Washington Watch
Missions, Missions, Missions
by Julia Binger
 The word 'missionary' most
commonly brings to mind images of individuals faithfully and
tirelessly serving the poor in developing countries. This traditional
image of missionaries can be daunting to those individuals who
desire to serve God through missions but who, for one reason
or another, are not able to do so full-time or in an overseas
environment. However, mission work does not have to involve a
dramatic move to a remote location. When Jesus issued the Great
Commission, he called us to be his witnesses "in Jerusalem,
in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth"
(Acts 1:8). We are all called to be witnesses to Christ's
resurrection and his saving grace, but not all of us are called
to do it at "the ends of the earth." Some are called
to serve in "Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria"-their own
local communities, states and nations.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office is a missionary
outpost in our nation's capital and its staff labors each day
to be true to Jesus' commission and to speak truth to power by
sharing with our nation's leaders biblical messages of compassion,
justice and peace. However, in present-day Washington, D.C.,
as in Jesus' time, "the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers
are few" (Lk. 10:2). The workers in the Washington
Office could not do their job without the support of hundreds
of kitchen-table missionaries across the country who faithfully
and tirelessly labor by writing to, calling and visiting their
members of Congress to advocate the social witness policies of
the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the broader Christian community.
With the help of its nationwide network of supporters, the Washington
Office has successfully advocated for debt-relief for developing
countries, for increased funding for domestic food stamp and
welfare programs and for the domestic and international protection
of religious liberty. While the missionaries associated with
the Washington Office are not working directly with hungry, sick
or suffering individuals, they are working with them indirectly,
by voicing the needs and concerns of the voiceless in a powerful
and prophetic manner.
Make your vote a witness! Use the Christian
and Citizen 2002 Election Packet to learn about responsible citizenship
in a biblical perspective. This free resource can be downloaded
from the PC(USA) Washington Office Web site, www.pcusa.org/washington/resources
or ordered through Presbyterian Distribution Service (PDS), 800/524-2612,
item # 72-942-02-001.
For more information, contact the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue NE, Washington,
D.C. 20002; 202/543-1126; fax 202/543-7755; www.pcusa.org.
Julia Binger was the PC(USA) Washington Office intern for
outreach from September 2001 until September 2002.
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