Today in the Mission Yearbook - Presbyterians join many faith organizations to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day

The Rev. Irvin Porter collected numerous resources to help observe the day thoughtfully

December 5, 2023

Oct. 12, 1792, was the first observance in the United States of America of what we now know as “Columbus Day.” The Columbian Order of New York, better known as Tammany Hall, held a commemoration of the 300th anniversary of his historic arrival in the “New World.”

There are many Italians in both the United States and in Italy for whom “Columbus Day” is a celebration of heritage and not of the man himself. It was first hallowed as a legal holiday in the U.S. through the advocacy of Angelo Noce, a first-generation Italian, living in Denver, Colorado.

In 1892, the 400th anniversary of the voyage, after a lynching in New Orleans where a mob murdered 11 Italian immigrants, President Benjamin Harrison declared “Columbus Day” as a one-time national celebration to appease Italian Americans and ease diplomatic tensions with Italy. It was a time celebrated by observances and teaching moments to raise patriotism nationwide. This included instituting the use of a Pledge of Allegiance as composed by Francis Bellamy.

States, cities and municipalities in the U.S. have taken steps to replace “Columbus Day” with what they believe to be a more just day of recognition for the Indigenous Peoples of this land, now known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The idea is to recognize the Native populations displaced and decimated after the Christopher Columbus landed on San Salvador in the Caribbean. The disease introduced to millions of Indigenous peoples brought death, destruction of their cultures, and enslavement.

For those and many other reasons, many states and communities have forgone what is seen as the devastating consequences of “Discovery” from 1492 and decided to officially observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead, to recognize the Native populations who were summarily pushed aside by the coming of European culture to their territories, which archeological evidence has shown Native people had occupied for thousands of years.

In 2023, Native American advocates and other critics struggle to change the Columbus Day holiday because of Columbus’ own mistreatment of Natives and his legacy of European colonization.

It is not the goal of Indigenous Peoples’ Day to eradicate Italian American contributions to this society. But they are not the only contributors. The time has come to examine cultural genocide, the institution of slavery, and the ideas of “discovery” and how they all contribute to the American story and at what cost.

“Indigenous” peoples is a reference to the original inhabitants of a geographic region. The term “Native American” and “American Indian” have been used in referring to the Indigenous peoples of the United States of America, though the term “Indian” originated because Columbus believed he had reached the Indian Ocean. The best reference would be to use specific tribal names. Indigenous peoples’ use of terms to describe their race is not one size fits all. Different tribes, regional language groups and individuals have varying opinions about how they should be referred to.

The Rev. Irvin Porter

Visit these websites to learn more about Indigenous peoples:

• Native Knowledge 360°, Home | Native Knowledge 360° – Interactive Teaching Resources (si.edu) is run by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.
• Unlearning Columbus Day myths, si.edu/nk360/resources/Unlearning-Columbus-Day-Myths-Indigenous-Peoples-Day
• PBS’s Native American Heritage Collection is here. The site includes Indigenous art, history and culture as told by historians, artists, students and scientists.
• The Zinn Education Project believes in taking a more engaging and more honest look at the past. Look at their resources on Native American topicshere.

Read books by Indigenous authors:

These reading materials can help everyone learn more about Indigenous peoples. Each of these lists includes books by Indigenous authors that tell the stories of specific Indigenous tribes.

• We Are Teachers compiled this list of 15 books by Indigenous authors for use in the classroom.
• Colours of Us has a list of elementary picture books about Native Americans that you can share with your class.
• The Los Angeles Public Library offers this list of upper-grade fiction.
• The New York Public Library suggests these books for adults.

Also, feel free to contact:

The Rev. Irvin Porter, Associate for Native American Intercultural Congregational Support, at irv.porter@pcusa.org

The Native American Intercultural Congregational Support webpage is here.

Click here to visit the PC(USA)’s Native American Ministries’ Facebook page.

The Rev. Irvin Porter is the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Associate for Native American Intercultural Congregational Support.

Today’s Focus: Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Nicholas Skaggs, Processing Archivist, Presbyterian Historical Society
Eva Slayton, Mission Specialist, 1001 New Worshiping Communities, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray

Creator of all that we are and will be, give us hearts to be neighbors who care, listen and support each other. We seek to “rejoice and be glad” in this day you have granted to us. Make sunrise in our hearts now and forevermore. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - New hymn written to support One Home One Future, a Creation care campaign joined by the PC(USA)

Presbyterian hymnwriter the Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette pens ‘We Have a Common Calling’

December 4, 2023

On the heels of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) joining 28 other faith partners in the One Home One Future campaign, Presbyterian hymnwriter the Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has written a hymn to support the Creation care campaign.

“We Have a Common Calling” is set to “AURELIA,” the tune for “The Church’s One Foundation.” Hear a version of the new hymn here.

Gillette, who together with her husband, the Rev. Bruce Gillette, serves as pastor of First Presbyterian Union Church in Owego, New York, grants congregations and pastors free use of lyrics she sets to well-known hymns. To date, she’s written nearly two dozen hymns on Creation care. She recently taught a workshop, “Songs for Creation,” at the national Presbyterians for Earth Care conference, “The Climate Crisis and Empowering Hope.”

We Have a Common Calling

AURELIA 7.6.7.6 D (“The Church’s One Foundation”)
We have a common calling, O God of love and grace —
to care for your creation, to tend what you embrace.
We have one home, one future; we’re not in this alone.
We’re called to work together for this our common home.

You call us to be partners — to notice and to care;
you make us loving stewards of land and sea and air.
We see our climate changing; God, show us what to do
to care for your creation, to heal the earth with you.

We’ll work to build strong leaders; we’ll listen to our youth.
We’ll strengthen congregations to help them speak the truth.
We’ll work with other partners in our communities —
for moral, wise perspectives must shine in times like these.

We see our neighbors suffering — especially the poor,
and so we’ll work toward justice and toward an earth restored.
We’ll work as loving neighbors to plan and to prepare.
We’ll allocate for climate; the earth deserves its share.

O God, as congregations, we don’t act out of fear;
our moral obligations will motivate us here.
We seek a blest tomorrow; our voices rise above.
May we, today, be faithful in this great work of love.

Tune: Samuel Sebastian Wesley, 1864
Text: Copyright ©2023 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved.

Email: carolynshymns@gmail.com New hymns: www.carolynshymns.com

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service

Today’s Focus: Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette pens ‘We Have a Common Calling’

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
T. Clark Simmons, Senior Church Consultant, Atlanta GA, Board of Pensions
Alex Simon, Multimedia Specialist, Communications Ministry, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray

Lord, help us all to learn from the valuable examples of faith our leaders set. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - The PC(USA)’s Christian Formation Collective sees the forest for the trees

Leaders feed an ecosystem of nonprofits that support age and stage ministries

December 2, 2023

Leaders in the Christian Formation Collective met at 

Stony Point Center last week to develop sustainable 

networks and ecosystems for faith formation. (Photo 

by Beth Waltemath)

“What does it look like for us to network?” the Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia, the designated strategic director of NEXT Church and vice moderator of the 221st General Assembly (2014), recently asked a room full of leaders representing five independent nonprofits that support Christian educators, youth workers, older adult ministry, college campus ministry, and camps and conference centers.

Small groups of leaders from the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE), Presbyterian Youth Workers’ Association (PYWA), Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries Network (POAMN), UKirk (Collegiate Ministries) and Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association (PCCCA) met over three days at Stony Point Center in New York to discern changes within their organization and the denomination and to strategize for the future.

The gathering was the fifth anniversary of their collaboration. Known as the Christian Formation Collective, these five organizations, most of which started as ministries supported and governed within the denominational structures of the PC(USA), attend to the faith formation across the generations. Every year, the Office of Christian Formation hosts a gathering for these groups to share wisdom, resources and strategic approaches.

The Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia (Photo by Beth Waltemath)

“The growth in collaboration between these organizations over the past five years has been substantial,” said Stephanie Fritz, coordinator of the Office of Christian Formation, who explained that the organizations gather quarterly on Zoom as well. “They are now working with one another on resources, events and webinars that impact faith formation leaders across the denomination and ecumenically. They have helped one another think creatively about structure and how they can best equip leaders.” According to Fritz, the partnership with the Collective of the Presbyterian Mission Agency through her office impacts more than 1,500 leaders working in faith formation.

“One of the things that has shifted is a linear understanding of Christian formation,” said UKirk executive director the Rev. Gini Norris-Lane, reflecting on larger movements within ministry as well as the impact the leaders in the Collective have had on each other.

Pat Baker is president of the Presbyterian 

Older Adult Ministries Network. (Photo by 

Beth Waltemath)

In their final day together, Kwong Abazia asked leaders to consider themselves as more than a stand-alone organization or a movement, but as a living organism in a much larger ecosystem that is constantly evolving and adapting and, potentially, diversifying. Kwong Abazia invited the leaders to draw their organizations as a tree with roots, a trunk, branches, leaves and fruit, and to label these with their core virtues, programs, funding sources, impacts and positive outcomes. Then Kwong Abazia led the room in a larger conversation about the environment in which their tree grows.

Through this lens, leaders within the Collective shared the many changes taking place within their organizations. PCCCA and APCE have successfully embraced ecumenical models of ministry and taken further steps to consider their diversity, equity, inclusion and justice commitments. According to Joel Winchip, PCCCA’s executive director, the association created the “Campfire Collective,” an ecumenical arm of the PCCCA that brings together outdoor ministries of several mainline denominations as well as  partners with the camp and conference center ministry of the United Methodist Church to oversee CampSource, an online repository of resources for outdoor ministry centers.

UKirk board members the Rev. Maggie Alsup and 

Matt Hibdon see the forest and the tree of their UKirk (Collegiate Ministry) within the changing ecosystem 

of faith formation for Generation Z. (Photo by Beth 

Waltemath)

“We spent some time naming the things of the soil, the good and the bad that contribute to the system we find ourselves rooted in,” said the Rev. Maggie Alsup, a UKirk board member. Phrases like “scarcity, competition, romanticized past, institutional decline, instant gratification, transformation, relevancy, neurodiversity, abundance and bravery” spanned horizontally across the wall. Each organization was asked to hang their drawings on top of this list of trends and changes within the larger landscape of the PC(USA) and other mainline denominations. As each of the core leaders presented their arboreal diagrams and posted them next to the others, a larger picture of the realities that leaders face in the work of spiritual formation emerged.

“As we studied our tree and added it to the wall with other Collective trees, we became aware of how far UKirk has come in this last year and hopeful for where we are heading,” said Alsup, who asked, “Can we think of ourselves as an aspen tree system? I feel like that is a good analogy in terms of our connectedness.”

Beth Waltemath, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Today’s Focus: Christian Formation Collective

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Natalie Shilstut, Director, Programs & Services, Presbyterian Historical Society
Victoria Shircliffe, Social Media Specialist, Communications, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray

Lord, we thank you for the privilege of being able to support your mission here and around the world. Give us the wisdom daily to do your work. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Princeton Theological Seminary expands online offerings and grows its community of lifelong learners

President Walton calls for more flexible, inclusive and accessible learning opportunities

December 3, 2023

Dr. Johnna Herrick-Phelps

Princeton Theological Seminary is expanding its suite of flexible and accessible learning opportunities, executed by a growing team of education leaders with extensive experience in delivering engaging online education.

“Princeton Theological Seminary sits at the intersection of tradition and innovation, at a time when education — and theological education, in particular — is rapidly changing,” said the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Lee Walton, president of Princeton Theological Seminary. “We must accelerate the work underway to meet the moment to attract learners at every stage of their journeys and careers. This requires flexibility and a more inclusive approach to teaching and learning.”

Dr. Johnna Herrick-Phelps, the school’s first-ever Associate Dean for Online and Digital Learning, will lead this new focused effort. As a senior leader in the Office of Academic Affairs, Herrick-Phelps brings more than a decade of experience in higher education, with deep expertise in building and growing online teaching and learning opportunities.

“Johnna’s leadership, coupled with our world-class faculty and staff, will create systems and structures that bring the extraordinary resources and experiences of Princeton Seminary to more faith leaders, the faithful and the curious,” said Walton.

Herrick-Phelps’ arrival coincided with the launch of a Master of Arts in Theology (MAT) program that focuses on justice and public life. As the Seminary’s first online degree program, this rigorous 24-month degree track is designed for working professionals, with flexible and accessible digital programming and limited on-campus requirements.

The Rev. Dr. Jonathan Lee Walton

That kind of approach to meeting learners where they are is what Herrick-Phelps hopes to build upon in her new role. In addition to the new MAT program, there is a growing portfolio of online and hybrid options. The full range of professional programming can meet the needs of any lifelong learner, including global convenings, certificate programs, and coursework that taps into the deep expertise of the seminary’s faculty.

“Princeton Theological Seminary already has an incredible legacy of changing lives, and we want to make that experience accessible to even more people and more diverse communities of learners. Whether you’re a practicing minister or a social worker, educator, or interdisciplinary leader working for change in your community, we have something to offer that will help you develop and advance faith-informed solutions to the big challenges we face today,” said Herrick-Phelps. “The instant interest and demand we are seeing speaks to the changing needs of learners, and the opportunity we have before us to make Princeton Seminary the premier institution in the country and beyond for online theological education.”

Current students in the inaugural MAT cohort range in age from 23 to 63, and include legal professionals and higher education leaders as well as finance and nonprofit leaders, among other faith-informed professionals.

“We haven’t even discovered yet all the ways we can engage and inspire our students online, but with the backing of more than 200 years of theological excellence and a dynamic and dedicated faculty, we are excited to invite more people into our learning community for life,” said Walton.

Prior to joining Princeton Theological Seminary this year, Herrick-Phelps was the chief online learning officer at Champlain College Online, where she oversaw more than 60 online programs that attracted thousands of online students each year.

To learn more about the online, hybrid and continuing education opportunities available, visit learning.ptsem.edu.

Princeton Theological Seminary, Special to Presbyterian News Service

Today’s Focus: Princeton Theological Seminary

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Rheannon Sicely, Director, Implementation & Continuous Improvement, Board of Pensions
Manuel Silva-Esterrich, Manager, Call Process Support, Ordered Ministry & Certification, Office of the General Assembly

Let us pray

O Holy Spirit, open each new generation to your renewing wind. Blow afresh in our lives, that we all might be empowered to do your will in service and love. Amen.

Minute for Mission: Presbyterian HIV Awareness Day

December 1, 2023

A Woman being tested for HIV during celebration 

sponsored by FJKM Women of the Church branch, 

Nov 9, 2022. Photo credit: Elizabeth Turk

During the past two years of Covid and other global crises, progress against the HIV pandemic has faltered, resources have shrunk and millions of lives are at risk as a result. This year, UNAIDS is challenging us to tackle the inequalities and inequities in HIV prevention and treatment. Inequity exists between countries and within countries. In Madagascar, only 15% of those infected with HIV know their status, while in the U.S.A., 87% of those infected know their status. Both countries are striving to reach at-risk populations.

The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM), the PC(USA)’s partner church, sees tackling the HIV problem as an important part of what it means to serve God. One of Madagascar’s goals is to decrease the mother-to-child transmission of HIV. If pregnant women get tested for HIV and those who test positive for HIV take anti-retroviral medication (ART), then the rate of transmission to newborns can be drastically reduced. However, in Madagascar, less than half of pregnant women seek prenatal care from midwives or doctors. As a result, Madagascar has one of the world’s highest rates of maternal mortality and continued maternal transmission of HIV to newborns.

Elizabeth Turk and colleague Dr. Voahangy Ranaivoson 

share about HIV and Covid at a celebration event sponsored 

by FJKM Women of the Church in November 2022. 

Photo credit: Patrick Raoelison

This year, the FJKM is highlighting the need for pregnant women to seek prenatal care and get tested for HIV and to take ART if they test positive for HIV. It included training sessions on this at the biannual pastors’ continuing education this past August and at two events of the Dorkasy, FJKM’s Women of the Church branch. Over 1,300 pastors and 3,000 women were trained. Congregations are being challenged to share “five minutes on health” during worship services and highlight the need for prenatal care and treatment for pregnant women with HIV. Free HIV testing is being offered at special church events and celebrations. The PC(USA) has supported FJKM in many of these training and testing events. 

To learn about the ways your congregation can help raise HIV awareness and address the problem in the U.S.A. and around the world, visit pcusa.org/toolkits/hiv-aids.

Elizabeth Turk, MPH, BSN, PC(USA) Mission Co-Worker serving in Madagascar

Today’s Focus: Presbyterian HIV Awareness Day

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Effie Shipp, Associate for Lending Services, Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program
Elaine Shilstut, Cataloging & Metadata Librarian, Presbyterian Historical Society

Let us pray

God of Life, we pray for those in our community and around the world who are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. We pray that our church may be a place of compassion and protection for those in desperate need of healing. Amen.

Advent Unwrapped: An Angel Named Hope

Advent Unwrapped-December 1, 2023     View this email in your browser

An Angel Named Hope   There is a crack in everything (that’s how the light gets in). The Christmas tree in my childhood home definitely had a hierarchy. My family is crafty, and for most of my life we handmade all of our ornaments and decorations. My ornaments were always at the top of the tree because they were ‘closer to heaven’ I was told, and ‘farthest from the sightlines.’ Fair enough, my mom and sister spent hours together meticulously arranging each macaroni hair of each macaroni angel with tweezers while chatting and planning Christmas dinner. My ornaments were made as quickly as possible between She-Ra and Jem (my favorite cartoons). We don’t have any of those ornaments left now, most were given away and the rest were lost in moves. For a while, there were a few remnant angels who spent their last cherished days at the top of the tree for protection. Now I treasure whenever I encounter one of these angels at the homes of people that I love, no matter if it is one of the perfect ones or one of the ones ‘closer to heaven,’ I name them. Most of them I name Memory, but a few, especially the ones that look most fragile with chips and cracks, I lovingly name Hope. May you encounter and create glimpses of hope this week.

This Week’s Round-up: New Videos, and more! New Videos! Wow! We hope that you love these new Advent Videos as much as we loved making them. What is Advent the end of? is an invitation to go deeper into the reasons for the seasons and a companion to our video What is Advent?. We are thrilled to premier the first two of a series of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted hymns created in partnership with members of the Deaf Community: The Giver God Lights a Lamp Memory is a new Advent song by Mia McClain. It is the perfect song for use during communion and a fitting invitation for us all to reflect on the role of communal memory as we start to prepare for The United Church of Canada Centennial celebrations. Your (Unofficial) Guide to Advent (below the heading related material third from the bottom) is a fun and handy all-in-one newsletter to share with friends, print out, photocopy, or keep on your desktop this Advent. Zines! Keep inspiration in your pocket with our Advent micro-zines. A zine for families meant to be printed, shared and past around is available in the Related Material section of the webpage. The church in the Holy Land has asked us to pray with them this Advent. Take time to pause each week during Advent to pray and discern how you can act towards a just peace (under Worship Ideas).  Shout Outs!   Another Starry Black Night: A Womanist Advent Devotional, is a series of devotions for the season of Advent written by Womanist theologians that will help you stay awake and get ready this Advent! Shout out to the Rev. Dr. Lisa Waites who sent me A Liturgy for All Bodies: New Words for a New World by the Embodied Liturgy Collective. I know that you should not recommend a book before you’ve read it, but I can say with certainty that I am grateful for the scholarship and perspectives that this book highlights, and am so looking forward to reading it! To Consider   A question came in last week around what to do with the line “born is the King of Israel” in the First Noel. The New Century Hymnal changed this line to “born in a manger, Emmanuel.” I think this is a helpful alteration that avoids the harmful assumption that Jesus, and therefore Christianity, supersedes Judaism. This Sunday, December 3, is the International Day of Persons’ with Disabilities. A perfect time to recommit to supporting and advocating for the dignity, rights and well-being of all people. Check out these Sunday resources from the Inclusive Church. Advent Blog of The Week   Why is Christmas only 24 days away? Good question. In case you missd it, here is an explanation from Rev. Stephen Milton in our latest Advent Unwrapped blog, Why is Christmas on December 25? To Try: “Could be” Melt-a-ways   Here is my “could be” melt-a-way recipe. They could be gluten free, they could be vegan, they could be vegan and gluten free! They are always delicious! Try it with our Recipe Prayers: Baking Edition (below the related material section) and share your pictures on social using #UCCADVENT. Ingredients: ½ cup cornstarch ½ cup sifted icing sugar 1 cup flour (can use a gluten free mix that doesn’t have beans) ¾ cup vegetable shortening (don’t use coconut oil – it will be too greasy if not vegan use butter) 1 tsp vanilla ¼ tsp salt Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 300 ֯ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift together the dry ingredients and then add the shortening and flavouring with a pastry fork, wooden spoon (if you have the time) or pulsing on a food processor (if you are willing to clean it out). Once in a rough ball, use a tablespoon ice-cream scope to mold small round shaped cookies and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Make it fancy! This is the base, depending on who the cookies are for I like to add special flavours. My favourite flavour profiles are: Orange/ Ginger, Bergamot/Lemon, Floral (rose water and orange blossom water), Chocolate Chilli, Rum/Raisin, Cranberry/ White Chocolate, Cranberry/Citrus, Candy Cane Latte. My favourite way to decorate them is with melted chocolate and pretty sprinkles. Waiting with you in hope, Alydia P.S Remember sharing means caring! If this email has been forwarded to you by a loving friend, family member or neighbour please sign-up for our weekly Advent newsletter. You may also want to follow us on on our Facebook page, where you can share links to resources, ideas and inspirations that have worked for you. Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn   Your generosity enables the United Church to love, serve, and minister in the world. Make an online donation or learn more about your options to support the work of the church.