Forty years ago, the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) in South Africa adopted Belydenis van Belhar — the Confession of Belhar — in its first reading. Belhar was an outgrowth of the DRMC’s effort to grapple with the church’s participation in and defense of apartheid and touches prominently on themes of unity, reconciliation and justice. The DRMC adopted Belhar in its final form in 1986.
Like nearly every organization in the world, the COVID pandemic forced the Congo Mission Network to adapt when it came time to hold their annual mission conference, but they didn’t just adapt, they grew and will likely never go back to the old way of doing things.
The Office of Mission Engagement and Support — whose charge it is to provide resources that educate, inspire and encourage the ministries of the PC(USA) — in conjunction with the PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C., wants to ensure that congregations are prepared for Christian and Citizen Sunday on Sept. 20.
In less than a month, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations will begin observing the Season of Peace, a four-week spiritual journey designed to deepen the pursuit of peace.
The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground…” (Genesis 4: 10 NIV)
This was the opening passage of a heartfelt and prophetic pastoral message that the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) sent to its congregations condemning systemic and structural injustice and lamenting security force excesses in both South Africa and the United States.
“Racism … is an essential part of economic injustice and hierarchical visions that deny that all human beings were created in the image and likeness of God.”
“Racial Justice Resources,” what is for now a one-page list of resources to help bring about racial justice in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the wider world, is now available. Click here to view what’s currently offered. The list of resources will grow as more resources are developed.
Historically, Presbyterians have contributed to white supremacy culture. But they’ve also done plenty of reparative work in recent years, three Presbyterian officials said during a Friday workshop at the White Privilege Conference.
