In the midst of awful current headlines and centuries of injustice, God’s word for today came to the NEXT Church National Gathering underway at Montreat Conference Center from the Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia, Vice-Moderator of the 221st General Assembly (2014).
Amid a rash of recent legislation “intended to criminalize the existence, presence and stories” of people in the transgender and LGBTQIA+ communities, a four-member panel convened on Saturday discussed, as host Adrian White said, “how we can create space and come together to have a conversation about what we can do in response.”
Two-thirds of the way through Wednesday’s session of CPJ Training, moderator Christian Brooks of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Office of Public Witness turned the conversation to today’s headlines.
Three churches in southern Indiana have separate focuses to their Matthew 25 work. But through a thoughtful process of establishing a cohort to strengthen each of the three ministry efforts, the three congregations — First Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, First Presbyterian Church in Columbus and Fairlawn Presbyterian Church in Columbus — have begun, in the words of the Rev. Kelley Jepsen, transitional associate pastor at FPC in Bloomington, “to think creatively, to dream more broadly and to find concrete ways to begin moving from learning into action.”
The morning of Nov. 17, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will offer its first-ever denominational worship service commemorating the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Educator, consultant, chaplain, tennis coach and human rights advocate Dr. Michael J. Adee offered up a lifetime of insight and stories during a webinar Monday exploring the work that’s been done by the church and remains to be done toward the full inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially transgender and non-binary people.
Dr. Michael J. Adee, a global advocate for human rights for LGBTQIA+, is the featured speaker during a storytelling webinar at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday. The event is open to everyone, but registration is required. Register for the free event here.
A panel discussion hosted by the Disparities Experienced by Black Women and Girls Task Force was nearing a close Thursday when the Rev. Ashley DeTar Birt asked panelists how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) could better support queer and trans Black women and girls.