There has been a lot of talk in the past year about twin pandemics and multiple pandemics, including the COVID-19 virus, extrajudicial killings of people who are Black, poverty, and other societal ills exacerbated by the circumstances of the 2020s, thus far.
But one of the quietest pandemics has been gender-based violence, particularly violence against women.
In the final episode of Lydia’s Listening Session, hosted Tuesday by the offices of Women’s Leadership Development and Leadership Development for Leaders of Color of the Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries, women of color who are in faith leadership roles gathered to share their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has impacted their lives and ministries.
Registration is now open for the third and final episode of Lydia’s Listening Session, hosted by the offices of Women’s Leadership Development and Leadership Development for Leaders of Color of the Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries.
For decades we have experienced violence against women and throughout these years we continue to see the increase in violence in our Puerto Rican society. The events of Hurricane Maria, earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the situation.
The excitement could be felt through the screen as nearly 30 women entered the virtual room to gather for the second of the three-part Lydia’s Listening Session hosted by the offices of Women’s Leadership Development and Leadership Development for Leaders of Color of the Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries (RE&WIM).
The Rev. Irene Pak Lee, associate pastor of Stone Church of Willow Glen in San Jose, California, told the churchwide gathering of Presbyterian Women on Thursday that her one-year-old daughter, Eden, born during the pandemic, has enjoyed milestones of late, including seeing the inside of her mother’s church for the first time, going to the grocery store and being held by someone other than her parents.
Thursday’s second day of Presbyterian Women’s first-ever online triennial meeting saw goodbyes to the board leadership team and hellos to brand-new leaders; inspired preaching by the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency (see a report here); a smattering of votes; talks by invited guests, including a California pastor who’s also the mother of a child born during the pandemic; and words of appreciation by the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Read a report on comments made by the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, by clicking here.
The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II told the triennial gathering of Presbyterian Women Thursday he has fond childhood memories of the bus pulling up to St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Orangeburg, South Carolina, the church where his father was the pastor. The bus was there to transport Nelson’s mother to PW’s national gathering at Purdue University.
In the early church described by Paul in the 12th chapter of his letter to the Romans, authentic love was in short supply and friction between Gentile and Jewish followers of Christ was apparent everywhere.
On Wednesday, Presbyterian Women opened its 2021 Business Meeting and online Churchwide Gathering with greetings by the 2018-2021 board leadership team of Moderator JyungIn Lee; Joy Durrant, Vice Moderator for Justice and Peace Concerns; and Jo Ann Burrell, Vice Moderator for Mission Relationships.
