Mission Yearbook: The Brandermill Church in Midlothian, Virginia, is born of unity and growing in grace

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Children pray over The Brandermill Church’s leadership. (provided)

When residents moved into Brandermill, a planned community in Chesterfield County, Virginia, in the mid-1970s, they envisioned more than just a neighborhood. They dreamed of a new dimension in church life. In March 1974, the Virginia Council of Churches invited denominations to reach across traditional lines and create something unprecedented: an ecumenical congregation that would unite rather than divide.

The Richmond District of the United Methodist Church (UMC) and Hanover Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (PCUS) answered that call. Under the leadership of Rev. D. Clyde Bartges, worship began in February 1977, and by Nov. 6, 1977, The Brandermill Church was officially chartered with 126 members. Our founding covenant declared a sacred commitment: to serve as one body under Christ’s Lordship, witnessing to our unity in him.

Nearly 50 years later, that ecumenical spirit remains our heartbeat. Though now affiliated with the PC(USA), we continue honoring both Reformed and Evangelical traditions. Our congregation reflects beautiful diversity — about half our members live in Brandermill, half come from surrounding communities, and all come from varied Christian backgrounds, united in our mission to “engage disciples to worship, study and serve.”

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The centrality of the table and God’s Creation. (provided)

Our commitment to intergenerational ministry — “Growing Young Together” — brings seasoned disciples alongside our youngest members, creating bonds that span generations. From our thriving weekday preschool to adult discipleship programs, we nurture faith at every stage. Our six Marks of Discipleship — prayer, worship, Scripture reading, service, relationships and giving — form the rhythm of our shared life, creating what we call a “PoWeR SuRGe” of faith.

We believe in the priesthood of all believers, that every Christian has direct access to God and a calling to ministry. Through committees, teams, and our elected Church Council, we practice the Reformed principle of shared governance, discerning God's will together through prayer and the Spirit’s guidance.

The Brandermill Church stands on the shoulders of giants — our great cloud of witnesses from both PC(USA) and UMC traditions who sustain and inspire us. We are proof that unity in Christ transcends denominational lines, and that when we invest our voice, energy, spirit and time in God’s work, extraordinary things happen.

Rev. Christopher M. Tweel; Senior Pastor and Head of Staff; The Brandermill Church; Midlothian, Virginia

Let us join in prayer for:

Heath Carter, Senior Editor of The Journal of Presbyterian History, Presbyterian Historical Society
Jackie Carter, Project Manager, Media & Publishing, Presbyterian Life & Witness

Let us pray:

Gracious God, who calls us to be one body in Christ, we thank you for The Brandermill - - born from a vision of unity and sustained by your grace. Bless all ecumenical congregations seeking to witness to your love across denominational lines. May our commitment to worship, study and serve together inspire others to build bridges tather than walls. Gyide us as we nurture faith across generations, that young and old alike may discover, nurture and share your gifts. In Christ's name. Amen.

Minute for Mission: Transgender Day of Visibility

On this Transgender Day of Visibility, we celebrate the joy and resilience of transgender and genderqueer people in our churches and our communities. This day, observed on March 31, is a time to affirm the presence, dignity, and contributions of trans and gender nonconforming people.

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Photo by Kyle via Unsplash

We affirm that gender nonconforming people are visible in Scripture as eunuchs. Using today’s terms, we might consider them genderqueer, not operating within conventional gender norms. This connects with the experiences of transgender, non-binary, and intersex people and also gender non-conforming butches, twinks, drag queens, kings, and monarchs. God calls eunuchs as prophets (Nehemiah), teachers (Hegai in Esther 2:3–15), and missionaries (the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:26–40).

Today, in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), trans, non-binary, intersex, and genderqueer people serve as pastors, elders, deacons, Sunday school teachers, ushers and in all kinds of leadership roles. God does not call genderqueer people in spite of our gender identity but promises to build monuments and give us names “better than sons and daughters” beyond the binary of male and female (Isaiah 56:4–6).

In our present political moment in this country, there are efforts to reduce the visibility of trans and genderqueer people in education, sports and through bodily changes in health care. These efforts are sometimes bipartisan, like legislation in West Virginia to statements from California’s governor. It is a scary time for trans people. These actions are part of a broader wave of anti-LGBTQ+ backlash that includes efforts to undermine gay marriage and other fundamental rights. In times such as these, visibility is not just an act of celebration; it is a witness against injustice.

Transgender Day of Visibility falls in the Lenten season, where Christians traditionally have fasted or given something up or taken something on as a spiritual discipline. We invite Christians to consider instead of giving up chocolate to give up on concepts that fail to feed us spiritually. Let us not fast from dinner but fast from oppressive ideologies.

Trans joy is nourished not by the fear and restriction of human institutions but by the abundant life that Christ offers. The psalmist proclaims, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8), an invitation to trust in the God who feeds us with love and justice. And at the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, saying, “This is my body, given for you” (Luke 22:19). Christ’s body, broken and transformed, reveals resurrection power. So too, trans bodies are joyful bodies and are part of God’s redemptive story.

And we remember now, like we do every celebration of the Lord’s Supper, that through breaking bread, Christ’s body was ripped into two. In the promise of new life that we are given, we too are promised transformation. It is through the changing of our bodies, sometimes even the tearing of it, through ripping new clothes and surgical cuts, that trans people experience joy and can see transformation become possible.

Hard times call for a time to cry, a time to lament (Lamentations 1:16). But Scripture also tells us just as it is important to feel the feelings of sadness, in the same verse that there is also a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4–5). We should remember trans joy is resistance. Trans visibility is found in drag brunches, in reading groups, in gay bars, in laughing with chosen family, sitting anxiously at the clinic, and in worshiping together in affirming communities. It is found in every trans person who claims their name and their identity with boldness. It is witnessed by every cisgender ally who makes a stand against injustice.

On this Transgender Day of Visibility, we affirm that trans people are beloved, visible and full of joy. We celebrate trans and genderqueer people, and we commit to ensuring that trans visibility is not merely symbolic, but met with justice, affirmation and love. God desires life for all of us, not mere survival. Jesus came that we may have life abundantly (John 10:10).

May we all go on our way rejoicing.

Advocacy Committee for LGBTQIA+Equity

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff:

Olanda Carr, Senior Ministry Relations Officer, Development Office, The Presbyterian Foundation
Darla Carter, Communications Strategist, Denominational Identify & Formation, Presbyterian Life & Witness

Let us pray:

God of Abundance, on this Transgender Day of Visibility, we give thanks for the joy, resilience, and gifts of leadership that our transgender, non-binary, intersex and genderqueer siblings bring to your church. We celebrate that all people are created in your image and called beloved, and we lament the injustices that seek to diminish the visibility and flourishing of trans people. Empower us to seek justice and honor the joy that comes with the fullness of each person’s identity, and to work for a world where trans lives are lived with affirmation, safety and abundant life.

God of Justice, thank you for the sacred visibility of your trans and gender-expansive children. In a world that tries to erase, regulate, or reduce them, reminds us that you call us by name and promise life beyond every binary. Break apart every lie that says we are too much or not enough. Fast us from fear, from silence, from the comfort of neutrality. Root us instead in your truth and let justice and love roll like a river through our churches, our streets and our laws until every trans life can flourish. Amen.

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How to Remit One Great Hour of Sharing Offering Gifts Remember to remit your One Great Hour of Sharing funds as soon as possible to respond to Christ’s call to ministries of compassion for the world’s most vulnerable.. Congregations Congregations remit through their normal receiving agency (usually the presbytery) or by sending funds to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700. Mid Councils Mid Councils remit to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box 643751, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3751, or you can use Payer Express. LOG ON TO PAYER EXPRESS The needs of our world are great. Thank you for your gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing. For when we all do a little, it adds up to a lot. If you have any questions, reply to this email or call us at (800) 728-7228, Ext. 5047.

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Mission Yearbook: Scripture says to ‘make a joyful noise,’ not a perfect noise

When Hunter Steinitz, M.Div., co-moderator of Presbyterians for Disability Concerns (PDC), once said that if the dedicated team of PDC volunteers had a motto, it might be, “We are small but mighty,” she could just as well have been describing the workshop she co-led recently.

Titled “Inclusion is Worship,” the workshop at the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE) 2025 Annual Event attracted a “small” group from across the PC(USA), all “mightily” advocating for disability inclusion in church and society.

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Hunter Steinitz

And calling for action now.

“The problem isn’t with the disability,” Steinitz said, “but with the barriers that get in the way.”

And yet despite the many barriers to full inclusion, attendees offered signs of hope.

“Our church is pretty much all accessible except for one upstairs room,” one participant shared with the group, “so that a girl with disabilities couldn’t go to the youth group room. Then, because they made a policy that no church activities can happen in a non-accessible space, the youth group room moved. I thought that was so amazing because often their reaction is to not do the right thing. I was thrilled with how that worked out.”

At the workshop, Steinitz — a ruling elder at Riverview United Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh and the oldest woman in the U.S. with a rare genetic skin condition called Harlequin ichthyosis — was joined on Zoom by PDC clerk Marijo Hockley, M.Div., and in Memphis by the Rev. Dr. Deborah Huggins, PDC co-moderator, who shared in facilitating the conversation.

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The Rev. Dr. Deborah Huggins

Huggins, associate pastor of youth and children at Central Presbyterian Church in Summit, New Jersey, is also president of the Presbyterian Health, Education, and Welfare Association (PHEWA). Hockley serves as the community life coordinator for New Life Presbyterian Church in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

As participants considered together — and in small groups — how and whether people with disabilities are embraced and included in their respective worship spaces, Huggins appealed to Steinitz and Hockley as disability liberation theologians for their guidance on interpreting relevant passages from Scripture.

“It can be very difficult for people with disabilities to lean back and find the hope that we have [in Jesus],” Hockley began. “Jesus heals them not because there is something wrong with them, but because there’s something wrong with society. … Because society is ill, Jesus heals the person with disabilities.”

In the broader context of biblical exegesis, Steinitz further explained the workshop’s title, “Inclusion is Worship.”

“Inclusion is worship because the body of Christ is made up of all these diverse members, all of them with a role to play,” said Steinitz, referencing 1 Corinthians 12:12. “That is very much true of people of faith with disabilities. Because they have gifts that they want to share, it’s all about giving them the opportunity.”

Both Steinitz and Hockley emphasized that while churchgoers have the expectation that everything be perfect, that’s not what scripture teaches.

“As many of you know, it’s hard for people to sit still and be perfect all the time,” said Steinitz. “But what does Scripture say? ‘Make a joyful noise’ — not a perfect noise, not a well-rehearsed noise, but a joyful noise.”

Added Hockley, “Worship is not a Broadway show. We should be a faith family when we’re sitting in church. Things are not going to be perfect, but they are perfect in the eyes of God.”

Using a handout designed by PDC, participants began to build customized action plans for their own worship settings. They received — and were able to suggest additions to — a “Worship is Inclusion” resource list.

Attendees also received a copy of “Speaking Words that Welcome,” a QuickSheet produced by the PC(USA) Interim Unified Agency’s Office of Christian Formation.

If the workshop had a single takeaway, it was perhaps the charge to be creative.

“You don’t just have to preach from the pulpit or be liturgist from the chancel,” Huggins said. “Church isn’t perfect. Church will always be messy.”

For more information about Presbyterians for Disability Concerns or to contact a Disability Consultant, click here.

Emily Odom, Former Associate Director of Mission Communications, Interim Unified Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)(Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

José Manuel Capella-Pratts, Global Ecumenical Liaison for Latin America and Caribbean, Interim Unified Agency
James Carey, Director of Investments & Portfolio Management Services, Trust Services, The Presbyterian Foundation 

Let us pray:

Lord, strengthen, guide, and bless us as we labor together to bring your love to those who need it most. We thank you for those who serve. May their obedient efforts continue to bear fruit in the lives of many. In your name we pray. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Peru trip’s lessons inspire actions for leaders in PC(USA)

Last summer, a small delegation of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leaders journeyed to Peru. Over eight days, they traveled from remote Andean villages to the coastal capital of Lima and into the depths of the Amazon jungle. Along the way, they met with church leaders, theologians, activists and local citizens. They worshiped, dialogued, and learned about the profound damage that conquest and extractive mining have inflicted — and continue to inflict — on the environment, Indigenous communities, and other marginalized populations. When they departed, they carried a promise: what happened in Peru would not stay in Peru.

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The Peru delegation included staff from the Interim Unified Agency, the Co-Moderator of the 226th General Assembly (2024) and mid-council staff. (Contributed photo)

Global engagement is a key value of the PC(USA), and international trips are common — especially for denominational leaders. However, while many past trips centered primarily on observing or serving communities abroad, this delegation approached the visit with an eye toward action back home. The Rev. Tony Larson, Co-Moderator of the 226th General Assembly (2024), brought a personal connection to the trip’s focus on the impacts of extractivism — a challenge he sees on the Carolina coast where he lives. The trip’s conveners were determined that participants would return not only with memories, but with insights and commitments they could apply in their U.S. communities.

Alongside Larson, the delegation included denominational staff from ministries focused on ecumenical and interreligious engagement; compassion, peace and justice; as well as disaster assistance. Representatives from presbyteries across the country also participated. 

Speaking about the commitment to tangible follow-ups from their trip, the Rev. Dr. Laurie Kraus, director of Humanitarian and Global Ecumenical Engagement in the Interim Unified Agency, said, “We have not generally aimed for specific ‘deliverables’ when following up on such visits. This, we realize, is a lost opportunity for our Church, as well as for the partners who have taken time and effort to share their work and vision with us. This time, instead of limiting the trip to staff leads and the Co-Moderator, we intentionally invited leaders from two presbyteries involved in Joining Hands work in Peru: the Rev. Annanda Barclay from San Jose and Dr. Clarice Hutchens from Giddings-Lovejoy.”

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La Oroya is home to a smelting operation and is considered one of the most polluted places in the world. (Contributed photo)

In addition to its support of the Joining Hands Network in Peru, the Presbytery of San Jose has an ongoing commitment to addressing Indigenous land rights and the environmental consequences of the Doctrine of Discovery. Barclay also co-moderates the board for the Center for Jubilee Practice, which supports churches and Christian organizations in “confronting their legacies of liberation and developing restorative communal practices.” Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery has advocated for environmental justice within the U.S., endorsing General Assembly overtures highlighting the intersection of environmental issues and social inequities. Hutchens, a scientist and business executive, focuses on environmental sustainability and the integration of Western science with Indigenous knowledge.

This diverse group of Presbyterians brought their own expertise and passions to bear during their time in Peru. Now that they are home, they are committed to finding ways to integrate what they learned into their local contexts. While much is still being discerned, some concrete ideas have emerged.

Group members reconvened in August to share their ideas for next steps, which Kraus said include “outreach to a number of other presbyteries within whose bounds similar issues of environmental racism, extractivism, and Indigenous rights are in play.” She said they are working toward a follow-up trip to include some of those presbyteries in hopes of longer-term dialogue. Kraus also said a series of short videos could lift up the connection between experiences of partners in Peru and struggles in the U.S.

Meanwhile, in Peru, the work to undo the damage of conquest and the pervasive threat of extractivism continues. Eduardo Arboccó, head of Peru’s Joining Hands Network, emphasized the need to support Indigenous defenders — particularly women — who bear the heaviest burdens of exclusion in a society still marked by colonialist, sexist and classist practices. He said efforts going forward will focus especially on the northern Amazon, where Indigenous communities face heightened risks from foreign and domestic companies, and where environmental defenders often struggle to make their voices heard. The network also hopes to continue partnering with other Christian organizations, including the PC(USA), as they work toward justice and healing for the earth and human communities harmed by extractivist industries.

Layton Williams Berkes, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian News Service (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Kelly Cahill, Administrator, Plan Operations, Board of Pensions
Peter Campbell, Team Lead Consultant, Information Technology Infrastructure, Administrative Services Group, A Corporation                                   

Let us pray:

Gracious God, thank you for opportunities to see our neighbors’ plights in a new light. May we follow your example to help those in need as much as we possibly can. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Stewardship leaders are urged to reframe giving conversations amid changing faith patterns

How congregations weather changing faith and giving patterns may depend on how leaders engage and talk about stewardship, said Dr. David P. King.

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Dr. David P. King of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving delivered the opening plenary last month at Stewardship Kaleidoscope. (Photo by Gregg Brekke)

King, who is Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and associate professor of Philanthropic Studies within the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, recently spoke at the first plenary gathering at Stewardship Kaleidoscope  in New Orleans. The annual conference is presented by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

In “Engaging the Shifting Landscape of Faith and Giving,” King plunged into numbers that tell a nuanced story. Church membership among U.S. adults is now below 50%, with 56% reporting they seldom or never attend church.

“Even engaged members might be there just half the month,” he said.

History shows a change, particularly after World War II, from “the age of association to the age of authenticity.” Emerging generations feel less need to affiliate with an organization such as a congregation to find meaning and purpose, preferring a more personalized journey.

While 22% of Americans describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious,” 88% of these engage in a spiritual or religious activity weekly or more often.

“These people are inclined to be givers,” King said, encouraging church leaders to consider how to encourage congregational participation in conjunction with this generosity.

Almost a quarter of all charitable giving goes to religious organizations. The majority of these are congregations, King said. However, as a share of total giving, donations to religion have declined since the 1980s.

Also decreased is the number of households giving to charity in general. “Fewer folks are giving more, particularly the biggest donors,” he noted.

King cited declines in both individual disposable income and institutional trust. Another factor is a marked decline in giving to churches among adults younger than 30.

Fifty-five percent of Americans say religious or spiritual values motivate their giving, King said.

“One question is: How are they giving?” King said.

He pointed to four giving types: impulsive, selective, habitual and planned. “Impulsive givers (42%) are about half of all Americans,” he said. Selective givers came in at 17%, while planned givers make up about 16% and habitual are only 6%.

“This isn’t to say any of these are right or wrong,” King said, “but messaging is important.”

Also consider “pay the bills” vs. “share the vision” messaging, he suggested. The former frames money in mostly unspiritual terms: “Money is scarce.” “We have bills to pay if we’re going to survive.” The latter, by contrast, may say: “We may not be rich, but we have more than enough.” or “Partner with us in God’s mission to …”

The word “stewardship” itself gets used so much it can become vague or even empty, King said.

“We could either rehab stewardship language or retire it,” he said. “I think we could revivify it. We can give it new life.”

Nancy Crowe for the Presbyterian Foundation (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Olivia Cacchione, Outreach Specialist, Presbyterian Historical Society, Interim Unified Agency
Carl Cadet, Lead Cook, Stony Point Center, Interim Unified Agency

Let us pray:

Generous God, all that we have comes from you, and you invite us to share your work in the world. Help us to share a vision that inspires faith and joyful participation in your mission. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Young advocates gather for worship and justice at Michigan church during conference

As participants in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Young Adult Advocacy Conference came together for a Sunday morning service with members of First Presbyterian Church of Lansing, the Rev. Jennifer Hibben had a situation back home on her mind.

While on the way to the conference, Hibben, a Methodist minister accompanying a group pf YAAC participants who were en route from Iowa, had received a notification that a community member had been apprehended by immigration authorities.

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The Rev. Jennifer Hibben is director of The Vine, a campus ministry affiliated with Collegiate Presbyterian Church in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Alex Simon)

“We're really heartbroken about that,” said Hibben, who directs The Vine, a campus ministry affiliated with Collegiate Presbyterian Church and serving the Iowa State University community. "We continue to figure out how we as people of the church can continue to work so that these things don't happen.” 

Social justice advocacy work — and the importance of getting young people involved — was the focus of the recent conference, also known as “Jesus and Justice.” The topic also tied into that Sunday’s sermon at First Presbyterian Church by the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, advocacy director in the Interim Unified Agency of the PC(USA).

Explaining how the conference works, Hawkins told church service attendees that “we bring young people together to talk about faith and justice together — how they are intertwined” and later added, "God calls us to be people of justice.”

During his sermon, Hawkins noted that “when you talk to young people about their priorities, justice is at the top of the list,” and praised a YAAC panel of young adults for expressing their concern about many topics on the Saturday before.

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The Rev. Jimmie Hawkins speaks at First Presbyterian Church of Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Alex Simon)

Young people “talk about the ways in which they want to make a difference in this world,” Hawkins noted, and when “you look at all of the protest marches that happened in this country in the last five years, most of them have been led by young people.”

So, it’s vital for the church to convey the message that justice was important to Jesus and is also important to the PC(USA), Hawkins has noted.

“We’ve got to find ways to connect with young people, to let them know that we, too, are concerned about justice,” he said. “We want to support you in your drive to make a difference in this world, to be a living witness to what it means to follow Jesus.” 

One of the main Scriptures that Hawkins highlighted was Matthew 23:23–24 in which Jesus chastises the people for neglecting justice, mercy and faithfulness. “Those are our priorities today, church. If everyone does not have justice, we cannot be comfortable.”

Hawkins also emphasized Micah 6:8, which asks, “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God?”

Yet “our rulers are struggling with what it means to have integrity,” Hawkins said. “Our nation is so divided, one against another, and even in the church, we define ourselves by political labels,” such as being a red, blue or purple church, instead of remembering that “we fall under the banner of Jesus Christ.”

Regardless of race, socioeconomic status or political party, “when we walk in this house we are one,” Hawkins said.

The preacher also expressed concern about wars scattered around the world, from Gaza to Sudan to Ukraine, and urged church attendees to look to Micah 4:2–3 for words of peace.

“War is too rampant around this world,” Hawkins said. “And we pray that our God might indeed bring forth this promise that all nations will put away their weapons of war and yet melt them down into farming tools in order to feed hungry children. That is why we are here, church. We are called to be a people who recognize that there is pain in this world, there’s suffering in this world, and we cannot pretend that it's not going forth and not happening and not do anything about it.”

Darla Carter, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Donna Burkland, Apprentice, 1001 New Worshiping Communities, Interim Unified Agency
Becky Burton, Data Entry, Funds Development Operations, Administrative Services Group, A Corporation

Let us pray:

God of justice and mercy, bless young leaders with courage and perseverance and unite us across every divide so that together we may be instruments of your peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.