregation’s 40 percent will be used.
• Remind the members they can still contribute.
• Fill out and return the evaluation form.

What to Do with the Offering After It Has Been Received

• Keep 40 percent of the Offering for your congregation’s use on behalf of children at risk.
• Make the check for the remaining 60 percent payable to PC(USA). Send it through the normal receiving process at your presbytery or synod. If your church does not have a receiving agency, the check can be sent to:
  
  PC(USA) Church Remittance Processing
  P.O. Box 643678
  Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3678.