The Book of Lamentations begins with these words: How lonely sits the city that once was full of people! How like a widow she has become, she that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the provinces has become a vassal. She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her (Lam. 1:1–2a). Read more »
December 1, 2020
Hoping in a better tomorrow
The Book of Lamentations begins with these words: How lonely sits the city that once was full of people! How like a widow she has become, she that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the provinces has become a vassal. She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her (Lam. 1:1–2a). Read more »
Is there a passage filled with more irony than this? The church leaders and the crowd, infuriated by Jesus’ message on behalf of the poor, decided to lynch him. They knew they could not simply murder him — given his loyal following — so they brought him to Pilate, who had the executioner’s power. Pilate, finding no legal fault in Jesus, offered an alternative to killing him. He would release Jesus under the tradition of releasing one Jewish prisoner at each Passover. 
What does it mean to be an elder? One meaning is one or more out of a group of associated people of a greater age. And that’s exactly what Eugene Turner, Jim Costen, Gayraud Wilmore, Bryant George and Oscar McCloud had in mind when they founded the Circle of Elders in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). 
Presbyterians began their 12-hour #GivingTuesday telethon as they’re wont to do during the pandemic — with a 30-minute online worship service that included prayer, hymn-singing and Scripture. 
The four-week Matthew 25 course “Civil Initiative and the Engaged Church” concluded Monday with a presentation on being more aware of and reducing the destructive damage done by hate groups and the intolerance they help to foster. 
The Rev. Dr. Stewart M. Pattison is living with multiple sclerosis, and he has for years. The disease recently progressed to a point that he had to retire from ministry. 
The Coordinating Table, established just before General Assembly by the then-Moving Forward Implementation Commission (now a special committee), held its initial meeting Monday to learn what’s expected of its work and how that work can best be accomplished. 
When Jesse Hernandez arrived at Texas State University four years ago, he and a friend began looking for campus ministries. 
The work of the Compassion, Peace and Justice ministries will be among those highlighted during #GivingTuesday, a 12-hour virtual celebration of the collective power of Presbyterian generosity.