PW Birthday Offering, 2011

Mission matters to Presbyterian Women. In addition to being one of the points of the PW Purpose, support for mission is a thread running through all the work PW does in congregations, presbyteries, synods and churchwide.

Mission takes many forms for Presbyterian Women.   The diversity of mission programs encourages participation of women at all stages of their lives. We tell the story of mission to others. We offer emotional and financial support to mission workers and projects around the world. We pledge through our congregations and the PW organization. We make and purchase hospital supplies for Malawi, Congo and Haiti. We promote special offerings, such as the Fellowship of the Least Coin and the Presbyterian Hunger Fund along with our own Birthday and Thank Offerings. We provide much-needed assistance to projects in our own communities.

Birthday Celebration and Birthday Offering – 2011

The Deborah and Ruth Circles receive donations for the Birthday Offering in two ways.  One Sunday each month during the worship service, the congregation sings ‘Happy Birthday’ to all members who celebrate their birthdays during that month.  As the congregation sings, the birthday guy or gal is invited to come forward and donate one penny in thanksgiving to God for each year of his or her life.  [Those who wish to remain ageless, may choose to donate a dollar instead … just in case someone is counting!]

Second, the PW women invite all members of the congregation to join them in at an annual birthday party.  Twelve tables in the fellowship hall are decorated with items which illustrate one particular month.  Birthday guests are invited to sit at the table designated as representing the month in which the guest was born.  There they visit with others who share their birth-month while enjoying a delicious homemade dessert.  To celebrate the God-given gifts of life, fellowship and food, they are invited to make a contribution to the Birthday Offering.

Birthday Offering – 2011 Recipients

1.Across

Bring Peace Now
Jonglei, South Sudan

Founded in 1972, ACROSS is an interdenominational, international organization that works to improve the lives of Sudanese people by strengthening communities. In southern Sudan, intertribal violence has killed thousands of people and displaced thousands more. Across believes education is the key to ending the cycle of violence and improving lives.

This Birthday Offering grant will help Across fund a four-pronged approach to education:

• producing 2,500 books with traditional folktales, praise songs and biblical stories of women leaders;
• sponsoring an English language course for at least five women, strengthening their ability to serve as translators and teachers;
• providing teacher training workshops for at least 40 teachers; and
• building a dormitory at Yei Teacher Training College that will house at least 60 women while they are enrolled in a two-year training program.

In addition to the educational benefits of these projects, this initiative also will help build a culture of peaceful coexistence between traditionally warring ethnic groups, and increase societal value of children (especially girls) and acceptance of women as leaders.

2.   Menaul School

Bringing the World to Menaul
Albuquerque, New Mexico

For more than 100 years,Menaul School  has educated and equiped students for leadership in the church and larger society. The campus welcomes a racially and economically diverse student body, offering day school for grades 6–12 and boarding school for grades 9–12. Financial limitations necessitated the closing of the boarding program in 2000, but with the help of a Birthday Offering grant, Menaul will reestablish its residential program.

With your generosity, the existing dormitory will be refurbished to provide housing for approximately 20 students. Menaul also will purchase an activities van to provide transportation for its boarding students’ weekend and enrichment activities.

Students who would not otherwise have access to excellent educational opportunities benefit from Menaul’s college preparatory program. Ninety-seven percent of Menaul graduates attend university, and nearly 50 percent are the first in their families to attend university.

3.  Anderson Interfaith Ministries, Inc.

Women and Children Succeeding (WACS) Program
Anderson, South Carolina

Anderson Interfaith Ministries is an interfaith organization that provides assistance to people in need while also guiding them to function independently. One of Anderson’s most innovative and successful programs, Women and Children Succeeding (WACS), offers various supports to parents so they can return to school. 

A grant from the Birthday Offering will allow Anderson Interfaith Ministries to strengthen the Women and Children Succeeding program. Funds will provide for

• modifying and renovating two WACS facilities, centralizing staff and adding training capacity;
• adding a parental education component;
• purchasing land for much-needed parking; and
• hiring an asset-building coordinator, who will help clients with financial literacy.

This comprehensive program transforms lives, not only by helping parents meet childcare and other basic needs so that school is possible for them, but by building their self-sufficiency and self-esteem.