PPAN

 

PPAN is the Public Policy Advocacy Network for the Synod of the Northeast (Presbyterian Church USA) – an email “yahoo group” that individual Presbyterians, churches or presbyteries can subscribe to, with opportunity for “face-to-face” gatherings each year (usually in conjunction with synod assembly). According to the Presbyterian Church (USA) constitution, one of the great ends of the church is the “promotion of social righteousness.” We want to encourage, equip and enable every presbytery in the Northeast for our task of social witness and action in the states in which we live and in regional planning bodies of various ecclesiastical entities.

 

We were formed in 2000 with the support of the former Outreach Ministries and Advocacy Committee of the Synod to help each other do more effective advocacy and to address issues on a regional basis. We don't make policy -- we're a network. We're here to help each other, promote and publicize resources and events, and lift up social justice concerns throughout the Synod or within our presbyteries or PPGs.

 

We try to have a PPAN representative for each of the “Presbytery Partnership Groups” (PPGs) that the synod is now organized through.  That person can function like a Presbyterian Women Enabler or Hunger Action Enabler – helping to communicate and interpret issues and policies from the national church level as well as keeping abreast of synod and regional peace and justice concerns.

 

PPAN is a good place for presbytery committees and church committees to share, to build alliances and make plans. PPAN helps make it easier for presbyteries to work together to address the statewide issues in New York and New Jersey, and to keep up with the many issues in the presbyteries of Northern and Southern New England which cover several states.

 

Conferences and events within the bounds of the Synod of the Northeast that are open to the larger public can also be publicized. PPAN was responsible for planning an environmental justice conference around water issues in May, 2006 at Stony Point. PPAN also has promoted and supported other conferences and consultations (such as the January 2008 Stony Point “Immigration and Globalization” gathering), and encouraged participation in “Ecumenical Advocacy Days” in Washington D.C.

 

Ralph Clingan of New Jersey was the original coordinator for PPAN, and continues to represent PPAN on “PHEWA” – the Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association. In October 2007 Janet Adair Hansen became the new PPAN Moderator. Originally Lester Staton provided support staff for PPAN from the synod office; since re-structuring in 2006 Co-Executive Clint McCoy has been our staff link.