Special Offerings

Hello, people who may-or-may not be still following this blog! For those of you I don't see regularly, here's an update:

I accepted a new position with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) soon after returning to Louisville ("officially") in October, as the Assistant for Special Offerings and Appeals. Since then, I've been getting reacquainted with my city and my former / current coworkers, keeping busy setting up my new apartment and picking up a extra few hours in holiday-season retail to supplement my travel habits ;-) That, combined with the fact that I still haven't set up internet in my apartment yet, means I have been a little silent on the social media front. My apologies for those who got used to seeing everything I was up to on a daily basis!

The position in Special Offerings is important to me - mostly because the work that we do allows many others in the denomination to do their work. Including the Young Adult Volunteer program. One new addition to our offerings for 2013 is the Presbyterian Giving Catalog. It's no surprise what my favorite items in the catalog are featured on page 13 (and reproduced for you, below): supplements for Young Adult Volunteers like bus passes and groceries.

As a recipient of these funds in the past, I can tell you from experience how nice it is to jump on the bus to work, rather than walking 2 miles in the cold Belfast rain. I encourage everyone to check it out, especially those who have not yet completed their Christmas shopping, or those who prefer to give gifts that make a difference on a larger scale! Visit presbyteriangifts.org for more!

Pentecost

Today is Pentecost. The story that any of us who grew up in the church will likely associate with those photos of cartoons with fire above their heads, or crafts involving glue sticks and plenty of tissue paper (or popsicle sticks, as all the best are).

Over the years, I've been to plenty of different Pentecost services - some done really well, some less so. My favorite, of course, will have to be the Sweaty Sheep service that included water balloon fights, liturgical dancers and communion using breads and foods from all over the world.

Photo by Michael Whitman

Today, Fortwilliam and Macrory had a guest preacher, the Rev. Dr. John Dunlop. His message addressed waiting: how none of us like to wait, but when the thing that we are waiting on is the Spirit of God, we can't move forward without it. He focused on the diversity of the crowd gathered that morning, waiting together, gathering in God's name. All of those different gifts, opinions and personalities in one place. Each person gathered in that room was unique, but they all had names. They were all touched by the Spirit.

This message reminded me of the YAV program, which is appropriate since much of the funding for this program comes from the Pentecost Offering. We are young, we are exuberant, and we are sent out in the name of God despite our differing gifts, opinions and personalities to join in the celebration of the global church.

Pentecost is being celebrated today across the world in a vast array of cultures and languages, and my fellow YAVs are there: in Guatemala, in Kenya, in Tucson, in New Orleans and so many other communities. Learning, sharing and growing with others because of our shared purpose.

In the spirit of this global sending, I ask a favor: if the Pentecost Offering is not taken in your church, click the link above or text "young" to 20222 to give $10 to the PC(USA). To fund this program more directly, there are still a few NI YAVs who need a little help with their fundraising requirements. Please consider a donation in honor of Pentecost to Kathryn, who is doing great work this year at the East Belfast Mission.

For those interested in learning more about the YAV program, please visit http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/yav/.

A Lifetime of Change

I will interrupt this week's planned rehash of Belfast-ness for a moment to talk about the Young Adult Volunteer program. It's coming up on application season for 2013-14, which means it's been a year since I walked into the YAV office to let E. know my decision to apply for "a year of service for a lifetime of change".

What a whirlwind these past 365 days have been!

The decision to take a completely different path in my status quo was difficult for me, but definitely the best choice I've ever made. The PC(USA) has recently renewed its dedication to Young Adults by challenging the YAV program to triple its size and scope in the next five years. This means it's easier than ever to join this wacky YAV family, and to find a program that suits your passions. To do this, they have made a few changes to the program that I'm really excited to share:

• Additional site placements in Boston, Peru, Philippines and South Korea. Work in each site generally focuses on the major issues in that city or country - like Northern Ireland's dedication to peacemaking and reconciliation, Boston's food justice program, root causes of poverty in Peru, education in South Korea, border policies in Tucson, urban ministry in Miami, Chicago, Hollywood and others.... a complete list of sites and their work can be found here. 
• Lower funding requirements! This year I was blessed to have amazing support from family, friends and members of my congregation to raise the $8000 required for International service. Next year, funding requirements will be cut in HALF - meaning $4000 for an International site and just $3000 for a National site placement.

Becoming a part of this YAV family (which, if you'll notice, is the only way I refer to this group) has been incredible. When I walked into the placement event back in March, I felt for the first time that I had found "my people" - goofy and fun with a heart for the Lord.

This program has been in place for almost 20 years, which means they KNOW what they're doing. Discernment and placement events ensure that the best fit is attained for both the candidate and site, and I was completely prepared at orientation for the upcoming challenges of mission service. 

International Placement Event at LPTS - March 2012

Orientation at Stony Point - August 2012

Things you should know if you're considering the program:

• Young Adult Volunteers are between the ages of 19-30. Sometimes you need to be 21 for specific / international sites, but they even accept second-career old fogeys like me.
• The Louisville office is there to help you make the best decision for you, and to ensure you're in the right place. I had the benefit of proximity, but they were SO helpful when I started the discernment process.
• You don't actually have to be a Presbyterian. You will be doing the work of the church, but the PC(USA) partners with other denominations to do their work around the world. Members of this year's YAV group alone come from the PC(USA), Methodist, Mennonite and Catholic churches. 
• I'm sure it's obvious, but: I am always happy to answer questions about my journey. Feel free to email me any time!

Courtesy Jeff Moles (@jeffmoles)

Vote for us!

Vote for the Macrory Bike Club!

I know you're checking in hoping for more photos, updates on site placements, or just general awesome banter from yours truly - but today, I will instead share a fantastic opportunity that has just been presented to one of my work sites, Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian Church.

Part of what I will be doing with my time at FMPCI is spending time with the Cycling Club and Bike Maintenance Workshop each week. This is a new project that will promote cycling as an accessible means of transportation, encourage inter-community partnership and provide useful job training for youth in the local community.

We have been short-listed in a funding competition hosted by Coca-Cola. This is where we need your help! Please visit http://www.coca-cola.ie/community/thank-you-fund/thank-you-fund-voting-form.html and log in via facebook. Scroll down to where you see 'Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian Church' and vote for us!

We need to get as many votes as possible so please, please spread the word about this fantastic project!

You rock!

I received my fundraising update this afternoon to the happy news that I have now exceeded my fundraising goal for my year of service as a Young Adult Volunteer! I feel like a broken record when I keep saying this, but I am truly grateful for your support and love as I prepare for this journey. I wish I could bake you all cookies in thanks, because that's how it makes me feel when I see your name on my spreadsheet: warm and gooey.

If you still haven't gotten around to making a donation, but wanted to support my service, never fear - all donations made here will still be credited to my account. In other news, I will be arriving in Belfast in approximately 53 days and 13 hours with these people: 

A screen shot from our message board - the 8 NI YAVs for 2012-13.
Courtney, Kathryn, Beth, T.J., David, Anna, Grace, me :)

Get ready, Belfast.

Two months!

Two months from today, I will be boarding a plane for Stony Point. Yesterday, I turned in the last of my preparatory paperwork, so now I am free to focus on purging my storage unit, packing, and finishing up the rest of my fundraising requirements.

I am blown away by your support of my upcoming journey. Thanks to your support, I have raised over $7500 so far! (If you have sent a donation but don't see your name on the ticker - never fear! Sometimes it takes awhile for the donation to be filed, and for me to receive notification.)

As I've mentioned in the past, my $8000 goal is only a fraction of what it costs the denomination to cover my programmatic expenses... as well as travel, visas, stipends, health insurance, housing and food allowance for the coming year. Anything collected above the minimum is still credited toward my trip - I would love to exceed this goal!

I appreciate the kind words and notes that have been arriving at my door (/ inbox) in a steady stream since March. Your encouragement means so much to me. If you feel moved to support my year, I've included a few options below:

1. Pray for me!
2. Spread the word
• Tell people about the Young Adult Volunteer program, my work at Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian Church and the Vine Community and Advice Centre.
3. Keep in touch
• I already have my address and phone numbers for while I'm away, but rather than post them on the internet, please email tricia.mcreynolds [at] gmail.com to request it!
• Add my blog to your RSS feed or via one of the links in the side bar.
4. Pledge financial support
• Give a tax-deductible contribution as a one-time gift or in installments over the course of my year of service.
• Give online at http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E210105/ or
• Send a check made payable to the PC(USA) at P.O. Box 643700; Pittsburgh, PA  15264-3700. Include on the memo line of the check my name and the number E210105.

Slán go fóill

We're raising our glasses to Tricia,
She's leaving and that is our issue,
Have fun in Belfast,
But hurry back fast,

'Cause while you are gone we will miss ya!

- Jake C.

Tonight, my mom and stepdad hosted a fantastic party, full of people I've known throughout my life: old friends and new, cousins, coworkers and significant others... all gathered in my honor for my last visit to Orlando before I leave for Belfast. It was wonderful and humbling to be surrounded in love by these people who have known me my entire life. Of course, as usual, my mother cooked far too much food and a good time was had by all!

The title of this post is slán go fóill - which means in English, "Good bye for now". While it will be difficult to leave my family and friends (3 months to the day from today), I will carry with me the hopes, love and prayers of those who have shaped me over the years and left an indelible mark on my heart in the process. It is truly awesome to have the support of so many as I prepare for this journey. But for now I head to bed, happy and with a new sense of purpose.  I feel that I can't say it enough, but I'll say it again:

THANK YOU!

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that my fundraising letters have been showing up in mailboxes across the country, I've begun to receive a few frequently-asked questions. I will take this opportunity to address them below:

When are you leaving?
I will leave for orientation in Stony Point, NY on August 20. Assuming I have no visa issues (which happens on occasion for NI participants), I will leave New York for Belfast on August 27.

What happens if you raise more than $8,000?
That would be an awesome problem to have!

Just kidding... with the amazing support I've received to date, raising more than $8,000 is certainly a possibility. The average cost to support a YAV during their year abroad costs the PC(USA) anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 (thankfully they don't make us raise the entire amount!). Any fundraising I do that exceeds the minimum requirement will still be applied to my year in Belfast.

What will you do with your car? / Is that washer and dryer still available?
Like many of my personal items that will probably cost more to store than they would be worth to replace, I plan on selling my beloved Yaris before I head out in August... and yes, I have had enough people reference the availability of my aforementioned washer and dryer to address it in the FAQ post. Unfortunately for your dirty clothes, the pair have already found a loving home with Alex and Corinna.

Any other burning questions? Add 'em in the comments section!

Overwhelmed

I am speechless.

I just got home from a weekend in South Carolina (congrats, Mark and Emily!) to find that the Mission Committee of my church voted to sponsor me as part of this year's mission budget. That means that with 145 days left until I even leave for orientation, I have already completed half of my fundraising goal.

The people I have met over my last 6 years as a member of Second are truly my family, and I will miss each and every one of them while I'm gone. I can't even wrap my head around what a generous gift I have received on behalf of the PC(USA), but just had to share my gratitude at receiving such exciting news!

Although the cost for a year’s appointment as an International Young Adult Volunteer varies by site location, each volunteer is required to raise $8,000 toward his or her own support. Supplemental funding is provided through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), including a percentage of the annual Pentecost Offering. Any funds exceeding the $8,000 requirement will be used to supplement my year abroad.

I would truly appreciate your support while I'm away. I know not everyone can afford to do so monetarily, but I would still love your encouragement as I continue my journey. I've included a few ideas below:

• Your prayers - Pray for me and for the people with whom I will live and serve this year.
• Your interest in my year of service - Follow my experience by reading my blog, and ask me to speak at your church when I return. Tell a friend about the YAV program!
• Your financial gifts - Give a tax-deductible contribution as a one-time gift or in installments over the course of my year of service. You may give online at http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E210105/or send a check to the address below. Include on the memo line of the check my name and the number E210105. Please make checks payable to the PC(USA).

PC(USA)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

Thank you!

Thank you!

Oh, wow.

I knew that there would be people out there who would be excited for me to embark on this new adventure, but the outpouring of love I've received is just overwhelming.

Thank you SO much for your support. Check back often for details as I prepare for this exciting adventure! I must say, I'm really glad I have the next few months to get everything completed....

Today's adventure #1: renewing the passport. Pretty exciting! The forms were easy, but the hard part will be decommissioning my beloved first passport. I've been reassured that they will send it back to me, so I guess it's time to work on getting some new memories stamps!

Adventure #2 of the day is a little less exciting: beginning the process of fundraising for my trip. Each Young Adult Volunteer at an International site is responsible for raising $8,000 toward the costs associated with their YAV year. Step one is meeting with my pastor (which I will do this afternoon) to work out a few details before I post a more detailed summary of the process.

On a much less paperwork-focused note, I have had some incredibly amusing suggestions for the title of this blog, and so now I will put it to a very unofficial vote. I can't promise that I'll actually use the winner's title, but I have some remarkably creative friends who deserve some recognition (and friendly competition). Enjoy!

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