wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] GA Moderator names Climate for Change Task Force

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This story available online:

www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09154<http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09154

GA Moderator names Climate for Change Task Force

Eight-member team will review PC(USA) affirmative
action/equal opportunity policies

>by Bethany Furkin
>Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE - The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, moderator of the
218th General Assembly (2008) of the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.), named another task force this week.

The Climate for Change Task Force will review current
affirmative action/equal employment opportunity,
contracting and purchasing policies within the PC (USA). It
will then recommend revisions.

The assembly noted specific areas for the task force to
cover, such as updating churchwide AA/EEO policies to use
the tools of cultural proficiency for organizational
change. Also mentioned: providing guidance and standards
for using the Minority Vendor Policy within the General
Assembly, developing guidelines and procedures to be used
instead of those formerly provided by Project Equality and
revising and updating AA/EEO and Minority Vendor policies
to reflect changes in General Assembly agencies and
emerging technology.

The task force is to be staffed by the Racial Ethnic and
Women's Ministry [www.pcusa.org/women], in consultation
with the associate for Cultural Proficiency and the manger
for Purchasing. The task force is also to consult with
representatives from the six corporate entities related to
the General Assembly.

The task force is scheduled to make an interim report to
the 219th General Assembly (2010). It should submit its
final report to the 220th assembly in 2012.

Reyes-Chow made the appointments with input from the
Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns
[www.pcusa.org/acrec], the Advocacy Committee for Women's
Concerns [www.pcusa.org/acwc], the associate for Cultural
Proficiency and the General Assembly Nominating Committee.

Below is the biographical information for the task force
members:

Elder Colby Anderson: Anderson is a senior at Augsburg
College in Minneapolis, where he is majoring in business
marketing and minoring in religion. He has been involved in
many levels of the PC (USA), participating in music
programs in his congregation and serving on committees. He
attended the 216th General Assembly (2004) as a youth
advisory delegate. In 2008, he served the Presbytery of
Minnesota Valleys [www.minnesotavalleys.org] as elder
commissioner.

Elder Yvonne Armstrong: Armstrong is the executive
assistant to the general manager of administration at the
New York City Housing Authority. She has also worked in the
agency's unit charged with ensuring that it adheres to laws
relating to equal employment and fair housing and provides
services to people with disabilities. Armstrong is an
ordained deacon and elder in the PC (USA) and has served on
her presbytery's committees on Ministry and Representation.
She is moderator-elect of the Presbytery of New York City
[www.nycpresbytery.org].

Rev. Cathy Chang: Chang is a pastoral resident in a
two-year Transition into Ministry program at Bryn Mawr
Presbyterian Church [www.bmpc.org] in Bryn Mawr, PA. She
has served as the vice moderator of the Asian Association
at Princeton Theological Seminary [www.ptsem.edu]. In 2004,
she joined the PC(USA)'s Racial Ethnic Young Women Together
core leadership team and served a two-year term as
co-moderator starting in 2005. In 2006, she received
anti-racism training through the Multicultural Church
Institute at Ghost Ranch [www.ghostranch.org] in New Mexico.

Rev. Hardy H. Kim: Kim is the associate for church growth
at First Presbyterian Church
[www.firstpresatl.org/main.htm]  in Atlanta. A graduate of
McCormick Theological Seminary [www.mccormick.edu], Kim has
also served as a Lilly Pastoral Resident at Fourth
Presbyterian Church in Chicago [www.fourthchurch.org].
While in seminary, he served in several capacities,
including moderator of student session, student
representative to the board of trustees, member of the
Asian American Ministries Task Force and co-founder of an
Asian-American student organization. From 1997-98, Kim was
a Young Adult Volunteer in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Rev. Al Masters: Masters is interim chaplain at
Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC. He is also a
contributing author to "Feasting on The Word." Masters
enjoys working with young adults and served on the Young
Adult Ministry Consultation of the PC(USA) and the General
Executive Board of the former Presbyterian Church in the
United States. He is a graduate of the University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill [www.unc.edu] and Columbia Theological
Seminary [www.ctsnet.edu] in Decatur, GA.

Rev. Diane Givens Moffett, chairwoman: Moffett is pastor at
Saint James Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, NC. She is
the author of "Beyond Greens and Cornbread: Reflections of
African American Christian Identity." She has 21 years of
experience in parish ministry and has served three
congregations, creating an environment for change and
growth. Moffett earned her bachelor's degree from the
University of California-Berkeley [http://berkeley.edu] and
her Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry from the
San Francisco Theological Seminary [http://web.sfts.edu].

Rev. Sarah Moore-Nokes: Moore-Nokes is the associate
executive presbyter at Winnebago Presbytery
[www.winnebagopresbytery.org], where she works with groups
focused on mission, communication, leadership development,
connectional ministries, youth ministry, congregational and
presbytery-wide transformation and advocacy ministries. She
also works with ecclesiastical bodies on organizational
issues as a facilitator and consultant.

Rev. Jose Olagues: Olagues is the associate executive for
Congregational Resourcing at the Presbytery of Grand Canyon
[www.pbygrandcanyon.org]. In this position, he assists 70
varied congregations across Arizona in several areas,
including Christian education, leadership development,
mission, evangelism, stewardship and social justice.
Olagues has volunteered as an educator in developing
leadership skills among racial/ethnic lay members. He
attended seminary after an early retirement from the
corporate world, where he worked in human resources.

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