How does our faith make a difference in the life of the world? How does it address systemic issues for real change? These are the questions the Rev. Thomas Watkins finds himself asking on a regular basis.
Three churches in southern Indiana have separate focuses to their Matthew 25 work. But through a thoughtful process of establishing a cohort to strengthen each of the three ministry efforts, the three congregations — First Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, First Presbyterian Church in Columbus and Fairlawn Presbyterian Church in Columbus — have begun, in the words of the Rev. Kelley Jepsen, transitional associate pastor at FPC in Bloomington, “to think creatively, to dream more broadly and to find concrete ways to begin moving from learning into action.”
Most Americans want their churches and religious organizations to stay out of politics — most, but not all.
Maintaining that wall of separation is true for more than 6 in 10 of mainline Protestants and Catholics. But 54% of those surveyed from historic Black faith traditions told the Pew Research Center they want their churches to express their views on social and political questions.
Shannon Schmidt is currently teaching the ethics curriculum she designed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The course is split between MIT students and incarcerated students who are working toward their bachelor’s degrees and is taught in a prison-based setting. In addition to this work, Schmidt serves as a facilitator for a support group for formerly incarcerated men in Boston.
More than 220 Presbyterians gathered this spring at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., for Compassion, Peace & Justice Training Day, which kicked off Ecumenical Advocacy Days. The annual gathering brings Presbyterians together to engage in issues of national and international interest. The theme for this year’s event was “A World Uprooted: Responding to Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People.”
Clear blue skies were on display during the opening day of the Presbyterians for Earth Care Conference at Menucha Retreat and Conference Center near Portland, Oregon. Just two weeks prior to the event, organizers were concerned that the smoke and flames from a season of wildfires would force them to find a new location.
The charge to the Social Justice Issues Committee is clear. It is to consider matters related to the concerns of the church in national affairs, national military matters and matters relating to righteousness and justice of persons/organizations.
