St. John’s Presbyterian Church in San Francisco wanted to grow. So it hired the Rev. Theresa Cho as an associate pastor with the idea that her presence would help attract young Chinese families who were settling in the neighborhood. After three years, however, growth hadn’t happened in the way some people expected.
In late June, mere days after winning Peru’s presidential election by a thin margin, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski turned his eyes on the troubled community of La Oroya, where for more than 15 years Presbyterian World Mission and the Presbyterian Hunger Program have joined with partners Joining Hands Peru (“Red Uniendo Manos Peru”) in seeking justice for city’s residents.
Members of Third Presbyterian Church of Rochester, New York believe more needs to be done to improve education in their city and they’ve launched an initiative to do just that.
“Is Sylvia all right?” The anxious voice on the telephone was inquiring about her three-year old daughter. Sylvia had started preschool the day before and her mother was concerned that she might not adjust to the new setting. “Sylvia’s fine,” answered the preschool director, “I was in her classroom and saw her just a few minutes ago. She’s playing with a puzzle.”
Every September, the first few weeks of preschool bring new children to La Casa Community Center. Some have older sisters and brothers who have attended the preschool, but for most it is a new experience for both the children and their parents.
As an adviser for the Unglued Church, a program in Pittsburgh Presbytery for help with church change, I encounter a lot of churches at the end of their rope. It’s a time in a church’s life when it’s important to emphasize the importance of thinking beyond survival, and how the congregation might imagine leaving a legacy for God’s ministry and mission.
A group of seniors who call themselves the Knit Wits thought it would be fun to teach children the lost art of knitting, a skill they all were all expected to learn in their youth. The seniors are residents of Presbyterian Village North, a retirement community in northern Dallas. When Presbyterian Village North held Camp PVN, a camp held in partnership with Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church and NorthPark Presbyterian Church, children and seniors spent time together during “gift hours,” where residents imparted their knowledge of hobbies, interests, and activities with participating children.
What has become an annual ritual for many churches—the “Blessing of the Backpacks”—has taken on special importance at First Presbyterian Church in Findlay, Ohio. This year the event was integrated into the larger concept of commemorating milestones within the life of the church and its members, with “back to school” being just one of them.
Since 2005, the Presbytery of Denver has been in partnership with the Presbytery of Zimbabwe, part of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA). A cluster of the presbytery’s churches have also formed a mission partnership, Zimbabwe KidZ, to advance the educational opportunities for children in Zimbabwe, particularly through the 10 schools operated by the UPCSA.
While there may no longer be a standard path for those who enter seminary, Lucy Crain’s journey has taken her to places few will ever see. The second year student at Union Presbyterian Seminary’s satellite campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, says until recently she never anticipated she’d be studying for ministry.
When Rev. Dr. Nancy Jo Dederer earned her Doctor of Ministry degree in parish revitalization, she had no idea that church transformation would become her calling.
And not only her calling, but also a blessing to the people of Homewood, Illinois.
