from the General Assembly Mission Council:

Colleagues in Ministry,

The General Assembly Mission Council concluded its winter meeting today. GAMC members are now on their way home after a busy week of meetings. Most of our business related to items which we will be bringing to the General Assembly this summer for consideration, including the exciting vision for 1001 new worshiping communities within the next ten years.

One of our recommendations will likely receive attention in the media in the coming days and weeks, and we wanted to communicate with you directly about it, since there has been much misinformation.

The GAMC is recommending that the upcoming General Assembly divest the church of its stock in three companies until they have ceased profiting from non-peaceful pursuits in Israel and Palestine. The three companies are: Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions, and Hewlett-Packard. The recommendation comes after years of unsuccessful engagement with these corporations, by the Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee, regarding their business practices. The General Assembly’s corporate engagement process called for divestment as a last resort in the corporate engagement process.

• You can find the Presbyterian News Service story on this topic at http://www.pcusa.org/news/2012/2/17/gamc-recommends-divestment-caterpillar-motorola-he/
• The recommendation, which was approved by the GAMC, may be found at http://www.pcusa.org/media/uploads/mrti/pdfs/2012-mrti-report-9-9-11.pdf
• The Mission Responsibility Through Investment website is: http://www.pcusa.org/mrti
• We have also developed a Frequently Asked Questions document on this topic. (See attached)
• We are suggesting that reporters contact Gail Strange in our Communications and Funds Development office. Her email address is gail.strange@pcusa.org and her phone contact is 888-728-7228, ext. 5340.

The General Assembly will make the final decision on this matter, when it meets in Pittsburgh, June 30-July 7. Please be in prayer for our commissioners, that God might grant them a clear sense of discernment, as they deliberate on this, and the many other important matters on the docket of the General Assembly.

Finally, thank you for your ministry. We are grateful for your work with congregations. Please feel free to distribute this letter to your congregations, so that they will have answers for questions that may come to them.

With gratitude,

Mike Kruse Linda Valentine
GAMC chair GAMC Executive Director