Mission Yearbook: Armstrong calls for beloved community

From the pulpit earlier in Shelton Chapel at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, the Rev. CeCe Armstrong wondered aloud about the bonds among Jesus’ close friends, especially Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Armstrong, Co-Moderator of the 226th General Assembly (2024), was the preacher for the MidWinter Lectures, in its 81st year at Austin Seminary.

“They probably did ministry together,” Armstrong said of the four, drawing on John 11:38–44, the raising of Lazarus, as her preaching text. “Whatever others thought, they were friends, and they did the work God called them to do together.”

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Photo by Markus Winkler via Unsplash

Earlier in John 11, Martha goes to meet Jesus and tells him that he waited too long to make his appearance. Jesus reminds her who he is — the resurrection and the life. “She relied on their long-lasting relationship and agreed with Jesus’ claim, but is disappointed in the timing of it all,” Armstrong said. “How many times have we neglected to see God at work because it didn’t turn out like we had planned it?”

When Mary finds Jesus, she kneels at his feet, weeping, and tells Jesus that Lazarus would be alive if Jesus had only arrived sooner. “God is compassionate and loving, and so Jesus cries,” Armstrong noted. “Isn’t it strange how those outside the situation always seem to have a solution to your problem? They are always talking about how the situation could have been different.”

Lazarus is entombed and a stone blocks the entrance to the cave. When Jesus calls for its removal, Armstrong, quoting Martha, says, “there may be a stench.”

“Jesus was not concerned about that stinky smell,” Armstrong said. “Smell or no smell, she would see the glory of God.”

When Jesus prays, it’s “not a plea for a miracle” or a “woe is me” prayer, Armstrong said. “Jesus’ prayer was a prayer of understanding that the glory of God would be revealed. It was a prayer of thanksgiving. Jesus says, ‘I know that you always hear me, but I have said this so the crowd would believe that you sent me.’”

Instead of asking Lazarus, “would you like to come out now?” Jesus speaks “with conviction and power,” Armstrong said. When Lazarus emerges still bound, Jesus instructs those nearby to unbind him. He was speaking to “the nosy folks standing nearby,” Armstrong said.

“Friends, I don’t know if anybody has told you: you are the ‘them’ Jesus was talking to,” Armstrong said. “We are the ‘them’ in this text.”

“Could Lazarus take his own strips of cloth off with his hands and his feet bound? No. It is the requirement of the beloved community,” she said. “It is our responsibility to take grave clothes off, to tend to the ones who are bound.”

“We get so caught up in the miracle of the dead man coming to life,” she said, “that we don’t hear Jesus’ command to take the grave clothes off.”

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The Rev. CeCe Armstrong

“We must be willing to be on this journey to serve,” as Armstrong and her fellow Co-Moderator, the Rev. Tony Larson, are. “We can’t see something without saying something.”

Turning to protests in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities, Armstrong said Jesus “is expecting us to care for ourselves and to help others when we can. Now would be a really good time to revisit the Matthew 25 text. Helping those in need is being obedient to God and upholds your responsibility as the beloved community.”

“Wouldn’t you want help taking your grave clothes off?” she asked. “Why wouldn’t you do that for someone else?”

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Katherine Babicz, AVP Financial & Investment Planning Professional, Trust Services, Presbyterian Foundation
Margaret Boone, Project Manager, Special Offerings, Administrative Services Group

Let us pray:

God of the young and the old, we thank you for the opportunity to learn and grow together. Continue to stretch our boundaries, that we may ever grow into the people you have created us to be. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Atlanta minister connects faith, law and advocacy

The Rev. Rebekah LeMon never abandoned her legal training when she entered ministry. Instead, she discovered that advocacy — the core skill of any lawyer — is also a fundamental calling for people of faith.

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The Rev. Rebekah LeMon (contributed photo)

“Advocacy is not a tricky word for lawyers. It is the job, right?” LeMon recently told host the Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime on Day1’s podcast. LeMon explained how vox, the root for “voice,” is in the word “advocate.” “You are literally ‘voicing,’” she said, adding that as a lawyer, “you are speaking for someone, and that is what you’re preparing to do.”

LeMon, senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, brought her legal background into conversation with her pastoral vocation during the episode, which featured her sermon “Be Humble Walking,” based on Micah 6:1–8.

The attorney-turned-minister acknowledged that while advocacy comes naturally in legal settings, it often creates discomfort in congregations. “Advocacy becomes a little trickier for church people sometimes,” she said, attributing this hesitation partly to “the deep rootedness of partisanship in our world right now that people associate advocacy with taking a partisan position.”

Over seven years ago, her call led LeMon to join the board of Presbyterians for a Better Georgia, an organization designed to give people of faith practical tools for civic engagement while breaking down partisan walls. “The goal of our systems and the goal of our legislative process are for the good of all, right? It is not meant to create benefit for some and lack or punishment for others,” she said.

LeMon identified a troubling disconnect in how Christians approach need. “So many people of faith would feel totally comfortable helping a person, right? We’ve read Matthew 25, we understand that people need — if they are hungry, we’re to feed them; if they are thirsty, we’re to give them drink; if they’re estranged, we’re to welcome them,” she said. “Somehow that feels comfortable if there’s a person in front of you and a material thing you can give them. But the systemic expression of that, which is let us change the system that is keeping people from having access to housing, or that is preserving food deserts, or that is alienating people from their home spaces, which are exactly the same things listed in Matthew 25, somehow the system level really scares people or makes them think they’re going to offend somebody.”

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Volunteers of Presbyterians for a Better Georgia on Lobby Day 2024. (Photo by Rich Copley)

Advocacy, she argued, simply extends individual acts of mercy to address root causes. “We’re doing it in these really beautiful and important ways for humans we know. And the logical step is, let’s do it for humans we don’t know yet, and let’s change the system so our expression of fulfilling the command of Matthew 25 is not limited to one person at a time,” LeMon said. “That's what advocacy is really — you're trying to change the thing that causes the need to begin with.”

Presbyterians for a Better Georgia facilitates this work by taking positions on legislation and partnering with other nonprofits to amplify collective voices, particularly around housing, homelessness, and health care for all Georgians, LeMon said. 

The organization provides what LeMon called “a fertile training ground for breaking down some of this partisanship stuff that's overlaying all of our lives right now.” 

“I’ve never heard advocacy described quite that way,” Kime responded, “and to hear it in a moment now when there’s such muddle about what it means to be faithful and to act in the civic sphere, right? In a moment when, like, oh, that’s so dangerous.”

In her sermon “Be Humble Walking,” Lemon reflected on Micah’s call to “do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God.” She emphasized that humility is not humiliation but rather “a way of being as you stick with God for the journey of a lifetime.” Noting that “our Lord was a walker,” moving from town to town throughout his ministry, Lemon framed Christian discipleship as walking alongside God rather than positioning ourselves defensively with “arms crossed, ready to self-defend.”

Addressing contemporary challenges to truth and humility, LeMon said, “In a world that settles for truthiness ... let us acknowledge we have so much to learn ... so much to change.”

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Molly Atkinson, Senior Administrative Assistant, Financial Aid Service, Presbyterian Life & Witness
Yesenia Ayala,  Associate, Financial Aid for Service, Presbyterian Life & Witness

Let us pray:

God of all generations, open us to your call to love you and our neighbor no matter what our age, no matter what our talent, no matter what else we may have to do. May those who serve and those who are served feel like partner in your church, which hopes for the shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship of the children of God. Amen.

God's Mission Our Gifts - Your September Mission and Service Stories and more!

Emancipation Day August 1, 2026 marked Emancipation Day, commemorating the legal abolition of slavery on the land that is now Canada. It’s a day to remember our history, acknowledge that racism continues to impact lives today, and renew our commitment to building a more just and equitable future. This Emancipation Day, The United Church of Canada Foundation extended an invitation to help sustain anti-racism initiatives across the church. You can still make a gift. Gifts will support programs that address racial injustice and create opportunities for learning, healing, and conversation. Powerful anti-racism initiatives are happening across our church in response to the truths that racialized and Indigenous Peoples have bravely shared and acknowledge their stories of resistance and strength. Contributions to the Foundation are an investment in these crucial initiatives, such as:   The United Church of Canada’s 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism, which encourages vital conversations about racial discrimination across our church communities. Our involvement in Fund Canada, which aims to unlock $500 million in grants by 2030, focusing on underfunded leaders and underrepresented voices. This funding will transform communities by investing in leaders with lived experiences to drive necessary change. The Indigenous and Racialized Youth Scholars Program, an investment in young leaders in the church, encouraging their participation in dialogues that shape the future of our society.   Together, we can continue the work of becoming an anti-racist church. The giving page is online. Your September Mission and Service Stories PowerPoint slides for each story are available on the Mission and Service Resources page. September 6 Leaders in the Making At Camp Kee-Mo-Kee, emerging senior staff are discovering what it means to lead with the support of an experienced mentor who can coach, encourage, and step in wherever needed. As staff grow in confidence and capability, they are better equipped to create a caring, meaningful summer for every camper. September 13 Food4Fun Children spend their PA Days getting their hands in the soil, learning their way around the kitchen, and discovering the joy of doing things together. For children with different abilities and needs, the welcoming program offers a place to explore, build confidence, make connections, and perhaps discover a new love of gardening or cooking. September 20 Crossing Class Lines Crossing Class Lines begins with something wonderfully simple: people sitting around the same table, sharing a home-cooked meal and getting to know one another. From there, honest conversations about poverty, privilege, and lived experience can unfold, creating space for deeper understanding and relationships across economic differences. September 27 Restoring Sacred Connections Healing with Horses brings people together with the land, community, and the gentle strength of horses, including four rare Ojibwe Spirit Horses that have found their way home. Through riding, caring for the horses, traditional teachings, and time together, participants are finding new ways to reconnect, express themselves, and begin to heal.

Why be a Mission and Service Volunteer? You love the Mission and Service stories and want to share them: you’ve been reading the stories on the website every now and then, and you think they would inspire your congregation – if only you could hear about how other people were using them! As a volunteer, you can have Mission and Service stories for the upcoming month sent right to your email inbox. They’re part of a weekly email with lots of information you can use.  You can also virtually meet other Mission and Service volunteers and learn what works for them!  Contact us today to learn more!      Mission and Service Volunteer Program    The United Church of Canada Foundation  ms@united-church.ca    1-800-465-3771  Gifts with Vision News   Looking for a gift that gives twice? The Gifts with Vision online catalogue is brimming with meaningful ways to celebrate birthdays, holidays, milestones, or even "just because!" From supporting food security and education to caring for creation and emergency response, there's something for everyone. Take a look... you might just find the perfect gift. Take a look now! Questions? Email Gifts with Vision. You can also call us at 1-844-715-7969. Congregational Stewardship/Generosity   Don’t forget, as of July 2026, you can find Stewardship resources and support through the Community of Faith Stewardship page on The United Church of Canada website. Special Event: Project Ploughshares Marks 50 Years of Peacebuilding Celebrate 50 years of Project Ploughshares on the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. The anniversary gala will be held Monday, September 21, at 6:00 p.m. at Federation Hall, University of Waterloo, and will feature dinner and a keynote address by the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy. Tickets are $70. Proceeds support Project Ploughshares’ continuing research, advocacy, and action for global peace. Register today! GOD’S MISSION, OUR GIFTS is your newsletter. We want to provide news and information that you can use in your community of faith, whether you’re a minister, a board member, an administrator, a treasurer, or anyone else who wants to make a difference.   What else would you like to see? What can we do to help your community of faith get where it needs to go? Send us your thoughts! Donate Facebook Website Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn   Your generosity enables the United Church to love, serve, and minister in the world. Make an online donation or learn more about your options to support the work of the church.

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Minute for Mission: Public Education

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Beechmont Presbyterian Church in Louisville is home to La Escuelita Learning Hub. La Escuelita embodies what churches can do to support public education and child advocacy by providing homework help, enrichment activities, ESL support and therapy for over 30 children, and case management for families connecting them with educational, health and social services. (Photo Credit: La Escuelita)

Recently, a friend asked, “How did you become Presbyterian?” I shared that I joined a Presbyterian church at 17. I’d been invited to the church’s youth group by a newfound friend in my first year of high school. I thought that Presbyterian was a funny name for a church. At the time, the pastor (now one of my mentors) invited me to consider joining. Knowing I would have to explain all of this to my mother, I asked the pastor to “tell me, in one word, what Presbyterians are about.” His answer was swift and profound — “Alonzo, Presbyterians are about education.” Over 30 years later, as an ordained pastor working in the national ministries of this “church with a funny name,’’ I carry his words in my heart deeply and I am still empowered by them.

Presbyterians are about education, and education is about growth and empowerment. Support of public education is also an attestation of possibilities of growth and empowerment for all children. Jesus’ radical hospitality and his invitation to all children should remind us as people of faith, that all children are created in God’s image and included in God’s life. Supporting public education shows our commitment to living in God’s life by meeting the needs of all children. Access to quality education plays an integral role in building the fullness of life for which God created them. Recent attacks on public education threaten this fullness by impeding access to vast educational opportunities for children, especially those in vulnerable and marginalized communities (children are the most poverty-stricken group in the U.S.).

Here are four ways that we as Presbyterians can covenant to live into supporting and defending public education. You can find this education covenant in its entirety here: pcusa.org/sites/default/files/2025-01/EaC-Covenant.pdf.

• Be involved in direct service. This means that we can create ministries and early childhood programs within our churches to address impediments to children’s academic, developmental and social needs. We can walk with families, listen to communities and invest in organizations and programs that meet the needs of young people and their families.
• Create opportunities to engage in raising consciousness about these issues. Here, we become aware of the lack of access to education as one of the root causes of poverty. Effectively ending poverty in this country means that children must have the basic skills that will allow them to live lives of self-determination. Schools cannot accomplish this alone. It is also here that we can better familiarize ourselves with our historical commitment to education and commitment to advocacy and call to engage in justice and public life. 
• Engage in systemic change, which allows us to partake in a deeper engagement in advocacy and public witness. One quick way to do this is by signing up for Action Alerts from the Office of Public Witness. Attend school board, city council and campaign town hall meetings and advocate for legislation and safety net programs that benefit children and their families.         
• Practice Christian disciplines by including children, families, teachers, administrators, and all who work with children in the church’s worship and spiritual life. We should be intentional about connecting Scripture to what is happening in public life. We should integrate the concerns of educators, children and families in spiritual practices like prayer, worship and Bible study. Congregations can take up a collection for teachers to offset out-of-pocket school supply expenses. 

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Lucy Craft Laney (Presbyterian Historical Society)

In Matthew’s Gospel, Christ warns against those who place “stumbling blocks” in the way of children (18:6). As people of faith, we are called to commit ourselves to the missional work of removing stumbling blocks from children and young people by supporting and defending public education. In doing so, I am inspired by Lucy Craft Laney (1854–1933), the pioneering Black Presbyterian educator and civil rights advocate who was born in slavery and in 1883 organized a school for Black children in the basement of Christ Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia. Fighting segregation, racial animus, terror and poverty, Laney believed that education was also integral to survival. Education equips all of us. Thriving communities (and democracies!) benefit from access to quality education. For many children in our country, access to public education is integral for their survival.

Here are some links that I believe you will find helpful in learning more about how you can be involved in the work of supporting public education and its intersectional issues:

Educate a Child website: pcusa.org/about-pcusa/agencies-entities/interim-unified-agency/ministry-areas/self-development-people/educate-child-transform-world

PC(USA) policy on public education: pcusa.org/resource/loving-our-neighbors-equity-and-quality-public-education-k-12

PC(USA) Poverty Page: pcusa.org/how-we-serve/justice-peace/poverty

More on Lucy Craft Laney: pcusa.org/news-storytelling/blogs/historical-society-blog/lucy-craft-laney-and-haines-institute

Rev. Dr. Alonzo T. Johnson, Manager of the Presbyterian Committee on the Self Development of People and Convener of the Education Roundtable

Let us join in prayer for:

Monty Anderson, Vice President/COO & Corporate Treasurer, Operations, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
Rachel Anderson, Global Ecumenical Liaison-US, Global Ecumenical Partnerships, Presbyterian Life & Witness

Let us pray:

Holy God, teacher of all, show us how to have courage in removing stumbling blocks and taking care of the least of these. Loving God, teach us again the lessons Christ taught us in welcoming and caring for all children. Remind us in our sacraments that we are called to love, accept, provide, advocate, strengthen, protect and include all children. In Christ the teacher we pray. Amen. 

Resources for the World Communion Offering

World Communion Offering Resources for Churches Here are some of the great resources to use as you prepare to receive the World Communion Offering. Leader’s Guide This guide has everything you need to plan, prepare and receive the World Communion Offering this year. Look inside for information on World Communion Sunday, how World Communion Offering funds are used as directed by the General Assembly, and even minutes for mission you can use in worship services leading up to the day you receive the Offering.  Download the Leader’s Guide Social Media Images Use these premade social media images to share the World Communion Offering with your community. Just schedule these posts on your platform of choice. It’s that easy. Download the Social Media Images World Communion Sunday Liturgy Our World Communion Offering worship liturgy, prepared by the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, gives you a beautiful and meaningful way to craft the worship service for receiving the World Communion Offering. Download the Liturgy Coloring Page Coloring is not just for children. Use this coloring sheet that is a visual representation of Micah 6:8 and make it available for everyone in your congregation to use in classes, meetings and worship. Download the Coloring Page Check out even more World Communion Offering resources on our website. Thank you for supporting the World Communion Offering. Thank you for generously supporting the Churchwide Special offerings.  If you have any questions, reply to this email or call us at (800) 728-7228, Ext. 5047.

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