Three Presbyterian hymn-writers shared their sources of inspiration and some of their favorite hymns during a recent webinar called “When in Our Music God is Glorified,” put on by the Presbyterian Writers Guild. About three dozen people attended. Dr. Anita Coleman, a writer and former professor who’s vice president of the guild, moderated the webinar.
Many preachers get a little antsy about preaching on and around secular holidays, among them the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Mother’s Day — and that biggest secular holiday of all, Super Bowl Sunday. In their minds, the culture and the church ought to be kept at arm’s length from one another.
In 2013, mission co-workers Cindy Corell and Mark Hare were working with Viljean Louis, coordinator of the Peasant Movement of Bayonnais in Haiti. More than 100 people in the mountain community arrived to receive training for starting yard gardens. They were to learn the skills and then share them with neighbors.
The story of the wise men in Matthew 2 offers us some important lessons. One lesson I glean is that God will step outside of tradition and will use anyone to accomplish God’s purposes. These men according to historical sources were of Persian descent and were highly respected people who studied the stars. They could have been either astronomers or astrologers. What is important is that they were not Jewish. They may have had some knowledge of Judaism, but they were not observers of the Jewish faith.
Their place at the pulpit offers Presbyterian preachers a weekly opportunity to persuade parishioners of the power and reach of God’s love for them — as well as hundreds of other messages found in Scripture.
When migrants began arriving in large numbers, the Methodist Church Milan started discussions about how to create a culture of welcome. But members didn’t just talk. They are living fully within their own creation that has become a model for like-minded congregations around the world.
The Rev. Emily Schwenker suggested practices for activists to engage in for their own spiritual health during last year’s Presbyterians for Earth Care conference.
Mission co-workers Dan and Elizabeth Turk, who have served in Madagascar for more than 20 years, are working daily with global partners through Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp to address the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and severe food insecurity facing the world’s fifth-largest island nation and one of the world’s poorest countries.
What is Intentional Authentic Evangelism? How is it being practiced in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)? And how has your understanding of evangelism changed during your time in ministry?
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, many have migrated to Russia for a variety of reasons. People from countries of the former Soviet Union came because economic opportunities were better in Russia during this time. In the past 10–15 years, there has been a growing number of people being trafficked from African nations. Often, they have been told that if they can get to Moscow, they will have a gateway to Europe and ultimately to financial success. Traffickers lure with many promises that are, of course, never fulfilled.
