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Mission Yearbook

Minute for Mission: Self-Development of People Sunday

In scholar Matthew Desmond’s powerful book “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” the quote “the rent eats first!” speaks volumes about the crisis of affordable housing in America. The work of the City Roots Community Land Trust seeks to change this. City Roots is a community-led organization whose work and advocacy brings hope in addressing the lack of housing availability and affordability for low-income families.

Minute for Mission: World Day of Prayer

World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement that is celebrated in more than 170 countries and led by Christian women who welcome all to join in prayer and action for peace and justice. The day’s motto is “informed prayer and prayerful action.” World Day of Prayer is celebrated on the first Friday in March; this year, that is today, March 6.

Struggling to right the wrongs of slavery

At Caldwell Presbyterian Church, the walls of our sanctuary talk. The voices are those of enslaved African Americans owned by the Caldwell family on a plantation north of our city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Before emancipation, their forced labor, blood, sweat and tears created the fortune that was later given to this church to build its sanctuary in 1922.

Are we leading out of expectations or principles?

I’ve been working with a pastor for a number of years, helping him invigorate a somewhat stagnant church. We’ve talked about a lot in the process, and the results of our conversations are showing signs of breathing new life into the congregation. But it’s still been a frustrating ministry for this pastor. He’s struggled because much of what he’s tried hasn’t worked.

Challenged by God to do more

How long, O Lord? This anguished cry flows from the mouths of millions of beleaguered folks in this, the richest nation in the world. We hear reports of the wealth of our richest citizens and see on our streets those who have no place to sleep. We pass beggars at intersections with their cardboard signs asking for a pittance. Our star athletes are offered monumental amounts of money to play the sports we so avidly watch, and even those among them who grossly misbehave can afford fines in the millions of dollars.

Taking the road not taken

I hadn’t read this poem in years and so, when a friend recently included it in an email, it brought back memories. It was during my Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in Manhattan that I was introduced to the work of Robert Frost. My supervisor, realizing — as I did — that I didn’t have a call to chaplaincy work, but was there to fulfill my presbytery’s ordination requirement, would refer to the poetry of Frost during our weekly check-ins as I grappled with where God was leading me. “The Road Not Taken” was his favorite poem to quote.

Constructing a beautiful box to hold precious memories

A box to put memories in. That’s my current project in the wood shop. The vision came from a friend who was sorting through her late husband’s drawer of keepings. She wanted to pass some of them on to family, along with a few items she had saved over the years.

Small churches are rich in assets money can’t buy

It seems that in today’s culture, the “bigger is better” philosophy is all around us. Supercenters, 75-inch flat-screen televisions and mega-sized smartphones have become the norm. The church is not immune to this growing trend (pun intended), as many communities are seeing the growth of the megachurch — churches with hundreds in worship, often across multiple campuses and varying service times. It is as if the larger the church membership becomes, the healthier the church is perceived to be, leaving smaller congregations often feeling inadequate. While megachurches may appear to be the new norm, statistics paint a different picture.

‘Nap ministry’ and God’s plan for the Sabbath

I received a text from a friend instructing me to “bring a yoga mat, blanket, pillow or whatever you’d like for resting comfortably on the floor.” I was going to be joining her at a nap ministry event.

Becoming an intercultural community

SAINT PETER, Minnesota — When I think of multicultural churches, I do not necessarily think of my own — I picture congregations that reflect many different races and ethnicities. Like most Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) churches, Union Presbyterian Church of Saint Peter is a predominantly white congregation. What does multicultural ministry mean for my rural Midwestern church community?