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Cultivating Relationships
and Understanding
Across Borders
| | The laying on of hands as Mark & Miriam are commissioned as Mission Co-Workers at the spring meeting of the presbyteries of Grand Canyon and de Cristo | | |
Dear Friends,
When the PCUSA Interim Unified Agency decided it was ending World Mission and our service as Mission Co-workers, we felt deep sadness. In 2011, the national structure of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico had chosen to end its partnership with all of border ministry without consultation, and now, fourteen years later, the national structure of the PCUSA was doing the same.
Amid the uncertainty cast by the national office’s decision, Miriam said “Mark, this is an opportunity for faith to flourish.” And while the past year has not always been easy, faith, and the incredible outpouring encouragement and support from many faith-filled churches and individuals from both sides of the border, has sustained us. On Saturday May 2, the Presbyteries of Grand Canyon and de Cristo commissioned us to continued service as Mission Co-workers with Frontera de Cristo.
The commissioning service brought us great hope and encouragement after an unfortunate and devastating loss. It fills us with joy to see the commitment of the two presbyteries of Arizona, as well as many churches and individuals and Frontera de Cristo, affirm our call to continue to walk together in search of a more just, peace-filled, and loving world.
We’ve always known in our heads that the Interim Unified Agency’s decision to end World Mission and the ministry to which we sensed a deep call and commitment was not the church’s—much less God’s—rejection of the ministry we had dedicated our lives to. But during the commissioning service, hearing the sermon from Co-moderator Tony Larson, seeing our partners from Frontera de Cristo, commissioners from both presbyteries as well as representatives from churches from Alabama, Michigan, South Carolina, and Virginia, and feeling surrounded by the Spirit when they laid hands on us and prayed, we knew—not just in our heads, but in our whole beings—that although the Interim Unified Agency had moved on from this particular model of relational and incarnational ministry, the broader church has not.
Thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support to us and to Frontera de Cristo throughout this past year and into the exciting future that God has for us.
Peace,
Miriam & Mark
PS Read this letter and see more photos of the commissioning service on FDC's Substack blog.
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PCUSA Co-Moderator Shares Life and Ministry
with Frontera de Cristo
| | Rev. Tony Larson (center), co-moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA, and Rev. Brad Munroe, Presbytery Pastor, enjoy conversation with Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs) at Café Justo y Más
during Tony's two-day visit with Frontera de Cristo. See more photos. | |
WE WERE HONORED AND ARE GRATEFUL for the presence, prayers, and encouragement of the Rev. Tony Larson, co-moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), on April 30 and May 1. He spent time in reflection and prayer on both sides of the wall that separates God's creation that is now known as the US/Mexico border, shared meals and fellowship with the community in Douglas and Agua Prieta, and learned about the network of relationships that FDC has cultivated cross political, religious, cultural, linguistic, and economic borders.
On Sunday, May 2nd, he preached during the worship service at the joint meeting of the Grand Canyon and de Cristo presbyteries. During the service, he emphasized that institutional changes cannot stop the movement of the Spirit. He affirmed the presbyteries in their decision to be open to the Holy Spirit in entering into a deeper relationship with Frontera de Cristo after the Interim Unified Agency of the national denomination ended World Mission last year, thus terminating all mission co-worker positions, including those of Miriam and Mark. The Rev. Larson laid hands on Miriam and Mark as the presbytery commissioned them as Mission Co-workers of the presbyteries serving with Frontera de Cristo.
See and hear Rev. Larson's brief reflections from both sides of the border by clicking:
A Message from the North Side of the Border
A Message from the South Side of the Border
Photo Album from the Event
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FDC Partner Walking the Migrant Trail Walk and Raising Funds for FDC and Carolina Immigrant Alliance
May 25–31
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GINGER WILLIAMS, A PROFESSOR AT Winthrop University and active in the local border and immigration task force, will be walking the migrant trail to raise funds jointly for Frontera de Cristo and the Carolina Immigrant Alliance. In honor of Ginger's participation, you can donate by clicking here.
The Migrant Trail is a 75-mile walk from the U.S.-Mexico border at Sásabe, Sonora, to Tucson, Arizona, to bear witness to the preventable tragedy of migrant deaths in the desert near the US-Mexico border. Although the Migrant Trail is not affiliated with any particular religion, it is deeply rooted in ritual and spirituality.
This is their 23rd year of walking. Frontera de Cristo has been a sponsor of the walk for more than 20 years and is honored to provide the first meal of the 7-day event. Café Justo provides the coffee.
| | | WANT TO WALK THE MIGRANT TRAIL? Read everything you need to know about the walk (including sleeping on the desert under the stars) at azmigranttrail.com. | | |
Young Adult Volunteer Reflects on
Advocacy and Justice
by Olivia Phelps, Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) serving with Frontera de Cristo
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ADVOCACY HAS ALWAYS BEEN an important expression of my faith. I began contacting my elected officials in middle school through emails and phone calls to express my concerns, and by ninth grade, I was arranging in-person meetings with local leaders. The first place I drove after receiving my learner’s permit was to a school board meeting addressing concerns about gun violence. For two summers, I had the privilege of serving as a fellow with the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C., where I continued to communicate the concerns of the General Assembly. Now, I serve as a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) at the U.S./Mexico border, living and working in the communities of Agua Prieta, Sonora, and Douglas, Arizona.
Read Olivia's article from the beginning (in English or Spanish) and see photos on FDC's Substack page, or on the PCUSA web site.
| | Young Adult Volunteers Tour the Country | | |
FROM JULY 6–20, TWO OF OUR Tucson Borderlands Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs), Olivia Phelps and Jay Stone, will travel from Arizona to North Carolina visiting churches and talking about their experiences during their year in the YAV program. You can invite them to speak at your church—click the flyers to download the details.
Here's where they'll be—
July 6–10: New Mexico & Colorado (Albuquerque & Denver)
July 10–14: In the Midwest (Kansas City & St. Louis):
July 14–18: Tennessee (Nashville & Knoxville):
July 18-20: North Carolina (Charlotte & Raleigh)
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HAVE YOU HAD YOUR CUPPA CAFÉ JUSTO TODAY? At just $15 per pound, you can have the freshest, most recently roasted coffee around! Shipping is included in the price, and we appreciate a minimum of 2 pounds per order, so that we may keep the cost of shipping down. Orders placed by 8:00am on Tuesdays will be shipped on Thursday of the same week.
Click here to order
| | | | FRONTERA DE CRISTO AND CAFÉ JUSTO CREATED the "Love Mercy, Do Justice" (Amar Misericordia, Hacer Justicia) initiative to provide coffee for migrant shelters along the southern border. Thousands of women and men each week are greeted with a cup of coffee, a meal, and vital medical attention when they are repatriated into Mexico. You can help support this effort with a donation to Love Mercy, Do Justice. | | Donate to the Capital Campaign for CAME | | See photos from CAME's Viacrucis Migrante
on Good Friday | | |
CAME is one of Frontera de Cristo's ministry partners located in Agua Prieta. CAME provides—
- lodging, food, health care, and clothing to their guests
- education and social awareness activities
- support, care, and protection for children, teens, and adults
- breakfast for older adults and food security for the entire community.
Your donation will help keep the doors of welcome and compassion open at CAME as they deal with the loss of international aid grants.
| | Order Your Café Justo Photo Book | | THE CAFÉ JUSTO PHOTO BOOK is still available! Order yours now and learn about the founding families who brought the dream to fruition, and the process of growing coffee from seed to cup. It will give you a new appreciation for your morning cup of coffee! | | | | | Read about the benefits of Café Justo in the community and the unique ways some of their customers sell and serve the coffee. Get a glimpse of the activities that make the Café Justo y Más coffee shop a place for creativity, comfort, and camaraderie in Agua Prieta. And reminisce over photos of the fabulous 20th anniversary celebration. | | The photo book is just $20. Or you can buy a box of 12 for $200. Shipping is included. Just scan the QR code above or click here to order online. Or download this order form to pay by check. | | Follow us on Social Media! | | To access the QR codes in this newsletter, first download, to your cell phone, the "QR Code and Barcode Scanner" from Google Play. (You can use the same phone app to scan special sale barcodes at the grocery store!) | | Our Children's Enrichment Ministry | | to Support the Ministries of Frontera de Cristo | | | | |
