When word began to circulate that western North Carolina had suffered massive damage from Hurricane Helene, one of the landmarks that came to the mind of many Presbyterians was Montreat Conference Center.
As the one-year anniversary of the horrific actions committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, approaches, and the subsequent sustained response by Israel in retaliation for the taking and killing of hostages commenced, there appears to be no let-up in the violence that’s left more than 40,000 killed and nearly 2 million people displaced within Gaza. Neither does there appear to be any increased hope for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, and fears of a wider war within the region increased when Israel launched ground operations targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and Iran launched ballistic missiles into Israeli territory earlier this week.
Of the many tools a farmer can usually rely on to help ensure a successful crop yield — resources to control weeds, fight pests or build healthy soil — Kotema Lanto found nothing in his toolkit to counteract the devastating impact of climate change on the family farm.
When God promised to be present through life’s floods and fires, the assurance was of little comfort to Trell, whose house burned to the ground in March.
As a mere child herself, Rose had already married, given birth to — and lost — a child by the time she was 15 years old.
Upon discovering that she was pregnant just four months after her traditional Malagasy wedding, Rose’s joy at the birth of her son quickly turned to sorrow.
I wonder how many times I’ve said or written “peace be with you.” It is a greeting many of our congregations use weekly as an act of worship. It is a salutation I use in many of my correspondences. It’s such a common utterance to me that I sort of forgot that it’s biblical, too. Good for me for citing Scripture with such regularity. The phrase comes to us from the Gospels, spoken by the resurrected Jesus when he appears to the disciples behind locked doors. It is a way he makes himself known to them.
Today is the International Day of Peace, also known as “Peace Day.” For the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), every day should be Peace Day, but this is a special day, set aside by a unanimous U.N. resolution in 1981 and observed around the world. It provides “a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to peace above all differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace.”
Today is the International Day of Peace, also known as “Peace Day.” For the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), every day should be Peace Day, but this is a special day, set aside by a unanimous U.N. resolution in 1981 and observed around the world. It provides “a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to peace above all differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace.”
Like most recently released ex-offenders, Craig Rockenbach faced the challenge of reentering the workforce carrying the stigma of a criminal conviction.