Today in the Mission Yearbook - ‘God is With Us Always Even in a Pandemic’

The book is for children, youth, and anyone else who may need a reminder of God’s presence and love

July 28, 2021

Inspired by their grandchildren, three friends and members of Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church in Sunnyvale, California, have created a new children’s book, “God is With Us Always Even in a Pandemic.”

Since the book’s release in November, retired Christian educator and author Miriam Kishi, illustrator Jim Peterson and painter Lucy Janjigian have joined first- through fifth-grade students from Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church in an online reading. In addition to Peterson’s illustrations and Janjigian’s paintings, the book provides space for children to draw their own pictures of activities missed with friends and new experiences with family, such as sleeping in a tent or making mud pies.

“The children enjoyed talking with Lucy about her paintings and they asked Jim how he made the pictures,” Kishi said. “They talked about how it feels to do school at home, how they miss their friends and about knowing God is with them. We were just blown away. It was such a neat experience.” She said all three are available to host virtual readings and discussions with young people from other churches within the Presbytery of San Jose and throughout the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

A friend of Janjigian also read the book to a group of senior citizens who discussed things they’ve had to give up, such as hugs and in-person visits with family. For both discussion groups thus far, the reminder of God’s loving presence has been reassuring, Kishi said.

Kishi and Janjigian collaborated to create another children’s book about a year and a half ago titled “God Is With Us Always Even in a Tsunami.” Kishi worked as a Christian educator at six churches between 1965 and 2007 and served on the cabinet of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) for four years. Soon after the coronavirus became news in March, Kishi felt led to write a new picture book and reached out to Janjigian and Peterson.

Peterson has trained spiritual directors in three northern California spiritual formation programs for more than two decades. His drawings have been published in several technical books and other training materials, but this is his first children’s book. As a youth he believed the most important question in life is “the question of God.” In work and in life, he has discerned that his only agenda is to assist others in “becoming more aware of God’s presence and responding even more faithfully to God’s love and invitations.”

Janjigian, who was born in Jerusalem from Armenian descent, shares two of her paintings in the book, “World on Edge” and “Passages.” As the daughter of survivors of the Armenian genocide, Janjigian has been a refugee herself and, at age 17, also worked with the United Nations Relief Works & Agency (UNRWA) interviewing Palestinian families in refugee camps. She understands firsthand what is feels like to be displaced from all that is familiar.

 Tammy Warren, Communications Associate, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Vaughn Ratliff, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Becky Rayner, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)

Let us pray

Father, thanks for the joy of being shared by you, in all our diversity and brokenness, with those you love. Grant us grace to embrace your blessings as we journey with others in this amazing adventure of life. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - An invitation to pause and rethink

Author explores ‘bewildering’ pandemic landscape

January 19, 2021

Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

The pandemic has ushered in a time of bewilderment but also a golden opportunity, according to the Rev. Dr. Paul H. Lang, author of “The Pilgrim’s Compass: Finding and Following the God We Seek.”

“It seems to me that this moment of pandemic is an invitation for us to pause and rethink, to recalibrate, to reorient to wonder about that basic fundamental question of what is it we think we’re doing, and is what we’re doing useful to us and to the world at the moment?” Lang said.

He was the featured speaker at a recent webinar co-sponsored by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators and Westminster John Knox Press. Carl Horton, Peacemaking’s Coordinator for Mission, served as the host.

Lang’s presentation, “A Look at COVID-19 Through the Lens of Christian Pilgrimage,” provided insight into this sometimes-confusing period when staying close to home to avoid the coronavirus is juxtaposed with a desire to continue bearing fruit for God’s kin-dom.

“The world that was so ordered and made sense to us even just a few months ago is not as orderly now, and we’re trying to figure out faith in the context of that,” said Lang, who’s pastor and head of staff at First Presbyterian Church in Fargo, North Dakota.

Many people find their days altered significantly because of the pandemic, often working from home and worshiping by videoconference instead of rushing to in-person meetings.

“Our stress level about work may be very high, but the pace of day-to-day interactions with others has slowed significantly, and that does give us a chance to try to make sense of what is, it seems to me, a pretty bewildering landscape,” said Lang, who’s also executive director of The Institute of Church Renewal.

The sources of bewilderment are many. Pastors, educators and others who are used to being surrounded by people on a regular basis are having to rethink how they operate in an era of social distancing. At the same time, many Americans have questions about job security, how schools will operate this fall and what will happen to the stock market.

“You add to that the civil unrest that’s happening really worldwide now but certainly within the United States,” Lang said. “Many of us in our communities have an opportunity to rethink who we are and what we’re doing and whether or not we’ve been adequately engaged in the sacred work of hearing the voices of those who’ve been long silenced and responding to those in a faithful and compassionate way.”

Consider taking time as an individual to acknowledge that “I don’t know how to be out in this wilderness, but I trust that God is with me in this, and I’m going to be paying attention to see what God is doing with me and in me out here in the wilderness,” Lang said. “Then you come to new understandings that you would have found harder to get to if you’d been living in a world that wasn’t quite so bewildering.”

Watch the webinar by clicking here.

The work of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program is made possible by gifts to the Peace & Global Witness Offering. Peacemaking is one of the Compassion, Peace and Justice ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

Darla Carter, Communications Associate, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Lorraine Brown, Office of the General Assembly
Andrew Browne, Board of Pensions

Let us pray:

Loving God, your Son identified himself with the most overlooked. Guide and bless efforts to discover and exalt the presence of Jesus in the lives of those whom the world has abandoned. We ask this in the name of the Christ who welcomed the children into his arms. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Food rescue operations are vital during a pandemic

Pennsylvania woman among those trying to help

October 20, 2020

Lori Flick of Columbia Presbyterian Church’s Hands Across the Street ministry helps families in south-central Pennsylvania by rescuing food that might otherwise be wasted. (Contributed photo)

Yearning to break free from a life hindered by addiction, Lori Flick walked into Columbia Presbyterian Church in south-central Pennsylvania almost seven years ago and found a place of refuge.

“I think a lot of people were like ‘Who is this girl?’” she said. “I was skinny as heck. I looked like I was ready to rob the place,” but “I just got to know everyone. They gave me hope. They gave me Jesus. They gave me my self-worth when I didn’t have it.”

Today, she’s a driving force behind the church’s food ministry. Hands Across the Street fights hunger in Lancaster County and other nearby areas through various means, including food drop-offs and food giveaways.

“I’ve been told I create flash mobs,” said Flick, who often uses social media to spread the word about the giveaways. “It can literally be a half hour before I do it. … I can post it and people will be there.”

Her role as coordinator of outreach services includes being the chief food rescuer, collecting food through a variety of channels that might otherwise go to waste.

For example, “I ask farmers, ‘Can you glean your fields?’ and some of them do,” she said. “A few weeks ago, we gave out 8,000 pounds of asparagus.”

Such efforts are playing a vital role these days in various parts of the country, according to the Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP). The coronavirus pandemic has caused economic hardships on a national level as well as within households and brought attention to the issue of food insecurity.

“The Hands Across the Street ministry gives us hope in these trying times,” said Andrew Kang Bartlett, PHP’s Associate for National Hunger Concerns. “The need for food is so clear and, like Presbyterians have been doing for centuries, a group of caring souls come together to just make it happen.”

Across the country in Colorado, Denver Food Rescue fights food insecurity by collecting fresh produce that people get access to through No Cost Grocery Programs that are similar to farmers markets.

“We thrive off of the relationships that we have with wholesale distributors and grocery stores here in Denver,” said Christine Alford, executive director. “It’s because of them that we’re able to rescue their highly perishable food items,” which get distributed out into the community within two hours.

The food is delivered, sometimes via bicycle, to the No Cost Grocery Programs that are run by community members. Eleven of 21 sites are operating during the pandemic and are seeing increased demand.

“A lot of times what I’m hearing is people have the bulk of their meal, but they don’t have healthy food to go with it,” such as fresh produce, Alford said. “It’s our right to have healthy food access.”

Denver Food Rescue, which served about 57,000 participants last year and about 17,000 in the past few weeks, recently received a grant from the Presbyterian Hunger Program to help with expenses, such as outfitting the staff with personal protective equipment.

This organization “has all the ingredients of an effective group,” Bartlett said. “On one hand, you have idealism about food being a basic right for all combined with a commitment to serving people hurt by an unjust economic system. On the other hand, you have savvy activists who collaborate with partners around the city who can also crunch the numbers to show their impact serving low-income communities.”

Back in Pennsylvania at Hands Across the Street, Flick is one of a half-dozen people keeping the food ministry going during the pandemic, with the help of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and others.

Several times a week, Flick visits stores to say, “Hey, do you have any donations?” she said. “We get random stuff and we’ll just bag it.”

That’s just one aspect of the Hands Across the Street operation. There also are food deliveries to seniors and others in need, Flick said.

Darla Carter, Communications Associate, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Robin Roach, Board of Pensions
Eden Roberts, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Gracious God, may your sacrificial love on the cross move us to the genuine offering of ourselves in obedient service, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Despite the pandemic, churches find they’re maintaining ecclesial health

Familiar Bible stories can take on new meaning during this extraordinary time

August 15, 2020

The coronavirus has inflicted any number of health crises on Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations — but in some tangible ways it’s also enhanced their ecclesial health.

Bryce Wiebe, director of Special Offerings.

Bryce Wiebe, director of Special Offerings, was the guest on a recent Vital Congregations webinar series on the Seven Marks of Vital Congregations . With the help of the Zoom call’s more than 50 participants, Wiebe explored the final mark, ecclesial health, which Vital Congregations defines as “whether our mission, vision and values match up with the ways we live together.”

It requires evaluating “whether our buildings provide access and services to people. Does the way we worship reflect who we are and is it in alignment with who we are and who we profess God to be?” Wiebe said. One place to begin that evaluation is to use a document Wiebe wrote called “Ten Stewardship ‘Do’s’ During the Pandemic and one ‘Do Not.’”

One of Wiebe’s suggestions is to listen to stories of faith found in Scripture anew in the light of COVID-19 crisis, especially the accounts of wilderness and resurrection. “I have been reflecting on Scripture, and it’s changed a lot for me,” Wiebe said. “It’s an important time to dig into Scripture and listen for the way the story changes and changes us while we are in isolation.”

Wiebe and staff at Vital Congregations then got participants talking by asking some discussion questions. During this difficult time, what are the things that look healthy? Answers included more and more churches sharing worship-hosting duties with one another, the value of weekly clergy gatherings, increased interest in online prayer support and Bible study, the creativity shown by how Presbyterians minister to one another and online giving being employed to bolster congregational finances.

Asked to identify the current challenges to ecclesial health, participants mentioned the people who can’t or won’t participate in online worship, finances, the grief around putting off or limiting funerals, and music during worship, among others.

Asked what new rituals are emerging, one participant said, “A new habit is to focus on the needs of our communities where so many are out of work and can’t feed their families, rather than (focusing) simply on ourselves.”

Another mentioned this online worship innovation: the Zoom worship services opens 30 minutes early “for people to greet each other and converse — a chaotic scene but well worth doing before the 9:45 service.” Those who have worshiped online remain after the service for more conversation and greetings. Often, they’re given a guided question to discuss, such as “What signs of resurrection have you been seeing?”

Virtual worship has another advantage, as Vital Congregations’ the Rev. Carlton Johnson pointed out: “Most of the time during worship we are looking at the back of someone’s head,” he said. “In a setting like this, we can look at the faces of 50 people.”

Wiebe said when he’s been asked to preach online, “I’ve tried to embrace the intimacy of it by trying to be as close and communicative as possible.” It may be counter-intuitive, but online worship “does allow us to be close,” he said.

Wiebe, who came to his job in 2015 with a background in Christian education and justice advocacy, said he’s recently seen more parents getting involved in faith formation with their children. One participant said he’s noticed the same thing: At his church, he’s seen more people who can help lead worship because it’s recorded during the week. “There is a lot more empowerment of families experiencing faith formation together in their homes than there was before,” he said. “Recorded worship is allowing for people to worship when they are available, rather than either go on Sunday or not at all.”

“Many people are watching three to five services each week,” another pastor said. “I’m encouraged by the number of people listening and spending hours in more worship services, some Presbyterian, some not, but it’s encouraging that more people are worshiping more.”

“I am grateful for the church,” Wiebe said at the end of the hourlong webinar. “My heart breaks with so many and my heart rejoices for so many. For many it feels like the world has sped up even as it’s slowed down.”

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

D.J. Lee, Board of Pensions
Laura Lee, Presbyterian Women

Let us pray:

 Christ, we thank you for being the Word made flesh. As you ministered to those around you through touch, sight and sound, teach us to make use of our whole selves — body, mind, and spirit — to do your work. Give us the courage to take action and grace to welcome all with a loving spirit. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Congregations self-rate ‘fairly well’ after the first few weeks of the pandemic

Initial results from Research Services survey highlight areas of great support and areas of great need

July 18, 2020

Most of the nearly 500 congregations responding to a Research Services survey say they are faring fairly well with technology and other facets of ministry in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Robyn Davis Sekula)

Technology appears to be the greatest benefit and the greatest challenge of doing church differently during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, according to a survey by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Research Services.

When asking congregations about their current approach to worship in this time of social distancing and sheltering in place, almost half (49%) said “strictly church online (with a different format than our in-person gathering).” Of those, nearly 58 percent said technology was their biggest hurdle.

“It isn’t surprising for people to find ways to make things that seemed hard or impossible before work during a time of great need,” said Dr. Susan Barnett, director of Research Services. “Before the virus outbreak, 81% of the churches surveyed had never streamed their services online.”

During a recent virtual meeting with mid councils, one presbytery executive lamented that he had been trying to get his church to stream services for quite some time. “The virus did in two days what I couldn’t accomplish in two years.”

Related to the technology topic, when asked what resource has been the most helpful, the answer was resoundingly Zoom — the web and video conference software platform that has served to connect so many people and congregations over the past few weeks.

Other resources lifted up in the questions and answers of the survey include those found on the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s COVID-19 resource page. Over 80% of those surveyed found the information to be somewhat to very helpful.

The 22-item survey is still open and can be accessed here. To date almost 500 constituents have completed the survey, providing valuable feedback about their current situation and how they are responding to the new challenges with resilience.

There are also concerns, and though some are about the financial impact this new reality could have on the churches, more than half (52%) believe “it will be tight, but we will manage without too much pain by reducing expenses.” More are concerned about the health and welfare of their members, neighbors and communities.

One pastor who is caring for two small churches said, “While it might sound like we are overwhelmed, I have seen the trust in God grow in the hearts of my congregations. And as I learned during the dark journey with my husband, Corrie ten Boom said it best: ‘There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still.’”

 Melody K. Smith, Senior Mission Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Steve Hoehn, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Courtney Hoekstra, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Redeeming and sending God, send the rain of your Spirit on the land. Pour out grace on the people. Redeem us for the abundant life given to us in Jesus Christ. Amen.

WCC NEWS: Webinar to inspire churches’ ministry online during a pandemic

Easter Sunday sunrise service on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, held by the
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC, 2019

A webinar on churches’ ministry online will bring inspiration and knowledge to churches who want to develop their online ministry, discovering how we continue to pray and worship together in times of pandemic.

The webinar, organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and its ecumenical partners, will take place 29 April at 15.00 CET, and will explore the new challenges and opportunities for churches, sharing the good practices from the fellowship.

When public gatherings should be avoided and physical distancing is required for the sake of people’s health and lives, churches around the world need to continue their ministry, adapting to the new settings. How to continue being the church when the church has left its building is one of the key issues to be explored in the webinar.

Speakers will include pastors, communication experts and researchers from around the world who will share their expertise and practices of the online ministry. Keynote speaker of the webinar will be Dr Heidi A. Campbell, professor of Communication at Texas A&M University and director of the Network of New Media, Religion and Digital Culture Studies. Campbell will share insights from her research on the topic and the recent publication, “The Distanced Church: Doing Church Online in a time of Pandemic.”

Other speakers of the webinar include Rev. Jonggoo Kim, senior pastor of Seshin Methodist Church in Seoul, South Korea; Rev. Ralf Peter Reimann, pastor and internet commissioner of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland, Germany; Rev. Dr Nicolas Kazarian, head of the ecumenical department of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; and Ingeborg Dybvig, communications director, Church of Norway.

The webinar will be at livestreamed at www.oikoumene.org/live and questions from the audience will be welcomed. A video recording will be available on WCC YouTube channel afterwards. The webinar will be moderated by Rev. Dr Mikie Roberts, WCC programme executive for Spiritual Life.

WCC communication officer Ivars Kupcis, who has been coordinating the webinar, said it is exciting to hear the speakers’ insights and practices that have led to successful online ministry, often reaching even more people than usual.

“As churches have had to adapt quickly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they have proven that genuine connection between people matters even more now when physical church buildings are not accessible,” said Kupcis, adding that he hopes the webinar will inspire more churches to create meaningful online services and creative ministry practices that could be sustained even beyond the pandemic.

The webinar is organized by the World Council of Churches in partnership with the Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches, Global Christian Forum, World Association for Christian Communication and European Christian Internet Conference.

Taking your ministry online: Webinar, new publication will give solid “how-to’s” (WCC press release 22 April 2020)

Learn more about the webinar on Churches' ministry online

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway.

Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press
Our visiting address is:
World Council of Churches
150 route de Ferney
Geneve 2 1211
Switzerland