Part of the work the Rev. Jenny Warner does as lead pastor at Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley, California, is curating sacred space. When Warner appeared on the Rev. Dr. Lee Hinson-Hasty’s recent broadcast, “Leading Theologically,” he asked about that work.
Emily Dawn Sutphin studied religion from a sociological perspective in college. After graduation, she chose to apply to seminary to have “the opportunity to examine my faith from a variety of angles.”
Charles Choe is lead pastor at Tapestry LA, a downtown Los Angeles church serving a mainly Korean and Chinese American congregation. He was the guest during “Challenges, Transitions and Opportunities in the Second Generation Asian American Church,” a recent 90-minute webinar offered by the Center for Asian American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary. About 70 people joined online with an additional crowd listening in person at the seminary. The Center’s director, Dr. David Chao, hosted the webinar and led a question-and-answer session following Choe’s talk.
Take a moment and consider all the ways that technology has touched your life this day. Reading this entry on your device, for one. Perhaps you have also called a friend, checked a weather app or made a purchase. Digital devices, at their best, keep us safe and connected and informed. Now imagine not having access to the digital world. According to the United Nations, “259 million fewer women have access to the internet than men, even though they account for nearly half the world’s population.”
For more than 140 years, Magnolia Presbyterian Church in Riverside, California, has been providing ministry in this Southern California community. The city recognized it as a historic landmark in 1973. Members cite the church’s many outreaches into the community, across the country and around the world.
The meeting of Mary and Elizabeth in the first chapter of Luke is a treasured story of two women connecting to share an unexpected experience, with love, excitement and probably a little fear. This image, recreated by so many artists, reminds me of the most powerful gifts I have received from other women in my life: connection, a warm embrace, a smile, a knowing glance across a room, a space to sing out my joys and my fears, the knowledge that in the most chaotic moments of life I have people whose embrace and care I can always count on.
Amid news of a devastating earthquake on Feb. 6 in Syria and Turkey, the Presbyterian Mission Agency has reached out to offer assistance to partners in the area, where thousands have died, and is asking Presbyterians to pray for those impacted by the quake and its aftershocks.
For over two decades, Why Not Prosper has been showing up in support of formerly incarcerated women in Philadelphia. Why Not Prosper is uniquely and intimately aware of the challenges facing these women. How? Because Why Not Prosper was founded and continues to be run by women who have, themselves, been incarcerated.
Good partnerships are good for all the partners. At their best, partnerships blossom into healthier communities beyond the partners. This is true for marriages, friendships, working relationships and the missional work of the church. A good partnership makes us good for the world.
At baptisms especially, Presbyterians love to talk about water. Some of the more adventurous baptizers even splash some of the water out of the font to remind those gathered to celebrate of their own baptism.
