What does July 16 mean to you? If you are part of the Navajo nation, or have connections near Church Rock, New Mexico, that date might stir a heartbreaking memory of a preventable disaster that continues to have disastrous impacts. Over 40 years ago, the earthen dam of a nuclear waste disposal pond broke near… Read more »
March 11, 2022
OGHS: Building Connections to Last… Advocating for Environmental Justice
What does July 16 mean to you? If you are part of the Navajo nation, or have connections near Church Rock, New Mexico, that date might stir a heartbreaking memory of a preventable disaster that continues to have disastrous impacts. Over 40 years ago, the earthen dam of a nuclear waste disposal pond broke near… Read more »
Those two words have taken on a deeper meaning in the past couple of years, haven’t they? For many, the words “unstable connection,” “weak connection” or worse, “lost connection,” are synonymous for an online meeting that has become frozen or dropped off. These dreaded words, popping up on a phone or computer, mean whatever is… 
As well traveled and as fully versed in Presbyterian mission as he is, Tom Elander was still surprised by what he witnessed and learned at the U.S.-Mexico border last winter. As a participant in a travel study seminar hosted by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program to help better understand the real-world impact of migration and immigration… 
By René Myers In the words of Nat King Cole, “Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.” Summer is upon us, typically a time of respite from normal routines and activities — school, work, church programs. This summer might not be quite so “lazy,” as the world is emerging from pandemic isolation now… 
By Lemuel Garcia-Arroyo The Church is to be a community of faith, entrusting itself to God alone, even at the risk of losing its life [from “The Foundations of Presbyterian Polity,” Book of Order- F-1.03] Gospel Lesson: Matthew 19:16–30 The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is committed to being a Matthew 25 church that is actively engaged… 
The Psalmist says, “God from my youth, you have taught me…” Psalm 71:17, and that is true. But it could have also said, “God from the youth, you have taught me” and stated something almost as true. With a foundation in faith built in the early years, our youth can teach us something about leading… 
By Lynne Foreman In the late 1980s, when I was serving as a youth group leader in my local congregation, my pastor invited me to attend a gathering that I recognize now as the early stages of a new movement for youth in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Even as I was being drawn headlong into… 
By Chris Roseland Recently, the Office of the General Assembly released the 2020 annual statistics report showing a decline in membership last year at just over 56,000, which is about the same loss rate as has been reported since 2016. For 2020, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) counts a total membership of about 1.24 million members,… 
Tracy Dace, a passionate advocate for at-risk youth had just relocated to Champaign, Illinois, to start a doctoral program in special education at the University of Illinois when he found his heart calling him back into the community and, eventually, through the doors of a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) congregation. As Tracy was working in schools,… 
By Emily Enders Odom In preparing for this year’s wildly successful Piglet Challenge, sponsored by the Presbyterian Giving Catalog in celebration of National Pig Day, March 1, I really did my homework. While it’s true that pigs get little to no respect in the Bible, they are my new heroes when it comes both to…