To vax or not to vax has become a life-and-death question for millions of Americans — especially people of color. Tuesday’s panel put on by Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation and the Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership explored ways communities of color can use trusted voices to both drive up vaccination rates and boost access to health care proved both engaging and informative. Watch the hour-long discussion here or here. Read more »
June 15, 2021
The good news: Many pastors don’t believe science and faith are mutually exclusive
To vax or not to vax has become a life-and-death question for millions of Americans — especially people of color. Tuesday’s panel put on by Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation and the Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership explored ways communities of color can use trusted voices to both drive up vaccination rates and boost access to health care proved both engaging and informative. Watch the hour-long discussion here or here. Read more »
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will be commemorating and celebrating Juneteenth in a special online worship service on Wednesday, June 16, at 9 a.m. EDT. The theme for the service is “What Is the Work of the People — Holding the Legacy While Building Our Destiny.” 
Despite years of ongoing advocacy by civil rights activists and social justice advocates, violence against women in Puerto Rico remains an ongoing issue. In January, recently elected Gov. Pedro Pierluisi declared a state of emergency because of it. 
Not to be bested by the likes of the Hollywood characters immortalized by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney — who met every nonprofit fundraising challenge with the cheery refrain, “Let’s put on a show!” — Elizabeth Stockton Perkins has already staged a few successes of her own. 
Once upon a time, theological institutions were seen as stewards of self-sufficiency. Aside from a visiting professor now and then, tenured faculty formed the core of the identity and mission of most seminaries. Students sought out specific professors as mentors and advisers. Aside from denominational affiliation, a school’s internal prowess in missiology, homiletics, liturgy, music, pastoral counseling or evangelism was often the main draw for new students. 
While the decision concerning the renovation of the Presbyterian Center may have received the most attention, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation Board of Directors dealt with other important matters during its May 19-20 meeting. 
Faith Counts, a multi-faith nonprofit group, on Monday launched a first-of-its-kind database that distills the latest research on how religion positively impacts the most important issues facing America. 
The Revs. Gavin Walton, 29, and Michael Holohan, 40, believe it’s important for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to do more than just talk about racism. They say it’s time for the Church to take action against racial injustice, which from their view is long overdue. 
Taking a personal inventory of possessions during the pandemic proved to be an eye-opening, and faith-building, exercise. 
While the Rev. Brian Ellison didn’t realize it at the time, umpiring T-ball games as a youth can be job training for work as a stated clerk, which Ellison does for both the Synod of Mid-America and Heartland Presbytery.