Amos 5:24 Ministry Team

Amos 5:24

Let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Presbytery Staff Liaison – Elder Ralph Lowe, Director of Justice Ministries

What We Do
Anti-Racism Transformation Team
Background 


What We Do

The mission of the Amos 5:24 Ministry Team is to lead Pittsburgh Presbytery into a greater understanding of the effects of racism: to facilitate repentance for our corporate complicity in systemic injustice in our communities; and to set in motion training, dialogue and active engagement in church and community events, which address and seek to redress racism in the Greater Pittsburgh area.


Anti-Racism Transformation Team

The Anti-racism Planning & Design Task Force of the Amos 5:24 Ministry Team birthed a new team completely dedicated to racial justice work, the Anti-Racism Transformation Team.  Racial justice work calls for a reordering of life, a dismantling of unjust structures, and an invitation to consider our complicity in systemic forms of oppression.  Visit the ARTT page to learn more about the team and how to join in their work. 


Background 

The commissioning of the Amos 5:24 Ministry Team came about as a result of three previous initiatives:

  • In 1999, the General Assembly of the PC(USA) released Facing Racism: A Vision of the Beloved Community, which called the denomination to adopt antiracism strategies to address injustice and work toward reconciliation in church and community;
  • In 2007, Pittsburgh Presbytery adopted the Overture on Racism, Classism and Justice for African Americans in Pittsburgh Presbytery, which tasked Amos 5:24 Ministry Team with antiracism training, activities, and community engagement;
  • In 2008, the Pittsburgh Presbytery Racism Missional Action Team (MAT) also called for the commissioning of the Amos 5:24 Ministry Team to carry out a focused program of training.

Since its inception, Amos 5:24 Ministry Team has sponsored a variety of educational programs and activities, some of which include:

2009 Created Free at Last? Slavery in Pittsburgh, a Heinz History Center exhibit
2010 Surveyed congregations in the presbytery regarding membership growth and racial diversity
Conducted three Speaking of Race dialogues involving more than ten congregations in the presbytery
Organized a Gospel workshop and a multicultural worship hosted by Sixth Presbyterian church
2011 Funded anti-racism projects at Verona United, Second United of Wilkinsburg, Community House, and Beulah Presbyterian Churches, and Community of Reconciliation
2012 Established collaborations with anti-racism training with the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh
Attended Crossroads Anti-Racism training (founded by the Rev. Joseph Barndt) in Chicago
2013 Brought the Crossroads Anti-Racism two-day training session to the Pittsburgh Presbytery
2014 Cost of Racism workshops held prior to each presbytery meeting (February, May, September, and December) focusing on what racism costs us socially, economically, spiritually, and ethically

Institutional change does not happen overnight. It begins with small, incremental steps. If we are to become an anti-racist presbytery then change is required. The change we seek is to move anti-racism work from the margins into the center of the presbytery’s life and mission. To that end, Amos 5:24 instituted a Planning & Design Task Force (PDTF), part of the Crossroads Anti-Racism process, from members of our presbytery. The goal of the PDTF is to create a Transformation Team (TT), trained by Crossroads Anti-Racism and rooted in the fundamentals of Presbyterian theology, to carry the task of dismantling racism.

If you are interested in joining our ministry team or if you are interested in assisting with particular projects, please email Ralph Lowe or call him at 412-323-1403, and help us to “…let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24 The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989)