Today in the Mission Yearbook - Activist from Poland to serve as International Peacemaker

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to hear about issues of peace and justice

July 29, 2023

Magdalena Łuczak (Photo courtesy of Presbyterian 

Peacemaking Program)

An activist who provides humanitarian assistance to people in crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border will be an International Peacemaker this year.

Magdalena Łuczak of Poland is one of up to 10 people coming to the United States, from partner denominations and organizations around the world, to serve as International Peacemakers in September and October, according to the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program. At the invitation of mid councils and other Presbyterian-affiliated organizations, the peacemakers will share stories about themselves and provide insight into issues facing their home countries.

Łuczak is part of Grupa Granica (The Border Group). It’s an informal network of organizations and individuals working together to address challenges migrants have encountered at the Polish-Belarusian border since August 2021.

“We are doing what we can to bring worldwide attention to the issue,” Łuczak said. “We are grateful that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) enables us to do so and is not indifferent to the human injustice that is being done to people on the Polish-Belarusian border.”

According to a piece published last year by Mission Co-Worker Ellen Smith, Belarus’ president, Alexander Lukashenko, responded to sanctions and international pressure following Belarus’ 2020 elections by starting a targeted operation to bring would-be migrants from war-affected countries in the Middle East and Africa to Belarus and push them to the borders of the European Union, namely Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, to try to destabilize and exert political pressure on the EU.

Some of those migrants found themselves being pushed back from Poland to Belarus by border guards and then pushed back to Poland, sometimes repeatedly, and have struggled for survival, Smith wrote.

Łuczak’s group has tried to help the people, whom she refers to as “forced migrants,” and monitors human rights violations.

“Our goal is primarily to de-escalate violence and fight for respect for humanitarian law,” she said. “The situation required us to be active in many fields simultaneously, including organizing humanitarian and medical assistance, as well as the necessary legal, psychological and material support on the border, sometimes even 24 hours a day.”

Łuczak was motivated to start a search system for people who go missing as a result of pushbacks. “Despite the commitment and work of so many people, it is extremely difficult to get information on the whereabouts of a missing person,” she said. “The authorities do not keep a record of pushed-back refugees and quite often they delay replies and make it difficult to find out the truth.”

Activists are growing weary, but Łuczak looks forward to being a peacemaker and updating the PC(USA). “We believe that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will help us raise the awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Poland and give people a new portion of hope and priceless support.”

The war between Ukraine and Russia also has been a major driver of migration to Poland. “In Ukraine, we reached out to people … organizing, among other things, safe transports of people and animals to Poland, or items and medicines in the other direction,” said Łuczak, who’s also with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.

Having peacemakers like Łuczak visit the PC(USA) provides a plethora of benefits to their hosts as well as to the church at large, according to the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, which coordinates peacemaker visits.

“By sharing stories of their work and witness, the peacemakers help us understand peace and justice concerns around the world and provide insights that can inspire us to greater faithfulness,” the website notes. “Their visits broaden our sense of God’s inclusive family and help equip us to build a culture of peace and nonviolence for all God’s children.”

Darla Carter, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Today’s Focus: Magdalena Łuczak of Poland to serve as International Peacemaker

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Kyna Herzinger, Records Manager, Presbyterian Historical Society
Amy Hightower, Housekeeper, Stony Point Center, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray

Dear God, we pray for all those in whom your knowledge grows and who bear fruit for your kingdom. Amen.

The Voice of the Martyrs - House Church Pastor: "Church in China Still Growing"

LISTEN NOW: Pastor Says Chinese Church Still Growing

Highly restrictive religious laws, ever-present surveillance cameras and police raids on churches are just a few of the challenges faced by Christians in China every day. Despite the Communist government’s ongoing efforts to control Christians, the church in China is still growing! Listen as Pastor Enfu, who leads an unregistered church, shares about continued church growth and the challenges of leading an illegal church congregation. As government efforts to control and close churches have increased, large church gatherings have become almost impossible. Christians have responded by meeting in smaller groups, which requires more trained leaders. In this VOM Radio interview, Pastor Enfu shares how Chinese Christians are meeting that need and how we can pray that God will continue to raise up leaders within Chinese churches. LISTEN TO VOM RADIO Listen Online Listen via Podcast Apps

Never listened to VOM Radio? Start here.

If you’ve never listened to VOM Radio or want to share some inspiring stories of God’s faithfulness with a friend, here are six conversations that can serve as introductions to VOM Radio. Benesh — Planted more than 30 house churches in The Islamic Republic of Iran John and Karen Short — Stayed spiritually connected when John was detained in North Korea Ezra and Saul Pett — Wrestled with their faith after their parents were martyred in Uganda Silas — Amazed when he saw Jesus speaking his language on television Richard and Jeanette — Found blessings in suffering after being expelled from China Amber — Imprisoned in Tibet

Please forward this email to Christian friends who will be inspired to pray for and support our persecuted Christian family.

Share this special opportunity with your friends and family.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Other Podcast Apps. Or find a broadcast station airing VOM Radio near you.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Presbyterian Historical Society

PHS celebrates the Katie Geneva Cannon Digital Collection

July 28, 2023

Katie Geneva Cannon, 1983 (left) and 1995. From the 

Katie Geneva Cannon Digital Collection at PHS.

In 1987, the Rev. Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon, the first Black woman ordained in the United Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), used the term “Womanist” to explore an interpretation of the Bible connected to Black women’s liberation. Her book that followed one year later, “Black Womanist Ethics,” helped launch the field of womanist ethics.

The Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) is thrilled to announce that this year, 35 years after the publication of that groundbreaking work, the entirety of Cannon’s personal papers has been digitized and made freely accessible through Pearl Digital Collections.

In 2021, PHS partnered with the Center for Womanist Leadership at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond and The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary (Columbia University Libraries) to unite the records Cannon distributed across the three institutions. Over a two-year period, PHS staff members scanned and digitized over 450 of Cannon’s sermons, lectures and writings.

The result — the Katie Geneva Cannon Digital Collection — can now be accessed from anywhere in the world for free.

Thumbnail from Calling for the order of the day: 

lessons of liberation for the 21st century, 2012. 

From the Katie Geneva Cannon Digital Collection at 

PHS.

The digital collection was funded by PHS’s African American Leaders and Congregations Collecting Initiative. The AALC redoubles PHS’s efforts to document Black lives, work and witness in an increasingly multicultural church — from the organization of the First African Presbyterian Church in 1807 to the election of the first African American Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in 2016. Click here to learn more about the African American Leaders and Congregations Collecting Initiative.

PHS shared about the collection in its Spring 2023 issue of Presbyterian Heritage, the society’s biannual newsletter. Along with the Katie Geneva Cannon Digital Collection, the issue also highlighted incoming collection items including recently digitized records from the Rev. Dr. Edler Hawkins, the first Black moderator of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and U-matic videotapes that document More Light Presbyterians’ history.

On the evening of Oct. 12 from 5 through 7 p.m. Eastern Time, PHS will host an event in Philadelphia to honor Cannon’s legacy and celebrate the completion of the project. Guests will hear about the impact of her work and explore records digitized as part of the project. Click here to register for this free event.

Kristen Gaydos, Presbyterian Historical Society

Today’s Focus: Katie Geneva Cannon Digital Collection

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Carissa Herold, July 28 Marketing Associate, Presbyterian Women
Nell Herring, July 28 Mission Specialist for Volunteer Ministries, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray

We praise you, God, for the bountiful harvest and pray that the fruit of this harvest will remain and grow. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Presbyterian church in California nurtures ‘Free Butterflies’ to address housing crisis

The Mighty Women of St. Mark’s have worked for years to serve people who are unhoused in Lomita

July 27, 2023

Heidi Strobel was an artist and part of the Free Butterflies 

program for newly Housed women run by St. Mark’s 

Presbyterian Church in Lomita, California. She is shown in 

her new apartment in Long Beach, which she was able to 

move into with support from the Free Butterflies. Strobel died 

May 3, 2023. (Photo by Rich Copley, Presbyterian Mission 

Agency)

 

Video URL: https://vimeo.com/830304412

For years the Mighty Women of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church have worked to help residents at an encampment for people without housing near their church.

As they worked with the community, the members of the church recognized that another problem was even people who were able to get housing had trouble staying in it, for a variety of reasons. So, they launched Free Butterflies, a program to support newly housed women with the community and skills to help them succeed.

In this video, you will hear from people who lead the program and those who have benefitted from it. Addressing systemic poverty, including houselessness, is one of the core foci of the Matthew 25 vision of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

This video is dedicated to the memory of Free Butterfly Heidi Strobel, who generously gave of her time and talents and passed away between the recording and completion of this piece.

Rich Copley, Multimedia Producer, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Today’s Focus: Mighty Women of St. Mark’s in Lomita, Calif.

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Brian Henson, Desktop Support Analyst, Information Technology, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Jessica Hernandez, Electronic Marketing Associate, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation

Let us pray

Dear God, please bless the witness and ministry. May others see in them your grace and love and be drawn to know you in your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We ask it in his name. Amen.

The Voice of the Martyrs - A prayer for Christians driven from their homes

A Prayer for Christians Driven from Their Homes

The Central African Republic, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Laos, Nepal and southern Mexico are a few of the many countries where Christians are driven from their homes because of their faith in Christ. Some are kicked out of their homes and villages by their own families and communities, while others are driven out by Islamists trying to eradicate any Christian influence. We encourage you to take a minute right now to pray for them. Dear heavenly Father, Our hearts break for our Christian brothers and sisters who experience the pain of persecution because of their faith. We ask that their every need be met according to your riches in mercy. We pray that those who have lost their homes will find safe refuge and that those fleeing their persecutors will be welcomed by other members of your body. We pray that those who have lost loved ones will experience your comfort as they mourn. May you direct them to others who will weep with them and pray with them, encouraging their faith so that they will trust you more each day. We pray that they will experience physical and emotional healing as well as continued spiritual growth. We pray, too, that those responsible for persecuting our brothers and sisters in Christ will repent of their sins and turn to God through faith in Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen. You can help provide for Christians driven from their homes during their time of need. Your gift will be used to provide basic necessities like blankets, shelter, soap, medical supplies, food and Bibles. HELP TODAY

Please forward this email to Christian friends who will be inspired to pray for and support our persecuted Christian family.

Share this special opportunity with your friends and family.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Pittsburgh Theological Seminary celebrates its 227th commencement

The Class of 2023 receives not one but four charges from President Asa J. Lee

July 26, 2023

The Rev. Dr. Valerie Bridgeman

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary celebrated its 227th commencement this year with a joyous gathering at East Liberty Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh.

It fell to Caroline C. Baker, who would soon receive an MDiv, to articulate for everyone gathered the hard-to-pronounce names found in Romans 16. “I’d like to thank PTS for teaching us to say all these names,” Baker said with a smile, “or to fake it confidently.”

“Apologies to Caroline for having to read all those names,” said the Rev. Dr. Valerie Bridgeman, who delivered the commencement sermon. Bridgeman is the dean and vice president for academic affairs and associate professor of homiletics and Hebrew Bible at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio and the founding president and CEO of WomanPreach! Inc.

Watch PTS’ 95-minute commencement celebration here or here.

Bridgeman told PTS’ Class of 2023 she selected the text “because I wanted to remind you that you are in a lineage. You’re not the first and you will not be the last. The church was as wondrous and messed up then as it is now.”

She said she can picture the scene: Tertius, who’s keeping notes for Paul, urges the apostle to make the effort to greet people: “Not like we do, ‘how ya doin’?’” Bridgeman said. “Here, it’s, ‘how is it with your soul? How are you feeling under the current assault by the Roman empire, having heard Stephen is dead?”

Bridgeman urged those graduates set to enter parish ministry to “learn to identify the people who nurture the church. There are people who think they hold the power, and then there’s the mother who sits in the corner and nods at the right person” at just the right moment.

While Paul here extends a warm welcome, “think about all the people you have no intention of welcoming. Name them one by one, and then repent,” Bridgeman said. “This is part of our lineage, opening our arms and hearts to those we probably wouldn’t welcome.”

The Rev. Dr. Asa J. Lee

“Be like Phoebe. Collect what people are giving and share it. Treat the people’s needs as if they are holy. Don’t turn your nose up at anyone,” Bridgeman said. “Paul says, ‘Prisca and Aquila stuck their necks out for me.’ It’s a reminder we have to step up for folks when they can’t stand up for themselves.”

Paul, she said, “greeted the Jews and the gentiles together to remind them they belong together.”

Paul ends his letter to the Romans with a doxology that celebrates community. “None of this is happenstance. We belong together,” Bridgeman said.

“I hope you will remind yourself you are in a great long line of people behind you, and you set the stage for people to come,” she said. “This is our work, this is our call, this is our charge.”

The Rev. Dr. Asa J. Lee, PTS president, offered the Class of 2023 not one but four charges:

Get accustomed to commencing. While commencement means to begin, the truth is, “we’re ending something” today, Lee said. While walking with God, “you’re always beginning when you’re ending and you’re always ending when you’re beginning.”

Maintain a teachable spirit. “When it comes time to encounter differences, we can become stuck and intransigent. Here you have been challenged with differences,” Lee told graduates. “Continue to encounter those who would challenge your very being. At that moment of vulnerability and discomfort, you will find your best self and encounter God afresh and anew.”

Remember who called you. “The institutional church likes to take ownership of your call, that they called you to serve. That may be true, but it’s good to remember if the church refuses you, God called you to something,” Lee said. “It may be the only thing that keeps you sustained. Jesus the Christ called you for such a time as this.”

Remember to make your mother proud. Alma Mater is Latin for “loving mother,” Lee pointed out. “Leave this place believing in a God who still calls men and women, boys and girls — all God’s children — to the work of ministry, daring to hope in a stagnant world. Make your mother proud and remember to call us sometimes because we’ll call you. Amen.”

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service

Today’s Focus: Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Sarah Henken, Mission co-worker serving in Colombia, World Mission, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Lorraine Henry, Director, Financial Protection & Retirement Program, Board of Pensions

Let us pray

Gracious heavenly Father, thank you for the courageous and faithful example of your people. Protect, guide and embolden them as they continue to seek ways to proclaim your message of good news in Jesus Christ. May the people receive this message with joy and thanksgiving. Amen.

Ministry Matters - "Real church" | Thousand, thousand saints attending

How can we cultivate communities that can be real church for those most in need? "Real church" by Michael Adam Beck   Perhaps Herb’s question is good for all Methodists to consider? What is real church? Herb’s mental model of church was one primarily formed in the social imaginary of the United States in the 1950’s. What if what we consider to be church has timebound, cultural accretions, that might need to be discarded or reimagined to adapt to the new missional situation? Read here

Why don't we get to know the saints better? Thousand, thousand saints attending by William McDonald   We do not travel alone. We are part of a community across time and space. It’s not just me and Jesus, but, for the very fact I walk with the Lord, I am always, simultaneously, with others. In time, we might struggle between the poles of individuality and community, sometimes tilting toward one, sometimes the other. Read here

Discovering the kingdom of God in seeds, yeast, and nets with kids this Sunday Finding faith in the small elements of worship this week