First Presbyterian Church, Flandreau, South Dakota. Photo courtesy of First Presbyterian Church
Learn about Native American Congregational Support
The Native American Congregational Support Office’s purpose is to enable the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to respond to Native American congregational issues, enable Native American Presbyterians to participate actively in the mission of the PC(USA), facilitate the church's task of evangelism and leadership development and serve as a liaison to ecumenical and denominational entities in relation to issues affecting Native American Presbyterian churches and chapels.
Theological Context
The Church of Jesus Christ is built on the universal love of God and its power to transform people of every race, culture and class into a community living together as the Household of God. If the church honestly recognizes the gift of Christ as a cherished possession and genuinely manifests that gift in joyful celebration, then it will naturally be a gift to all people. This is the essence of the message in both the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-18).
Continue readingPennsylvania government, religious leaders to honor Native Americans
Reconciliation service to be held at Lancaster’s First Presbyterian Church
Pennsylvania government officials and representatives from Lancaster County’s Amish, Mennonite and Presbyterian Church and Quaker Meeting will honor Native American cultures and recognize the historic wrongs committed against local Native people at a “Public Acknowledgment & Commemoration of the Native American Legacy” at First Presbyterian Church here Oct. 9.
Their statements will be formally received by a wide cross-section of local and regional Native Americans and Native groups representing the Haudenosaunee, Lenape, Shawnee, Susquehannock and other tribes who once lived in the area, as well as the Native people from other regions who now call Lancaster County home.
Get the Racial Ethnic Torch
"The Racial Ethnic Torch" is a periodical published by Racial Ethnic Ministries since 1990, offering news, events and issues of concern to racial ethnic Presbyterians. The "Torch," which is published twice a year in summer and fall, serves as a tool to connect you to new resources and upcoming events, to equip you with information that will bolster your faith life and ministry and to inspire you as we share stories of racial ethnic Presbyterians in the church. To subscribe to the print edition, email Alejandra Sherman.
Download the Racial Ethnic Torch Winter 2013
‘I Love to Tell the Story’
The Native American Consulting Committee, aka the Native American caucus related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), developed this visual presentation of Native American Ministry within the church. One sees a glimpse of faith expressed from a select number of communities. While loss of identity, language and culture created historical trauma given expression in different ways today, faith in God has been central to the worship of God. Family identity is deeply rooted to their church. While the video was completed in 1994, it is good to see the story as it was told then, which is not so different from today. This video has been converted to a DVD with a running time of 33 minutes and is available through the Office of Native American Congregational Support. Contact the office at (800) 728-7228, x5476.
