After planting four churches while he was a refugee living in Uganda, Prince Mundeke Mushunju naturally had an eye toward establishing a Swahili- and English-language service when he arrived in Greensboro, N.C., three years ago.
She arrived in Italy on Feb. 4, 2016. Of the flight that brought her and her husband and their two small children from Beirut to Rome, she remembers only the emotions she felt on the plane, and the flowers and hugs they got when they landed.
Without a pastor’s love for fly-fishing, Monica Carrillo — who crossed the Arizona-Mexico border when she was 13 — might still be living in the shadows. And the Rev. Karlin Bilcher might still be unhealthy and depressed, after a terrible first experience in ministry that nearly cost him his family.
What could be “next” for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)? Nearly 700 participants pondered that question at the recent NEXT Church 2018 gathering in Baltimore. The annual conference brings together PC(USA) members, pastors and those in affiliated ministries to envision what is “next” for the denomination. The theme for this year’s event was “The Desert in Bloom: Living, Dying and Rising in a Wilderness Church.”
Longtime partners, supporters, current and former staff, and donors gathered recently to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Jinishian Memorial Program (JMP).
I am an immigrant and a former refugee. I came from Cuba to the United States via Spain in the late ’60s. I belong to that group of people from the “Global South’’ who began migrating to this country by the millions after the liberalization of immigration laws in 1965.
It’s been a good year for hate. Melanie Rodenbough, a lifelong Presbyterian, lives in North Carolina. In early 2017, she learned from the news that the FBI was beginning an investigation after an audio recording of a meeting of conservative activists near Winston-Salem revealed death threats against Muslims living in the area.
I am an immigrant and a former refugee. I came from Cuba to the United States via Spain in the late ’60s. I belong to that group of people from the “Global South’’ who began migrating to this country by the millions after the liberalization of immigration laws in 1965.
Many of us have heard that the United States’ form of government was influenced by the practices and beliefs of Presbyterians who crossed the ocean to find religious freedom. Even today, our local municipal meetings and sessions of Congress mirror what takes place in church meeting rooms around the country as elected ruling elders seek to lead each congregation. While we may understand how the church influenced the form of government, we may not always know how traditional Reformed theology has influenced the beliefs that are the bedrock of the Constitution.
The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16–20) is an intercultural call to make disciples of all nations. As we engage in fulfilling this call, our commission to discipleship is sharing the good news of salvation with individuals from these nations in their own languages, traditions and cultures.
