The intersection of faith and art. That is what Rev. Shawna Bowman, cofounder of the Creation Lab calls this intentional space. “It grew out of a selfish desire of its creators to have and share a space that can serve as a creative outlet and safe space for experimentation,” says Bowman. “It’s about making, collaborating, and failing together.”
When the Rev. Dr. David B. McCarthy, professor of Religion at Hastings College (Nebraska), recommended to his student, Logan Ellis, that he apply for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Samuel Robinson Award—one requirement of which is to memorize and recite the Westminster Shorter Catechism in the PC(USA)’s Book of Confessions—the college senior was game.
The couple, both raised in Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations, met at University Ministries, a parachurch ministry at University Presbyterian Church for college students in Seattle, when they were undergraduates at the University of Washington. Dexter Kearny, a PC(USA) “preacher’s kid,” heard his call to ministry during a University Ministries-sponsored mission trip to India in the summer of 2009. Liz Kearny’s growing sense of call came into sharper focus not long after her own two-month mission experience in Palestine, subsequent college graduation, and ultimately during her internship for the same campus ministry program through which she and Dexter first met.
By Margaret Mwale Mike Askew knows what it is like to be part of a Self-Development of People project and to serve on a Self-Development of People Committee. His initial involvement with SDOP was while living in Chicago over two decades ago. Fast forward to 2015. Mike is now an ordained Presbyterian pastor and serving… Read more »
By Hendrick Bossers The Friends and Family Generational Garden Project in Pittsburgh was started April 30, 2014 when Alissa, Nasim, Dante, Alg and Kathy cleared a rough 20 foot by 40 foot space to start a garden for the summer. Grandparents, parents and children wondered how much of a harvest could result if they worked… Read more »
by Teresa Bidart It has been a long time since the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP) first heard from The Community of San Luis, Aguacayo in El Salvador. It was in 2002 when this community group sent their request for funds to install a water system for 57 families. The community members had not… Read more »
Editor’s note: Claude Rwanganje provided this story of how Community Family Literacy is helping refugees find jobs in Portland, Maine. SDOP provided Community Financial Literacy with a grant to set up the programs. By Claude Rwaganje In 2014, Community Financial Literacy, a Portland, Maine, ethnic, community-based organization, recognized the need for employment opportunities for refugee,… Read more »
By Wayne Gnatuk | Self-Development of People Lydia finally escaped. From the Philippines, she had come to the United States as a volunteer with her church’s religious mission. At first, she did fundraising work for the church but, after two years, Lydia was sent to New Jersey to serve as a church secretary. Instead, she… Read more »
By Cynthia E. White Let’s begin this story in 1969. For 10-plus years pressure had been mounting in the nation: the civil rights movement, the long, hot summers, and the growing rage over Vietnam. Churches across the country were feeling the heat and the pain. The churches had to get involved. And involved the United… Read more »
