Ministry Matters - Bringing intercession back | The divine speeches

What does it look like to make intercession an essential part of worship today? Bringing intercession back by Glenn Stallsmith   This set of articles is meant to inspire congregations to correct this imbalance of liturgical priorities, especially as it regards intercessory prayer. While I would be delighted to learn that these articles inspired some pastors and worship leaders to increase the number of minutes devoted to intercessions, my aim here is to dig a bit deeper into the reasons why the church prays together in the gathered assembly. Read here

How should we respond to one another when suffering inevitably comes? The divine speeches: Evil and suffering in Job by Carol Newsom   As Job discovered, events do occur that challenge and sometimes overturn the paradigms that have shaped one's perceptions. Yet people do not readily let go of the frameworks that have shaped their vision of reality. Read here

When life unravels and hope finds a place in your sermon this Sunday

Making connections in prayer and praise for worship this Sunday

The Voice of the Martyrs - Willing to Lose for Christ

Prisoners for Christ, Letting “the Lord Shine Through”

In 2021, a group of Hmong water-buffalo traders brought an unexpected gift to Cai’s village in Vietnam — the gospel of Jesus Christ. Six families came to faith in Christ, including Cai’s. The new Christians weren’t quite sure what it meant to be a church, but they were eager to learn. “We wanted to worship God, but we didn’t know how,” Cai said. He said they began to meet together, often early in the morning or late at night to avoid the watchful eyes of government officials. The families of this fledgling church decided that the best way to gain more freedom to worship would be to register with one of Vietnam’s official denominations. They reasoned that being registered would put the local officials at ease, demonstrating that they were being good citizens. It had the opposite effect. Choosing to Lose

When the registration paperwork was brought to the local government, it set off an angry backlash that resulted in these families losing their land, being ostracized from the community and being cut off from even basic community services like electricity. Even worse, authorities arrested the three leaders, including Cai. As registered Christians, these brothers reasoned, they could have enlisted human rights organizations to fight for their rights and help them avoid prison. But at what cost? The fight, they knew, would permanently damage their Christian community. Instead, they chose the path of humility and meekness. “We talked to each other, and we said that we could not win them over by arguing with them,” Cai said. “So we decided that we would accept the loss and go to prison so that the Lord will shine through us. We had no one to help us, humanly speaking, but God is with us. The Lord will help us during our time in the prison. We said that we will lose so that the Lord will win.” What Happened Next

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Today in the Mission Yearbook - East Texas PC(USA) pastor celebrates Creation during solar eclipse

Synod School’s closing worship preacher wasn’t so sure he’d get to witness the rare cosmic event

October 3, 2024

The Rev. Brendan McLean, associate pastor of First Presbyterian 

Church in Tyler, Texas, preaches during closing worship at Synod 

School Friday. He displayed pictures his friends tool of the April 

8 solar eclipse. (Photo by Kim Coulter)

The Rev. Brendan McLean is associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Tyler, Texas, one of the communities shrouded in darkness for nearly two minutes during the April 8 solar eclipse.

Only just before it happened, someone forgot to urge the clouds over Tyler to go away.

“I felt like I had a front-row ticket,” said McLean, the preacher during closing worship at this year’s Synod School. “But I was watching it from the balcony behind a pillar.”

But at 1:43 p.m. Central Time, the sky grew dark like twilight, the clouds parted, “and I could see the total solar eclipse,” he said. “How incredible it was to see it with my own two eyes — with solar eclipse glasses on.”

For two minutes, McLean and millions of other North Americans “experienced a world fundamentally different than the ordinary world we experience every day, a world where we experienced the shadow of night when we virtually always experience the light of day,” he said. “It was other-worldly.”

Later, he and his friends shared pictures of what they’d seen via social media. He called the nearly two minutes “unadulterated and unfiltered communion with the cosmos,” and he preached at Synod School using Job 12:7–13 as his text.

“This passage from Job tells us the whole of Creation — every part of the universe — calls us to awe and reverence of God.”

Job’s “beautiful theological statement” is the answer to Job’s “friend,” Zophar, who’s sure Job did something wrong to justify all his suffering. “Job knows this is entirely untrue,” McLean pointed out. “Our suffering is not connected to God’s retribution.”

The wisdom of God is not something we can grasp, “and yet all of Creation — the entirety of the cosmos — has something to tell us about God,” McLean said. If we want to encounter God, “all we need to do is simply ask the cosmos, the world around us, at any given time. We are surrounded by the beauty of Creation that calls to us. … We are made and claimed as God’s children and are redeemed and resurrected in Jesus Christ.”

“Friends, all of Creation is waiting to tell us something about God,” he said. Unlike that solar eclipse, “the window of opportunity to observe something about God is as wide and big as you can imagine — and yet more.”

“All we need to do is stay curious and ask, open our ears and our eyes to see that God is good and that Christ died and rose for us, all of us,” McLean said. “The God who is more than we can ask or imagine — it is that God who loves you, who cares for you, and who wants you to flourish — not because you’ve earned anything, but because you are you, and God loves you for it. Amen.”

As part of worship, children and youth were given special sunglasses and told, “When you put them on, you can see the kingdom of God.” They and all the others in worship were the recipients of a reproduction of a two-sided watercolor signed by most of the 540 people who attended Synod School and bearing this saying: “Remember, God is able to do more than all we ask or even imagine.”

Synod School celebrated its 70th anniversary this year. It’s put on each summer by the Synod of Lakes and Prairies and held at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. Learn more here.

Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service

Today’s Focus: Synod School’s closing worship preacher celebrates Creation during solar eclipse

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Natalie Smith, Product Manager, General Reader Books, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation 
Stephen Smith, Security Trading & Assistant Portfolio Manager, Trust Services, Presbyterian Foundation

Let us pray

Creator God, we thank you for this day. We give thanks that each of us can reach out to those in need around us; help us to be particularly mindful to children in need. Guide us each and every day as we strive to serve you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Thai Presbyterians gather

Asian assemblies are fostering community

October 2, 2024

First Thai-Laotian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted the 

Thai Presbyterian Assembly. (Contributed photo)

The Thai Presbyterian Assembly recently gathered in Las Vegas for its 28th annual conference.

Delegates from seven churches in the United States met at the First Thai-Laotian Presbyterian Church and were hosted by the Rev. Dr. Prachuab Dechawan, the church’s founding pastor.

Dechawan has been instrumental in starting Asian new worshiping communities on the West Coast. Currently, Dechawan is leading his church in a financial campaign to purchase a much-needed new building in Las Vegas to serve as the church’s sanctuary and the center for training for Asian churches.

The Rev. Ralph Su, Associate for Asian Intercultural Congregational Support with Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries, says that the 10 Asian assemblies across the denomination help to put resources in the hands of congregations.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is home to 

10 Asian assemblies. (Contributed photo)

As the associate for Asian congregational support, it is important for Su’s office to keep the churches informed and connected. One of the biggest challenges is the language barrier. While Su speaks four languages, he is not versed in some of the languages represented. Many faith communities have built an ecosystem that allows for their Sunday worship services to be held in both English and their native tongue.

Moderating the assembly was Ruling Elder Aimee Patimeteeporn, who also serves as the newly elected moderator of the National Asian Presbyterian Council. The keynote speaker for the conference was the Rev. Dr. Boonratna Boayen, moderator of the Church of Christ in Thailand, the PC(USA) partner in that country. Boayen said we must have the “courage of a lion” to share our faith in Jesus Christ and build new churches in our world.

The Vietnamese Assembly also recently convened in Houston. This was an opportunity for fellowship and worship to connect with colleagues in ministry and further build and strengthen communities. That is especially important as immigrant communities of faith have felt the aftereffects of Covid. One-fourth of these congregations have not returned to in-person worship.

“Our presbyteries will welcome the immigrant communities and offer them the hospitality of Jesus,” Su said, “empowering them with our support so they can become vibrant Presbyterian churches.”

Shani E. McIlwain, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Today’s Focus: Asian assemblies are fostering community

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Melaina Smith, Design Content Specialist, Presbyterian Foundation 
Melody Smith, Digital & Marketing Communications Director, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 

Let us pray

Gracious God, help those who are engaged with the work of providing for our communities. May they be strengthened to move forward and pass on the glories of the goodness they receive. Amen.

Minute for Mission: Mental Health Awareness Week begins

October 1, 2024

The first week in October has been designated as Mental Illness Awareness Week since 1990. People of faith, especially pastors, are especially important to those who live with mental health concerns. Christian clergy have often been identified as “frontline mental health workers” since it has been found that as many as 25% of people who seek treatment turn to their pastor. Faith leaders can provide referrals and encouragement to their church members who need mental health services.

It is always important for church members and faith leaders to be aware of mental health practitioners and support groups in their communities, and to be familiar with online resources. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website (nami.org/home) offers many ways to learn more and get involved.  NAMI also has a specialized resource for people of faith called FaithNet (nami.org/get-involved/nami-faithnet). This is an interfaith resource network of NAMI members, friends, clergy and congregations of all faith traditions who wish to encourage faith communities who are welcoming and supportive of people and families living with mental illness. Those who visit the site and get involved in local and national efforts can exchange information, tools and other resources that will help educate and inspire faith communities about mental illness and the vital role spirituality plays in recovery for many.

All congregations, presbyteries and synods can become better informed about mental illness, and to be equipped to respond to and minister with those who have mental health concerns within their worshiping communities. Printed resources, classes, sermons and links in newsletters and websites can be used to communicate that mental illness and well-being are of great concern and to encourage church members to turn to their community of faith for assistance.

Kathy Riley; Associate for Emotional and Spiritual Care; Presbyterian Disaster Assistance; Compassion, Peace & Justice

Today’s Focus: Mental Health Awareness Week begins

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Adam Slutzky, Directory, Project Delivery, Strategic Planning & Execution, Board of Pensions 
Ashley Smalley-Ray, VP, Director of Compliance, Presbyterian Foundation 

Let us pray

God of grace, remind us that you call us to care for our siblings in Christ, to stand with them and offer comfort in times of need. Help us see the face of Christ in everyone we encounter and to be a blessing in their lives. Amen.

TODAY: Don’t Miss the Faith in Action Webinar!

Faith in Action: Pastors and Faith Leaders Role in Addressing Domestic Violence Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at 7:00 PM EST on Zoom October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time dedicated to bringing awareness to this devastating issue impacting all of our communities– an issue 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will unfortunately experience at some point during their lifetimes. And yet, churches, pastors, and faith leaders are uniquely equipped to be both a place of refuge and hope when they take the steps to build their knowledge and skills to provide effective support. Join Safe Haven Ministries, one of the only faith-based domestic violence organizations in the country, to learn more about domestic violence, its prevalence, and steps you can take to better support individuals and families impacted by this type of abuse. Click here to register.   Learn more about the Presenter: Tara Aday is guided by 15 years of experience across a wide array of roles in the domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual violence fields. Tara is a relational leader that believes in the collective power of community to solve complex issues and drive change. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Programs at Safe Haven Ministries. Tara is passionate about systems-level and community-driven change focused on empowering people and organizations to enhance supports for victim/survivors and work towards safer communities, and has worked with over 100 faith communities to enhance their ability to prevent violence and effectively support individuals and families that have experienced abuse.

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