The first time I became aware of a connection between race, faith and climate change was in the late 1980s when I was a sociology student in Venezuela. I lived in Caracas with my family. In this cosmopolitan city, there was lots of nonregulated air pollution that caused me to have a sore throat and irritated eyes daily.
With nearly all of her trips to see family and friends temporarily on hold during the pandemic, Lucy Janjigian simply lets her fingers — and her imagination — do the walking, straight through every colorful page of the Presbyterian Giving Catalog.
Does coming of age in a particular era decisively shape people’s values, habits and personalities?
Yes, say some analysts. They argue, for example, that the “Greatest Generation” — Americans who grew up during the Great Depression, World War II and the Korean War — is known for being loyal, hardworking and disciplined. Other generations have been influenced by times of economic affluence, stock market crashes and wars.
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.
