“When the darker moments come, or when gratitude eludes me, I ask myself, ‘What are you thankful for?’ Then, I look at what I have, or could have; at what enhances my life, relationships, sense of purpose and meaning, ability to support others, and new goals. I consider the abundance with which I live. Over and over, I practice this refrain.” – Allan Hugh Cole Jr., professor of social work, on living with Parkinson’s (in PD Wise) … [Read more...]
RIP, black and blue (10 years ago)
10 years ago — January 11, 2010 “The time has come to turn the page from a black and blue magazine … to … a high def, full color … magazine. … When first presented a copy of The Presbyterian Outlook, over 25 years ago, I didn’t contain my immediate impression. ‘Looks boring.’ It was printed entirely in black and white. It showcased zero pictures. My older, wiser ministerial colleague had handed this young, newly ordained upstart a copy of the weekly newsletter with the words, ‘You have a lot to learn about being Presbyterian. This is where you start.’ My reaction didn’t keep me from subscribing. Soon I was devouring it. A similar first impression has stopped many others in their tracks.” So started an editorial that announced the Outlook’s move into the second decade of the 21st century with a new look. The editor used the image of black/blue and full color to express the hope for the future of the PC(USA). His hope for the church was to leave behind the infighting and find a new … [Read more...]
Community dinners: Matthew 25 in action
Guest commentary by Linda Dickerson On Mondays, you would hardly think that on Sunday mornings worshippers gather to sing, pray, hear the Word read and proclaimed, and worship God in this place. It’s Monday night, the night of Northside Presbyterian Church’s Monday Night Community Dinners, a project begun about a year and a half ago. Why? To reach out to our neighbors in Blacksburg, Virginia, and to feed hungry people. The endeavor took a while to gain traction, but has become a regular “community.” Church members Heidi and Bruce do the lion’s share of meal planning and preparation, with help from a few others as needed. This Monday night, about 35 people are sitting together at tables. We begin with a circle prayer, where prayer requests are shared and prayers offered before we eat. It’s pizza night – one of the favorites – and almost every scrap of food has been eaten. In one corner, Steve sits with about five children playing a lively game of Yahtzee. George, who is … [Read more...]
What’s right about Southminster Presbyterian Church?
Southminster Presbyterian Church — Boise, Idaho Southminster is a church that takes hospitality seriously. Fair warning: If you don’t like being hugged by strangers, we may not be right for you. In addition to those we welcome in the building, we try to share that welcome in the community. We’ve been attending PRIDE in Boise since 2012, apologizing to people who have been hurt by the church. We recognize some of these people will never darken the door of a church again, and so if we want to extend hospitality we have to be where they are. A retired couple recently attended a same-gender wedding in our sanctuary. I said, “I didn’t know you knew the couple”. They replied: “They were in our new member class and mentioned their family didn’t support them. We decided to be their family at their wedding. Everyone needs family.” That’s what is right about Southminster. – Marci Auld Glass, pastor Read more of this congregation's story here — Small contributions add up: … [Read more...]
Flesh in the Word: A Presbyterian Outlook for our time
“At some time after I came to this work I recalled a prayer that I made every night without fail when I was a teenager. I was not aware that every teenager has a deep passion to be liked by everybody and to have friends. But I prayed with deep earnestness, ‘O Lord, help me never to make an enemy and never to lose a friend.’ I finally realized that it was not a good prayer, that if I held deep commitments and witnessed to what is fair and just, some enemies might be made and some friends might be lost.” – Aubrey Brown Aubrey Brown. Editor of the Presbyterian Outlook. Making enemies. Losing friends. Or, at least willing to do so. When the cause was righteous, when the need was just, when the truth was required, when transformation was paramount. It was, in Aubrey Brown’s mind, the purpose of an independent church press to make truth visible, to use human words to reflect as much as possible the meaning of divine intent, to communicate through the vacillating flesh of human speech the … [Read more...]
James Frederick Kubik dies
(OGA) A key player in the Presbyterian church’s reunification in the 1980s has died. James Frederick Kubik, known as “J,” died on January 4 at the age of 89. Kubik served on the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church from 1981 to 1989 as well as chair of the finance committee during reunification. He is credited with putting together the package that eventually became the agreement between David Jones, the City of Louisville, and the church about the relocation of the church headquarters to Louisville, Kentucky. “He was the primary person who unraveled the General Assembly budgets during the early 1980s and won the trust of all parties in putting together a unified budget that could serve as the basis of reunion,” said the Reverend Dr. John M. Mulder, former president and professor of historical theology at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. “It was a herculean effort and without his financial and personal integrity, there may not have been a reunion … [Read more...]
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