Today in the Mission Yearbook - Motivated by health and faith

Generating a new crop of young dynamic women to help lead the Church

June 6, 2020

While there are many Presbyterian women who have made history throughout the years and deserve to be celebrated, the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Women’s Leadership Development and Young Women’s Ministries is helping to generate a new crop of young dynamic women to lead the Church.

Virginia Wanjiru’s passion for health and faith motivates her toward a career path that involves working in rural and underserved areas to deliver health care — and faith. (Contributed photo)

Virginia Wanjiru is one of those young women.

 Wanjiru currently lives in Uganda and has been there for the past eight months as a Peace Corps volunteer. She attends Highland Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which is located within the Presbytery of Donegal and the Synod of the Trinity. Her initial involvement with the Young Women’s Ministry came through her selection as a PC(USA) delegate for the United Nations’ 60th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 2016 as well as attending the Ecumenical Advocacy Days in 2018 and 2019.

The lessons Wanjiru gained from those events remain with her to this day. “(The Rev.) Mark Koenig (formerly director of the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations) mentioned this to a group of PC(USA)-CSW women a few years back in regard to the issues concerning civil, marginalized and immigration rights,” she said. “‘Our work is not to be the voice for those who are not heard. Our work is to create a space for those who are silenced to finally express themselves and tell their stories.’”

“I’ve held on to this shared message for quite a while,” she said, “and I think of it often as I go about my work in the United States and currently as I work in Uganda. I have learned that there are stories that we ourselves cannot tell but can make room for those who need to be able to share.”

Wanjiru says another benefit of her participation in the leadership event was the opportunity to understand how the church can also be a space for advocacy.

“Prior to attending the events, my knowledge of church limited itself to my personal faith and fellowship with my church community on Sundays and through missionary work,” she said. “Through these events I learned of the broader perspective of the work that the PC(USA) does and how I could take a step further in being an active member of the church. I have found an interest in policy and activism. The Office of Public Witness has become one of my major interests and I would love to look into that area after my service in the Peace Corps.”

When asked how the training at the CSW and Ecumenical Advocacy Days helped her develop leadership skills, Wanjiru answered, “I have felt very empowered as a woman, and it was during these events that I found the encouragement to be confident within myself. To be an advocate for others as a woman, an immigrant, a person of color, I came to learn that my voice matters, and my voice has influence. The experiences I have for myself can be a witness to others. During the CSW60, I was constantly surrounded with women from all backgrounds who have the burning desire within themselves to change the world we live in — to change it for those who otherwise don’t get the ability to have platforms for advocacy. That inspired me to also feel that one more voice can be loud.”

Wanjiru has been able to transfer some of the information and the skills she acquired at the leadership events into the work she is currently doing as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda and says she has finds great value in all the trainings she’s attended. “The events I have attended have pushed me towards advocacy and in this way, I have found a passion for civil rights, immigrant rights, sustainable development and women’s rights,” said Wanjiru. “While other skills I acquired at the events may not be tangible, they are now a part of my personal belief system which I use on a daily basis to guide my decisions in the work that I do here.”

Wanjiru’s passion is health and medicine. She says she wants to serve others, to be compassionate to others, to be kind to others in challenging times — in times where we find ourselves most human and most vulnerable.

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

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Richard Embry, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Barry Ensign-George, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Gracious Jesus, guide us in this time of challenge and change. Fill us with hope to live boldly into your divinely inspired future. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - A peace that surpasses all understanding

Years ago, a young pastor did the right thing, despite one congregant’s advice not to

June 5, 2020

The Rev. Dr. Ray Jones III, director of Theology, Formation and Evangelism, preached during worship Wednesday at the Presbyterian Center Chapel. (Photo by Tammy Warren)

These days the Rev. Dr. Ray Jones III has a fancy title — director of Theology, Formation & Evangelism for the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

But at one time he was a young pastor embarking on his first call at a church in a town in Mississippi.

Jones talked about what happened next during a March sermon that was part of weekly worship at the Presbyterian Center Chapel.

On the day the young pastor and a church member were unpacking Jones’ books and placing them on shelves in his new study, Jones got a phone call. Would he consider serving on the board of Mississippi’s first Habitat for Humanity chapter? The new chapter needed a vice president, and the new Presbyterian pastor had been selected.

“Don’t you go,” the church member warned Jones. “It’s the Methodists’ turn. You need to pay attention to us.”

But Jones said yes, as did clergy members from area Episcopal, United Methodist, Church of God, AME and Assemblies of God churches. The chapter purchased a tract of land in a nearby town and applied to the town council there for a building permit, but the council turned down the application. “You are not building a house for black people in this town,” Jones said of the council’s rationale.

 Jones and his fellow board members retreated, spending time in prayer and in the Scriptures. Their congressman told them, “I don’t think Habitat will work here.”

Finally, land in their town was donated, and a home was constructed using, in part, sweat equity from the family of color selected to own that first house. Habitat’s founder, Millard Fuller, was on hand for the home’s dedication ceremony. And that young pastor felt “an overwhelming sense of peace in my soul,” as Jones put it.

“Church, work on your stuff,” Jones urged during his sermon, “that the cause of the gospel we love will flourish and we will live lovers’ lives and make Christ attractive to all.”

On this day, Jones relied on Philippians 4:1–9 for his scriptural basis, a passage with plenty of familiar references from Paul: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” and “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” and “if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

“Paul believes the faith community is all about expressing the love of God and making Christ attractive to the world,” Jones said. But residents of Philippi “were proud to call themselves ‘Little Rome.’ Yes, Jesus is great and all,” the Philippians were saying, according to Jones, “but it’s also about the empire.”

The Philippians discovered something that’s since been affirmed by countless members of the body of Christ: hearing and embracing the gospel has consequences. “It changes your life and mine,” Jones said, and working alongside others committed to the gospel has meant “my view of the gospel has become more expansive. It’s for all people, and we need every one of us to accomplish this work.”

Taking the gospel seriously “means we take stands, and we begin to make people at times angry and unsettled,” he said. “We are no longer content with some of God’s children not having enough food to eat,” nor with “structures that keep people bound in racism” which he said is “devastating for people of color and for white people. It’s not the identity for us. Our identity is in Christ.”

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Shawn Ellison, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Cynthia Embry, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)

Let us pray:

God of mercy, we ask you to comfort those who are picking up the pieces after a disaster. May we, your people, be your hands and aid in their recovery. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - One Great Hour of Sharing gifts support housing affordability and fairness

Thanks to Presbyterian ministries, more people are experiencing a decent place to live

June 3, 2020

Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing help support Jersey City Together, a New Jersey organization that stands up for people trying to maintain a decent and affordable place to live. (Contributed photo)

For more than a decade, Monica Jones enjoyed her Jersey City, New Jersey, apartment and a good relationship with her landlord.

However, a few years ago Jones’ housing situation began to change. When a new landlord acquired her building, Jones soon started getting notices summoning her to court. At different times, the landlord contended that she had been late with a rent payment, had failed to pay an increased rent charge and/or had failed to pay the rent at all. Other longtime residents of her 18-unit building were having similar experiences.

Jones made repeated trips to court, and each time the allegations were dismissed. While she successfully fended off the legal challenges, Jones was growing weary of the hassle. She was tired of having to take time off from her job with New York City’s city government. She felt alone in her battle and was concerned that one day the landlord might find a way to prevail.

Diane Maxon of Jersey City Together, a group that addresses housing and other community concerns, said Jones’s landlord has a history of forcing people from their building, renovating the structure and raising the rent significantly. The landlord, she said, owns approximately 4,000 apartments in Jersey City.

Maxon, who chairs Jersey City Together’s Tenants’ Rights and Protection Group, said these actions ran afoul of rent control and other housing regulations in Jersey City. However, she said local enforcement officials had largely ignored the violations.

“People were being illegally evicted, and rent was being raised up to three times what the original tenant had paid, which in itself is illegal,” said Maxon. “You can’t just randomly raise the rent just because you have renovated.” She explained the amount of money invested in renovations dictates how much rent can increase.

Jersey City Together is committed to standing up for people trying to maintain a decent and affordable place to live. Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing are helping the group in this endeavor.

In 2018, Jersey City Together pressed the town’s government to enforce housing regulations more aggressively. The mayor responded by restructuring the board that governs landlord/tenant relations and instituting other reforms related to tenant protection. Maxon is hopeful these moves will make a difference.

Located just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, Jersey City has seen a dramatic increase in high-income families moving there from New York. They are attracted to Jersey City’s newly renovated apartments, which are pricey but still much less expensive than comparable units in Manhattan. Maxon said this has created a housing shortage for middle- and low-income people.

Jersey City Together strives to amplify the voices of people in vulnerable housing situations. When Jones made her most recent appearance in court, after receiving notice that she was to vacate her apartment in three days, Jersey City Together organized a group to accompany her and helped her find reasonably priced legal representation. Previously, she had had to face the legal system alone. This time she came armed with more knowledge of the law and the presence of Jersey City Together. She was vindicated once again.

“The judge didn’t even spend five minutes on it,” Maxon observed. “It was so ridiculous.” One Great Hour of Sharing gifts are helping Jersey City Together pay the partial salary of a second organizer, which Maxon said is greatly needed. “There are so many things to do and so little time and money,” she said. “This grant has really facilitated us moving forward and making a difference, and we are eternally grateful for that.”

In Durham, North Carolina, One Great Hour of Sharing gifts are helping efforts to build more affordably priced housing in the city’s urban core. Offering gifts are supporting Durham CAN, a coalition of faith-based groups and civic organizations which has persuaded government officials to devote publicly owned land to affordable housing. Already, more than 400 affordable housing units have been built on land provided by the city and county.

Construction on hundreds of additional affordable housing units is expected to begin in late 2020 on 20 acres of abandoned and vacant land acquired by the Durham Housing Authority.

Pat Cole, Special to Presbyterian News Service

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Anna Edlin, Presbyterian Foundation
Laura Edwards, Presbyterian Foundation

Let us pray:

O Lord, help us to see the light and gifts of others. Teach us as we teach your word and love. Place your strong hands upon us and lead us as we lead your children into a life of compassion and service. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Fire devastates New York church’s fellowship hall, but spares historic sanctuary

Newburgh’s Calvary Presbyterian Church vows to rebuild fellowship hall, the heart of its community ministry

June 2, 2020

A fire early Thursday morning damaged the Calvary Presbyterian Church fellowship hall in Newburgh, New York. (Photo by Sue Young | designbysue.com)

The fellowship hall at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Newburgh, New York, is the heart of the community ministry of the 162-year old congregation just over an hour north of New York City.

In addition to church gatherings, it hosts an annual back-to-school event including more than 1,000 free meals and haircuts, the local Habitat for Humanity MLK lunch, the Newburgh Urban Farm and Food Initiative, a rural migrant ministry, and Black United Growers, to name a few groups.

“The fellowship hall is a community center,” longtime church member and bell choir director Sue Young said, noting a community dinner in the hall usually held the last Saturday of every month.

In early March, that fellowship hall went up in flames in a blaze that destroyed the church addition and most of its contents while completely sparing its 162-year-old sanctuary, which was the first United States church designed by acclaimed church architect Frederick Clarke Withers. According to the church’s history page, Thomas Edison personally persuaded the church’s trustees to make it the first electrified church building in New York State.

“If you don’t believe in miracles, you may want to visit this historic church in Newburgh that survived this devastating fire,” reporter Macy Egeland said, leading her coverage of the fire for Westchester’s News12.

“I thought of Notre Dame,” pastor J. Edward Lewis Sr. said, recalling the call around 12:45 a.m. telling him the church was on fire. “I got there and asked what the situation was, and the fire captain said they were holding the fire in the fellowship hall and keeping it away from sanctuary. I walked away and praised God.”

While the historic sanctuary was saved, the fellowship hall will have to be completely rebuilt.

“This fire is an opportunity to restore, renew, rebuild, and purify,” said Lewis, who is also on the local Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People.

The pastor said he was already encouraging discussion about how to make a rebuilt fellowship hall a green building with features like solar panels and tailor it to better serve the communities with which Calvary collaborates.

“We want to bring this building into the 21st century,” Lewis said.

The church is accepting donations through its website, which is here. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has offered assistance to support the continuation of the church’s ministry.

And the ministry did not miss a beat, with bell rehearsals taking place the following Thursday night at nearby Union Presbyterian Church.

The cause of the fire has not been precisely determined, but Young and Lewis say investigators believe it was a wiring issue near the stage. A casualty of the fire was a Tiffany stained-glass window that Young, who is a stained-glass designer, says she will work to rebuild, incorporating parts of the old window.

The sanctuary was saved, all involved say, by a thick wall between the fellowship hall and the sanctuary, which kept the fire at bay. Lewis described the sanctuary as “a tinderbox” with lots of wood and paper, and plenty of air for a fire to breathe, if it had gotten in there.

“That wall was a fortress from the fire,” said Young, who choked up several times discussing the situation. “You can stand there and see, on one side total devastation. On the other side, it’s perfect.”

Rich Copley, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Lindy Ebbs, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Jeffrey Eddings, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Grant that we, O God, may find new and joyful ways to bear fruit in this world you love so dearly, even as we gladly bear the yoke of Christ given in the covenant of baptism. Amen.

Take part in historic first virtual New Wilmington Mission Conference, July 17–19

2020 scriptural theme: ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight’

by Tammy Warren | Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — For the first time in its 115-year history, the New Wilmington Mission Conference will meet online, July 17–19. Programming will be provided for all ages, and there will be no charge to participate in NWMC 2020.

“Because we are an international conference bringing people together from around the globe, and because we do not want to put any of our participants at risk, we have made the decision to move to a virtual platform for 2020,” said the Rev. Ginny Teitt, director of NWMC and organizing pastor of Concord Presbyterian Church near Columbus, Ohio. “We hope to capture the fun and joy that is often a part of the morning meeting, and we hope to provide opportunities for the meaningful interaction that has made the NWMC dear to so many for so long.”

This decision was a tough one, Teitt said. “The NWMC Board of Managers has ‘Zoomed’ together for virtual meetings where a task force was assigned to gather a list of criteria to inform our decision. Like many others agonizing over the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we prayed, wrestled, listened and waited, hoping things would change.”

Now that the initial grief, shock and disappointment of not being able to gather on the campus of Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, are wearing off, Teitt said, those emotions are gradually being replaced by “excitement, imagination and expectation that God is doing something extraordinary through NWMC 2020.”

“Global communication and sophisticated internet platforms for virtual gatherings are a huge blessing for these unprecedented times,” Teitt said. “There will be opportunities for updates, inspiration, speaker presentations, testimonies and discussion, while participating online from home.” She said ideas are being considered to explore ways to offer community, encouragement and mission vision.

“We are imagining possibilities, including skits and entertainment,” Teitt said.

Conference typically brings together hundreds of individuals and families from the New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, area as well as some 30 states and 20 countries. Teitt and conference leadership on the Board of Managers hope this year’s virtual conference reaches even more participants since they won’t even have to pack a suitcase or board a plane to take part.

This year’s scriptural theme, chosen for the conference long before the pandemic, is 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

“I’m amazed and encouraged and deeply blessed by the talented and creative people who are prayerfully discerning and working so hard for NWMC 2020,” Teitt said. “We believe that the future course of the conference will be impacted by this experience.”

Additional information will be available on the NWMC website as it becomes available, nwmcmission.org.

Sharing pandemic voices of hope in Peru

Join in singing a new tune of mission outreach

by Chenoa Stock, Mission Connections | Special to Presbyterian News Service

Jesusa, a member of the Evangelical Church of Peru, is thriving in her other ministry of providing U.S. teams with delicious food during their mission experiences in Peru. (Photo by Chenoa Stock)

LIMA, Peru — Throughout these times of quarantine, I have found myself singing more — children’s English and Spanish songs with our 2-year-old son, Leandro. These are songs I remember from high school and university choir, hymns, my mom’s songs or just humming random tunes. If I’m honest, my singing is not always an expression of joy. As I write this, we are on Day 71 (May 25) of strict quarantine in Peru, and we are permitted to leave our home only for groceries, bank transactions and medical needs. Our curfew, complete Sunday lockdown and closed international borders also are still in effect.

Due to the continued rise of positive cases, despite the strict measures put in place early on, the Peruvian government has extended our lockdown in two-week blocks. The most recent extension, announced on May 22, is through June 30th. This is now much longer than the usual two-week block and is one of the longest periods of mandatory isolation in the world. Leandro and I have not left our apartment at all during these 71 days. Not one toe. My husband, José, is our grocery “warrior” who puts on his obligatory armor of mask and gloves to retrieve our household’s needs. These have not been easy times, and I have found that singing is sometimes what I need to let my emotions out, and my voice be heard.

Enjoying music time during Leandro’s virtual class. (Photo by José Luis Claure)

I wonder how many voices have been lost during this time of COVID-19? In Peru, the inequality has been exacerbated throughout the months of this pandemic. While our middle-class neighborhood grocery stores check temperatures and require handwashing before entering, I am almost sure this control and care are not found on the outskirts of the city or in rural areas of the country. While many citizens have received government stimulus payments to ensure economic security, many do not have access to these social safety net programs. While some citizens are able to work from home and protect themselves and their families from this immense health risk, many are part of the massive informal sector of Peru and have either lost their jobs due to the strict measures, or are forced to work illegally, despite the risks.

Due to unemployment, experienced by about one-third of the population, there has been a reverse mass migration from the city to the rural provinces in hopes of finding work in the agricultural sector. Many are escaping their life of living in the tight quarters of informal urban settlements. Families are returning to life on the land, where the harvest has begun, and the government quarantine measures are not so strictly enforced. Sadly, it is here that the virus could soon start to spread rapidly.

Before the pandemic lockdown, Pastor Leopoldo concluded a first-aid course for the women’s ministry, led by a short-term mission team from First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Tennessee. (Photo by Chenoa Stock)

Amidst these voices lost in inequality, we find the voice of Jesus Christ, heard through our Peruvian partners. Two members of the Evangelical Church of Peru, Pastor Leopoldo and his wife, Jesusa, have continued their ministries from their home in the city of Cuzco. Prayers are needed for them both, as Leopoldo has had two strokes recently. This has left him with no movement in his right arm and hand. He is presently at home doing therapy with the help of a family member. They are trying to reduce trips to the hospital, given the coronavirus threat.

Although about half of Leopoldo’s congregation has been part of the rural migration, mostly due to unemployment, he shares sermons and messages with those who have access to online technology. Before his recent health crisis, he made house calls with two families together to worship, study the Bible and offer pastoral support during these uncertain times.

Pastor Leopoldo, Jesusa and their granddaughter, Zoe (Photo by Chenoa Stock)

Jesusa, whose religious messages were broadcast on the radio daily before the pandemic, has installed the necessary equipment in their house so she can continue sharing God’s word of love and hope with people in Cuzco and throughout the country. She is the regional leader of a vibrant women’s ministry and will soon be continuing her women’s ministry by giving online courses and lectures. Pastor Leopoldo and Jesusa’s faith and commitment to being God’s hands, feet and voice bring a new tune to mission outreach during quarantine.

And are we not all called to be Matthew 25 churches? Did Jesus not teach and show us that we are to walk with our partners and neighbors, especially those on the margins — to be a voice that cries out for justice and equality to ensure that the voices of the least, last and left out are heard?

As we share about Leopoldo and Jesusa’s ministry, we are reminded there are many more stories of mission being lived out by our partners in Peru. I would love to share how they are answering the call of Matthew 25.

We are all improving our skills of virtual worship, conference calls, creating videos and communicating in new ways, so that we can accompany our partners in their ministries and accompany you in the U.S. Together, as we develop closer relationships with our partners, we can share a deeper understanding of Jesus’ commandments. Please let me know if your congregation, your youth or any other church group would like to hear more stories from our Peruvian partners, whether through a pre-recorded Minute for Mission or a Zoom meeting. Their voices are waiting to be heard!

Mission co-worker Chenoa Stock with her husband, José Luis Claure, and their son, Leandro, 2. (Photo by Chenoa Stock)

May these unique times create a space for us to make our voices heard for the poor, the naked and the hungry. May our faith in God’s justice and love lead us to question the structures of inequality, now and beyond COVID-19. May we join together to sing a new song of praise and hope in God’s mission.

Chenoa Stock, mission co-worker in Peru and daughter of Presbyterian co-pastors, serves as delegations and partnership coordinator for PERUSA, with the Evangelical Church of Peru and the Joining Hands Peru Network. She previously accompanied the Bolivian Joining Hands Network, UMAVIDA (Joining Hands for Life), for eight years in Bolivia, and prior to that served in Sri Lanka, after completing service as a Young Adult Volunteer in Kerala, India, where she taught English in a primary school.

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Today in the Mission Yearbook - Did Jesus really descend into hell?

The Apostles’ Creed question that everyone ponders

June 1, 2020

Christ in Limbo, Fresco, by Fra Angelico (ca. 1442)

Of the 12 entries in our Book of Confessions, odds are you’re most familiar with the Apostles’ Creed. And, since it’s only 110 words long, if you have any creed memorized, this is probably the one. But of those 110 words, four have tripped up Christians for centuries: He descended into hell.

It was sometime around A.D. 400, in the writings of Rufinus, a monk and theologian, that the first mention of Jesus’ descent appeared. In A.D. 750, the Latin church made it an official part of the Creed.

But why add this line? It depends on whom you ask.

Let’s start by understanding the definition of the word “hell” in the Hebrew (sheol) and Greek (hades). Both translate to mean “land of the dead.” So, like Rufinus, some folks believe that this clause simply means that Jesus, being fully human and fully divine, experienced a true human death. Critics of this view, though, ask why it was necessary to include it in the Creed.

Others argue that “hell” refers to Gehenna, a valley outside of Jerusalem that was originally used for child sacrifice and later used as a garbage dump, which became Hebrew “shorthand” for a place of everlasting punishment. Further complicating matters, Gehenna advocates have different views on why Jesus would have gone there:

• To suffer the consequences of human depravity. Thomas Aquinas held this view, but critics argue that Jesus’ statements on the cross (“Today you will be with me in paradise” and “It is finished!”) contradict it.
• To preach the gospel, thus giving hell’s inhabitants a second chance at salvation. This view is based on a particular reading of Ephesians 4:8–10 and 1 Peter 3:18–20, where the Scriptures seem to indicate that Jesus might have visited the lands of the dead to save those who were there. Critics say this view forces an interpretation originally not intended.

Other views, including John Calvin’s as well as that found in the Heidelberg Catechism, assert that “hell” shouldn’t be understood literally. Instead, Jesus’ separation from God on the cross constitutes ultimate suffering.

So, what do Presbyterians believe about Jesus “descending into hell”? All of the above … none of the above … some combination of the above.

While we might not necessarily agree on the meaning of this phrase, we can agree on the role it plays as part of our confessional heritage.

As Presbyterians, we take a Reformed view of the Bible and the church’s creeds. In the words of our ordination vows, “the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments [are], by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God’s Word to [us],” and we “receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in the confessions of our church as authentic and reliable expositions of what Scripture leads us to believe and do.” That’s a lot of fancy language that means we believe that the Bible is the authority by which we understand and live out our relationship with God and each other. Scripture gets the final word. Our confessions serve as conversation partners. They come out of specific contexts, giving us snapshots of how those siblings in Christ in those times and places understood what being Christian meant. For example, the Reformer Theodore Beza didn’t agree with John Calvin, as he preferred to omit “he descended into hell.” Calvin kept it.

Creeds aren’t supposed to give us all of the answers. Rather, they help us ask better questions. They drive us back to the Bible, where, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can encounter the love of God expressed through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And that, regardless of our own understanding of Jesus’ descent, is our takeaway from these four words in the Apostles’ Creed. By reciting these words, we affirm that Jesus loves us so much that he was willing to make — and be — the ultimate sacrifice for us. We celebrate that there’s nowhere devoid of God’s grace and mercy. And we rejoice that death no longer has the final say.

Jodi Craiglow, Ruling Elder, First Presbyterian Church, Libertyville, Illinois, Ph.D. candidate, Trinity International University,  Member of the PC(USA) Committee on Theological Education

Let us join in prayer for:  

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Tricia Dykers Koenig, Office of the General Assembly
Cindy Ealy, Office of the General Assembly

Let us pray:

Loving God, you are a God on the move and you call us to follow you. Give us courage that we may share your love and grace with all people. Help us to hear your call and respond in faith by bearing good fruit and growing in the knowledge of you. Amen.