SDOP's ‘Surviving the Struggle’ yearbook now available for Self-Development of People Sunday and beyond
2026 publication includes stories, hymns and other shareable resources for congregations that want to help communities thrive
LOUISVILLE — The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People has released a new yearbook to help congregations prepare for SDOP Sunday (Feb. 8) and learn how the ministry and its partners are working on a number of fronts to combat poverty, racism and other forms of oppression.
“Surviving the Struggle” is the re-imagined SDOP Sunday yearbook and tool kit, which can be downloaded for free from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) website.
“We encourage you to use this resource in your worship services, Bible studies, Sunday school classes, youth group lessons and any other opportunity where you learn and grow together,” SDOP’s manager, the Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson, says in the introduction. “We pray that this resource will inspire you to become more familiar with the work and legacy of SDOP.”
Featuring a bold, new design and brief stories that can be printed out individually, the yearbook is chock full of articles about worthwhile programs that have received support from SDOP. It also includes hymns, a reading list, SDOP statistics and other material for putting together services and familiarizing the church with SDOP’s mission.
SDOP was “created out of a time of deep racial strife and social upheaval in the United States during the late 1960s and 1970s” and provides grants to help communities to overcome impediments that prevent people from living lives of wholeness, access and self-determination, Johnson said.
“The title ‘Surviving the Struggle’ is a reminder that in working together, communities in partnership with the church have resources needed to survive the struggles of poverty and all of its intersections,” Johnson said. “The intention of naming the resource such also lifts up the profound power and resiliency of our funded community partners who continue to confront all obstacles to poverty and lives of self-determination.”
Stories are categorized by topics and highlight work related to immigration and refugee services, poverty, education, the plight of women and girls, mass incarceration, racism, economic empowerment and international engagement.
“This latest yearbook/toolkit has been rebranded, and we believe it is a powerful tool for Presbyterians engaged in the work of poverty reduction and other social and economic justice issues the church is called to speak to,” said Margaret Mwale, Associate for Community Development and Constituent Relations. “Micah 6:8 reminds us to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. PC(USA)’s partnership with the community groups featured in the yearbook/tool kit is a beautiful picture of how the church is living this verse out. We invite you to join in this work!”
In preparation for SDOP Sunday, there is a short primer on the observance, which is an opportunity for Presbyterians and other supporters to give generously to support SDOP’s work as well as the work of other ministries supported by One Great Hour of Sharing.
“I would hope the church responds in the same loving way with giving as they have previously,” said Julia Hill, SDOP National Committee Chair. “This will enable SDOP to continue its work with the communities we have been mandated to serve.”
SDOP Sunday comes about a month early this year and dovetails with Black History Month.
“It is a blessing to be part of a ministry that is connected to a history of resiliency, transformation and hope, all of which are key motifs in the celebration of Black History Month,” Johnson said.
Going into SDOP’s legacy further, he said, “SDOP was created out of a time of deep racial strife and social upheaval in the United States during the late 1960s and 1970s. SDOP’s creative lineage can be directly connected to faithful Black Presbyterians, folks like Rev. Dr. Gayraud Wilmore, Rev. Dr. Edler Hawkins, Rev. St. Paul Epps (SDOP’s first director), Rev. Oscar McCloud, and Rev. Dr. Katie Cannon, who was a youth advisory delegate for what was then called the Fund for the Self Development of People.”
“Surviving the Struggle” demonstrates how “SDOP continues to uphold the work of dismantling oppression through its funded community partners who own, control and benefit directly from projects that promote long-term change in their lives and communities,” Johnson added.
To download the yearbook or learn more about SDOP, go here.
You may freely reuse and distribute this article in its entirety for non-commercial purposes in any medium. Please include author attribution, photography credits, and a link to the original article. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDeratives 4.0 International License.
