Medical Debt Relief Fund 2025

Romans 13:8-Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another….

The Presbytery of Santa Fe invites individuals, churches, and other faith communities to participate in this year's effort to bring peace and comfort to the New Mexico community. 

The Presbytery of Santa Fe has joined with Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation (PHF), a 501(c)(3) organization, in a partnership to ease the medical debt crisis facing many New Mexicans.  The partnership allows donations collected by the Presbytery to purchase uncollectible medical debt owed to Presbyterian Healthcare Services (PHS) at the rate of $0.07 on the dollar. PHS will write off the remaining $0.93. Patients who receive debt forgiveness will be randomly selected using an algorithm based on Federal Poverty Guidelines, with a focus on those who work, sometimes at multiple jobs, but do not earn enough to live on.  PHS provides 100% financial assistance to all patients with incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, so the program aims to help those that do not qualify for total assistance.  The potential benefits and blessings to the people of New Mexico are enormous, as PHS operates nine hospitals and serves one in three New Mexicans with healthcare or coverage.
Read more about the Medical Debt Relief Program here.

Over the past three years, our total collected contribution from churches, individuals, and faith partners is $118,043. This amount has erased over $1.68 million of medical debt for 899 individuals in New Mexico.  

Donations need to be received before Dec. 15th to be included in the 2025 contribution:

• Donate electronically here (debit, credit, or PayPal).
• Checks can be mailed to Presbytery of Santa Fe, 215 Locust St NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87102.  Indicate Medical Debt Relief in the memo.  

Please reach out to Tiffany for help with donations or fundraising efforts.

Introducing Stated Clerk Tanya Blankinship

The Personnel Committee of the Presbytery of Santa Fe is pleased to announce our newly elected Stated Clerk, Tanya Blankinship. To some extent, Tanya needs no introduction. She is well-known throughout the Presbytery serving as a Commission on Ministry co-chair and having preached in many pulpits as a commissioned pastor.

Greetings!

I am Tanya Blankinship. How to pronounce my first name? The first syllable rhymes with can, man, pan. I am a native New Mexican and a lifelong Presbyterian, growing up at First Presbyterian in Farmington. I have a BA from NMSU and an MA from College of Santa Fe. I am a retired educator, retiring in 2022 after 25 years of teaching first, second, and third grades at Albuquerque Public Schools. I live in Tijeras with my husband David. I have 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren.

I have been a member at Covenant Presbyterian in Albuquerque since 1989 and have served as a deacon, ruling elder, parish visitor and as Clerk of Session for the past 14 years. I am currently the Co-Chair of the Commission on Ministry for the Presbytery of Santa Fe and serve on the Education Networking Committee and Coordinating Team. I had the honor and privilege of attending General Assembly as an elder commissioner in 2024. I completed the Certificate of Ministry program from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2024 and was commissioned as a CRE/lay pastor to the Presbytery of Santa Fe in February 2025. I am able and willing to preach, administer sacraments, and moderate session meetings for any of our churches.

I am deeply humbled and honored to be selected to serve as the next Stated Clerk/COM Associate for the Presbytery of Santa Fe. I look forward to getting to know all of you and to work alongside you as I step into this new role. My door will always be open for questions, concerns, prayer requests, or just to chat!

Blessings,
Tanya Blankinship

Native American Prayers

Oh, Great Spirit

Whose voice I hear in the winds,

And whose breath gives life to all the world,

hear me, I am small and weak,

Read more: Native American Prayers