Advocacy & Social Justice

Las dos caras de Puerto Rico

Como territorio de los Estados Unidos, Puerto Rico es un paraíso tropical donde se pueden escuchar las olas del mar o admirar las hermosas montañas. Pero eso «puede ser malinterpretado», dice Luis J. Ocasio Torres, Moderador del Presbiterio de San Juan, «esta gente está bien, miren lo hermosos que son los hoteles».

The two faces of Puerto Rico

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.”

PC(USA) Co-Moderator requests prayer for Syria

The Rev. Jan Edmiston, Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), returned early last week from a trip to Syria with a delegation from the church’s Compassion Peace and Justice ministries. Following the chemical weapons attack in Idlib and the retaliatory airstrikes by the United States military, she issued a prayer for the people of Syria and the world.

Registration for Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day reaches record number

Every year, an average of 200 Presbyterians gather in Washington, D.C. for Advocacy Training Weekend as an opportunity to worship, attend workshops and fellowship with other Presbyterians and Christian denominations. But this year’s attendance for Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day is hitting record levels and people are still signing up with less than two weeks to go.

California congregation commits to democracy, peace and human rights in Central Africa

Five representatives of the Congo Mission team at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (LOPC) recently traveled to Sacramento for a meeting with the staff of California’s new junior senator and former state Attorney General, Kamala Harris. Two members of a Bay Area organization for Congolese nationals in Diaspora, Congo Prosperity Catalyst, joined them.

International Romani Day celebrates culture and raises awareness

April 8 is International Romani Day, celebrating the Romani (Roma) culture, history and people and raising awareness of the issues they face. The Roma are the largest minority group in Europe and are commonly known in the English-speaking world as “Gypsies,” a perjorative term. Like “Native American,” “Roma” is an umbrella term for many subgroups.

Korean ‘feminist evangelist’ crosses the Pacific to find answers

Min-Hee Kim was one of 12 young women sponsored by the Racial Ethnic & Women’s Ministries Young Women’s Leadership program who participated in the United Nations’ 61st CSW. Each year the ministry provides scholarships to young Presbyterian women from around the world to attend the event.

PC(USA) launches Abuse Prevention Helpline

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation, has teamed with the Insurance Board and Praesidium to help PC(USA) church councils and members of churches prevent child sexual abuse. The partnership has launched a toll-free Abuse Prevention Helpline (866-607-SAFE) to provide assistance to church councils and church families in their efforts to keep predators away from children