Today in the Mission Yearbook - ‘Four for Four’ congregations feel a strong sense of Presbyterian connectedness

Remaining committed to Special Offerings

December 31, 2020

Lauren Rogers, mission specialist for the Presbyterian Mission Agency, recognizes First Presbyterian Church in Scottsburg, Ind., for their commitment to the
PC(USA)’s Special Offerings, which include One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost, Peace & Global Witness and Christmas Joy. Courtesy of Presbyterian Mission Agency

It had been several weeks of selling glasses of lemonade in the fellowship hall after worship, but the children of Northminster Presbyterian Church in Endwell, New York, were determined to raise enough money to provide a garden well to a community in need.

As they ran up the aisle for their time during worship with the pastor, the Rev. Rachel Helgeson held a cup of clean water and positioned herself between the baptismal font and the children’s pop-up lemonade stand. She then shared the news with her circle of young members: They had reached their goal of $1,500.

The children had been learning about the importance of clean water, their connection to others through the waters of baptism, and honoring God by giving money to support those in need. After thanking the children — and the generous congregation — a prayer was offered for those who would benefit from their gift. While raising funds for the garden well was exciting for the children, for the congregation the achievement was just another example of their life together.

“Northminster Presbyterian is known by the faith that is lived out in love for our neighbors in the southern tier of New York,” said Helgeson. “Whether it’s packing and distributing Thanksgiving baskets, gathering rummage items that will be used to help people financially or physically, starting a new partnership with the high school across the street to provide students food and supplies to succeed in school, or reaching out to our partners in Ethiopia, Northminster is living out its mission to be the body of Christ in our corner of the world.” The congregation’s embodied faith is clearly impacting their local community, but the connection to the body of Christ around the country and around the world is no less important. Returning to the connection of baptism’s waters and how they call God’s people to action, Helgeson says that “part of our commitment to participate in the body of Christ has been to be connectional with the PC(USA), namely in participating in the Special Offerings.” And that includes giving to all four offerings — One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost, Peace & Global Witness and Christmas Joy.

“Being a Four for Four congregation is our way of recognizing that just because all’s well that ends well in Endwell, New York, it doesn’t end here,” Helgeson added. This sentiment is echoed, perhaps even amplified, by congregations who would otherwise feel constrained by their budget — especially in a time of economic uncertainties due to the recent worldwide pandemic, when the first response is often to “preemptively cut expenses rather than give members the opportunity to increase giving,” said Jon Moore, a mission engagement advisor for the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

“People want to help during times of great need; it makes them feel alive, fulfilled, that they are making a difference,” said Moore.

In Scottsburg, Indiana, the members of First Presbyterian Church are thankful for the way the offerings guide their local ministry and broaden their congregation’s impact.

“Each of the four offerings is unique in its emphasis and the way our congregation lives it out or shares any portions we retain,” said Yvonne Satow, a church member. For example, gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing help hunger programs while the Pentecost offering allows congregations to retain a percentage of gifts collected to fund local programs that help children and youth.

“In this way, we are reminded that we are part of both a local and worldwide fellowship. Nothing we do or need is beyond the interest of our loving God,” said Satow. “The Special Offerings reflect the variety and depth of the church’s concern for God’s people everywhere.”

Ruling Elder Penny Allen of First Presbyterian Church of Bandon, Oregon, said that being Four for Four emboldens her 70-member congregation to support ministries they care about locally without feeling like they might be missing something globally.

“Being a Four for Four congregation allows us to broaden both the mission of our church and support missions of the presbytery,” she said. “Although small in size, we are strong in our support for mission, particularly programs that support children and those in need in our community and around the world.”

 Jon Reinink, Associate for Church Support for Special Offerings and the Presbyterian Giving Catalog, ministries of Mission Engagement & Support, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Molly Atkinson, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Holy God, you work through us in incredible, mysterious and sometimes uncomfortable ways. Lead us out where we are needed. Help us to go forth unafraid. Empower us to point people to you. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - ‘Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations’

International School of Reconciliation in Rwanda workshop focuses on healing inner wounds

December 30, 2020

The International School of Reconciliation practicum team. Courtesy of Patricia “Pat” Petty Morse

Entering retirement in 2019, Presbyterian elder Patricia “Pat” Petty Morse wondered where God would direct her to serve next.

Morse’s career as a lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice included assessing the judicial systems of several countries, including Sierra Leone, to encourage U.S. support toward transparent and effective systems of justice. She actively served her church in many ways, such as participating for 10 years on an anti-racism team in National Capital Presbytery.

At the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Big Tent conference in Baltimore in August 2019, Morse attended a healing and reconciliation workshop describing trauma care being done by Presbyterian partners in Africa. She was moved by the testimonies of inner healing and forgiveness taking place in Rwanda, Congo and South Sudan. A training scheduled in Africa earlier this year felt like a unique opportunity to explore how God might want to use her.

In February, before the pandemic disrupted travel, Morse arrived for a three-week workshop at the International School of Reconciliation in Rwanda. She joined participants from 11 countries, including several people from South Sudan. The facilitators, representing five nationalities, walked with participants through its “Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations” workshop, which includes four main areas: understanding God’s heart of love, healing our inner wounds, repentance and forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Morse reflected that healing our wounds helps to make us equal, as we realize that we are all broken and in need of healing. During the “cross workshop,” participants were encouraged to give their pain to Jesus, who took our sin and pain upon himself on the cross (Isaiah 53:4). Then they were encouraged to ask God to replace their pain with healing.

The South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church sent four members to Rwanda for this training. Afterward, elder Romano Kuat shared, “My father was killed in 1983, when I was a child, so I am a victim of ethnic conflict. I prayed many times and said, ‘I forgive them, because they didn’t know what they were doing.’ But I didn’t really forgive in my heart.” He said the course helped him realize he was still harboring unforgiveness. It gave him the opportunity to acknowledge his pain, give it to Jesus and ask for healing.

“After 30 years, I am finally experiencing healing for my father’s death,” Kuat said. “And I realized that South Sudan is very similar to Rwanda. We can learn from them!”

“The session ‘Forgiving Is Not Forgetting’ was really powerful for me,” said Suzan Ajullu. “Because if someone hurts you, it is not easy to heal and forgive. It is not just a matter of saying ‘I’m healed.’ Now I’m experiencing some healing of the wounds that I had. I don’t have the dreams anymore or the fears that I was having before. I really experienced healing in Rwanda.”

The Rwanda training culminated in a practicum where participants facilitated a workshop alongside coaches and translators. Morse, Kuat and Ajullu were in a group facilitating a workshop in a rural area that included both perpetrators and survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Morse shared that part of her learning process was working collaboratively with people from several different cultures, appreciating each person’s perspectives and gifts.

Just before their practicum started, Rwanda banned all public gatherings and began restricting travel due to COVID-19.

Participants scrambled to change flights and return to their home countries. Both in South Sudan and in the U.S., the past few months have revealed the inner wounds and ethnic tensions that plague people. Morse, Kuat, Ajullu and others are grateful for the healing experienced and the power of learning from one another. They said they are praying and looking forward to opportunities to organize future workshops to share the message of healing and hope with others.

 Kristi Rice, Mission Co-Worker serving in South Sudan

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Angie Andriot, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Jeffrey Arnold, Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities

Let us pray:

Lord, help us to share our ideas, our resources and our passion for your work in the world so that together we may be the body of Christ, sharing the good news and healing the tears in our social fabric. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Videos bring Hispanic Latino-a community together

60 ministers record reflections

December 29, 2020

Mabel MalavéIglesia, Presbiteriana en Cibao — San Sebastián, Puerto Rio

COVID-19 has us all rethinking the way we do ministry. And now, as churches ponder reopening, what will worship service look like? Will the new model of online worship service become the new normal?

At the invitation of the Hispanic Latino-a Intercultural Congregational Support Office, part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries, a group of tech-savvy Hispanic/Latino-a ministers have used their time and talent to develop a series of 60 devotional videos to comfort, bring hope and reassure viewers that even in a pandemic God still cares.

The four-minute reflection videos will be “shared among our constituency, communities and neighborhoods,” said Rosa Miranda, associate for the Hispanic Latino-a Intercultural Congregational Support Office. “This was a way to respond to the Matthew 25 initiative on congregational vitality by reaching out to those in the margins with a word of hope, comfort and encouragement in their own language and founded in Scripture from our Reformed theology.”

Collectively, the congregations have a greater impact and reach more people than each congregation does individually as these faith communities reach out to others whom they know need to hear the Good News.

“It is important to bring the loving presence of God in the midst of injustice, discrimination and hopelessness,” Miranda said. “At the beginning of the stay-at-home time, many faith communities did not have a livestream worship service option. So, these videos are a way to build a bridge by sharing a daily reflection with individuals in their community and members of their congregations.”

Utilizing Facebook and WhatsApp, the videos were distributed daily to leaders and members of the PC(USA) Hispanic/Latino-a faith communities so that they could be shared with friends, families and neighbors. “Many of our immigrant siblings have expressed their gratitude as it has brought comfort and joy to their hearts to be able to share with their families in their countries of origin in such a time of uncertainty and challenges,” said Miranda. “These daily reflections have crossed our borders to Spanish- speaking faith communities and friends in Latin America and Spain.”

Miranda says that in times when there are so many social media messages built on fear, misinformation and uncertainty, the Hispanic/Latino-a church leaders felt that this was an opportunity to go out in mission as the PC(USA) with a message of hope in God’s faithfulness in fulfilling his promises and sharing the good news of life in Jesus Christ.

The daily devotional series was made possible thanks to the leadership and gifts of the Rev. Rafael Viana, who led digital webinars to record the videos and to help congregations start streaming their worship services. More than 75 leaders participated in his four webinars — three in Spanish and one in Portuguese. Two of the videos were recorded for children and four of the 60 videos were recorded in Portuguese. Among the participants were teaching elders, CREs, lay leaders, chaplains, and moderators of Mujeres Hispanas Latinas Presbiterianas and Hombres Presbiterianos Hispanos Latinos. Each video included the phrase: “The Presbyterian Church cares for you.”

“I am so grateful to God for leaders like Rev. Viana, who out of his commitment to serve God has voluntarily given time, energy and dedication to edit each video,” Miranda said. “God’s Spirit brought leaders from diverse backgrounds together with one purpose in mind and heart, to serve and embrace their community in this time of crisis, and made out of it an opportunity to provide God’s loving care and presence by sharing words of comfort and hope, not knowing what God was about to do and how far it would go. This is who we are as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), a connectional church in mission.”

 Gail Strange, Director of Church and Mid Council Communications, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for:  

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Simone Adams, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Denise Anderson, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

O God, maker and lover of us all, inspire us to see your image in all people. Guide us to honor your image by treating everyone we encounter with honor and respect. Lead us to love one another as you love us. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - ‘Ordinary Time’ is extra-ordinary

The breather in the church calendar after the mountaintop highs

December 28, 2020

A recent cartoon in our Sunday newspaper depicted an exhausted mother, sprawled in a chair surrounded by typical birthday party chaos: torn wrapping paper, balloons, toys spread everywhere. Standing next to her, a little boy with a party hat tilted on his head asks, “When’s the next birthday?”

 I can relate to that as both the exhausted mom — ready for a break from the party planning, implementation and aftermath — and as a pastor — physically, spiritually and emotionally drained from the liturgical seasons of Advent or Lent/Holy Week/Easter. We eagerly anticipate the high holy days that frame so much of our lives, even though the preparation, expectation and effort they take leave us worn out and yes, even ready to pack up the decorations and get back in our routines. Those periods in between holidays give us time to catch our breath and return to regular life. That time in the church is known as “Ordinary Time.”

Ordinary Time comprises all the days not marked by a specific season. It stretches on for 27 to 29 Sundays (not counting the Sundays of the Transfiguration, All Saints and the Trinity), or 33 to 34 partial weeks depending on how early or late Easter falls on the calendar and whether the year has 52 or 53 weeks.

The name “Ordinary Time” does not mean ordinary as we use the word. It comes from the word ordinal, an adjective denoting a numerical position of an object. It’s “first, second, third,” instead of “one, two, three.” Originally, all the Sundays that weren’t contained in the Advent/Christmas or Lent/Easter seasons were indicated by ordinal numbers, hence the designation. Ordinary Time is basically “counted time.”

Yet there is something about the word “ordinary” that fits. Not in the sense of boring or dull but as an “in-between” season, a time to breathe after the culmination of the celebratory days. Just as most of our days are lived between the big events, so the church year is filled with more ordinary days than holidays. The holy days are the mountaintops, whereas Ordinary Time is the slopes, valleys and flatlands. All are beautiful — and necessary.

The Scripture passages assigned to Ordinary Time set the tone. They focus on the day- to-day life of Jesus. We read what it means from a practical standpoint to follow Jesus and the social and practical implications of doing so. Scripture and sermons focus on building a community of believers, people who would be Jesus’ wounded hands, aching feet, awkward elbows and soothing voice. Jesus told stories and broke bread with a few folks at a time, not always the boisterous crowds. He listened carefully and hung out with the no-names. He fell asleep in a boat during a storm. The ordinary abides in the extra ordinary, and vice versa.

Ordinary Time is a time for us to discover that in Christ, our lives are filled with grace, forgiveness and hope. We live as people of faith, “new creations in Christ,” not just on Christmas and Easter, but also during the times in between where most of life takes place.

Kathleen Long Bostrom, Retired PC(USA) Minister and Author of over 50 books, most of them picture books for children

Let us join in prayer for:  

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Rachel Anderson, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Shelby Andrews, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Gracious and loving God, we turn to you for strength, truth and love. Help us see in each other your own image, which connects us all together, so that we might show compassion, mercy and grace to all whom you love. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Mask-wearing and social distancing are spiritual practices

Practicing precaution is a loving act of care

December 27, 2020

Sometimes a great disruption provides the catalyst for change. Sure, disruptions can be painful, causing grief and anger. Disruptions, by their very nature, rupture our lives.

Let’s be clear from the beginning, though. Disruptions are not put into our lives by God. They aren’t tests of faith or punishments for sin. Disruptions are facts of life. They are a part of being human in a really complex world. If you care about something, then you will experience a disruption at some point in your life.

And, while a disruption is not a cosmic message, it is a powerful moment that requires care and attention. In the interplay of grief and anger and anxiety, there might be something worth learning given enough time, distance and reflection.

I live in a home with my spouse and two young girls. I recognize the privilege of a roof over our head and food on our table and (mostly) meaningful work we can (mostly) do from home. At the same time, I’m constantly aware of the recent disruptions on all our lives. While writing this short piece, the 8-year-old has: made a smoothie for breakfast; argued with my spouse about putting spinach in it; made a poster for school and needed help spelling words; rinsed dishes; loudly proclaimed her intentions for the day; annoyed her sister; and, wandered around the house singing and seeking our attention.

While this happened around me, I could feel my anger rise and fall. My fist would clench, and my chest would tighten. Words, some harsh and some soothing, formed in the back of my mind. Of course, these were natural reactions to my disrupted schedule. They were also unfair to my 8-year-old. She is only doing what she does best — being 8.

Reflecting on this, I see the struggle within me. It’s a conflict of belief between what’s good for me and what’s good for the community and our relationships — my need for quiet and concentration and my daughter’s need for attention and affection. So, I try and take a moment to acknowledge my feelings. I let the experience of pain, anger and grief of the disruption have some space, and then try to understand her needs as well. Mentally, I like to think of it as a perceptible pause. Spiritually, I am taking precautions. Taken together, I am trying to develop a faithful response to a new reality, which takes practice.

“Precaution” is not a word we often associate with a bold and risky faith. Yet maybe we should. Precautions are preemptive acts of care, like wearing a mask out in public when necessary, agreeing to sit apart from one another in the church sanctuary when returning to worship in a building, and refraining from large group gatherings. Precautions aren’t about what is being taken away or limiting us. When seen as a spiritual practice, precautions take us beyond our heads and hearts in order to expand our awareness to the world around us. They require us to think and imagine with empathy, then adjust and act accordingly. Taking precautions means being a “care-full” presence in the world. By practicing precautions:

• We place all these needs in conversation with ours rather than one overtaking the other.
• We act out of empathy and imagination rather than control and self-focus.
• We place the pain of others alongside our own, and act with curiosity and compassion.
• We seek the Spirit’s movement within and between us.

To use precaution as a spiritual practice is to co-create with the Spirit an integrated sense of our place in the world. When we take in and allow ourselves to be affected by the world around us, we become aware of the Spirit and how that can help shape our responses.

In short, precaution as a spiritual practice might be the riskiest thing we could ever do. It means taking stock of how we react and respond, lamenting our struggles and celebrating our successes. It means that what we say and do matters to the world around us. It means living into a relationship with the Spirit that moves in and around us and allowing that relationship to shape the choices we make in response.

Jason Whitehead; Therapist, Pastor, Educator and Coach at Mosaic Insight in Denver

Let us join in prayer for:  

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Andrej Ajanovic, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Monty Anderson, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation

Let us pray:

Gracious God, we pray for your blessing and the protection of our brothers and sisters. Thank you for teaching us about the real meaning of faith. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Ground is broken for new chapel at Cedar Ridge Camp

As churches continue to close, new life rises at Mid-Kentucky Presbytery facility

December 26, 2020

Nearly 50 people gathered for Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony at Cedar Ridge Camp in Mid-Kentucky Presbytery. (Photo by Alainna Brummert)

Nearly 50 mask-wearing, health-screened, socially-distanced friends, board members and staff of Cedar Ridge Camp, a ministry of Mid-Kentucky Presbytery, gathered recently to celebrate groundbreaking for the 60-year-old camp’s new chapel.

The 2,400-square-foot chapel is the first new construction at the camp in many years, except for the camp office building several years ago. “I always felt a little guilty about building our office first,” said camp director the Rev. Andrew Hartmans. Construction is scheduled to take about a year at an estimated cost of $750,000.

The Rev. Peggy Hinds, vice chair of the Cedar Ridge Camp board of directors, said, “The camp has always been a sacred place, but we have never had an indoor sanctuary. The new chapel will give us that and more.” She added: “The basement will double as a storm shelter, literally giving folks sanctuary from dangerous weather.”

The dream of a dedicated worship space at Cedar Ridge Camp — indoor worship has usually been held in adjacent multi-purpose Hopkins Hall — started to take shape in 2010 when nearby Jeffersontown Presbyterian Church closed and some proceeds from the property sale were given to Cedar Ridge for a chapel. The largest single contribution came in 2017 when Louisville’s Calvin Presbyterian Church sold its property and donated $400,000 of the proceeds to the chapel project. Total gifts to the project currently total about $700,000.

“We’re grateful to all who have contributed,” Hartmans said, “from those who support our ongoing ministry, to those churches that budget money for the camp and this project, to volunteers who have come out to help us get the site ready for construction.” Representatives from about 25% of Mid-Kentucky Presbytery’s churches attended the groundbreaking.

The new chapel’s architect, Tim Doeling (a member of Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church in Louisville), said the construction presents no particular problems. “We were very careful to remove as few trees as possible,” he said of the chapel, which sits in a cedar grove overlooking the camp’s small lake. “We’ll start with the foundation, of course,” he added, “and then pause briefly to let fundraising catch up so we can build all the way through to completion.”

The new chapel will be a beacon of faith and hope, Hartmans said. “This space is something special, a gift to the community,” he said. “Look how many worship spaces are being sold and turned into restaurants or other businesses or simply left unused or torn down. Here is something new for the glory of God!”

Individuals who have donated money, time and prayers “are crucial to making this dream a reality,” Hinds said. “They will be remembered for their generosity and foresight in helping to create a sacred space where people will gather and worship for generations to come.”

 Jerry Van Marter, Mid-Kentucky Presbytery Stated Clerk

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Ruth Adams, Board of Pensions
Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Blessed Lord, thank you for what you are doing. Bless the children and their families, and bring your peace and love to all your people In your holy name. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Longing for home: A reflection on the Nativity of the Lord

This Christmas might feel different, but God is still with us

December 25, 2020

Living room decorated for Christmas.

Christmas recalls memories of home. Times full of awe as family gathers around wood-burning fires and glistering lit trees. A place of comfort and room at the table for everyone.

The story of Jesus’ birth reminds us of home, too. It is a story of a young family on the road, away from familiar comforts. An unwed couple needing a safe place to spend the night as they welcome a child into their lives. I imagine the first Christmas felt chaotic as the young couple wandered through the desert longing for home.

Yet in those uncertain moments, unexpected visitors arrived with gifts fit for a king. Gifts not intended for a child instead proclaiming promises past while foreshadowing future possibilities. 

This Christmas, home feels different to us. Our world aches for a sense of normalcy. We want to gather with family, but COVID-19 separates us. Traveling refugees in the United States and around the world yearn for a place to spend the night. Our neighbors of color long for a night of sound sleep knowing their life matters to those whose duty it is to protect and serve them. Our country sits on edge as power transitions to a new presidential administration.

The Nativity of our Lord reminds us that in the uneasy movements of life, God shows up. Chaos does not have the last word. It shares the story of an unwelcomed child, who has no place to call home in this world. It holds a truth greater than imaginable, that same child came to love all.

These times and this ancient story remind us that we have a responsibility to rethink the meaning of home. Who do we include in our lives? Who do we exclude intentionally or pass by mistakenly?

Christmas invites us into the lives of a young outcast family on the move. As we wander through the desert together, may we pay attention to the unexpected visitors treating them as divine guest.

Christina Cosby; Mission Specialist; Middle East, Europe and Central Asia Office; World Mission

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Ahmad Abri, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Mark Adams and Miriam Maldonado Escobar, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

God of the dark night and God of the new day, we give thanks for your son Emmanuel, God with us. Help us bridge the divides separating us from one another. In order that we may better notice your unexpected guests among us. It is in Jesus’ holy name we pray, amen.  

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Away in a manger

From humble beginnings came a true gift

December 24, 2020

Ever since my girls were big enough to hitch a ride on a luggage cart, they’ve been in love with hotels.

The run-of-the-mill places that our family visited before the pandemic seemed like king’s palaces to the tykes, who couldn’t wait to take a ride on the elevator.

How impressed the girls were with the plush pillows, flat-screen TVs and kid-sized refrigerators. Being able to commandeer the remote and get sweet treats from vending machines down the hall added to their delight.

I had those stays in the back of my mind when we recently read the story of Jesus’ birth as part of a reading lesson for my 4-year-old daughter. Her 6-year-old sister sat with us to listen.

“The Beginner’s Bible” tells the story that many Christians learn in Sunday school – that Joseph and a pregnant Mary arrived in Bethlehem and were told there was no room at the inn.

It was at that point in the story that I decided to ask the girls a question, “What if we arrived in Cincinnati and they told us, ‘We don’t have any rooms, but you can stay out back with the animals?’”

Seeing a look of shock on their faces, I explained that that’s indeed what happened to Jesus’ family right before his birth.  

We went on to read how Joseph made a warm place for Mary to rest and that when Jesus was born, Mary wrapped him in strips of cloth and gently placed him in a manger. The significance of his birth would soon be known to the world.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12 (NIV)

Such humble beginnings! The king of peace and righteousness had not even a crib for his head.

At a time of year when it’s easy to get caught up in material things, it’s good to remember the circumstances of Jesus’ birth: that he came to dwell among us, without the accommodations of a king.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us,” John 1:14 (NIV). “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

As my children grow older and re-read the story of Jesus’ birth, perhaps even to their own children, I hope they remember the true gift of Christmas is not what the world gives us but rather the Messiah himself.

Darla Carter, Communications Associate, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Thomas Abraham, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Bob Abrams, Presbyterian Men

Let us pray:

Lord, we thank you for your presence. Help us to remain grounded in you this holiday season. Help us to appreciate the things in our lives that we often take for granted: a warm bed, a hot meal, even the clothes on our backs. Help us to remember those who are less fortunate. We thank you for our many blessings and welcome you into our homes and our hearts this day, as we celebrate your birth. May our cups overflow with your love, grace and mercy. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - ‘The knowledge and wisdom you have is enough for this work’

Philanthropy expert David King helps church leaders cultivate generosity among givers

December 23, 2020

Rev. Dr. David King

At the end of every Facebook Live event aired most Wednesdays by the Presbyterian Foundation’s Theological Education Fund, the host, the Rev. Dr. Lee Hinson-Hasty, asks his guest to deliver a benediction or a charge.

Recently, the Rev. Dr. David King, who directs the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, assured his listeners — clergy and other faith leaders — that “the knowledge and wisdom you have is enough for this work. You have the gifts to excel and help others transform their understanding of money today and into the future.”

King and colleagues at the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving published the National Study of Congregations’ Economic Practices, which sought to answer three sets of questions:

• Who gives to congregations, when and how?
• How do congregations teach about money and finances, and how do they steward the gifts they receive?
• How do congregations spend their financial resources to serve their members, community and beyond?

The really good pastors, King said, are ethnographers. They’ve studied their congregations in the same way an anthropologist studies a society, and they’re excellent listeners. An important job for pastors is to be able to speak the faith community’s story back to the community, he said.

“Don’t concentrate on what you lack or what you didn’t learn in seminary,” he advised pastors. Rather, clergy might concentrate on the skills they have and on listening.

“We get stuck in paradigms,” he said about theories on increasing giving. “The church is this, and we need you to give that. Trust us. We have the answers.”

But donors “want to give in a way that fits their own passions,” he said. “We don’t communicate that story clearly. How can we be listeners, listening to the joys and pains when people are talking about money — particularly now, when there is so much anxiety and fear among our members?”

Generosity, he said, is a “Christian practice around discipleship,” alongside practices including praying and reading the Bible, he said. “It’s not a spiritual gift you do or do not have. It’s something we can grow and develop, but it takes practice.”

Generosity “gives back to us with joy,” he said. Scripture in general and Jesus in particular “talk about money all the time,” he said. People “are hungry for guidance on how they use resources, how they teach their kids about it and how they invest. When you are ready to talk about giving,” he told the preachers listening to the webinar, “they are ready for it.”

In his work, “we try to combat the ‘five easy tools to grow your budget’” approach, he said. “For us, it’s more of a holistic question on leadership.” All church leaders, clergy included, “need to have a sense of transparency, particularly around money,” he said. “Never hide behind or blow smoke around where the money comes in and goes out. Be confident you can clearly stand behind where money is being used and where it is going.”

Church leaders, especially clergy, should “do your own work around money,” he said. “We often feel uncomfortable or even shameful around money.”

Asked by Hinson-Hasty for more findings from the study, King mentioned a handful of statistics: 92% of churches still pass the offering plate each week, resulting in about 80% of the giving the church receives. And 22% percent of churches also offer an online giving option.

“We have learned that once members transition to online giving, they are not coming back to writing that check in person,” King said. “Despite their generation or age, the ease is helpful.” Online giving tends to be slightly higher than the traditional check in the offering plate, he said.

Beyond the giving component, church leaders “do well” to consider other revenue streams, including rent. “They need to be thinking creatively about their building, which is often their biggest asset,” he said.

Creative options include charging under-market rent to a social service agency with a mission the congregation supports.

“Have that conversation about how it’s an important part of a church’s economics,” he said. With the world “now focused on inequity and injustice, these questions play a big part for our faith communities.”

 Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Kelly Abraham, Presbyterian Association of Musicians
Susan Abraham, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Lord, help us to be instruments of your grace: constant in our love, unrelenting in pursuing peace, and faithful in working for justice for all. Amen.

News from Presbyterian World Mission – December 2020

Mission Matters Sara Pottschmidt Lisherness, director of the Compassion, Peace & Justice Ministry and interim director of Presbyterian World Mission, writes about God showing up during this Holy Season of Advent. In this year like no other, we may feel alone, but God is journeying with us. (Photo by Rodolfo Clix, Pexels) Read mission matters →

CEDEPCA responds to immediate and long-term needs in Central America The mission to build a more just world is a clear one for longtime Presbyterian Mission Agency global partner CEDEPCA (the Protestant Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America). (Photo by Esvin Sirin) Read more →

Support mission co-workers When Michael and Rachel Ludwig began their ministry in Niger, they started with a single question, "How can we as a Church make a difference?" In Niger, they have done just that by helping children get an education by building safe hosting centers for girls and boys who live miles from their nearest school, and by focusing on community health evangelism — training people in health care, agriculture and sanitation. And now, your gift can make even more of a difference. Not only have supporters like you already responded with an outpouring of generosity, but more friends of Presbyterian World Mission have committed to match all gifts received by Dec. 31, 2020, up to an additional $56,031 — that’s up to a total of $141,031! If you’ve already made your year-end gift, thank you! If you haven’t yet sent your gift, you still have time to double its life-changing impact before the end of the year. Thank you for sharing in our common commitment to help ensure quality education for all of God’s children as together we live into being a Matthew 25 denomination. Give now →

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Hope shines through in blast-affected Beirut Beirut had suffered through the pandemic and an explosion on Aug. 4 in the city’s port area. Officials say the force of the explosion was 20% as powerful as the atomic bomb dropped by the United States on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945. Both the pandemic and the blast have exacerbated the daily struggles facing the Lebanese people. But as the calamities continue to pile up, hope remains the people’s anchor, according to the Rev. Elmarie Parker, regional liaison for Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Read more →

Christmas greetings from mission co-workers Many of our mission co-workers shared Advent and Christmas greetings with their supporters. Read letters →

United Church of Christ in the Philippines asks for solidarity from international partners The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) has asked its ecumenical partners around the world to enjoin, pray and call for an independent international commission to investigate human rights violations in the Philippines. Read more →

Igniting a movement in Haiti A new Haiti Mission Network is being formed. Mission co-worker Cindy Corell asks that any individual, congregation or presbytery contact her directly if they are interested in learning more. Her email address is cindy.corell@pcusa.org. Read more → Your photos tell your story The Presbyterian Planning Calendar, a beloved publication of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is once again seeking photo submissions from congregations, mid councils, camps, conference centers and education centers for use in its 2021-22 edition. The deadline to submit photos is Feb. 16, 2021. Read more →

Matthew 25 – A bold vision and invitation We recognize Christ’s urgent call to be a church of action, where God’s love, justice and mercy shine forth and are contagious. Over 680 churches and mid councils have accepted the Matthew 25 invitation to help our denomination become a more relevant presence in the world by building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty. You are invited →

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