New York Presbyterian pastors meet with President-elect Trump

Issue prayer for preservation of liberty, justice, dignity and care for the vulnerable

by Gregg Brekke | Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE – Pastors from two Presbyterian churches in the New York metro area met with President-elect Donald J. Trump in Trump Tower today, praying with him and raising justice issues they would like to see addressed in the new administration.

Rev. Scott Black Johnston, pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in Manhattan and the Rev. Patrick O’Connor, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens

In a letter released this afternoon, the Rev. Scott Black Johnston, pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, and the Rev. Patrick O’Connor, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens, said they were able to spend 20 minutes with the President-elect. Both churches have historic ties to the Trump family. Donald Trump was baptized and confirmed at First Presbyterian and will “rest his hand on the Lincoln Bible and on the Bible his mother gave him when he graduated from the First Jamaica Sunday Church School in 1955,” the letter said.

Johnston said he reminded the President-elect—in light of his alignment with far-right evangelical pastors—that many Americans belong to “purple churches,” where Democrats and Republicans worship together, saying unity does not depend on full agreement, rather “on the Christ who claims us and calls us to care for the poor, the sick and the imprisoned.”

The letter ended with a prayer for the President-elect that in part reads, “Your will is done when governments are rightly administered, liberty is preserved, justice is decreed, dignity is assured, and care is extended to the most vulnerable of your children… Mold the President-elect into your servant. Help him to lead us in pursuing your extraordinary vision.”

The full text of the letter and prayer can be found at this link.