justice

If the land could speak, what stories would it tell?

After COVID-19 forced the cancelation of planned projects and in-person worship, Coastland Commons, a 1001 New Worshiping Community in Seattle Presbytery,  moved to Zoom discussions about their city’s history of land use by Black, Indigenous and people of color communities. After about six months of Zoom gatherings, they figured out a safe way to see Seattle anew through socially distanced community walks. They reached out to the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), which organizes redlining tours in Seattle’s Capitol Hill and Central District neighborhoods.

Theologian builds zero energy home

Presented by the Presbyterian Hunger Program, the Rev. Dr. Patricia Tull, an environmental theologian and author of “Inhabiting Eden: Christians, the Bible, and the Ecological Crisis,” led more than 50 participants through an online presentation highlighting her and her family’s journey toward building a zero  energy home located in Henryville, Indiana.

The hard work of becoming more just and equitable

After years of difficult work, the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) has a new justice and equity statement. APCE’s Diversity Task Force, which developed the statement, hopes it will help the organization in its effort to become more diverse.

The Great ‘Co-Mission’

Proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and making known to others the teachings of Jesus has been integral to the church since its earliest days. We may ask, why does the church share its faith in Jesus Christ this way? The simple answer: We do it because Jesus commands us to do it (Matthew 28:19–20).

United Church of Canada shares a new vision of mission

On Nov. 1, the Rev. Michael Blair will assume the role of general secretary of the United Church of Canada (UCC), a PC(USA) ecumenical partner. Despite an increasingly busy schedule, he took time to meet with Presbyterian World Mission’s regional liaisons from across the world by Zoom last week to talk about the UCC’s new vision of mission, as World Mission reimagines its work in light of new contextual realities.

We should honor our veterans on Veterans Day and every day

I never understood the gravity of the words “Thank you for your service” until I began serving as a chaplain at a VA Medical Center about nine years ago. I could never have imagined that God would call me to ministry at the VA. Although several of my family members were/are veterans, their military service was not a big part of our family narrative or my frame of reference. I had generally aligned with a pacifist stance. In fact, I can remember crying as a 9-year-old when Operation Desert Storm formally began. I had not experienced our country being at war before and remember feelings of insecurity, grief and yearning for peace — feelings that I have felt many more times since then as conflicts and wars continue across the globe and our world has not yet fully experienced the peace of God’s reign.

The Great ‘Co-mission’

Proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and making known to others the teachings of Jesus has been integral to the church since its earliest days. We may ask, why does the church share its faith in Jesus Christ this way? The simple answer: We do it because Jesus commands us to do it (Matthew 28:19–20).