Many readers know of someone in their family, congregation or community who has been impacted by domestic violence in one way or another. To address the topic that is not often discussed or preached from many pulpits on Sunday mornings, the Hispanic/Latino-a Intercultural Congregational Support Ministry created the Gospel, Pastoral Care, and Domestic Violence series, an educational encounter series that addresses domestic violence and the faith community.
“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month,” Ruling Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri, Co-Moderator of the 223rd General Assembly (2018), said as she greeted worshipers during Wednesday’s online chapel service.
“We were blessed with a $100,000 gift from a donor who wished to remain anonymous,” said Rachel Yates, executive presbyter of the Presbytery of Milwaukee. “The donor wanted every congregation — no matter its size — to have $2,000 for mission.”
Talking about gun violence can be tricky in church settings, where the topic may be viewed as too political or too controversial. But a Jan. 14 webinar in the “Standing Our Holy Ground” series may make it easier for congregations and other people of faith to have those conversations.
Once rescued, survivors of human trafficking are often reluctant to talk about their experiences. This is usually because they are afraid of being blamed by family and community for the exploitation and abuse they’ve suffered at the hands of bosses and employment agencies.
For most of last year, I had a lot of health challenges. Surgery, complications from surgery, adverse reactions to medications, and more emergency room visits than I can remember had been an unfortunate fact of life for us as a family. When we’d go to the emergency room, I was always prepared for, yet staggered by, a question the triage nurses are required to ask of everyone: “Are you safe at home?”
Sunday, October 7th, is Domestic Violence Awareness Sunday. This week, this month, and every day, may we lift up the stories of all those, past and present, who have been silenced far too long, praying that they may empower us to live into the gospel message of hope. Featured is a prayer from Presbyterian Women Executive Director Susan Jackson Dowd.
A standing-room-only crowd heard a stunning testimony, and more, from domestic abuse survivors as worshippers gathered in the Presbyterian Center’s chapel Wednesday for a service marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The service was sponsored by PC(USA)’s Racial Ethnic & Women’s Ministries (RE&WM) and Presbyterian Women.
Every nine seconds, a woman is assaulted or beaten in the U.S. One in three women and one in four men are physically abused by an intimate partner, totaling more than 10 million abuse victims annually, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV).
With approval from newly appointed Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson, Presbyterian World Mission and Presbyterian Women are working together to provide resources to churches that want to act as “Courageous Congregations” in October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Congregations are asked to speak about issues related to gender-based and sexual violence by preaching, teaching or holding a service of healing for survivors.
