The ministry of presence is important in God’s mission. Yet even when a global pandemic causes cancellation of short-term mission trips, congregations and presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are showing care and compassion in creative and urgently needed ways from afar.
Where there’s a will, there’s a driveway.
And although this year’s Palm Sunday festival procession into an “upper parking lot” more closely resembled a line at a car wash than a celebration of worship, exigent circumstances call for extreme creativity, imagination and grace.
And honks over Hosannas.
What does it mean to be a Matthew 25 church today? That’s the key question participants in a series of international consultations and U.S. regional gatherings have been addressing through roundtable discussion across the country and around the world.
The Rev. Tony Aja returned to Cuba last October for only the second time since he fled the country with his father in 1967. Strolling through his old neighborhood he remembers all too well how his family and friends suffered during the Cuba revolution, but as a minister of the gospel he clings to the hope that forgiveness and reconciliation will come eventually, even at the political level.
“There are no atheists in foxholes” is a famous quote attributed to U.S. military chaplain William Thomas Cummings. I am not here to argue whether Father Cummings’s observation is true in all circumstances, but if it is even directionally correct—and since there are 1,281,900 people in active duty in the U.S. armed forces with an additional 801,200 people in seven reserve components, not to mention spouses and families—then there are conservatively millions of U.S. citizens whose spiritual health and well-being are entrusted to the ministry of military chaplains.
Over 100 people gathered in Louisville, Kentucky, on October 22 for an antiracism training event. Most participants came from congregations in the Presbytery of Mid-Kentucky; others, from the Louisville community.
Church partnership leads to successful tutoring program in Kentucky community
Yvonne and José moved with their parents to Shelbyville, Kentucky, from Central America when they were second graders. Their parents were looking for work in the agricultural and horse industry but wanted to ensure that their children received a quality education, recognizing that the language barrier could present challenges.
Essential hygiene kits assembled with help from congregations by Scott O’Neill | Presbyterian News Service The Mid-Kentucky Presbytery is aiding the PC(USA)Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) program by assembling hygiene kits for… Read more »
Presbyterian Church invests in Educate a Child initiative By Rick Jones Compassion, Peace and Justice Communications Yvonne and José moved with their parents to Shelbyville, Ky., from Central America when… Read more »