As I sit here in the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations (PMUN) office across from U.N. headquarters, I can see the large U.N. flag fluttering in the wind. That flag is a beacon of hope for so many around the world. When the United Nations was created in 1945, after the devastation of World War II, it was determined “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” And yet, almost 80 years later, we are again facing multiple wars and crises posing existential threats. Read more »
September 26, 2024
Minute for Mission: United Nations Day
As I sit here in the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations (PMUN) office across from U.N. headquarters, I can see the large U.N. flag fluttering in the wind. That flag is a beacon of hope for so many around the world. When the United Nations was created in 1945, after the devastation of World War II, it was determined “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” And yet, almost 80 years later, we are again facing multiple wars and crises posing existential threats. Read more »
Culture, like faith, is how people grow. It informs how people care for others and share their daily lives together. It shapes an understanding of the world and how people envision a future beyond themselves.
The growth benefits of understanding and sharing between cultures were in the hearts, minds and spirits of participants at the recent Inspire! Regional Gathering in the Presbytery of Cincinnati.
While the Sept. 1 Day of Prayer for Just Peace in the Philippines has passed, a new set of resources and prayers is available to help congregations and individuals support peace year-round among Filipinos, and push for a resolution of the armed conflict on the island country in southeast Asia. 
Leaders of the three presbyteries in Nebraska are among ecumenical notables from across the state calling on residents of that state to “treat one another with kindness, respect and human dignity” as Election Day draws near. 
After growing up in an interfaith home — her father is Jewish and her mother is Presbyterian — it seems like a natural fit that the Rev. Samantha Gonzalez-Block, a PC(USA) pastor and the Christian spiritual leader with Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington, would serve alongside Rabbi Debbie Reichmann in a place where, as IFFP’s website states, “both Jewish and Christian partners can feel like equal members of the community, celebrate and learn about both faiths. At IFFP, we ‘teach not preach.’” 
In an effort to address the root causes of hunger and poverty around the world, the Advisory Committee of the Presbyterian Hunger Program has voted to approve nearly $1.2 million in new grants to fund projects in 25 countries, including the United States. 
According to the Rev. Dr. Chip Hardwick, when you Google “Why are Presbyterians like that?” one of the top five questions asked is, “Why are Presbyterians called the ‘frozen chosen’?” Hardwick, executive for the Synod of the Covenant, recently preached at a regional gathering of immigrant new worshiping community and church leaders in Cincinnati. Hardwick brought greetings on behalf of the synod, which spans most of Ohio and all of Michigan and as of 2022 had 623 churches reporting 82,264 members, to a group that included the praise team from Korean Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati and other regional leaders as well as immigrant leaders from California and Georgia. 
At the end of August, many young people, the new group of Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs), gathered from different worlds — some speaking English, others Spanish.
Conversation came slowly and hesitantly as we tried to connect, but the distance of language hung heavy between us. Then, one evening a few days into orientation, everything changed. With just three words, everyone gathered around, and suddenly we were all speaking the same language.
During my first year as a pastor, there were certain milestones I knew to look forward to. I looked forward to the first time I stood at the Communion table and invited my congregation to share in the feast, and the first time I marked an infant with water and proclaimed how much God loved her in baptism. I looked forward to my first Christmas and first sunrise Easter service. But there were other firsts that I didn’t know about that caught me off guard with their beauty. 
Tim Pollock, commissioned ruling elders and commissioned pastors coordinator for the Synod of the Covenant, recently offered a webinar full of ideas on extending ministry networks to municipal and nonprofit agencies.