Measuring congregational and mid council work to end systemic poverty was the topic of the second in a series of Matthew 25 online workshops offered to help local communities create empowerment, health and wholeness. About 70 people attended. Read more »
July 14, 2023
PC(USA)’s Matthew 25 webinar helps congregations and mid councils measure their anti-poverty effectiveness
Measuring congregational and mid council work to end systemic poverty was the topic of the second in a series of Matthew 25 online workshops offered to help local communities create empowerment, health and wholeness. About 70 people attended. Read more »
Presbyterian Mission Agency mission co-workers the Revs. Shelvis and Nancy Smith-Mather are in the United States this week to meet with several entities at the United Nations to create awareness around the critical needs of those living in South Sudan under the barrage of continued violence and near-civil war. Hosted by the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, the Smith-Mathers led the Thursday morning chapel service for a group of in-person and online worshippers via Zoom. 
I still can see clearly in my mind’s eye the writing printed on the spine of a book that was on the shelf of my family’s bookcase in our humble rented house in Los Angeles. In Korean script, it read: “Why We Can’t Wait,” written by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 
During the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship & Music Conference held over two weeks, Dr. Jason Max Ferdinand took 400 already polished singers each week and worked them — worked them hard, at times — to put forth a glorious sound pleasing to the 700 or so people who gathered each week, and pleasing to God, too. 
The playing of handbells “is not a one-size-fits-all musical idiom,” said Sandy Eithun, who co-directed handbell choirs during the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship & Music Conference held at Montreat Conference Center. “There are places for everyone, and we need everyone.” 
An overflow crowd gathered at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle recently to remember the Rev. Earl F. Palmer, a Presbyterian minister, scholar, author and teacher who died April 25 at age 91. 
On the last day of Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) orientation, we are sent off to be commissioned at churches in the area. Several churches in the area agree to host small groups of YAVs for worship where we are commissioned for our year of service, followed by a meal and conversations. We as YAVs come as we are, bringing our whole selves, exhausted from the past week of orientation to a table of strangers, to share our intentions for our year of service and what we have already begun learning during the first week. 
After teaching about Wisdom literature found in the Book of Proverbs the previous day, Dr. William Brown turned to the Book of Job the next afternoon during an Adult Bible Study class at the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship & Music Conference held at Montreat Conference Center. 
Worship during the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship & Music Conference held at Montreat Conference Center continued with its pattern of seamless and beautiful liturgy and quality musicianship, the latter provided by Dr. Tony McNeill on piano and Eric Wall on organ. 
Wisdom, as found in the biblical books of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes — and in other places too — is all about the human condition, Creation and nature, moral character, navigating life and experience.