LOUISVILLE -- Responding to a request from the Evangelical Church of Iran, the General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has passed a resolution asking U.S. political leaders to initiate "direct diplomatic dialogue with leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, so that by all means, a military confrontation would be avoided" involving Iran. It asks Presbyterian military chaplains to lead prayers for peace and the "well-being of all peoples in the region." And it asks the council to remind Presbyterians of the denomination's policies on nuclear weapons "and the dangers of military confrontation."
LOUISVILLE -- Responding to a request from the Evangelical Church of Iran, the General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has passed a resolution asking U.S. political leaders to initiate "direct diplomatic dialogue with leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, so that by all means, a military confrontation would be avoided" involving Iran. It asks Presbyterian military chaplains to lead prayers for peace and the "well-being of all peoples in the region." And it asks the council to remind Presbyterians of the denomination's policies on nuclear weapons "and the dangers of military confrontation." In the resolution, the council also acknowledges "with gratitude" the Bush administration's willingness to consider participating in a dialogue with Iran and Syria, at the invitation of Iraq. The council "recognizes that the journey toward peace is long and complex," the resolution states, and it encourages leaders from the U.S. "to persist and not lose heart, pledging our prayer." Victor Makari, the PC(USA)'s area coordinator for the Middle East, told the council on March 16 that the church in Iran asks the PC(USA) "to stand in solidarity with them" and to provide a witness to peacemaking, "rather than a confrontational attitude." Edward T. Brogan, director of the Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military Personnel, also asked the council members to take back to their churches a request for prayer for the nation's military chaplains, "who are facing trials today they have never faced before." STAFF APPOINTMENTS On the final day of its three-day gathering, the council confirmed the appointment of Karen L. Schmidt as the PC(USA)'s new deputy executive director for communications and funds development. Schmidt, an elder at First Presbyterian church in Glen Ellyn, Ill., has a resume packed with corporate experience in senior marketing and sales role, including the development of branding strategies -- an idea some say could have significance for a denomination struggling with internal conflict. The council also was introduced to two new PC(USA) staff leaders -- Rachelle D. Hunter, pastor of Community Presbyterian church in Flint, Michigan, who'll be the new director of racial ethnic ministries and women's ministries; and Eric Hoey, co-pastor of Alhambra True Light Presbyterian Church, a congregation from Alhambra, Calif., that worships in both English and Cantonese. Hoey will be the PC(USA)s director of evangelism and church growth. "There are things that the Presbyterian Church does better than anyone else in the world," Hunter told the council. "And in my ministry I hope to focus on these things and to celebrate them." CHILD PROSTITUTION Acting out of concern about child prostitution and sex trafficking internationally, the PC(USA) also is trying to convince some major hotel chains to pay attention to the issue. The General Assembly passed an overture in 2006 condemning the sexual exploitation of children. And now the denomination's Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) committee is trying to encourage Hilton Hotels to endorse a "code of conduct" to protect children -- something the Hilton corporation has so far been unwilling to do. The council passed a measure encouraging Hilton Hotels to meet with MRTI representatives to discuss the issue. Working through the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, religious groups have been raising the issue with a number of major hotel chains. So far, the Carlson Corp. and the Radisson chains have endorsed the code of conduct, and "some headway has been made with Marriott," according to a report to the council. The PC(USA) has taken the lead in trying to negotiate with Hilton, with assistance from eight Roman Catholic groups which own stock in Hilton (as does the PC(USA)'s Board of Pensions). According to Carol Hylkema, a council member from Michigan who serves on the MRTI committee, the conversation about child prostitution involves hotels because sometimes tour groups are arranged for the purpose of sex tourism -- and that can include having hotel employees make arrangements for the tour groups making contact with sexually-exploited children. The code, she said, calls on hotels and others involved in tourism to establish ethical policies about commercial sexual exploitation of children, to train personnel, and to provide information to travelers, among other things. Hylkema said Hilton has asked for a copy of the code and one was faxed recently to them, and "we hope it will lead to the start of engagement." Previously, the report to the council states, "Hilton has been unresponsive," not returning phone calls or responding to other messages asking for a meeting to talk about the matter, the report to the council states. If Hilton does not respond to the requests for discussions, MRTI is considering initiating a Presbyterian letter-writing campaign.
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