Mission Yearbook: Rev. Dr. Justin Reed explores sibling struggles on ‘Leading Theologically’ podcast

The Book of Genesis has plenty to say about reconciliation and repair. Fortunately for listeners of the “Leading Theologically” podcast, the Rev. Dr. Justin Reed joined podcast host the Rev. Bill Davis recently to share his insights on some of those frayed and fraught relationships, as well as the reconciliation that sometimes followed the conflict. Listen to their 40-minute conversation here.

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Reed is associate professor of the Old Testament at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. His teaching focuses on African American hermeneutics. His first book, “The Injustice of Noah’s Curse,” is forthcoming. Davis is senior director of Theological Education Funds Development at the Presbyterian Foundation.

“To me, the mixture of what’s in Genesis is fascinating and relatable as a human and across cultures,” Reed said. “I read a story in Genesis and I can compare it to the beautiful and inspiring stories I know through different cultures. … It’s really the stories that capture me.”

Davis asked Reed to start with what’s often described as the first murder in history, the Cain and Abel story.

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The Rev. Bill Davis

What a person brings to the table makes “a big difference” in how we read such stories, Reed said. Cain brings God an offering of fruit, Abel brings an offering from his flock, “and people look at that difference with a high level of scrutiny and say, ‘Cain did it wrong from the beginning,’” Reed said, adding he’s “not bringing a desire to justify God’s response to Cain’s offering” when reading and teaching this text. “Instead, I’m looking at how is this true of the human experience I see in the world. It’s so relatable to see a story of two brothers and the divine favor that they receive is different.” Siblings can grow up in the same household, and one is a gifted athlete while another is more cerebral. That’s seen as divine favor.

“To me, what’s beautiful about this story is saying there is a difference in favor. That’s a fact of life in the world we live in, and it’s a fact of life in this story,” Reed said. “Cain chose the wrong response. It’s homicide, and that’s wrong.”

What’s beautiful in the story is that when Cain tells God the punishment is too much for him to bear and that he fears for his own safety, God gives Cain “a form of grace by saying, ‘Cain, I know you’re afraid somebody’s going to harm you the same way you did to your brother,’ and then God puts a sign of protection on Cain. … There is grace with the punishment. There’s a care from God about that person’s fears.”

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The Rev. Dr. Justin Reed

It's “difficult but important work as Christians to think about redemption for everybody, to think about the full humanity of people in spite of the worst that they’ve done,” and “how we can work toward a society that has space for their redemption, a society where everyone is safe and at the same time you haven’t abandoned, you haven’t given up on someone who has done an extreme harm,” Reed said.

Then Davis moved to the Genesis account of other brothers in conflict, Jacob and Esau. Even before the twins are born, God gives Rebekah an account of what is to be: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other; the elder shall serve the younger.”

The Hebrew here is a bit ambiguous, Reed said. “Is this a story about who’s great, or who’s older?” he asked. Here we’re “talking about a world that’s set up where humans justify differences based on our understanding, our interpretation, our claims of where God’s favor is.” Rebekah’s favorite is Jacob, and Isaac’s is Esau. “Now we have this transition,” Reed noted, “from God’s differential favor to humans’ differential favor.”

One thing Reed loves about Genesis is “it doesn’t say, ‘the lesson is this,’” he said. “Genesis doesn’t say, ‘these are the virtues that are important for you to follow because of your ancestor Jacob.’ … You listen to the story, you meditate on it, and it becomes part of the perspectives you have on the world around you.”

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Eileen Schuhmann, Associate, Global Engagement & Resources, Presbyterian Hunger Program, Interim Unified Agency
Michelle Schulz, Administrative Manager, Information Technology, Administrative Services Group (A Corp) 

Let us pray:

God of grace and mercy, we give thanks for the opportunities you give us to join in your care of all who are in need. May your Spirit inspire us as we serve in the name of Christ. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Cliff Goins IV calls for collective action to close the racial wealth gap

Cliff Goins IV, an investor and entrepreneur who recently published “Minding the Wealth Gap: Our Playbook to Close It Together,” , was a recent guest on “A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast.” Listen to Goins’ hourlong conversation with hosts Simon Doong and the Rev. Lee Catoe here.

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Cliff Goins IV

In his book, Goins shares insights from in-depth interviews with management consultants, bankers, a lawyer turned entrepreneur and others focused on scaling small- and medium-sized businesses into large enterprises.

On the podcast, Catoe asks the first questions: How do we address the wealth gap between Black households and white households when wealth is intersectional with other issues that Black people face? How do we know where to start?

“On the one hand, it’s a big problem, and facing it would seem to be vital to our communities and our nation,” Goins said. It’s also a complex problem. “It’s a tension that either causes people to throw up their hands and say, ‘Good luck with that, Cliff,’ or to say, ‘It wasn’t my fault. That was way back then. Why are you talking about it now?’”

“But I think we do ourselves a disservice if we take that approach,” he said. It’s more than pointing out disparate statistics. “It’s really about the stark difference in life’s reality that a lot of Black households face.” Think of it as “not just a Black problem, but an American problem,” he said. “I would love to see us break the cycle together. I think that unlocking the economic potential of 15 million households creates a more prosperous nation for us all.”

As to the getting started part of the question, Goins said measuring wealth “gives us the best window into some pervasive and persistent problems we face in communities. I actually think it’s a blessing,” he said, because it’s linked to other justice issues, including inferior educational opportunities, housing instability and poor access to health care.

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“We find Black Americans are behind the 8-ball no matter how you cut it,” he said. Because the problems are so pervasive, “this allows us as fellow Americans to all jump in on the problem, to activate solutions from where you are. If you’re passionate about education, you can make some commitments there. If you believe in health equity, you can spend your time and resources in that way. If you believe in entrepreneurship like me, you can put your energy there.”

“I think there’s an invitation in all of the intricacy of this particular issue,” he said. “If we come together and put together our collective efforts, that’s how we can make meaningful progress.”

There are “small things we can all do tied to our personal situation,” Goins said. “At the same time, some of us have more influence, more ability, more access. We know it’s through large-scale partnerships that the needle really moves.”

While some people call for required classes in personal finance literacy, Goins called that “a component” of what’s needed, “but that’s not what created this wealth gap.”

“Ultimately,” he said, “it’s a multilayered, multigenerational problem.”

The wealth gap is “a problem 400 years in the making. If we stay at the same pace of closure, it would take another 400 years to get close to closure,” Goins said, suggesting people stick with their “passion areas” for helping to close the wealth gap. The wealth issue has economic, political and social components. “If you’re a [person of faith] who’s in the political realm, maybe it’s standing up to some of the momentum that’s going the other way around [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] and things of that nature.”

“At the end of the day we’re talking about people. What can we appeal to in human nature that will compel people to help solve this problem?” Goins asked. “I want us to imagine a world where every child, regardless of their ZIP code, has a chance to thrive.”

“I have a lot of hope and faith in the American people,” Goins said. “I think it’s something we can get done.”

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Jeanie Schmuckie, Legal Assistant, Presbyterian Foundation
Rose Schoene, Client Service Specialist, Presbyterian Foundation 

Let us pray:

Dear God, help us to dream big and not limit ourselves when reaching out to others. Remind us that nothing is impossible in you. Guide our hearts and minds to be more open to those in need of mercy, compassion and love. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s historic ride is commemorated at Boston church

Using two lanterns posted atop what was then the tallest structure in Boston, Paul Revere and friends made their historic warnings about British troop movements — one if by land, two if by sea — 250 years ago. The Old North Church commemorated “Paul Revere’s Ride” in late April with compelling talks and soaring music at the historic Episcopalian house of worship and national landmark, including a keynote address by a celebrated historian, Dr. Heather Cox Richardson. The National Council of Churches was among the organizers of the Lantern Service, held in the sanctuary at Old North Church and online.

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Photo courtesy of Old North Church

Churches across the country rang bells at 6 p.m. Eastern Time Friday, April 18, as part of Let Freedom Ring! The bells at Old North Church, then known as Christ Church, are the oldest in the United States. Watch the Old North Church’s Let Freedom Ring! proceedings here. The speakers, leading off with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, begin at the 1:08 mark.

Wu said that the executive director of the Paul Revere House, Nina Zannieri, told her two things during a recent family visit: Revere’s ride was in fact “a collective effort,” and the ride occurred during a time of uncertainty in the Colonies.

“I’m still struck by the uncertainty of what Revere would find as he left his home that night — of who might find him … and what might become of him if he was found,” Wu said. “What events might he be setting into motion as he rode from Charlestown to Lexington? What kind of future would he hammer into being with the hooves of his horse? At every point in his journey, Paul Revere made a choice … a choice to press on or turn back … Knowing now what hung in the balance that night, just how much was at stake, that fragility was shocking — how easily it could have all fallen apart at any point.”

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Boston Mayor Michelle Wu

To continue to press on in the face of uncertainty “is more than resilience — it’s faith,” Wu said. “Faith that there is a right and a wrong and that what we do in each moment matters. Faith in the community and the people around him. Faith that his friends would hang the lanterns as asked. Faith that friends would row him to safety. Faith that a horse would be ready and waiting. Faith that when he was caught just outside Lexington, his fellow riders would continue carrying forward the message that freedom is worth fighting for and the fight had arrived. Faith that this brand of merchants and farmers would give every last breath in defense of their liberty to secure a better future for the people they loved. Faith that an idea is enough to hold off an empire, that the seed of freedom once sprouted will not be uprooted. It may bake in the heat, freeze in the cold, be bruised by the elements, its branches broken or bent. But the roots will always be there for those with the courage to tend them, and the faith to face down whatever uncertainty may stand in the way.”

“Tonight, I am grateful for our continued belief in each other and our refusal to fail,” Wu said. “May we always be a beacon of hope for the world and our nation, and may our faith guide us forward. Freedom is worth fighting for, and the fight has arrived.”

The Rev. Dr. Matthew Cadwell, the vicar of Old North Church, noted that 250 years ago, April 18 fell on the Tuesday after Easter. “We wrestled with how to observe this momentous anniversary while respecting the day’s religious significance,” Cadwell said. “Determined that it was important to honor both, we see a profound confluence in that Good Friday honors and remembers sacrifice, courage, the willingness to take risks and a trust that we will be led through desolation and uncertainty into something better, more hopeful and more alive.”

William Francis Galvin, secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, read from Revere’s account of the night of April 18, 1775. “What Revere and his associates did was put everything on the line to protect the things they believed in,” Galvin said. “So should we.”

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Hayley Scheir, Mission Specialist I, Advocacy Support, Executive Directors Office, Interim Unified Agency
Corey Schlosser-Hall, Deputy Executive Director, Interim Unified Agency 

Let us pray:

Dear Lord, thank you that no matter who we are, you love us. Thank you for your presence with us today. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: ‘Important elders and friends for us in the vocation of faith and justice’: Mission co-workers Ross and Gloria Kinsler are remembered

Longtime Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) mission co-workers Ross and Gloria Kinsler were recently remembered with a service at Monte Vista Grove Homes in Pasadena, California, where they spent their final years. The hourlong service can be seen here.

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Gloria and Ross Kinsler (Contributed photo)

The Rev. Dr. Ross Kinsler, who helped develop the concept of Theological Education by Extension and taught it in seminaries around the world, died on Dec. 8, 2020, at age 85. Gloria Kinsler, who was known for facilitating visits of church delegations to Central American countries, died on Feb. 14, 2025, at age 89. The Kinslers had three children, Elizabeth, John and Paul. John died in 1997. Ten grandchildren complete the family.

The Rev. Matt Colwell, pastor of Knox Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, is living at Monte Vista Grove Homes after his family lost their home in the Eaton fire. “My introduction to Monte Vista Grove Homes was Bible study and an oatmeal breakfast at the Kinsler apartment, a wonderful introduction to an extraordinary community,” Colwell said. He prayed that God would grant those who have been blessed by the Kinslers “comfort and a yearning for your liberating reign to be known in our time.”

Grace Gyori, a friend of Gloria Kinsler, sent a taped tribute of her longtime friend. “I’ve been honored to have been in almost every house they lived in,” Gyori said.

Once the Kinslers “retired” and moved to Southern California, Gloria became deeply involved in the sanctuary movement, Gyori said. “Churches were being challenged to offer asylum to undocumented refugees from Central America, and Gloria was particularly qualified to advocate for this initiative,” Gyori said. She called sharing her life with Gloria Kinsler “a deeply rewarding experience for me for so many years. I already miss her keenly.”

Ched Myers and Elaine Enns, of Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries, offered meditations on their late friends. “It is our prayer that they are dancing together on the other side surrounded by beloveds, just as we have gathered here today to honor them,” Enns said. “When we gather to remember those who have joined the cloud of witnesses, we acknowledge a genealogy of our faith, passed on hand to hand, heart to heart, song to song. Gloria and Ross were important elders and friends for us in the vocation of faith and justice.”

“This is super emotional for us,” Myers said. “We are so grateful to be together in person to do our loving duty to these ancestors.”

Using Isaiah 61:1–2a as a text, Myers noted the verses “rehabilitate and recontextualize the Levitical texts about Jubilee and release … in order to restore equity to a fractured community as befits a people brought out of enslavement by their God.”

Myers, a noted New Testament scholar, said that Jesus “famously cites” these verses “at his coming out performance at a Nazareth synagogue” in Luke’s gospel, “announcing this old Jubilee vision was being resuscitated again in his ministry.” After a “pregnant pause,” Jesus delivers “history’s shortest homily,” according to Myers. “‘Today,’ he says, ‘this Scripture comes to life again.’”

“In their context of oppression in Central America, Gloria and Ross carried on this genealogy of Jubilee, through action, proclamation, and, as you can see from the back table, lots of publications,” Myers said. “We’re deeply grateful for their work and witness, which is why in 2014 we named our Bartimaeus Institute after them, the Bartimaeus Kinsler Institute. That’s a genealogy of faith.”

“The Kinslers pursued heir vocation of gospel solidarity with tenacity, which we acknowledge was often hard on their own family,” Myers said. “But they did so with humility, such that when they passed, respectively, there were achingly few obituaries or public tributes. This gathering, gratefully, corrects that.”

“So, friends, let us carry on that genealogy, especially in this new dark age of plutocracy and autocracy,” Myers said. “Let us continue to labor for the day when the Creator will transfigure our wounded history into a Jubilee for all peoples, and all of Creation.”

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Jose Santana, Product Manager – Academic Books, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
Lilliam Santiago, Housekeeper, Stony Point Center, Interim Unified Agency

Let us pray:

God, thank you for those who work tirelessly for the self-development of others. Bless their work. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Pastor's Life - Peace be with you

Peace be with you - even in turbulent times by Rev. Dr. Christine (Chris) Chakoian When I was growing up, the 4th of July was a sacred holiday. Both of my parents served in World War II – they even met in the Army! It was clear that peace was not something to take for granted. So we celebrated – attending our town’s parade in the morning, and watching fireworks at night. And in between, we would drive to the Armenian Congregational Church’s annual picnic. I loved watching the old people play backgammon, the men grill kebab, the women serve their hand-made baklava. It never dawned on me that they were celebrating peace too; so many of them had escaped the genocide. I think of peace differently now than I did as a child. It is not a “given,” but a precious gift to be treasured. And, in this turbulent, uncertain season, I’m aware of how fragile this crucial gift is.

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Rev. Dr. Christine (Chris) Chakoian serves as Pastor and Head of Staff of Westwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. She has served in this position since August 2019. She is called to lead the congregation in the ways of Christ. She previously served at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary as Vice President for Seminary Advancement. Her previous calls include Pastor/Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, IL, and Community Presbyterian Church in Clarendon Hills, IL, as well as Associate Pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland, OR, Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and Overbrook Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Ohio. She is married to John Shustitzky, Director of the Doctoral program in Applied Clinical Psychology at the L.A. campus of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Their daughter and son-in-law, Anna and Spencer Sohn, live in Albuquerque.

Featured Resources

Stewardship of church property is faithful work "Churches that evaluate their circumstances with clear eyes and open hearts and reach out for help to their presbytery and the Foundation can find a partner to walk with them through difficult conversation." Joshua Kerr, Ministry Relations Officer of the South Central Region, shares ways that churches can use their property to continue their mission. Church Financial Leadership Academy The Church Financial Leadership Academy is a free resource for pastors and church leaders to access videos on various topics that are helpful for financial literacy and leadership. Sign up today using the registration code PCUSA.

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Mission Yearbook: Graduate of Pan American School embraces global journey of faith and growth

While most college students might be a bit timid and nervous to get on a plane for their first study abroad trip, University of the Ozarks student Enya Trinidad was excited and prepared, thanks to her history of accepting new challenges and experiences in order to improve herself.

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Enya Trinidad will graduate with honors next month from University of the Ozarks. (Contributed photo)

Trinidad, a senior psychology major from Mexico who graduated in May with honors, spent the spring 2024 semester studying at Ulster University in Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

Leaving home and forging new experiences is nothing new for Trinidad. With her family’s blessing, as a 14-year-old she left her small community in central Mexico to enroll at Presbyterian Pan American School in Kingsville, Texas. Founded in 1911, the college-preparatory boarding school with historic ties to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) “educates and empowers young adults for leadership in a global society.”

Trinidad’s father had attended the school, and he credited it with helping him become a successful business owner in Mexico. He wanted Enya and his other children to have that same advantage.

“My first year at the Pan American School was very difficult; I was homesick and struggling with English and the new culture,” Trinidad said. “But I knew it was for the best and, with the help of God, I kept going and it got easier. When I think back about that whole experience, I’m grateful to God for helping me overcome those challenges and for my time at the Pan American School. It was a great experience, and it definitely helped prepare me for college in the U.S.”

When it came time to pick a college, Trinidad and her parents were attracted to the small campus, diversity and Christian-affiliated aspects of the University of the Ozarks.

“In a lot of ways, Ozarks was like the Pan American School, and me and my parents both liked that,” she said. “It was an adjustment when I went to the Pan American School. You are just so used to being with the same people in the same environment, doing the same things, and then you meet people that think differently, have been through different things, have lived in different environments with different cultures and it’s an eye-opening experience. At Pan American School, we had students from all over the world, with different cultures and different languages, but friendship, caring and support have a language all its own. That’s the same environment that I found at Ozarks.”

The decision to study abroad for a semester was made easier when her best friend and roommate, Lizzie Soper, decided to also go.

Trinidad took three psychology classes during the term.

“I was amazed by how big the psychology classes were in that school, with about 120 students per class, and the teachers even had to use microphones so the students in the back could hear them,” she said. “It was very cool. Lizzie and I used our time wisely and hopped on a bus every weekend to go and explore as many towns as we could. What I enjoyed most was the connections I met. The first week I arrived, I met a group of girls at a Baptist church event for international students, and they often invited Lizzie and I to join their worship nights at the University Campus, Bible studies, and to join the McDonald’s at midnight tradition once a week. It was very fun to see McDonald’s filled with university students at midnight, and our now friends were always giving us rides home after that.”

Trinidad said one particular memory that sticks out is a weekend that she and her friends spent in Galway, the Republic of Ireland.

“To get there, we had to get on three different trains, which was a little tiring but worth it,” she said. “Galway was filled with life. There were people from all over the world there, many people selling handcrafts and my favorite thing was seeing and hearing all the musicians that played music live in the streets. I love going to concerts, so it was amazing for me to be able to hear a different type of music in every street. I saw musicians playing acoustic and electric guitars, violins, bagpipes, harmonicas, ukuleles and singing in different languages. That affected me in a positive way because seeing so much culture in music and in people, mostly from Europe and Asia, filled me with an overwhelming sense of joy.”

Trinidad said her study abroad experience had a “strong impact” on her.

“Even though I have been facing a lot of changes in my life since I was 14, the simple fact of getting on a plane to study in a different continent made me realize that I am capable of doing really great things and overcoming life’s challenges with God by my side,” she said. “Going to Ireland was another opportunity to expand my horizons like the one I had coming to study in the U.S. These experiences are what nurture me and help me achieve personal growth.”

University of the Ozarks, Special to Presbyterian News Service (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Natarsha Sanders, Associate for Intercultural Leadership Development & Recruitment, Interim Unified Agency
Lee Sangik, Translator, Global Language Resources, Administrative Services Group (A Corp) 

Let us pray:

You are God-in-community: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Create a community among us, we pray. Gather us as your body, and send us as your disciples, your hands, your voice. We thank you for the reconciliation that Christ brings — reconciling us to himself and entrusting us with the message of reconciliation. Amen.

Minute for Mission: Immigration Sunday

For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. (Psalm 108:4)

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courtesy of Amanda Craft

This moment in the United States is one marked by division. For immigrant communities, the moment is marked by threats, fear and repression of rights. We witness arrests at courthouses as immigrants comply with the legal requirements for their cases. Arrests, detention and deportations separate families. We lament the impact of fear-based tactics on church communities, as many immigrant members live in fear. Division and trauma disrupt all facets of life.

As communities stand up peacefully to government overreach in immigration enforcement, we witness the erosion and repression of fundamental rights and values. Religious liberties and the right to public witness have been key values in the country. The Presbyterian Church has centuries of social witness policy that urges members to partake in public witness activities participating in God’s mercy, love and peace. The church also has a history of advocating just immigration laws and demanding the change of structures that cause harm on approach to practicing faith. The Scripture urges believers to awake to the goodness God promises. This steadfast love extends beyond human imagination and understanding. It is offered to all nations, to all people.

May we endeavor to be awake to this kind of love by finding ways to bring communities together, seeking protection and peace. Joining others to pursue ways to protect immigrant communities and ensure rights are examples of being awake to God’s presence and faithfulness. Support immigrant communities by connecting with immigrant rights groups in your area as they mobilize.

Amanda Craft, Manager of Immigration Advocacy, PC(USA)

Let us join in prayer for:

Alicia Samuels, Vice President of eCommerce & Marketing & Flyaway Books Editorial, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
Elizabeth Sanders, Customer Service Representative, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation 

Let us pray:

Faithful God, give us courage to seek your love. Give us courage to join our voice with others. May we remember what is lost when we do not. Protect those who urgently need your refuge and care. Amen.