A letter from Doug Baker in Northern Ireland
Fall 2013
Dear Friends,
Doug (left) with 2013-2014 YAVS: Marranda, Kalli, Courtney, Sarah A, Sarah P, Emma and Mark
You know how one thing leads to another? Twenty years ago I received a request from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) World Mission to meet with a couple of young volunteers they had recently linked with a church in Belfast. News filtering back to World Mission staff reported some ‘difficulties’ between the volunteers and the local leaders. Unfortunately the ‘difficulties’ continued, and eventually I had to find new placements for those volunteers – where they flourished personally and became highly valued members of a creative ministry for the remainder of their time here. In the process, they also became lifelong friends who I still meet up with in the US whenever possible.
Soon after that the newly created the PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer program was looking for a site in Europe. Someone suggested that since it had worked to have Doug overseeing those volunteers, perhaps he would take on responsibility for some more in Belfast. I agreed – having no idea where that decision would lead. Twenty years on, one hundred and seventeen volunteers have now served a year in twenty-five different congregations and community ministries in Northern Ireland. All of them have helped with youth and children’s ministries. Many have also assisted with pastoral visiting or worship leadership. Beyond the church, they have worked in drop-in centers for youth, tutoring, sports programs and projects for those more directly impacted by the decades of violence here. Let me introduce the latest group who arrived in August and share just one of the activities each is undertaking.
YAVs on Dundrum beach: Emma, Sarah P, Marranda, Sarah A, Kalli, Courtney and Mark
Sarah Atchison from Gig Harbor, Washington, spent last year working with middle school youth at Sammamish Presbyterian Church. Slipping into leadership for youth programs has been a relatively easy fit. However, she has also been handed responsibility for a toddlers and parents group. A totally new age group and concept for her! Fortunately, Elaine co-led a similar group in another church for several years and has been able to share ideas with Sarah.
Kalli Watson, Palisades Presbyterian Church, San Diego, is helping with a drop-in center (coffee bar, pool tables, computers and other activities) for young people from low-income areas of Newtownards. Much to her delight, the boys have actually invited her to play soccer with them on Thursday nights. A first for any of our female YAVs!
Sarah Paulsen, Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, works mostly with a congregation in a polarized part of north Belfast. But on Wednesday afternoons, you will find her at the Vine Center leading JAFFA (Jesus A Friend for All) for elementary age children who are not likely to be at any church on a Sunday morning. This is their primary opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus and Sarah is loving being part of making that happen.
Corey Nelson and Marnie Arnold, who pioneered the YAV program in Northern Ireland
Courtney Reinke, Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, works with a congregation in a largely Loyalist area in north Belfast. She helps host a lunch-time drop-in for teenagers from the school across the road. Members noticed youth hanging around outside the church during their lunch break. Providing space for them to come in out of the wind and rain is a simple way of letting them know the church cares about them. Once they are inside, Courtney and other leaders are patiently building relationships which reinforce the message that the church and God care for these youth.
Marranda Major, Kanawha Presbyterian Church, Charleston, WV, serves with Whitehouse Presbyterian Church. Their building was burned to the ground in a sectarian arson attack some years ago. Their rebuilt structure is now used for programs that reach out to both sections of the community. One day each week Marranda, whose previous experience includes cooking at a large church camp, helps prepare meals for and host a group of women at the WAVE Trauma Centre who have been bereaved, injured or traumatised as a result of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Emma Cushman-Wood, a United Methodist from Chicago, is based at East Belfast Mission, a social-outreach centre of the Methodist Church in Ireland. Her main work is children’s and youth ministry, both mid-week and on Sundays. However, one of Emma’s most important and enjoyable times is a weekly gathering for older adults called Friendship Circle. Like so much in mission, it is a mutually enriching encounter. Emma helps organise activities. These older adults provide endless hours of tales about life in Belfast before, during and after the conflict and talk about how their faith has helped them throughout.
Our only male this year, Mark Moseley, First and Central Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, DE, is also the only male on the staff of Woodvale Methodist Church in West Belfast. Being a positive male role model is exactly what they need Mark to do. Part of his week is with The 174 Trust, a community and youth centre in an inter-face area of North Belfast. This includes assisting with a cross-community soccer group with ten to fifteen year old boys. Their homes are only a quarter of a mile away from each other but in districts that are politically and culturally poles apart. The depth of division in Northern Ireland still means that they would never meet without this program, which brings them together around a common interest and allows them to break down stereotypes of each other.
Please remember these volunteers in your prayers. You can learn more about their mission service and follow their blogs at
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/yavs-2013-2014/.
We are grateful that many of you already support their time here by contributing to the PC(USA)’s support and sending costs for us as YAV Site Coordinators. If you do, we urge you to increase your giving to match the increased costs we are now facing in serving here in Northern Ireland. If you do not already, we would ask you to consider making a financial contribution at https://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/E200310/.
Finally, we ask you to encourage those you know in the 20-30 age group to consider applying to be YAVs at one of our twelve national or six international sites: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/yav/.
Faithfully yours,
Doug Baker
The 2013 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 278
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