The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People has a long list of volunteers who champion the ministry’s mission. For the Rev. Johnny Monroe, it’s been a lifelong commitment.
“I guess I’m what you would call a cradle Presbyterian. I was born into Presbyterianism,” he said. “Back in the late 1800s after slavery, missionaries from the northern church established schools and churches in Sumter County, South Carolina, including the Goodwill Presbyterian Church and Goodwill Parochial School, where I grew up.” Read more »
August 24, 2017
Lifelong Presbyterian finds inspiration through Self-Development of People
The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People has a long list of volunteers who champion the ministry’s mission. For the Rev. Johnny Monroe, it’s been a lifelong commitment.
“I guess I’m what you would call a cradle Presbyterian. I was born into Presbyterianism,” he said. “Back in the late 1800s after slavery, missionaries from the northern church established schools and churches in Sumter County, South Carolina, including the Goodwill Presbyterian Church and Goodwill Parochial School, where I grew up.” Read more »
In the mid-1980s, Trinity Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, Washington, was on life support, and Olympia Presbytery had begun nudging the session to consider pulling the plug.
Drugs, crime and gangs had infested the church’s neighborhood. A handful of loyal members attended worship and struggled to maintain the church building. 
As I speak with church leaders, I notice that there is frustration and anxiety around the rapid change in our culture. Since some people are no longer showing up in our churches, I hear the need expressed for evangelism training. Even though I believe training is important, I don’t believe evangelism training will solve the problems the church faces in the winds of change. 
When it comes to Christian education, Maria Harris stands out as one of the most influential teachers and writers of the past 30 years. In her 1989 book Fashion Me a People: Curriculum in the Church, Harris helped shape a theology of educational ministry in the church that understands “The Word continually becoming flesh, in us.” If the Word is perpetually at work in us, then by our ordinary, everyday, walking-around lives, all of us are de facto Christian educators. Curriculum may include printed materials and classroom instruction, but an incarnational “curriculum” resides in our life together where we embrace every member as a teacher to every other member — regardless of our age or ability. 
We celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Latin American Women on the second Friday in September. One of the motivations to celebrate this day has been the various forms of violence against women, which are increasingly deepened through their different typified manifestations, and even when some have not yet been typified, they are still provoking psychological, emotional and physical damage without dismissing their death of our women. 
When the Waterloo School District cut music programs a few years ago, members and leadership at Unity Presbyterian Church saw an opportunity to partner with Kittrell Elementary School to provide music education opportunities. 
Churches across the U.S. have proven to be a major source of income for a handful of communities in Guatemala through the celebration of Palm Sunday. The annual purchase of palm branches through the Eco-Palms program, is helping residents living in the Maya Biosphere Reserve. 
A thought: We live in a nation of inalienable rights, but God calls us to live lives of inalienable love. Rights lead to rules, but love leads to life.
A reflection: The Fourth of July fireworks have been over for two months, but we still have reason to celebrate a remarkable achievement in government.
The Declaration of Independence was an incredible document, declaring that people have inalienable rights, endowed by God, that a government should protect and defend. 
U.S. churches, presbyteries and educational institutions have the opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of the struggles facing West Africa this fall. Ebun James-DeKam, general secretary of the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL), is among 16 International Peacemakers who will be traveling across the country between Sept. 22 and Oct. 16. 
During its final day of meetings in Louisville the All Agency Review Committee began to formulate the work ahead that will be the basis for its final report and recommendations to General Assembly 223 (2018.)