Nelson Legacy: Part Two
J. Herbert Nelson and Gail Porter Nelson look back on the Hands and Feet initiative
Shortly after his election as Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, launched an initiative that has defined much of his seven years in office. The idea behind the Hands and Feet initiative was to strengthen local and national mission efforts of the denomination by encouraging partnerships and mission involvement within the cities hosting General Assembly.
That effort was best illustrated at the 223rd General Assembly in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2018. Local community activists encouraged the PC(USA) to take up the cause of ending the cash bail system, arguing that it unfairly targeted people of color who were unable to make bail and get out of jail while their case made its way through the criminal justice system.
In the second of a four-part series, the Nelsons reflect on Hands and Feet and how the city of St. Louis brought about an event that has had a lasting impact five years later.
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