Mary Mikhael is a familiar face in Presbyterian circles. For years, she has met with churches, synods and seminaries about the ongoing crisis in Syria. This fall, she returns to the U.S. once again as an international peacemaker.
Founded in 2011, South Sudan is the world’s youngest country. But infighting amongst its two most populous tribal groups — friction which dates back to the 19th century — has plunged the country into civil war and forced many of its young citizens to become soldiers instead of doctors, teachers, or farmers. The Rev. Michael Muot Put, from the Nuer tribal community, is working to educate communities about the importance of peace among different ethnic groups and provide a platform based on peace and unity.
Nearly 30,000 refugees live in or near Thessaloniki, a port city in Greece. Manolis Ntamparakis has made it his calling to help them. He is the director of social action for the Naomi Ecumenical Workshop for Refugees, a nonprofit organization founded two years ago.
In just a few months, Presbyterian churches across the U.S. will be hosting the 2018 International Peacemakers.
This year, 10 peacemakers are expected to take part in the annual event, sponsored by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.
In just five months, Presbyterian churches across the U.S. will be hosting the 2018 International Peacemakers. This year, 10 peacemakers are expected to take part in the annual event, sponsored by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.
Presbyterians and other interested people will get a chance to learn about the Korean culture in person later this year.
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, in partnership with World Mission, will host a travel study seminar to Korea from Nov. 5–17.
Social witness advocates within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are hoping recent statements by President Donald Trump will result in a move toward more aggressive gun safety laws.
The 2017 international peacemakers, who spent four weeks speaking across the U.S., have returned to their homes. But the impact of their visit is still being felt by presbyteries, churches and communities where they spoke.
The meeting room at Laws Lodge on the campus of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary was buzzing with groups clustered together, debriefing on the past three weeks. Most of the 15 international peacemakers gathered here for a day of conversation before heading back to their homes, an opportunity to talk about their experiences and interactions with U.S. congregations, students and communities.
Building a church and its membership from the ground up is no small feat. Doing it in a country that persecutes members of your faith makes it doubly difficult. But the Rev. Manh Nguyen, pastor at the Evangelical Community Church in Hanoi, Vietnam, continues to grow his church despite a government that frowns upon religion in general, and Christians specifically.
