Like the prophet Nehemiah’s efforts to rally the people to work together to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the nonprofit multi-ethnic, multi-faith justice organization Lee Interfaith For Empowerment (LIFE) has worked for the past decade to mobilize efforts of the faithful to address important justice issues in Fort Myers, Florida. Read more »
May 20, 2021
Presbyterians in Florida support interfaith ministry of advocacy, prayer and ‘Nehemiah Action’
Like the prophet Nehemiah’s efforts to rally the people to work together to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the nonprofit multi-ethnic, multi-faith justice organization Lee Interfaith For Empowerment (LIFE) has worked for the past decade to mobilize efforts of the faithful to address important justice issues in Fort Myers, Florida. Read more »
In the late 1980s, when I was serving as a youth group leader in my local congregation, my pastor invited me to attend a gathering that I recognize now as the early stages of a new movement for youth in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Even as I was being drawn headlong into the phenomenon that was — and still is — the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, I had no idea how the lens through which I viewed the PC(USA) was about to change. 
The Board of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation heard two main presentations on Wednesday: a vision for what future editions of the General Assembly could look like, and how the Presbyterian Center in downtown Louisville can be modified to accommodate that vision and much more — with an estimated $2.4 million price tag. 
During a virtual discussion on helping white people talk about racism, a compelling question popped up in the chat box. The gist: How can a person bring up antiracism in a church where most members don’t want any more change and would prefer to go back to “better times”? 
As violence continues to ignite between Israel and Palestine, hopes for an immediate de-escalation of the conflict grow dim. 
Two years ago, before the pandemic, a pastor at a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) church in Texas was thinking about retiring at age 70. Now he hopes he can make it for 17 more months to reach the retirement age of 66 years and 4 months. 
Balloons swayed in the air, children kicked their swings toward the sky, and laughter floated beyond the fence as congregants and friends of Second Presbyterian Church gathered on the church’s playground after one of its first in-person worship services in months. 
The Most. Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, told about 1,700 people who tuned in for opening worship Monday at the Festival of Homiletics something of what he learned during a sabbatical spent learning to play the violin and studying both supporters and opponents of enslaving African Americans during the 19th century — especially from Frederick Douglass, who was himself formerly enslaved. 
The online Matthew 25 program series continues on June 23 at 2 p.m. (EDT). With 25% of children under 6 now living in poverty, many families lack sufficient income to meet the most basic needs, like nourishment. Poverty is the greatest threat to the healthy development of children and it comes with long-lasting, negative consequences. 
The Rev. Dr. Barbara Anne Roche, Horizons Magazine’s first editor, died May 8 after a year-long decline from a head injury. She was 86.