As the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, and with the anxiety and insecurity as well as the staggering loss of life that it is causing, the fear that this crisis may be used to usurp power or control in certain parts of the world, or worse, to trample upon the human rights of those most vulnerable, is very real. Read more »
May 12, 2020
May 15 commemorates Nakba (Catastrophe) Day for Palestinians
As the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, and with the anxiety and insecurity as well as the staggering loss of life that it is causing, the fear that this crisis may be used to usurp power or control in certain parts of the world, or worse, to trample upon the human rights of those most vulnerable, is very real. Read more »
As scientists work at a furious pace to find answers and a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus, the death rate from the pandemic continues to take its toll on this country, having taken the lives of more than 81,000 people as of Tuesday. Statistics tell us that in the U.S. this pandemic is killing black and brown people at a disproportionate rate in communities across the nation. 
The Rev. Charles A. Hammond, who in 1980 was elected Moderator of the 192nd General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, died May 3 in Pasadena, California, at the age of 86. His wife and daughter were at his side. 
Nick Pickrell, organizer of The Open Table KC, has never set foot in a seminary. But after five years co-leading this new worshiping community in Kansas City, he’s going through the process of becoming a commissioned ruling elder. “I wanted to be more connected to the PC(USA) denomination,” he says in the new 1001 Worshiping Communities video, “Becoming Presbyterian.” 
Bridging the division in Korea through reunification is a dream of many. Another dream has been to compile the history of mission workers of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and partner churches in Korea from 1884 to the present. This connection of past and present mission workers in Korea by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and partner churches in Korea has become reality in the publication of the first “Korean-English Dictionary of Presbyterian Missionaries in Korea 1884-2020,” published March 27 in Korean. 
The Rev. Ashley McFaul-Erwin would not likely be a pastor in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) today if she’d stayed in her homeland of Northern Ireland — and never found the Young Adult Volunteers (YAV) program. 
A couple months ago, which now seems a couple lifetimes ago, a pastor friend described an intentional day away from the tasks of ministry as a “restorative day.” It sounded so lovely … and elusive. 
Having postponed until fall an in-person conference designed for commissioned ruling elders, the Synod of the Sun did the next best thing Thursday, broadcasting a lively webinar on authentic worship. Thomas Riggs, the synod’s communication and administrative coordinator, and the Rev. Tim Gray, co-pastor at University Presbyterian Church in El Paso, Texas, shared with participants some of what they’ve learned about providing effective authentic online worship. 
Holy One, who gathers us as a mother bear gathers her cubs, 
Freda Gardner, who was elected Moderator of the 211th General Assembly in 1999 and was the first female full-time faculty member at Princeton Theological Seminary, died Saturday, May 9, at age 91.