Mission Yearbook: Book encourages a walk of faith

The writing team of the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Campbell and the Rev. Christine Coy Fohr, which previously gave us “Meeting Jesus at the Table: A Lenten Study,” has a new book that’s been published by Westminster John Knox Press, and the two stopped by the virtual studios of “A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast” to talk about it. Listen to their 49-minute conversation with hosts Simon Doong and the Rev. Lee Catoe here.

Image

Westminster John Knox Press published "Meeting Jesus on the Road."

Campbell served in ministry, taught at seminaries and was the ninth president of McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Coy Fohr is head pastor at Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church in Louisville. Their new book is “Meeting Jesus on the Road: A Lenten Study.” Videos to aid group studies of the book are here.

Campbell said the title for the new book came from a collection of essays from Kosuke Koyama called “Three Mile an Hour God.” “His point was if you walk and try to have a conversation at the same time, 3 miles per hour is probably as much as you can do,” Campbell said. “God slowed God’s self down to 3 miles per hour. The incarnation happens in the bodies we actually inhabit, with all the limitations and all the possibilities.”

“If we believe in this 3 miles per hour God who chose to be incarnate and take on flesh, we should let our spiritual and physical lives do the same,” she said, “that they can come alongside one another and build one another up.”

Walking prompts are included in the book, Campbell noted.

“I love the idea of holding a person or an issue in your mind or your heart as you take a walk,” she said. 

As people walk their neighborhood or one nearby, they’re asked, “What did you see? What does that tell you about who lives there?” Campbell said. “Jesus lived in a real location. You can go to Israel-Palestine and there are guides who will say, ‘this is exactly where the Sermon on the Mount happened.’ We don’t know that, but what we do know is that he was in the whole region, and you can look around. Context matters, and being aware of that is a very important spiritual discipline.”

Image

The Rev. Christine Coy Fohr

Coy Fohr wrote a chapter on walking a labyrinth. “People for centuries have tried to slow down and be mindful and prayerful,” she said. “There’s a spiritual practice in walking unattached to wherever we’re going.”

The very act of slowing down “can be so important to being present in a way that we see Jesus being present to people,” she said.

In Mark’s gospel, Jesus tries multiple times to explain to the disciples what discipleship entails, Campbell said. “It’s about decentering yourself. It’s about changing allegiance from the reign of Caesar to the reign of God, to living in this new, dynamic, different way,” she said. “I think Jesus had to understand there was no way these folks would really get it until they are on the other side of the resurrection, which is where the gospels are written.”

“These are hard questions,” she said. “Who am I loyal to? What’s the center of my values, and what am I willing to put on the line for that? How much of me am I willing to invest in living in a different way?”

Coy Fohr also wrote the final chapter, on Easter itself. In that chapter, the authors note that after his resurrection, Jesus instructed the people to “go back to Galilee and there you’ll find me,” she said. “We explored what that means, to go back to the thing that first captured your heart, that first got you on this journey, and it just keeps going.”

“You’re not thinking, I’ve reached the endpoint and I’m good to go,” she said. “It’s an ongoing process, and it’s not an easy process.”

“It’s also about going back to that place where you were first captivated by Jesus and by this joy of living your life differently, and the possibility that holds.”

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Cheryl Barnes,  Lead, Global Ecumenical Liaison-US, Global Ecumenical Partnerships, Presbyterian Life & Witness
David Barnhart, Film Producer, Advocacy & Community Engagement, Presbyterian Life & Witness   

Let us pray:

God of love, you came down to this lowly place because you loved us so much. Help us to follow you and go out to the ends of the world to proclaim the gospel to the unreached, that your kingdom may come on this earth! We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prepare to Apply for the World Communion Offering Grant

Preparing to Apply for the World Communion Offering Grant The PC(USA)’s Grant Management System We are excited to share more details about the World Communion Offering Grants made possible by your faithful giving to the World Communion Offering. The PC(USA) utilizes an online grant management system to administer grants, and below are a few helpful tips and tricks to make the application process as easy as possible. If you haven’t used the PC(USA)’s grant management system, Akoya GO, before, you will need to set up an account in order to apply for the a grant. The WCO Grant application is intentionally brief and focused on clarity. It should take about 15 minutes to fill out the grant application online once all required content and responses to questions have been collected.

Required Documents and Other Grant Stipulations Gather all required documents in advance. You can find the list of required documents on our World Communion Offering Grant FAQs.  Additionally, applicants will agree to: Use funds as described in the application Share brief stories, images and/or reflections about the project’s impact for reporting and interpretation purposes

View Our Grant FAQs

For all questions related to the World Communion Grant application, contact Marla Edwards at Marla.Edwards@pcusa.org.

Thank you for generously supporting the World Communion Offering.   If you have any questions, reply to this email or call us at (800) 728-7228, Ext. 5047.

Ministry Matters - Facing change with clear eyes and open hearts

Pastoral Transition Is Holy Work by Andrea Byer-Thomas   "A pastoral move is never just about one pastor leaving and another arriving. Transitions unsettle relationships, routines, assumptions, power patterns, anxieties, loyalties, hopes, and sometimes old wounds that had scabbed over. Pastors carry a mixture of gratitude, grief, relief, anticipation, worry, and unfinished longing. Congregations carry their own mixture too." Continue Reading What the Numbers Actually Tell Us About the UMC Right Now by Lovett H. Weems Jr. "Things are different today. However, the trajectory of change since 2019 has not so much been different from the past, but accelerated. For example, there are 25 percent fewer local churches today, but the number of churches has been declining for as long as most of us can remember, if not longer."  Read Now No one needs to explain to United Methodist clergy and lay leadership what happened in the disaffiliation process between 2019 and 2023. Trauma-Informed Ministry From foundational frameworks for trauma-informed care to reflections on Scripture, preaching, and pastoral practice, this collection equips church leaders to minister faithfully in the wake of tragedy, crisis, and everyday stress. Explore articles on building resilience, practicing hope, and finding stability for both congregations and the people who lead them. Explore More

For seventeen centuries, Christians have debated Constantine's legacy—did he save the church, or transform it into something else entirely? Lavender contrasts Nazarene Christianity's humility and sacrificial love with Imperial Christianity's alignment with power, tracing the divide through war, wealth, persecution, and church-state relations. A timely, self-examining look at Christian nationalism and public witness, complete with an eight-session study guide for churches and classes. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was, above all, a lifelong reader of Scripture—one whose deep engagement with the Bible shaped his resistance to Nazi tyranny and his costly discipleship. Drawing on moments across his life, from Harlem to imprisonment, Howell shows how Bonhoeffer's reading became a bold awareness that his life belonged to God, even amid uncertainty and evil. An invitation to read Scripture as Bonhoeffer did: faithfully, courageously, and with eyes open to the world. Includes a companion code for Amplify Media video sessions. Countless pastors have turned to this annual to lighten the load of sermon and service preparation, year after year. It's a tried-and-true resource that makes your demanding job easier, whether you use its contents as is or tailor them to your own approach. Includes morning and evening services for every Sunday, fully indexed sermon outlines and topics, midweek devotionals, special-day services, wedding and funeral resources, and more.

Mission Yearbook: Program helps NWCs build strong foundations

“It’s gatherings like this, where you get together with the people who think like you, who understand ministry like you do, who know that there's a lot of people out there who need to hear about Jesus, but in a very different way, and it’s good to be together,” said Mindy Heimer, co-founder of A Stoked Life, a new worshiping community in Denver Presbytery.

Heimer and Nathan, her partner in life and ministry, were among 150 new worshiping leaders who attended the 1001 New Worshiping Communities national gathering in October 2025. The gathering was an opportunity for the staff of the 1001 New Worshiping Communities movement to offer support on a national scale to leaders the innovative evangelists, faithful nonprofit incubators and church planters.

Video URL: https://player.vimeo.com/video/1150359405

Throughout the year, 1001 New Worshiping Communities supports leaders within its movement in a myriad of other ways.

Image

Hikers at Kin-dom Camp, a new worshiping community, take a path less traveled (Photo by Rich Copley).

One of these ways is the Pathways to Flourishing program designed for mid councils. The program is a comprehensive initiative designed to equip, support and resource New Worshiping Communities leaders with essential skills for starting, sustaining and growing new worshiping communities. Over the past three years, five cohorts comprising leaders from nearly 20 presbyteries have launched under the guidance of 1001 NWC regional associates the Rev. Shawn Kang and the Rev. Dr. Gad Mpoyo.

The program addresses a critical gap many church planters face, supporting them with skills development, community of peers, and ongoing coaching through a system of 1001 cohorts and trained coaches. The first wave of the program launched cohorts within partner presbyteries, fostering a culture of innovation and support inside mid councils as they face widespread changes and look for new ways to evangelize and launch faith communities.

“The Pathways program is meant for presbyteries, mid councils, and supporters to create ecosystems of innovation that allow NWCs to find their footing and thrive,” said Mpoyo.

“Many leaders are called to start new worshiping communities but lack training in the practical aspects of growing an organization in partnership with mid councils,” said Kang. “Pathways to Flourishing provides the tools they need to build communities that don’t just survive but truly thrive.”

The program offers both online courses and in-person learning experiences covering crucial topics including financial management, legal structures, fundraising strategies, team building and organizational development. Participants learn to navigate the complexities of establishing nonprofits, managing budgets, building effective teams and creating sustainable funding models.

Unlike traditional seminary education, which focuses primarily on theological formation and pastoral care, Pathways to Flourishing concentrates on the entrepreneurial and administrative competencies essential for launching new ministries in contemporary contexts.

In October 2025, 1001 New Worshiping Communities held a national gathering for their leaders. The gathering was centered around restoration through rest and community. The Rev. Pepa Paniagua, founder of Kin-dom Camp, an LGBTQIA+-friendly new worshiping community in Texas and current staff member of Grace Presbytery directing the Innovation for New Ministry initiative, appreciated the time away with other new worshiping leaders. “I joke that I spend a lot of energy pushing the door open so that others can go through it,” Paniagua said about the way her work has evolved since founding a new worshiping community and transitioning to help mid councils support others in the work of tent-making. For over a year, Paniagua has been a part of a Pathways to Flourishing cohort that has included leaders from the Presbyteries of South Louisiana, Western North Carolina and Giddings-Lovejoy as well as her own Grace Presbytery.

Pathways to Flourishing represents 1001 New Worshiping Communities’ continued commitment to supporting innovative expressions of church across the PC(USA). Since its inception, the 1001 movement has helped launch hundreds of diverse worshiping communities, from urban café churches to rural community gardens, and from recovery ministries to online faith gatherings.

By equipping leaders with practical organizing acumen alongside their theological training, the program aims to increase the success rate and longevity of new worshiping communities, ensuring they have solid foundations for long-term ministry impact.

More details about Pathways to Flourishing are available through 1001 New Worshiping Communities’ website and by contacting Kang and Mpoyo. and by contacting Kang and Mpoyo. 

Beth Waltemath, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Life & Witness (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Clare Balsan, Associate, United Nations Advocacy, Presbyterian Ministry at the UN, Presbyterian Life & Witness
Rebecca Barnes, Lead, Presbyterian Hunger Program, Global Ecumenical Partnerships, Presbyterian Life & Witness

Let us pray:

Lord, let us see you in those we serve and in those who serve others. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: World Communion of Reformed Churches installs Peacock as general secretary

Image

The Rev. Jihyun Oh, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) and Executive Director of the Unified Agency as well as a member of the Executive Committee of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, stands between the outgoing and current WCRC general secretaries, the Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi (left) and the Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock (Photo by Robyn Davis Sekula).

On a bustling four-lane road in India, the Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock calmly guided a nervous visitor through heavy traffic, demonstrating both courage and care.

Months later, in Germany, he refused to cross a quiet street against a traffic signal, saying simply, “This is Germany.” The stories, shared during his installation service, offered a glimpse into the principled, careful, and relational leadership that colleagues say defines Peacock.

This year, the Reformed Church in Hanover, Germany, the World Communion of Reformed Churches marked a historic moment. Peacock became the first leader from Asia to hold the position of general secretary of a global communion, drawing friends, colleagues and ecumenical partners from around the world to witness the occasion.

A message from the Rev. Dr. Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, was delivered on his behalf, highlighting the significance of Peacock’s appointment. Pillay, a former WCRC president, praised Peacock.

“Philip brings a rare combination of scholarship, faith and action,” Pillay said. “His work on economic and ecological justice, his teaching on Dalit and feminist theology, and his prophetic voice in initiatives like ‘Focus Palestine’ have inspired the Reformed family worldwide.”

Peacock, who assumed office Jan. 1, previously served as WCRC executive secretary for justice and witness, guiding global initiatives on economic and ecological justice rooted in the Reformed tradition. An ordained minister of the Church of North India, he holds a Master of Theology from Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary and has taught Dalit and feminist theology at Bishop’s College in Kolkata. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree, and his scholarly work, mentorship, and publications have shaped theological and ecumenical discourse internationally.

Pillay also highlighted Peacock’s organizational acumen and his ability to navigate complex global challenges, from climate change and migration crises to gender-based violence and political instability. “His extraordinary ability to network and cultivate relationships, alongside his commitment to justice and sustainability, will help build a solid foundation for the WCRC’s future,” Pillay said.

Image

The Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the General Minister and President/CEO of the United Church of Christ, addresses those gathered in Hanover, Germany, for the installation of the Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock as WCRC general secretary (WCRC photo).

The ceremony featured greetings from the Rev. Dr. Anne Burghardt, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, who underscored the long-standing relationship between Lutheran and Reformed traditions. She highlighted initiatives such as the “Wittenberg Witness,” a shared commitment to reconciliation and justice, as examples of mutual enrichment.

“While the Reformed tradition continually calls the church to justice, the Lutheran tradition reminds us of the centrality of grace,” Burghardt said. She emphasized trust, relationship-building, and the importance of defending freedom of faith, especially as Christians face growing challenges in parts of the world. She urged churches to model cooperation and multilateral engagement as a countercultural witness in an era of declining international collaboration.

Both leaders praised Peacock’s ability to elevate the voices of marginalized communities, foster cross-cultural dialogue, and lead with humility, compassion and inclusivity. Pillay’s anecdotes illustrated Peacock’s courage and respect for structure, qualities that shape both his decision-making and relational approach to leadership.

“With his vision grounded in faith and justice, Philip Peacock’s leadership is set to inspire new generations of Reformed Christians to walk courageously in faith, hope and love,” Pillay said.

With more than 230 member churches, including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in 107 countries representing more 100 million Christians worldwide, the WCRC continues its mission of promoting unity, justice and transformation across the global Reformed family. Ecumenical leaders expressed confidence that Peacock’s tenure will strengthen collaboration, deepen theological engagement and enhance the Communion’s global witness.

World Communion of Reformed Churches (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Zenia Baker, Administrative I, Operations, Presbyterian Foundation
Adriana Ballard, AVP, Director of Investment Management, Investments, Presbyterian Foundation

Let us pray:

God of justice, your Spirit continues to labor in this world, inspiring each of us to contribute to a common good that is bigger than any of us can see. Let us strive to support others in their endeavors. In your name we pray. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Loving our neighbor is a community action, pastor says

Image

The Rev. Theresa Cho

The Annual Event for the Association of Partners in Christian Education closed as it opened, with worship and insightful preaching by the Rev. Therese Cho.

Cho is pastor and head of staff at St. John’s Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. She also preached during opening worship of the Annual Event.

According to the liturgy for the service, God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile about the need to “turn from their wicked ways and live.” God told Jeremiah, “I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sin.”

“Even the most foolish among us is loved,” the liturgy made clear for the crowd meeting in person in Pittsburgh and online. “Even dry bones will draw breath and know that God is God.”

“We know the good news is not for us alone. It is a light that is meant to be spread,” the liturgy stated, “a feast that is meant to be shared.”

Drawing from Galatians 3:23–29, Cho noted that the community of Galatia Paul was writing to, in modern-day Turkey, “was trying to discern what makes them a community,” she said. Was it circumcision? Knowing Scripture? Believing a certain way?

It was much more. “Jesus’ ministry was about bettering the lives of people by restoring them to God and one another, showing them how to love their neighbor,” Cho said. “If we aren’t addressing real-life problems, then the faith we practice is hollow.”

Image

Officer Clemmons and Mister Rogers cool their feet during a segment of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" (WikiMedia photo)

She showed the well-known clip from 1969 of Mister Rogers and François Scarborough Clemmons, known in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as Officer Clemmons, soaking their feet together on a hot day. “They didn’t want Black people to swim in the swimming pools,” Clemmons said years later. “Mister Rogers said, ‘that’s ridiculous.’”

“When I see this clip, I think of the time Jesus washed Peter’s feet,” Cho said. “Here’s Mister Rogers and Officer Clemmons doing that together.”

Cho recalled earlier ministry when she would carefully hold babies being treated at a San Francisco hospital. “I would hold children connected to way too many machines,” she said. “I would hold them very carefully so they knew in my arms they would not be poked or prodded or disturbed.”

“I didn’t have to know how to make them better,” she said, “but I had the arms to hold them. I wonder if that’s what the world could use now — cuddling. Presence.” She identified being present as one of the most difficult things students must learn in their chaplaincy training, “to witness the most vulnerable moments in a person’s life. It can call us to listen to their story and not tell ours.”

“I feel that’s when we have narrowed the gap — when the tears start flowing and we start to see one another as a child of God, a neighbor, and even divine and holy.”

Cho taught those in worship a pair of commonly used Korean phrases. One is used to acknowledge a server or barista “has been doing the hard work.”

“It’s been hard, huh? It’s been difficult” throughout the country in the past week or two, she said.

The second phrase is a goodbye phrase and serves as “an acknowledgement you are doing the good work,” she said.

“There have been generations before us and there will be generations after us that have been and will do the good work,” Cho said. Actions in Minneapolis and “in cities across the country are evidence of that, that what remains is love.”

She ended her reflection with a word of thanks. “Because you are you, I know there is a God greater than anything I can ever imagine. Because you are you, I have been loved into being,” she said. “Because you are you, I know that loving my neighbor is not a solo endeavor but a community action.”

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Charles Baker, Production Clerk, Presbyterian Distribution Service, Administrative Services Group
Kristine Baker, Associate for Risk Management, Administrative Services Group                   

Let us pray:

Gracious God, giver of every good and perfect gift, thank you for calling us to your service. Help us to be cheerful in using your gifts to us for the common good of     others — to your glory. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: APCE workshop focuses on expanding partnerships between churches and schools to help neighbors

Image

The Rev. Suzanne Parker Miller

Dressed in a “I [heart] public schools” T-shirt and clerical collar, the Rev. Suzanne Parker Miller, an ordained Moravian pastor and the founder and executive director of Pastors for North Carolina Children, led an interactive workshop during the Annual Event of the Association of Partners in Christian Education titled “Expanding Church & School Partnerships to Help Neighbors Thrive.”

Parker Miller sprinkled her workshop with food references, including welcoming “the cookie dough principle” for discussion, in which “half-baked ideas are OK” and calling “both popcorn and crockpots welcome.”

She asked participants: What are your churches doing in partnership with local schools?

One reported that her church, which is across the street from a public high school, collects hygiene products and winter coats, gloves and hats, and has provided “snack support” for faculty and other school staff. The school uses the church’s sanctuary for its concerts.

Another said the congregation, “after asking what they need,” provides classroom supplies that teachers would otherwise have to purchase themselves. The church also supplies bags of hard candy for children while they’re taking state-mandated tests. It opened its building and, importantly, its wi-fi capability during the pandemic.

A third reported that after a series of school shootings, pastors and others on staff “had a daily presence” at a nearby school and served as hall monitors.

“One church I know of feeds teachers’ breakfast early in the year and has a wall with prayer requests [from school staff] for the year,” Parker Miller said. “Church members took those and prayed for educators throughout the year. It was meaningful for the staff.”

Churches that participate in advocacy “have to answer the ‘we don’t do politics’ argument,” she said. “If we aren’t talking about politics, we aren’t talking about the gospel. Politics is how we govern and live together. What we don’t like is partisanship.”

According to Parker Miller, the growth in Christian nationalism has increased the need for even more advocacy connected to school vouchers, the defunding of public education, book bans, the placement of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and “chaplains” replacing school counselors.

Christian nationalism shows up in schools in several forms, she noted, including release time for religious education and prayer in schools.

“If your goal is to proselytize,” she said, “please stay away [from public schools].”

She said that if the goal is to begin or enhance the church’s partnership with a local school, here are some questions to consider:

• Who in the church might be interested in participating?
• What gifts and talents does the church have to share?
• How much time, energy and resources does the church have to allocate to this partnership?
• Who in the church already has a connection to a school?
• What are the demographics of the school, including how many students receive free and reduced lunches, are Spanish speakers and are academically gifted?
• What barriers might get in the way?
• What groups in the community are in partnership with the school already?
• Who do we need to meet with to explore the idea? Who are the stakeholders?
• What are the greatest needs of the school, according to the principal, counselor, social worker, nurse, teachers, the PTA and others?

She also left participants with these tips for forming and maintaining effective partnerships:

• The students and the school are always the priority — not the church and its needs.
• All glory is for God, and not the church’s ego.
• Don’t create more work for the school.
• Joining a team with other community partners is a great way to start. Silos are not helpful.
• Treat all children with respect and equality. Don’t play favorites or create jealousy.

Learn more about church and school partnerships here.

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Nora Baez, Lead Reservation Specialist, Stony Point Center, Presbyterian Life & Witness
Amber Baker, Donor Advised Fund Specialist, Operations, Presbyterian Foundation                                

Let us pray:

God of us all, we give thanks that you bridge the gaps of age, language and culture. Guide us as we partner with our brothers and sisters around the world and give us open hearts and minds to hear your voice. Amen.