Bringing Help to Others in Need

Pleasant View Presbyterian Church (Smock, PA), is engaged in building Gifts of the Heart Kits as a part of a response to the urgent need for help in the country of Pakistan. At this time, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), in partnership with Church World Service (CWS), tells us that in excess of 25% of the country has been devastated by flooding, beginning in July. Millions are affected and, at this point, 1.5 million people are homeless.

During September and October Pleasant View is serving as a collection point for Kits which other congregations (& PVPC) assemble and deliver to us. On November 1st, thanks to Blaney Farms Trucking Company, these kits will be delivered, without shipping cost to the contributors, to the New Windsor (MD) Distribution Center for shipment to Pakistan. We would welcome your contribution of packed kits for inclusion in that free shipment to New Windsor, prior to November 1st. For more information, a PDA instruction sheet for packing 4 types of kits is available by copying and pasting the link below into your url: .http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/pda/pakistan/ or click on the highlighted link below above the Media Center on this page.

Bringing Together Shut-Ins with the Membership

A minister in Waco, TX made the phone an important extension of his ministry. Thirty minutes before worship on Sunday morning he makes five or six phone calls to shut-ins. He tells them that he just wanted to take a moment before the service to express the love of the congregation and to find any particular needs or prayer concerns. At the appropriate time in the service he reports the immediate concerns and assures the folks at home that the church is praying for them. The shut-in feels that he or she is part of the worshipping body.

Bringing Information Together on Your Community

A tool for demographic study that is available for your church to consider is MissionInsite an on-line service http://www.missioninsite.com.

Outdoor Advertising

A church near Saltsburg, PA found that outdoor advertising is important awareness for folks living in the community. Instead of buying a billboard, the church had a committee of local carpenters build signs for advertisements for the church. You need to check with local ordinances about signs regarding location along highways and getting permission. This group focused on creating, maintaining, and altering the sign boards. Ideal situation is having members willing to display ads on their property.

Stories of Hope and Faith on Passages

Passages/Survivors are heard daily and weekly on 500 radio stations! Interviews and music clips are used as a "public service" for listeners by the stations who broadcast the shows.

These stories are being heard on our network of stations across the North America and into 16 foreign countries.

We are hearing from folks who are downloading stories to their Ipods and mp3 players for inspiration and sharing them with others! Some clergy and church leaders are re-telling these stories as inspirational moments.

The Passages programs featured here are a handful of over 3,000 stories that PMM has produced in over 25 years of providing PASSAGES & Survivors to radio stations as a gift from your Presbyterian, Mennonite, and United Methodist friends. For more information on PASSAGES e-mail us at pmm@passages.org

Executive Producer of Passages, Dennis C. Benson, can be reached at 616-510-0873.

PRAYERS FOR PEACE is the second video clip in the media center below featuring a new church development in the Homewood section of the City of Pittsburgh that had its start on Good Friday. Presbyterian Media Mission captured the peace march and the challenges of urban ministry for the General Assembly Mission Council and Pittsburgh Presbytery. Rev. Eugene Blackwell is the start-up minister for Manna House!

MEDIA LITERACY Note:

Two studies led by RAND Health behavioral scientist Rebecca Collins examined the impact of TV sex on teenagers’ sexual beliefs and activities. The results supported the view that watching shows with sexual content may influence teen sexual behavior, but also found that some viewing effects can be positive.

Watching TV shows with sexual content apparently hastens the initiation of teen sexual activity.

Sexual talk on TV has the same effect on teens as depictions of sex.

Shows with content about contraception and pregnancy can help to educate teens about the risks and consequences of sex–and can also foster beneficial dialogue between teens and parents.

Media literacy is for everyone to use in evaluating media intake or consumption. For more info contact PMM at pmm@passages.org or (412) 323-1400 ext. 310/311.

How does TV viewing of violent cartoons impact young children? A recent study shows that there is a good possibility of attention deficit problems to the very young watching violent cartoons.

PMM's Mission Statement: In a world of confusing and competing messages, the Presbyterian Media Mission communicates a creative and compelling witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ through media.

To contribute to PMM's media ministry with a financial gift please call or e-mail our office at (412) 323-1400 ext 310 or pmm@passages.org For more information on making a charitable gift to media ministry!

Click on the link below to go to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance web pages for helping with relief work in Pakistan.

gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/pda/pakistan/