세례는 장로교인들이 행하는 두 가지 성례전 중 하나입니다. 성만찬이 다른 하나입니다. 세례의 행위는 믿을 수 없을 정도로 단순합니다. 그러나 소량의 물에는 신비하고 의미 있는 깊은 우물이 있습니다. 세례를 받을 때 우리는 그리스도의 제자로서 새로운 삶의 방식으로 부름을 받으며 기쁜 소식의 복음을 온 세상에 전합니다.
Five years, 200 people, a bajillion emails and a whole lot of prayer. That’s what it takes to make a new Book of Common Worship (BCW). You might ask: Why do we need a new BCW? A changing church needs a worship book that reflects contemporary concerns and offers new liturgies, fresh language and a good deal of flexibility. The revised BCW will do just that, making room for new ways of being church while staying grounded in the best of Reformed and ecumenical practices.
I am an immigrant and a former refugee. I came from Cuba to the United States via Spain in the late ’60s. I belong to that group of people from the “Global South’’ who began migrating to this country by the millions after the liberalization of immigration laws in 1965.
The day after the Las Vegas shooting massacre, I posted on Facebook, “Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.” I didn’t really know what else to say at the moment. My friend Bruce Gillette replied with a political cartoon depicting God in heaven saying, “Enough already with the ‘prayers for the victims and their families,’ you morons. Go enact some meaningful gun control!”
It was partly cloudy and windy as Be’sha Blondin, with the Yellowknife Tribe, led a “Fire and Water” ceremony along the river banks at Celilo Park in northern Oregon. Joined by attendees of the Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) Conference, Blondin sang to the east, west, north and south and along with the rest of the group, poured water and placed a piece of tobacco into the river. It was part of a two-day program that allowed attendees to hear and learn about traditions dating back thousands of years.
While authorities try to determine what led 64-year-old Stephen Paddock to open fire on a crowd of people in Las Vegas Sunday night, Presbyterian Church leaders and pastors are reaching out to congregations and those impacted by the tragedy.
The Presbyterian Mission Agency Board (PMAB) opened its Friday meeting with a Native American Day Worship service led by Elona Street Stewart, executive for the Synod of the Lakes and Prairies, and board members Jason Chavez, Cecil Corbett and Buddy Monahan.
In the New Testament, Jesus shared the Parable of the Sower with his disciples. In that story, Jesus explains that as the sower sows the seeds, some may fall on rocky ground or among the thorns, while other seeds flourish in rich soil.
The closing worship service at Big Tent focused on the parable and the second word in the conference theme: reconciliation. The Rev. Dr. Christine Hong, assistant professor of educational ministry at Columbia Theological Seminary, asked attendees to focus on “reconciliation” as they returned to their homes.
This year Presbyterians join Christians around the world in celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. But the Reformation is not over. It’s important to remember that the church — and its worship — are continuing to be reformed, said David Gambrell, associate for worship for the Presbyterian Mission Agency and co-author of the revised Book of Common Worship.
