The Interfaith Immigration Coalition, which the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a steering committee member, is reacting to proposed changes to the public charge rule as a qualifier for certain immigration statuses. The Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC), based in Washington, D.C., is a coordinating group of over 50 national faith-based organizations and religious institutions that mobilize around issues related to immigration and refugees to seek more just policies. The PC(USA) regularly collaborates with their efforts. The statement can be found here. by Rick Jones, Office of the General Assembly communications … [Read more...]

ST. LOUIS (PNS) – The Rev. Dr. James Reese, now approaching the 70th anniversary of his ordination in the Presbyterian Church, believes learning about stewardship is a cross-cultural exercise. He asserts approaches to charitable giving, especially in the context of the church, are formed by a community ethos — and he has the data to back it up. Presenting the workshop titled “Stewardship in Racial-Ethnic Communities” at the 2018 Stewardship Kaleidoscope conference in St. Louis, Reese brought his decades of experience to help answer questions of what really happens inside racial-ethnic communities to motivate and drive generosity. Reese is Minister of Specialized Interpretation at the Presbyterian Foundation. Opening his time with a recitation of Psalm 133, Reese reminded attendees “the image of our community being good motivates us.” And the understanding of “good” within each setting is what helps to define the way groups respond to requests for giving. The changing … [Read more...]

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (PNS) For most of last week, leaders from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) and the Co-Moderators of the 223rd General Assembly (2018), made their way across Puerto Rico to listen, learn, and share with congregations impacted by Hurricane Maria. It was the first official joint trip as Co-Moderators for Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri and the Reverend Cindy Kohlmann. From morning till night, the group, accompanied by PDA Director, the Reverend Dr. Laurie Kraus, the Reverend Dr. Jim Kirk, and the Reverend Edwin González-Castillo, traveled from church to church, meeting with presbytery leaders, pastors, and congregations. Co-Moderators of the 223rd General Assembly (2018), Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri (left) and Rev. Cindy Kohlmann (right) speak to members of the Vega Alta Presbyterian Church. Photo by Rick Jones On Friday, the group traveled to the Presbyterian Church of Vega Alta, which became an active center of community support during and after … [Read more...]

ST. LOUIS (PNS) – Gratitude is a deep and profound part of the story of Jesus. It is complex and beautiful — and also the subject of author Diana Butler Bass’ recent book Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks. Bass is an author, researcher, speaker and consultant who decided to turn her attention to gratitude in November 2015 when she spotted a survey that indicated that 78 percent of Americans said they had experienced gratitude within the past week. The study was conducted by the Pew Forum and released just in time for Thanksgiving. “Seventy-eight percent is an extraordinarily high number,” Bass said. “I sat for a moment with that and thought, ‘Wow, that’s really wonderful that eight out of 10 Americans say they’ve felt strongly grateful in the last seven days.” Not only did I say ‘Wow,’ but then I said, ‘Am I one of the 78 or one of the 22?’ ” She unpacked the subject during a plenary at Stewardship Kaleidoscope in St. Louis on Monday, Sept. 24. Stewardship … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE (PNS) – The 63rd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is scheduled for March 11–22, 2019, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The event is expected to draw representatives from member states, U.N. entities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world. Applications are now being accepted and can be accessed on the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations (PMUN) web page here. In prior sessions, the CSW has focused on women and girls’ access to education and full employment, the empowerment of rural women and their role in eradicating poverty and hunger, and violence against women and girls. This year’s theme is “social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.” Presbyterian delegates attend orientation for the 62nd Commission on the Status of Women (2018). Photo provided The 63rd CSW will also highlight Presbyterian Women’s recent … [Read more...]

(PNS) As the eyewall of Hurricane Florence passed over the Rev. Dr. Doug Cushing’s home in Leland, North Carolina, on the morning of Friday, Sept. 14, it was as if someone “had opened a firehose.” For three hours, there was torrential rain — and 105 mph winds. Because the storm was so slow-moving, at 2 mph, Cushing thought he and his wife were in the clear. “We didn’t realize how terrible the backside of Florence was going to be,” he said. A river runs through Leland, North Carolina, as the eyewall of Hurricane Florence slowly moves over the greater Wilmington area. Doug Cushing Saturday night, the backside bands of wind and rain came — sometimes up to 3 inches an hour. Hearing constant wind against the house and seeing his front yard and driveway flooded was eerie. “You feel very tiny,” Cushing said. “But the water never got beyond the threshold of our door.” As leader of The Bridge, a 4-year-old new worshiping communitythat is now a chartered PC(USA) … [Read more...]