Mission Yearbook: Talking to kids about racism, injustice and the power of love

On April 28, in Rochester, Minnesota, a white woman named Shiloh Hendrix accused a 5-year-old Black boy of stealing something from her diaper bag. She shouted racial slurs at him, calling him the N-word. He also happens to be a child with autism. In defense of him, a man named Sharmake Omar took out his phone, pressed record and confronted the woman. The woman responded by shouting racial slurs at him.

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Nicole Doyley

Omar’s video went viral, and because Hendrix allegedly received death threats, someone set up a GiveSendGo campaign. To date, thousands of people from all over the country have donated more than $700,000 to Hendrix. So many donors used racial slurs and Nazi jargon in the comments of the campaign that it overwhelmed the profanity filter.

This story is disturbing on many levels, not the least of which is the fact that it is as old as the United States itself: white women accusing Black boys of nefarious deeds, which brings racism bubbling to the surface and sometimes results in threats of violence or actual violence (think Emmett Till).

The question is, how can parents help their kids make sense of such a confusing moral landscape, where racism is flaunted and bad behavior is rewarded?

Here are four suggestions to help you to talk to kids about disturbing stories such as this one:

• When they hear stories like the Rochester incident, start with the big picture. The Bible tells us that there are six things the Lord hates and one of them is “feet that run swiftly to evil” (Proverbs 6:18). God doesn’t want us to do evil and doesn’t want us to run to see it, either. Help your kids think about excellent and praiseworthy things by pointing out a beautiful sky, the kindness of a stranger or the beautiful music on the radio.
• This doesn’t mean that you should ignore realities like racism, though. Rather, teach your kids about race and racism even when they’re young. You can say things like, “Recently a lady was mean to a little boy because of the color of his skin. That was very wrong, and it made God very sad.” Whether your kids are white or kids of color, tell them that all people are created in God’s image, and those with dark skin bear God’s image just as much as those with light skin.
• Teach your kids that the root of racism is hate. Jesus teaches us that the second greatest command (after loving God) is loving neighbor, and our neighbor includes people of every race and ethnicity. You cannot love God and hate people.
• Teach them that part of living in a sinful world means that sometimes right and wrong get mixed up.  Sometimes sinful people will call bad behavior, like the behavior of Shiloh Hendrix, good, and they will even reward it rather than rewarding the brave action of a stranger trying to defend a child. Kids find it confusing when adults do this because they feel adults should know better. But the truth is, adults who are filled with hate do not know better. All we can do for them is pray that their lives will be transformed by God’s love.

There are many sad things about this story, including the fact that Hendrix shouted these slurs with her own young child on her hip.  Parents keep passing racism down to their kids. Perhaps tonight, with your kids, you can model love by praying for Shiloh Hendrix, that God’s transforming love will invade her life; for the little Black boy and his family, that God would heal them and that they would refuse to return evil for evil; and for Sharmake Omar, that God would protect him and draw him to God’s self.

In his sermon called “Loving Your Enemies,” the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Let’s teach that to our children.

Nicole Doyley is the author of “What about the Children?: Five Values for Multiracial Families,” published in February by Westminster John Knox Press. You can find her here.

Nicole Doyley, Special for Presbyterian News Service  (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Cameron Stevens,  Mission Associate II, Constituency Relations, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Interim Unified Agency
Mindi Stivers, Financial Assistant, Presbyterian Women

Let us pray:

God of mercy, we are privileged to be called to join Christ in the world as we seek to do ministries of justice and kindness and bring glory to your name. Give us the courage to act boldly and let all that we do be conducted in a spirit of humility and love. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Minute for Mission: World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

Mary Jane Veloso, a human trafficking victim who was imprisoned unjustly for 14 years in Indonesia for unwittingly carrying 2.6 kilos of heroin into that country in luggage provided to her by individuals who had recruited her to work in Malaysia, has been freed from Indonesian custody and returned home to the Philippines.

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Supporters gathered outside the Correctional Institute for Women to show their unwavering support for Mary Jane Veloso. (Contributed photo)

In December, PC(USA) Mission Co-Worker the Rev. Cathy Chang, who is now a Global Ecumenical Liaison with the PC(USA)’s Interim Unified Agency, was at the Manila airport to help welcome Veloso home in a terminal crowded with reporters and well-wishers. 

Once Veloso approached the arrivals area, “everybody started chanting her name,” Chang said. “We were quite a distance away. She was flanked by security personnel, and her parents and family could not hug or touch her.”

Chang and others then accompanied Veloso to the Correctional Institute for Women, where she was held for a quarantine protocol. “That is routine for everyone,” Chang said. “Thankfully, there was an initial family reunion after her arrival at the CIW.”

Now 40, Veloso, a domestic worker, was arrested in 2010 in Indonesia. She denied knowing about the drugs in the luggage she’d been given by those who’d recruited her to work in Malaysia — two Filipinos who were convicted in 2020 of large-scale illegal recruitment. In 2015, she’d been sentenced to be executed in Indonesia, but at the 11th hour was granted a stay thanks in part to pleas from then-Philippine President Benigno Aquino because of the recent arrest of one of her recruiters.

Chang said Veloso’s release was the result of a high-level diplomatic agreement between the Ministry of Justice in Indonesia and counterparts in the Philippines. Under diplomatic agreements signed by members of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the custody of a prisoner can be transferred. Chang credited both Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

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The pink flowers that the Rev. Cathy Chang purchased for Mary Jane Veloso’s family to help welcome Veloso back to the Philippines. (Contributed photo)

“From what I could see during the live feed [of Veloso’s arrival in Manila], she obviously has aged. But the joy showed in her eyes,” Chang said. “Even at the press conference, I could see how she radiated joy, relief and gratitude.”

The question on the minds of Veloso’s many supporters is whether Marcos will grant her clemency. They’re circulating this petition, which states, “Mary Jane is among many women migrant workers, from impoverished backgrounds, who have been preyed upon by illegal recruiters and human traffickers.” Her safe return “will shine as a beacon of hope for migrant workers around the world, especially for those who feel abandoned and neglected and who face unjust detention, the harsh realities of exploitation and injustice.” Everyone is invited to join international supporters through this online signature campaign.

Clemency for Veloso “is long overdue,” Chang said. “I think she has already suffered so much.” Chang credited Migrante International and the Church Task Force to Save Mary Jane, in addition to Veloso’s lawyers and Indonesian migrant advocates, for their tireless advocacy.

Several hours before leaving for the Manila airport, Chang stopped by a neighborhood florist to purchase some flowers for Veloso’s family to give to her. “Not knowing which colors to choose, I chose pink because that seemed the best choice,” Chang said. “I told the florist that they would be preparing ‘history-making flowers’ because they would later be given to Mary Jane Veloso.”

“Later, while waiting at the airport,” Chang said, “I learned that pink is Mary Jane’s favorite color.”

Join the letter writing campaign for Veloso’s release. Go here for a template for a letter your church or mid council can send on her behalf.

Read additional Presbyterian News Service reporting about Veloso’s ordeal and how Presbyterians have supported her over the years here, here, here and here.

Since 2015, the Rev. Cathy Chang has served as a mission co-worker in the Philippines. In 2025, she began serving as a Global Ecumenical Liaison – International with the Interim Unified Agency.

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Andrea Stevens, Charitable Gift Advisor, Presbyterian Foundation
Angie Stevens,  Manager, Communication Specialist, Interim Unified Agency   

Let us pray:

In the name of Jesus Christ, who proclaims good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, and justice to the oppressed, may our prayers and actions lead to Mary Jane Veloso’s clemency. Amen. 

Mission Yearbook: Google VP addresses Stillman College graduates

Stillman College, founded in 1876 by the Presbyterian Church, celebrated its 2025 commencement this year as 65% of graduates earned honors, showcasing the institution’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence.

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Graduates take selfies to celebrate the completion of their undergraduate career at Stillman College's 2025 Commencement on Saturday in Birthright Alumni Hall in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Megginson, Stillman College)

The ceremony, held in Birthright Alumni Hall due to inclement weather, celebrated 121 graduates and highlighted the growing partnership between Stillman and Google, which presented a $30,000 gift to the college.

“We are not going to let this rain on this wonderful day for the Class of 2025,” Dr. Yolanda W. Page, the eighth president of Stillman College, said to an excited crowd to begin the ceremony.

The energy-filled ceremony, which lasted less than two hours, marked a transformative moment for the Class of 2025, consisting of 43 male and 78 female graduates. A recurring theme throughout the program was resilience and adaptability, traits the graduates will carry forward into their future endeavors.

Google’s Vice President of Employee Engagement, Melonie D. Parker, delivered a commencement address that reflected on Stillman’s history and its ability to navigate challenges and thrive.

“Stillman by its very existence tells you challenges are not stop signs. Challenges are invitations to innovate, to persevere, to build something meaningful, even when the path seems unclear,” Parker said.

She encouraged graduates to carry forward the legacy of past Stillmanites who overcame financial strains, fluctuating enrollment and civil rights battles, emphasizing that their resilience led to meaningful progress.

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Melonie D. Parker, Vice President of Employee Engagement at Google, Inc., delivers the commencement address at Stillman College's 2025 Commencement on Saturday. Parker also received an honorary doctorate during the ceremony and presented Stillman College with a $30,000 unrestricted gift on behalf of Google. (Photo by Trent Spruell)

“Stillman endured. It adapted. It found new strength,” Parker said. “This wasn’t just institutional survival. It was a demonstration of what a committed community can achieve.”

In recognition of her impactful contributions to leadership and her unwavering support of HBCUs, Parker was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters by Page and Board of Trustees Chairman Joe Hampton. Additionally, Parker presented a $30,000 unrestricted gift to Stillman on behalf of Google.

“The partnership between Stillman College and Google is one rooted in a shared mission and vision,” Parker said. “At Google, we strive to make information universally accessible and useful, and this aligns perfectly with Stillman College’s mission to foster academic excellence and empower diverse populations for leadership and service.”

Class of 2025 valedictorian Amarachi Okafor delivered heartfelt senior reflections, underscoring the importance of community and perseverance. Her sister, Chinazam Okafor, salutatorian, introduced Parker as the keynote speaker.

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Dr. Yolanda W. Page, eighth president of Stillman College, presents Catherine Cox of Tuscaloosa, Alabama her bachelor of science in mathematics at Stillman College's 2025 Commencement on Saturday. (Photo by Chris Megginson, Stillman College)

Nine distinguished members of the Class of 1975 were honored as the Golden Class during their 50th reunion celebration, recognizing their enduring connection to Stillman College and their lifelong contributions to its legacy.

The ceremony also featured musical performances by the Stillman College Choir and Band. The Rev. Vernon Swift of Elizabeth Baptist Church offered the invocation, while the Rev. Dr. Joseph Scrivner, dean of chapel at Stillman College, delivered the benediction.

As members of the Class of 2025 embark on their journeys, Stillman College remains steadfast in its mission to empower leaders for change. The continued support from partners like Google ensures that future generations of Stillmanites will thrive in an ever-changing world.

Stillman College, an accredited, four-year liberal arts institution in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, offers a diverse range of undergraduate programs and is committed to providing a transformative educational experience. A historically Black college and university (HBCU) founded in 1876 by the Presbyterian Church, Stillman has a rich history of educating students from various backgrounds and promoting academic excellence. The college is dedicated to developing critical thinkers and leaders who will make significant contributions to their communities. For more information about Stillman College, go here.

Stillman College, Presbyterian News Service (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Elaine Stepp, Operations Reconciliation Specialist, Presbyterian Foundation
Tim Stepp, Associate Director, Internal Audit, Administrative Services Group (A Corp) 

Let us pray:

God our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer and friend, through Christ you demonstrate, in fullness, the depth of your love. May we reflect his compassion, which permeated all his actions, as we serve. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Faith and mental health ‘are not enemies’

During a recent webinar called “Empowered Minds: Mental Health in a Chaotic World,” the Rev. La Tonja Ellis offered up strategies for coping with the chaos many clergy and others have felt for the past several months in the nation and in our communities.

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The Rev. La Tonja Ellis

“Give yourself permission to be human in this presentation,” suggested Ellis, pastor of Grant A.M.E. Church in Chicago. Union Theological Seminary and the RISE Together mentorship network put on the webinar, attended by more than 40 people. “Right now, some of us feel overwhelmed and broken,” Ellis said. “Give yourself permission to be who you are so you can understand yourself better and allow us to know who you are in this conversation.”

Ellis shared a number of tools webinar participants can use as coping strategies, including Dr. Gloria Willcox’s The Feeling Wheel. “Too many of us push our feelings down,” said Ellis, who asked those attending online to actively participate in the webinar by sharing their input throughout the hour in the chat feature. Asked to define chaos, participants wrote “no ability to control outcomes,” “disorder,” “lack of consistent processes,” “complete nonalignment” and other responses.

“Theologically, many of us feel like we’re in the wilderness,” Ellis said. “God will show up when God does,” but “most of us won’t ask for help in the midst of chaos.”

“Yet you’re called to minister to folks, to lead,” she noted, pointing out coping strategies including deep breathing and meditation, journaling, engaging in hobbies and physical activities and setting realistic goals and priorities.

Some participants mentioned their own coping strategies: reading detective fiction, painting rocks and working crossword puzzles.

It’s nice to have a few at the ready, Ellis said. Mental health challenges can come on suddenly.

We could all use “a board of directors to give us insight,” she said, trusted friends and loved ones who will tell us the truth about ourselves. Ministers are among those who can benefit from establishing and enforcing strong boundaries. For Ellis, that means engaging the “do not disturb” function on her phone each night from 9 p.m. through 9 a.m., “so I can stop being all things to all people.”

“No one can take your boundaries from you,” Ellis said. “Be strong!”

Family members, friends and colleagues “can help you stay resilient,” Ellis said. She wears a locket containing a picture of “my favorite person,” a great aunt who died during Ellis’ freshman year in college. “Your community is your sounding board, the place where you can be authentically you,” she said. “The power of community is you’re not alone. Community can be medicine for you — your connection to the world and to other people’s hearts. It can be a healing place. Connection is therapy, and community is therapy. You may need professional help, and professional help may be community, too.”

Faith and mental health “are not enemies to each other,” Ellis said. “We don’t talk enough about lamenting, crying and mourning, and withdrawing to places where we can take care of ourselves.”

“God created us with all the emotions we are feeling,” she said, crediting church with “keeping me grounded when I see society all over the place.”

At Grant A.M.E. Church, the ministerial team does breathwork together right before the start of worship. Fortunately, “you don’t have to tell your body to breathe,” Ellis said. “Breath work allows you to slow down. Some of us are not comfortable with silence, but silence can remind us of how miraculous our bodies are.”

Journaling can be a helpful practice because “you can say what you need to say without saying it to someone else. You can check on yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually.” One participant noted Dr. Frank Thomas’ take on the discipline: “I write to stay sane.” For Ellis, “I have to write whatever I want to remember.”

One of Ellis’ friends is in the habit of taking herself to do something once a month on the date she was born.

“With so much going on — so many people oppressed and violated — we like to help,” said the Rev. Brittini L. Palmer of RISE Together. “But we have to help ourselves as well.”

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

Let us join in prayer for:

David Staniunas, Records Archivist, Presbyterian Historical Society, Interim Unified Agency  
Marsha Stearley, Desktop Support Analyst, Information Technology, Administrative Services Group (A Corp) 

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, we believe that your Spirit is still at work in the world. Free us from discouragement and give us eyes to catch glimpses of you and the courage to step beyond our walls to be the church in our communities. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Presbyterian pastor from New Mexico gives prayer for Public Lands Caucus launch

To kick off a recent event at the U.S. Capitol celebrating the formation of the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus, members of the U.S. House of Representatives turned to the Rev. Andrew Black for a prayer. Black is the associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the founder of EarthKeepers 360.

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The Rev. Andrew Black of First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is pictured with U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico, who's the co-chair of the new Public Lands Caucus (contributed photo).

Here’s in part what Black prayed:

“Creator God, from the east and west to the north and south, you have called these leaders to gather on this common ground so that they may indeed find common ground and common purpose in serving the people of this great nation. …

“May they serve with energy, intelligence and imagination. … May those with voice help the voiceless, may those with power help the powerless, and may all who enter this Capitol be treated with great dignity, respect and kindness. …

“O Great Spirit who gives us life, you have blessed America with a rich and diverse tapestry of history, culture and sacred traditions that are rooted in our land. …

“Good and gracious God, help us to remember that we are all keepers of this beautiful and sacred space. Make us strong stewards of a land blessed by so much enchantment and let us look to the common good as we address the challenges of your Creation, so that we may develop responsible policies and practices toward your land, water and wildlife.

“Holy One, on this day we pray for all who serve as active military, and we honor our veterans who fought not just to protect our communities and country, but also fought to protect our public lands that serve as a source of healing, wholeness, unity and community for so many in our country. For all these things we humbly pray, Amen.”

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat from New Mexico, and U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Montana Republican who previously served as Secretary of the Interior, are co-chairing the new bipartisan caucus.

In a news conference that can be viewed here, Vasquez described the new bipartisan caucus as “an effort meant to reinforce the importance of maintaining the integrity of public lands, public access, land management and conservation in the U.S. Congress.”

“Make no mistake: Our public lands are our nation’s great equalizer,” Vasquez said. “On the water, on the land, or in the backcountry, we all benefit greatly by the foundations laid by great conservation leaders like Aldo Leopold and Teddy Roosevelt. Public lands and public access to our forests, rivers, grasslands and deserts are a unique American experience we must continue to fight for.”

Public lands “also support a multi-billion-dollar industry and outdoor recreation that powers rural communities, connects Americans to their history and their heritage and allows us to pass on our traditions to the next generation,” Vasquez said. “That’s why I’m here to help us bring both sides of the aisle together to protect what we hold dear, and that’s why I’m leading this effort with my caucus co-chair, Rep. Ryan Zinke.”

Caucus members recently introduced the bipartisan Public Lands in Public Hands Act “to prevent the wholesale or transfer of public lands to private entities,” Vasquez noted. “This will be a working caucus meant to bring us together” and “grow over the coming months and years.”

Zinke described public lands as “not a Republican or Democrat issue” but “an American issue, and we should use it in that context of being red, white and blue.”

“It’s important that we talk about better management, to preserve and defend why we live in the West and why America’s greatest idea should be preserved and defended.”  Zinke listed a number of issues the caucus can tackle, including better forest and watershed management and increased care for the nation’s wildlife corridors and flyways, “to make sure the next generation has the same opportunity that we did, to enjoy what I think are our greatest treasures.”

“Our time is precious,” Zinke said of the lawmakers who agreed to join the caucus. “We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t think we could get things done.” 

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Frank Spencer, President, Board of Pensions 
Champaka Srinivasan, Associate, Finance, Young Adult & National Volunteers, Interim Unified Agency 

Let us pray:

God of mercy and compassion, may we always be people led by compassion and grace. May the focus of our service to you be service to the community. In the name of our Holy Lord, we pray. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Final Sprunt Lecture looks at Bible and present tricksters

“What happens when the God of liberation simply does not liberate?” asked Rev. Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre during the fourth and final installment of the 115th Sprunt Lectures recently held at Union Presbyterian Seminary. 

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De La Torre’s lectures began with a screening and discussion of the film, “Trails of Hope and Terror” that he helped make with his wife and son. The film documents the horrible conditions that Latinx immigrants face while crossing the border between Mexico and the United States. De La Torre is professor of Social Ethics and Latinx Studies at Iliff School of Theology in Denver.

His second lecture followed up on the topics of the film with an introduction to the immigration crisis and the third, titled “A Rejection of Eurocentric Thought,” deconstructed the philosophical underpinnings of that crisis.

His final lecture focused on an ethical response in the midst of such a crisis and within a view of history as one of chaos, not one of order and progress. De La Torre acknowledged the vulgarity of his title: “Ethics Para Joder,” while also espousing its real-world applications and its biblical foundation through the stories of tricksters who overturn the systems that oppress them and others.

“Why the vulgarity? Well, what’s really vulgar is how Latinos are forced to live in this country,” he said. “That’s what should be offensive, not the word that I’m using, and that’s where we need to put the focus.”

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The Rev. Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre delivered this year's Sprunt Lectures at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.

“Struggle with me as I struggle with God, to try to see the face of God in the midst of really horrible things that are going on all around us,” invited De La Torre, explaining how for 10 years he read the Bible cover to cover annually and found that sometimes God was not present and sometimes, God even sent evil spirits. His real-life encounters echoed this absence of hope and presence of evil as he taught theology students through contextual learning trips.

De La Torre says he began to struggle when he took a group of students to Cuernavaca, Mexico. When his group encountered a row of dirt huts along an abandoned train station, one student reflected on the horrible conditions of the people living there but detected a glimmer of hope in a little girl’s eyes. Growing up as he did in a tenement apartment in Hell’s Kitchen, where his bathroom was a tin can, De La Torre had a more sober understanding of the girl’s future trajectory through a life of poverty than the student did. He wished to reject the tendency to idealize exceptional stories like his own escape from poverty’s downward pull. He described his response to the student’s need to see a hopeful future for a child as an “epistemological meltdown,” which led to his rejecting hope.

The mental reaction he had to his student’s statement of faith was the thought that the young girl in their gaze “was born into poverty, and she will die in poverty, as will her children and her children's children.” He felt for his student and other Christians who project an easy hope, that “the only reason you see hope in her eyes is so that you don't have to do anything about it. You could just trust God to take care of it.”

“What we are doing,” he explained in the articulation of hope, “is we are justifying and visualizing and ignoring all the others who don’t make it, who remain oppressed, who die in hopelessness.”

In Spanish, the word for hope is “Esperanza,” which comes from the root word meaning “to wait.” De La Torre focuses not on the outcome we wait for, but on the process.

“The ethics that I’m trying to do is, what do I do while I am waiting, as opposed to what may come after the waiting?” he said.

“You see, it doesn’t matter if God keeps God’s promises or not; that’s not what defines my faith. My faith is not transactional,” he said: “I will pray even when God doesn’t keep God’s promises, and I will pray to hold God accountable to what God is supposed to do.”

Beth Waltemath, Communications Strategist, Interim Unified Agency, PC(USA) (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Jake Souder, Program Assistant, Educational Resources, Interim Unified Agency  
Roger Spalding, Prospect Research Analyst, Stewardship & Funds Development, Administrative Services Group (A Corp) 

Let us pray:

Loving God, lower our gaze so that we might see you face to face. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: First Presbyterian Church of LaGrange provides housing for teachers

Something revolutionary is taking root of LaGrange, Georgia. Groundspring, an initiative of First Presbyterian Church of LaGrange, aims to provide free housing for teachers who serve at the church’s child care center.

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Through its Groundspring initiative, First Presbyterian Church of LaGrange, Georgia, is offering free housing to two of the church's preschool teachers (contributed photo).

Launched earlier this year as a partnership between the church and local nonprofit Dependable Affordable Sustainable Housing (DASH), Groundspring addresses some of the greatest challenges child care centers and families are navigating today.

“It is no secret that our early childhood education system faces its fair share of growing edges, specifically in the areas of just compensation of teachers and in the supply — or lack thereof — of fully affordable, accessible centers,” said the Rev. James Goodlet, lead pastor of FPC. “We hope Groundspring represents the first step of a much larger movement at First Presbyterian Church seeking to address these critical issues in our community.”

Groundspring will begin with a pilot phase for which two teachers have been selected to receive the free housing benefit.

The program is modeled after a rent-free teacher housing initiative established by Friends Center for Children in New Haven, Connecticut. As such, Groundspring is the second program nationwide to provide a free housing benefit for its teachers.

“FPC approached us looking to make a difference in the community outside of the walls of the church. Through several brainstorming sessions, we arrived at the conclusion that housing is a desperate need for many in our community,” said Nate Crawford, executive director of DASH.

Crawford said that while DASH has partnered on many projects, Groundspring is unique to them.

“In this case, housing is not the main goal, but a key supporting factor in creating better outcomes for child care workers and children in the day care/preschool program,” Crawford said.

FPC hopes that removing teachers’ largest monthly expense will help them focus on what they do best — caring for and teaching the children of our community.

"By providing them with housing, we are not only giving them a place to call home but also investing in their future,” said LaTasha Owens, director of the FPC Child Care Center. “This initiative will empower them to focus on their professional development and personal ambitions, knowing that their basic needs are taken care of.”

Owens emphasized that Groundspring assures teachers they are seen, supported and never taken for granted.

“This initiative demonstrates to our teachers that we are attentive to their needs and committed to providing financial support,” said Owens. “By offering housing, we empower them to excel and reach their full potential."

By removing the burden of housing costs, Groundspring offers more than just a place to live; it creates breathing room for educators to focus on their well-being and future. Owens believes this kind of support can be life-changing for those in the program.

“I believe this will have a profound impact on their lives as it provides them with the opportunity to save money and eliminate any debts they may possess. Additionally, it alleviates the stress of worrying about how they will pay their rent if they need to take a day or two off work,” Owens said.

The name “Groundspring” was inspired by Isaiah 58:11–12, originally spoken to a people who knew well the pains of feeling exiled, unseen and uncared for. The passage from Isaiah states, “The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your needs in parched places and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.” Groundspring thus reflects both the firm foundation upon which these homes stand and the spirit of renewal and restoration that flows through the program.

“We see this initiative as something that God is springing forth — not only for the lives of these incredible teachers, but also for the generations of their families to follow for whom these foundations are being established,” said Goodlet.

For more information visit fpclagrange.org/groundspring.

Jenna Eady; Director of Digital Ministry; First Presbyterian Church of LaGrange, Georgia  (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

Samuel Son, Manager, Diversity & Reconciliation Associate, Advocacy, Interim Unified Agency
Teresa Sontarp, Controller, Board of Pensions 

Let us pray:

Lord, guide us as we seek to be faithful, using your gifts to proclaim the good news. Amen.

Mission Yearbook: Associated Church Press honors PC(USA) communicators, social media strategist, multimedia producers and Unbound contributors

Multimedia producers, a social media strategist and contributors and staff of Unbound and Presbyterian News Service were among those recently recognized among the 2024 Best of the Church Press Award winners, announced by the Associated Church Press.

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Photo by Tahsin Nawar via Unsplash

The PC(USA)’s social media strategist, Victoria Shircliffe, won two awards. One, an Award of Excellence, was for “An Ecumenical Walk Through the Stations of the Cross.” The other, an Award of Merit, was for “What is the PC(USA) like? (A Guide for Current and Potential Members).”

Alex Simon, Rich Copley and Beth Waltemath won the Award of Excellence for their “Greater Atlanta Presbytery — Georgia: Poverty” entry in the Visual Communications Video-News Story category. Copley and Waltemath were given an Award of Merit in the same category for their “PC(USA) congregation in Minneapolis co-creates a healing space with sex-trafficked neighbors.”

Jim DeWeese won an Award of Merit in the Marketing and Social Media Annual Report category for his “On the Path to Unification.”

Unbound took home seven awards. Awards of Excellence went to a Devotional/Inspirational (Long Format) went to Boundless: An Anti-Colonial Advent Devotional and, in the Biblical Resource category, for Queering the Bible: Queering the Book of Acts. Awards of Merit was given for Biblical Interpretation or Lectionary Reflection (Long Form) category for Queering the Bible: Queering the Book of Acts. Unbound was given an Award of Merit in the Best in Class category for an Independent Website. In the Editorial (Single Editorial or Opinion Piece, All Media), Mae Elise Cannon and Ron Shive won an Award of Merit for “Biden’s Unclear Red Line on Rafah, Gazans Perish, U.S. credibility reaches a nadir.” jules leslie webb won an Award of Merit for a short-format interview, “Sequential Theology: Lenny Duncan on Witnessing to the Wastebasket of Modernity.” webb also won an Award of Merit for a column, “Sequential theology.”

The Rev. Emily Enders Odom, who handles communications for Ministry Engagement and Support, among other duties, garnered two awards — an Award of Merit for “The four churchwide Special Offerings of the PC(USA)” and an honorable mention for Best in Class in the Public Relations of Marketing Campaign category for the same entry.

Multimedia producer Randy Hobson won three awards: an Award of Merit in the Best in Class category for Video Production, an Award of Merit for Visual Communications in the Video-Editorial/PR/Marketing category for “PHS partners with Sínodo Presbiteriano Boriquén to preserve records” and an Honorable Mention for Video Production in the Best in Class category.

Communications Strategist Darla Carter was given an Honorable Mention for “Preschoolers at Leesburg Presbyterian Church learn the ABCs of composting.”

The Presbyterian Outlook, an independent publication, garnered five awards. Dartinia Hull won an Award of Merit for “Reviving Goodwill.” Teri McDowell Ott won an Award of Merit for “Bound by love to bear witness.” Gregg Brekke was handed an Award of Merit for “PC(USA) Board of Pensions announces pricing for new benefits structure.” The Outlook won an Award of Excellence for its coverage of the 226th General Assembly (2024). The cover of the January 2024 edition won an Honorable Mention for its design by Anne Walker.

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

Let us join in prayer for:

Jeya So, Associate, Training & Leader Cohorts, Theology, Formation & Evangelism, Interim Unified Agency
Barbara Soete, Ministry Specialist for Special Offerings, Stewardship & Funds Development, Administrative Services Group (A Corp) 

Let us pray:

Almighty Creator, we pray that the simple choices we make will always honor your name and benefit all the members of your family. We ask you to help us give our lives generously in service to you. Amen.