Christians Supporting
Community Organizing (CSCO) is a bold national attempt to
change the relationship between the theologically
conservative parts of the Protestant church and community
organizing.
from the report by USC's Center for Religion and Civic
Culture (Fall, '99). For entire report see CSCO website in
"About Us."
PURPOSE
The purpose of Christians
Supporting Community Organizing (CSCO) is to work for the
shalom of our society (Jeremiah 29:7) and of our churches by
engaging Evangelical, Holiness and Pentecostal churches in
congregation-based community organizations. To work for the
shalom is to work for systemic/ structural justice within
our communities and churches. By engaging in this work, we
are seeking to bring all of life under the Lordship of
Christ.
MISSION
The mission of CSCO is to
motivate, enable and support churches and pastors of
Evangelical, Holiness and Pentecostal traditions to become
active members of regionally- and nationally-networked
congregation-based community organizations in their city.
Christians
Supporting Community Organizing,
P.O.Box
8766, Denver,CO 80201
303/573-1055;Fax
303/860-1914;
cscoemail @ aol.com; http://members.aol.com/cscoweb
Leadership
Team:
Mr.
Andrew Kwong,
Dr. Stephen Mott,
Dr. Dick Righter,
Mrs. Marilyn Stranske,
Dr. Wally Tilleman,
Dr. Timothy Tseng
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Christians
Supporting Community Organizing ("CSCO") joyfully
reports milestones achieved toward our mission in 2000. Find
the full story of all our accomplishments for the year by
clicking "FULL STORY."
BUILDING
A PEOPLE OF POWER
In the next year at least 8,000 Christians world-wide will
view all or parts of "Building A People of Power",
the just-released major video series introducing faith-based
organizing and its biblical foundations. As
one of the production's prime movers, CSCO partnered with
major international and national organizations to bring the
project to fruition. Other producers include: Partners in
Urban Transformation (executive producer), ORGANIZE Training
Center (OTC), Youth With A Mission (YWAM), World Vision
International (WIV) for its creation. Sponsors are Eastern
College, Roberts Wesleyan College, Vanguard University, the
Southern Ca. District of the Assemblies of God and the Needmor
Fund. Serving as fiscal agent, CSCO is now a distributor of
the series.
The 27-hour course:
- Introduces
congregation based community organizing and its biblical
foundations to Evangelicals and Pentecostals around the
world, although many other groups also find the curriculum
helpful.
- Adapts in whole or
part to many uses: classrooms, small groups,
distance-learning, local churches and community
organizations
- Interviews
Evangelical and Pentecostal leaders about their interest
in organizing, along with other faith-based community
leaders and organizers.
- Shows in action
faith-based organizing projects from a variety of
denominations, ethnicities and locations. Clips from two
PBS documentaries and from "Matthew, the Visual
Bible" provide insights and interest.
The $495 package (plus
$10 S&H), available through CSCO, includes 14 tapes,
student workbook, text book and facilitator’s workbook. For
information: click VIDEO OR CONTACT
THE OFFICE.
CSCO WEBSITE
CSCO’s web site is up and running. Thanks largely to
CSCO member Rev. Dick Righter, web master, the site posts key
CSCO documents and activities and markets the "Building a
People of Power". Bible studies and reflections are being
added to help individuals and organizing committees better
integrate their faith with organizing. Articles and
information on congregation based community organizing (c.b.c.o.)are
in planning stages. CSCO’s accomplishments and our
Proclamation and Call to Churches can be found in the
"About Us" on the site
MAJOR PROGRAM THRUSTS
CSCO Reflects:
continuing to develop a conceptual base for churches,
especially those from our faith perspectives, to become
involved in faith based c.b.c.o.s.
On-the-Ground: continuing
to be a resource for those from our perspectives now involved
in organizing;
Asian American
Recruitment: developing
strategies to recruit Asian American churches to c.b.c.o., the
passion of Asian American CSCO members |