The Bible has a surprisingly large number of references to water. One concordance had 300 water references. From Noah’s Ark and the destructive flood to Isaiah’s well-watered garden and an ever-flowing spring, the role of water is myriad. Water as everlasting life and water as the bringer of death, the Bible has it all!
Thom Cunningham, whom APCE recently honored as its ENRICH Educator of the Year, led a workshop during APCE’s Annual Event he called “Elephants, Ostriches and Cows — Oh My!”
Fred Rogers was an ordained minister of word and sacrament for the PC(USA) and is a notable public figure whose work around peace and reconciliation is worth remembering. Rogers was also a pioneer in the world of Christian education and formation of young children. March 20 was his birthday, and so it is the day that the PC(USA) has chosen to highlight all we can learn from his work.
Joel Winchip, executive director of the Presbyterian Church Camp & Conference Association/Campfire Collective, recently led a workshop at the APCE Annual Event that relied on his and others’ decades of experience helping congregations, mid councils and other groups to plan and pull off meaningful retreats.
A new publication from the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program showcases reflections by people of faith who’ve been involved in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s long history of peacemaking and reconciliation.
John 20 gives us one of those timeless settings. The disciples had gathered in a house. Doors were locked. Questions were spiraling. The fear was palpable. Jesus had been crucified just a few days prior and the disciples still hadn’t really figured out what their next move should be. So, they sat. Confused. Doing nothing except worry about how the entire world had changed.
World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement, celebrated in more than 170 countries, led by Christian women who welcome all to join in prayer and action for peace and justice. World Day of Prayer is celebrated annually on the first Friday of March; for 2024 that is today, March 1.
“Aurora has become a place where immigrants and refugees from all over the world are settling now,” said the Rev. Doug Friesema, pastor of Aurora First Presbyterian Church in Colorado, whose congregation has opened up its space to five other congregations that serve Spanish-speaking immigrants, refugees, individuals from the African diaspora and African Americans.
In the heart of Beirut, mosques and churches stand side-by-side. The Prophet Elijah Cathedral, a Greek Melkite Catholic Church, is one of those churches. Father Agapios Kfoury wanted to do something different in the middle of Nejme Square when he started serving this parish in late 2013. He wanted to build bridges of knowledge and understanding. And so was born the idea of co-hosting iftar meals during Ramadan to break the daily fast.
Contrary to popular belief, the growing rate of incarcerated women has been twice as high compared to their male counterparts. In addition to their increasing population, women have a higher mortality rate. Despite these alarming statistics, women still receive the same services that were originally designed to serve men. These services are void of structure for gender-based violence such as issues surrounding assault recovery, financial literacy, custody and the intersectionality of race.
