I never really liked Easter — the pastel holiday of springtime flowers, the tired imagery of an emptied tomb, the hollow cheers of “He is risen” — until I had friends buried away in prisons.
It wasn’t until I spent time in a jail as a volunteer with people awaiting actual trials that Holy Week became troubling and electric for me.
The connection between poverty and mass incarceration will be explored during a Nov. 9 webinar that’s part of an ongoing conversation by the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People on the importance of churches stepping outside of their walls to “love thy neighbor.”
Tackling complex societal issues is never an easy task, but thanks to the creative talents in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), congregations have access to original films that can serve as “conversation starters” for their ministry and community.
Advent symbolizes the coming of Christ, and the hope and anticipation that comes with celebrating his birth and presence in our life. Each year the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program publishes Advent Devotion books that congregations can use as a resource for devotion, reflection, and action in the special time of the year leading up to Christmas.
