A Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) delegation recently visited Sri Lanka, where they learned about the lives of tea plantation workers and the implications for PC(USA) mission work in Sri Lanka.
The 150-year-old Presbyterian Church at Tenafly is notable for its star power.
Many of its members and cantors who lead hymns or participate in services have performed on Broadway, off-Broadway or with the New York City Opera.
The Kenya Mission Network conference in Dallas earlier this year touched on a topic that is critical to Kenyans: the potential closure of the Presbyterian University of East Africa as well as two larger universities with religious roots.
Matilde Moros, a transnational feminist and Christian ethicist, will be the keynote speaker for Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day on April 20 in Washington, D.C.
Presbyterian youth worker Michelle Phillips felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.
“Recently some students skipped high school,” she said, her voice trailing off. Then she explained: Speeding, the students were in a tragic car accident. One of the passengers died; the other was in critical condition. The driver walked away without any physical injuries. None of the students were involved at Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church in Overland Park, Kansas, where Phillips serves as the director of youth and family ministry. But students in Overland Park wanted answers. They came to her asking, “Why did this happen? Why wasn’t the driver hurt?”
A group representing several ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) visited Sri Lanka earlier this year in response to a General Assembly overture aimed at eradicating slavery from supply chains. Program representatives included personnel from Presbyterian World Mission, the Presbyterian Hunger Program and Mission Responsibility Through Investment.
The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly, is asking Presbyterians to join in prayer in response to the plight of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
When Kathryn Threadgill introduced the Vital Congregations Revitalization Initiative to Newark and Trinity presbyteries earlier this year, she felt both fear and exhilaration.
Hearing Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leaders say things like “We cannot fail at this initiative” or “This initiative might be a small part of the next Great Awakening we feel like we’re in” will do that to a person, she says.
May the joy of the risen Christ be yours on this Easter Sunday! As we celebrate Christ’s victory over death, we can take delight in the hope it gives and in the new humanity that has been created. We are blessed to participate in this new way of living and bear witness to its life-changing reality.
Jesus’ concern and respect for women is evident in Scripture — and quite astonishing for the day. He healed a very ill woman on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10–17); stood by a woman accused of adultery (John 8:1–11); raised from the dead the only son of a grieving mother and widow (Luke 7:11–15); publicly recognized the extravagant gifts of the poor widow (Mark 12:41–44) and the “sinful woman” (Luke 7:36–50); gave permission to set aside domestic chores for more important matters (Luke 10:38–42); shared the message of living water with a Samaritan woman at a well (John 4:7–30); and even appeared first to women after his resurrection (Matthew 28:1–10). Despite his radical care and consideration for women in his day, in our day many girls and women struggle to find a way to thrive in a world that often disregards (sometimes violently) their right to live into God’s intended abundance.
