Matthew 14 tells the story of Jesus and His disciples seeking a place of rest after a long day of teaching, preaching and healing. But the crowds continued to follow. When He is asked about what to do, He turns to the 12 and tells them to feed the crowd. Read more »
April 17, 2017
Self-Development of People National Committee member seeks to educate a new generation
Matthew 14 tells the story of Jesus and His disciples seeking a place of rest after a long day of teaching, preaching and healing. But the crowds continued to follow. When He is asked about what to do, He turns to the 12 and tells them to feed the crowd. Read more »
In some ways, my marriage is a reverse Cinderella story, one in which I realize that no matter how hard I might try, the shoes of my husband’s family might never really fit me—and that’s OK.
I’ve learned that when it comes to marriage—and mission work—it’s not about making the shoe fit, but the relationship that develops after we try it on. 
Overwhelmingly, Presbyterians who participated in a summer 2016 Presbyterian Panel survey agreed that the concept of God’s grace means that God loves everyone, no matter who they are or what they do. This is an important finding, because even though Presbyterians may disagree on immigration policies or how we engage in social welfare, or even on what constitutes racism or sexism or any other “ism,” we agree on this: God’s love is available to everyone. No matter what. 
Sometimes it’s the small things that you remember in ministry.
Eun Joo Kim, a Korean-American Presbyterian pastor, recalls a moment when she was leaving the first Korean-American youth ministry position that she held while in seminary. 
Each year, on a Sunday during Lent, Presbyterians take a day to celebrate the mission and ministry of the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP). For nearly 50 years SDOP has helped poor, oppressed and disadvantaged communities by establishing partnerships within those communities to address issues such as mass incarceration, labor and worker rights, clean water and natural resources, youth empowerment and ending the exploitation of immigrants. 
For two weeks, a delegation from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) visited 10 villages in the countries of Sierra Leone and Liberia. The villages are participants in the West Africa Initiative (WAI), a partnership of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program and Self-Development of People. 
As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is a tropical paradise where one can listen to the ocean waves or admire the beautiful mountains. But that “can be misinterpreted,” says Luis J. Ocasio Torres, Moderator, San Juan Presbytery, as in “these guys are doing fine, look at how beautiful the hotels are.” 
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a struggling economy along with the deteriorating effects of time and tropical weather make even basic health care inaccessible to the vast majority of its citizens. 
Troy Byrdsong and Alison Oglesby are two young women with big dreams and big hearts. The freshman and junior attend Wayne State University and attended the United Nations 61st Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) as part of the 12-person delegation of the Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. 
Dennis Hughes has always known that in life—and in death—he belongs to God. But in 73 years of living, he has known the latter all too well.