Posts Categorized: Current Affairs

COP26 Daily Theme: Impacts of Extreme Weather

Man holding carbon sign As the second week of negotiations at COP26 begins, the theme for the day turns to the impact of extreme weather, environmental degradation and rising sea levels and what is being done – and can be done – to adapt. Research indicates that climate change could push over 100 million people into poverty by 2030…. Read more »

Cop26: Friday Update

Marchers at Cop26 gathering A week into the two-week meeting, pledges to phase out coal power, ease access for developing countries to climate financing and cut methane emissions have made headlines as the negotiations continue. Today, Friday, was “youth and public empowerment” day at COP26, with events designed to reach across generations and other lines. This youth audience was… Read more »

Peacemaker Lifts Up Importance of COP26

From an island in the Pacific Ocean, Frances Namoumou recently made a peacemaking pilgrimage to the Presbytery of the James in central Virginia. Appearing via Zoom, the International Peacemaker discussed how climate change is negatively impacting her home country of Fiji and neighboring islands in the region. As the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) takes place through Nov. 12,… Read more »

COP26 important for Pacific islands at the frontline of global climate change

“COP26 is important because if this doesn’t work, then we’re in serious danger. It’s already obvious that many of the targets set during the Paris agreement in 2015 have not been met,” says James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, with passion and sadness tinging his voice, the World Council of Churches reported…. Read more »

In Response to the UN’s IPCC Report

Golden Gate Park with orange sky background The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) sixth assessment report provides clear scientific documentation that our world is truly in crisis. While it could be easy to be overwhelmed with the weight of this heavy news, our prayer is that it can also be a source of inspiration to continue critical work and activism… Read more »

Lessons From The Wilderness

by William P. Brown,  William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary In the rush to reopen the economy, epidemiologists are warning of a second wave of the COVID19 infections that may be more severe. Time will tell. Meanwhile, angry white protesters, preferring guns over facemasks, have been expressing their outrage over constraints… Read more »

“If we say we are without sin…”

By Rebecca Barnes, Coordinator, Presbyterian Hunger Program “If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” For many of us, this line of confession has been part of the liturgy of our worship and our lives for a long time. As Christians, we articulate a belief that… Read more »

White Fragility: Reflection from PHP Staff

As part of the Presbyterian Hunger Program, Sustainable Living and Earth Care Concerns purposes to accompany Presbyterians reflecting on decisions as an extension of their faith and values. As a staff we remember our own need for faithful discipleship through continuous education, questioning and discovery. Most recently we have done that by reading the book White… Read more »

A Pentecost Sermon

Pentecost Art installation at Hightstown PC written by Rev. Ashley Drake Mertz, LMFT, Pastor, Grace First Presbyterian Church, Weatherford, TX Pentecost Sunday 5.31.20 from Grace First Presbyterian Church on Vimeo. Sermon begins at 15:25 mark. First Reading:  Numbers 11:16-17; 24-30 Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 Today’s second reading comes from Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, chapter 12, verses… Read more »

Deforestation and Covid-19

Many of you may be asking yourself what this  Covid-19 pandemic is attempting to teach us about the state of Mother Nature and the ways in which we relate to her? While acknowledging that people all over the world are suffering from lost employment, diminished incomes and uncertainty, we  are seeing that in slowing down,… Read more »