At the end of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, 16 Presbyterian pastors had been killed, many had been wounded and some had fled the country. The churches that remained were empty.
The president of the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda called his colleague Elisee Musemakweli to return from Belgium, where he was finishing his PhD. Together, with the help of German and Dutch partners, they restarted a two-year theological training course, with emphasis on peacebuilding and reconciliation. Read more »
September 19, 2017
Rwandans remember genocide but forgive
At the end of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, 16 Presbyterian pastors had been killed, many had been wounded and some had fled the country. The churches that remained were empty.
The president of the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda called his colleague Elisee Musemakweli to return from Belgium, where he was finishing his PhD. Together, with the help of German and Dutch partners, they restarted a two-year theological training course, with emphasis on peacebuilding and reconciliation. Read more »
Reconciliation is a sacred space where weary bodies are refreshed and troubled souls are soothed, where the roar of oppression is silenced and the calm of compassion resounds. The pathway to reconciliation is long and grueling with setbacks, detours and delays. Along the journey lie ambushes of criticism and alienation, yet those on the journey press on like flocks of birds surging through cold winds for warmer homes. Reconciliation is a distant place — far from the battlefields of South Sudan — yet not beyond reach. 
I was in a morning Bible study when I received the phone call. It was from the father of one of my youth group teens who had called to let me know that his son “B.A.” had been shot. Hearing this news, I felt overcome by disbelief and sadness as I began asking a flurry of questions. Dad calmly replied, “Reverend, he is alive, he isOK; the gunshots were not fatal.” I was thankful and relieved that B.A. was still alive, but then another wave of sadness overtook me as I remembered that two weeks earlier, I had suspended B.A. from youth group activities because he, as a “prank,” had brought a BB gun there and threatened others with it. This happened the week following the massacre at Sandy Hook, Connecticut, so as one can imagine, I did not find his “prank” amusing. 
Presbyterian mission co-workers Jeff and Christi Boyd developed a floor and board game several years ago to help U.S. Presbyterians appreciate the joint efforts of students, parents, communities and churches to improve education in Africa. The game also prompts players to ponder the plight of African children. 
Best-selling author Walter Brueggemann guides disciples with wisdom and encouragement through the Christian year in Gift and Task: A Year of Daily Readings and Reflections. 
In God’s mission, we show our faith by our obedient service. In other words, as Francis of Assisi is believed to have said, “Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” This is the task and mission of disciples of Jesus — to let our lives speak for themselves of the gospel, and if necessary to use words to enhance and amplify our faith. 
Calling on congregations to offer an educational event exploring The Doctrine of Discovery, the September edition of Facing Racism from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks participants to consider the history of exploitation of Indigenous Peoples in the United States. 
Meeting at Laws Lodge on the campus of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, the Way Forward Commission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) set its sights on recommendations for the denomination and the report it will deliver to the 223rd General Assembly meeting in St. Louis next summer. 
It’s called the Golden Triangle, a region about an hour and a half east of Houston. Most people had never heard of it until Hurricane Harvey. The communities in the triangle made national news when flooding cut off many residents from immediate help. Like many impacted by Harvey, some homes saw minimal damage, while others had several feet of water. 
Meeting for coffee is a Presbyterian tradition. Whether it’s in a fellowship hall, a Sunday school room or an espresso shop, coffee and community are often connected. First Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is hoping that a new coffee shop will help connect college students from the University of Alabama with Christ. Named UPerk, the venture is an outreach of the UKirk program, a ministry that seeks to empower members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) engaged in campus ministry.