Community Transformation Resources

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Faithful to Jesus' prophetic vision, the Presbyterian Association for Community Transformation (PACT) is a network of community-based ministries of compassion, justice, worship and witness. PACT provides spiritual and practical resources for engaging in the prophetic ministry of transformation of communities and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Join PHEWA and take part in this ministry.

From Presbyterians Today • November 2007

Fighting poverty — one community at a time

By Jerry L. Van Marter

Taking it to the streets: a rally in Los Angeles to support immigrants, organized with church support. Photo by Samuel Chu

Samuel Chu recalls the day a church member came tearfully to Los Angeles’ Immanuel Presbyterian Church and told him her landlord had doubled her rent overnight.

“Of course, our first idea was to help her pay the rent,” says Chu, a pastor who is Immanuel’s director for relational ministries. “But the next day 14 of her neighbors all showed up as well, so I knew right then that a different approach was needed.” Continue reading this story.

From Presbyterian News Service • August 21, 2007

PHEWA launches initiative to revitalize dangerous New Orleans neighborhood

Grant fuels effort to develop strong leaders via faith-based community organizing

by Evan Silverstein
Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — The Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association (PHEWA) is partnering to establish a grassroots faith-based community organizing initiative aimed at revitalizing a notoriously dangerous New Orleans neighborhood.

The effort, being funded through a $20,000 grant from a private foundation, calls for developing strong leaders in the crime-invested Central City district of New Orleans and training them to tackle problems that residents of the neighborhood work together to identify. Continue reading this story.

PHEWA endorses single payer universal healthcare

Read the resolution passed at the PHEWA Biennial Business Meeting.

2006 Community Transformation Award recipient

First Presbyterian Church of Chickasha ~ Anadarko Presbyterian Church of Anadarko

The Community Transformation Award is given to congregations that, either through ecumenical or interfaith community ministry, or through a special project of the congregation, have been faithful and creative in ministry to and with the community. The award is presented by the Presbyterian Association for Community Transformation (PACT). [Read more]

PACT History and Principles

PACT is the successor organization of two previous PHEWA networks — COMANO (Community Ministries and Neighborhood Organizations) and UNCL (Urban Network of Congregational Leadership), the latter of which had been known originally as UPPA (Urban Presbyterian Pastors Association). Read PACT's history.

We believe that community transformation is an integral part of the whole ministry of the Church. Read PACT's principles.

Book Review

Bound Together: A Theology for Ecumenical Community Ministry
A. David Bos

Together deals with the “why?” of ecumenical and interfaith community ministry. It might be the first-ever theology of specifically local ecumenical and interfaith cooperation. There are quite a few resources available on the “how” of community ministry, including David Bos’ A Practical Guide to Community Ministry, but this book attempts to articulate a normative theology for the movement. [Read more]

Visit these Web sites

Presbyterian Network to End Homelessness
Ending homelessness is everyone's responsibility and our goal.

Small Church and Community Ministry
The vision of the Small Church and Communities Ministry Network is to equip and support small churches with the tools necessary for the ongoing work of being healthy, vibrant, spiritual and vital beacons of God's presence in their communities.