He looks me right in the eye, holding his cup in front of him all aquiver. Westley has been waiting — and waiting — for the moment when we all drink the grape juice, the blood of Jesus Christ, together. Read more »
April 18, 2018
Special-needs child takes comfort in Communion
He looks me right in the eye, holding his cup in front of him all aquiver. Westley has been waiting — and waiting — for the moment when we all drink the grape juice, the blood of Jesus Christ, together. Read more »
If you overlook the name of a church, sometimes you miss a vital story in the life of their congregation. Such is the case for Valley United Presbyterian Church.
The church is in the Penn-York Valley, which is 4 miles in length, sandwiched between the Susquehanna and Chemung rivers. In 2014, after going through New Beginnings, three Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations in three towns — Sayre, Athens and Waverly — decided to merge. 
“Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving me the grant to go to this conference. It was absolutely powerful and life-transforming!” said pastor Elizabeth Chu. “My life has changed because I was able to participate in it. I truly appreciate your help!” 
Off the grid, nonexistent, outcasts. Those are some of the words used to describe a tribal group in southern India struggling to survive with little food, no homes and little opportunity for improvement. 
Without a pastor’s love for fly-fishing, Monica Carrillo might still be living in the shadows. And the Rev. Karlin Bilcher might still be unhealthy and depressed, after a terrible first experience in ministry that nearly cost him his family. 
“I call it the holy place,” said Sultan,* a young man from Eritrea who came to St. Andrew’s Refugee Services (StARS) hoping to access education through the Unaccompanied Youth Bridging Program, a specialized initiative designed to assist young refugees in Egypt without a parent or guardian. Since he was here with his family, he was ineligible to enroll. But he was persistent, eventually landing a job as a teaching assistant in the program. Over the years, he has become a leader among the staff at StARS and now works as a program assistant in the Refugee Legal Aid Program, and as a StARS ambassador, meeting with visitors and planning events. 
Three Presbyterian-related educational institutions are offering summer 2018 leadership programs for high school students in cooperation with grant funding from the Lilly Endowment. Maryville College, Monmouth College and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary are each hosting different programs, but the schools are working collaboratively to create a uniquely Presbyterian experience for students. 
Kathryn Urban spent her spring break with the United Nations and the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) as part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) delegation. She learned about the challenges women face around the world and spent her nights in a hostel several blocks away. 
Giving generously is something the Rev. Kerry Slinkard makes a point of practicing as well as preaching. “It’s a response to
God’s blessing,” he says, “an acknowledgment of our responsibility to those around us.” 
When First Presbyterian Church of Homewood, Illinois, celebrated 150 years of ministry in 2008, it wanted to both cherish the past and embrace the future.