On June 5, the Rev. Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie completed his baptism at 88 years old and passed into the hands of his loving Savior. Known for many accomplishments in his life, not the least of which was his 23 years as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood in Los Angeles, Ogilvie was perhaps best known for his time serving as chaplain of the Senate from 1995 to 2003. Read more »
June 17, 2019
Remembering Rev. Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie
On June 5, the Rev. Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie completed his baptism at 88 years old and passed into the hands of his loving Savior. Known for many accomplishments in his life, not the least of which was his 23 years as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood in Los Angeles, Ogilvie was perhaps best known for his time serving as chaplain of the Senate from 1995 to 2003. Read more »
Up against some appalling facts — 119 Guatemalan women each day report a violent attack against them and nearly 62,000 women and girls 19 and under became pregnant during the first six months of 2018, many of them the result of rape — CEDEPCA, a longtime partner of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), was determined to empower girls in a new way. 
There are two constants in life: change and Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. In Christ, we live and move and have our being. To be a follower of his is to be forever mindful of the cross, of death’s defeat — and of resurrection power. And, as Wendell Berry wrote in one of his well-known poems, “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front,” we, the church, are to “practice resurrection.” 
A quick search on the internet leads to countless facts about shifting American diversity. For example, in 2007, Rodríguez and García joined the top 10 list of most popular last names in the United States. And, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, beginning in 2030, the country will grow more by international migration than birth within its borders. 
Westminster John Knox Press is pleased to announce “Resist and Persist: Faith and the Fight for Equality” by Erin Wathen has been named a winner in the 21st annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards. 
Last summer, I received a call to join Olympia Presbytery in planting a new worshiping community, Hagar’s Community Church, at the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) — the largest women’s prison in Washington state. 
As of Friday morning, 79 congregations, five presbyteries and one synod — Lakes and Prairies — had said yes to the Matthew 25 invitation, agreeing to become more actively engaged in the world by working on one or more of three focus areas: building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty. 
“We are learning what we’re capable of,” said Selenia Ordóñez. She and I share an anniversary: Ordóñez and her Presbyterian Women’s team began running a retreat center ministry the same week I was installed as a mission co-worker with the Presbyterian Church of Honduras. For the past year, we have both been learning what we’re capable of. 
Mabuchi N. Dokowe has 6,204 children.
Four of them are her own she is raising with her husband in Lusaka, the capital and largest city in Zambia. The other 6,200 are students in 32 community schools in the southern African nation that she oversees as the director of community schools for vulnerable and marginalized children for the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP), Synod of Zambia. 
“Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150:6
The Scripture so eloquently phrased in Psalm 150 graced the bulletin cover as we celebrated the 38th Anniversary of New Life Presbyterian Church (Iglesia Presbiteriana Nueva Vida) in Miami on the last Sunday in April. The church, located on Coral Way, is served by the Rev. Heidi Arencibia. I was honored to be the guest speaker for the service celebrating “Thirty-eight years of life by the grace of God!” (1981-2019).