Weekly Outlook - Who is Bad Bunny anyway?

Dear readers, I'm currently in love with the writing of John Green. His nonfiction book Everything is Tuberculosis was my favorite read from last year, and I just finished The Anthropocene Reviewed, a collection of essays written during Covid that offers playful yet sincere attention to odd corners of human experience— from Super Mario Kart to diet Dr. Pepper to living in Indianapolis. This is the kind of writing I aspire to in my personal and professional life: work that notices ordinary things and, through careful attention, allows them to bloom. In Green’s hands, the everyday becomes a place to wrestle honestly with joy and grief. And it is filled with wonderful quotes and references (Pastors: it is a treasure trove for sermon illustrations).  Here is one quote that I'm thinking about today.    "As with all the best sci-fi writers, Kurt Vonnegut was really good at seeing into the future. Way back in 1974, he wrote, 'What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously, but the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.' That seems to me to be an even more important and more daring endeavor than it was 47 years ago.  When people ask me why I live in Indianapolis when I could live anywhere, that's what I want to tell them. I'm trying to create a stable community in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured. And you've got to do that somewhere."   May we find ways today to build communities that fight to cure the terrible disease of loneliness. May we have grace when other communities pursuing the same goal look different from ours. May we believe, with the power of the Holy Spirit, that such work is possible and ongoing. Peace, Rose Schrott Taylor Digital Content Editor Presbyterian Outlook

Why you should listen to Bad Bunny by Alex Evangelista  Marketing Jesus: Prayer apps and Super Bowl ads by Patrice Gaines Empathy as resistance by Matthew Frease Empathy isn’t about fixing pain by Teri McDowell Ott Faith leaders gather in Washington, D.C. to urge Senate vote against DHS funding by Gregg Brekke Church is still vital — it may just look different by Mark Elsdon In case you missed it... Meeting Jesus on the Road: A Lenten Study With weekly walking prompts, reflection questions and a pastoral tone, "Meeting Jesus on the Road" encourages us to meet Jesus in our neighborhoods, writes Amy Pagliarella. Presbyterians advocate for Haitian neighbors as a federal judge blocks, for now, an end to temporary protective status From Springfield, Ohio, to Spokane, Washington, Presbyterians joined other people of faith to rally for their friends. — Cindy Corell Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity In "Against the Machine," Paul Kingsnorth offers a prophetic, if alarmist, diagnosis of Western civilization’s collapse, ultimately calling the church to become a sanctuary, writes Blaine Crawford. Why the PC(USA)’s Book of Confessions is too long — and how to fix it Charles Aden Wiley, III, offers a provocative proposal: shorten the Book of Confessions to make it more accessible, usable and formational for the whole church. Even now: an Ash Wednesday lament An Ash Wednesday lament by Jennifer L. Aycock that names death, grief, and the ashes we carry into Lent. Maine clergy form spiritual ‘shield’ outside workplaces to protect immigrants from ICE Presbyterian clergy join an ecumenical coalition in Maine, forming a daily “spiritual shield” to stand with immigrant workers facing ICE enforcement.

TFC welcomes Mark Labberton as a featured speaker for the 2026 National Gathering

The 2026 Fellowship Community National Gathering TFC is pleased to introduce Mark Labberton as one of the featured speakers at the 2026 National Gathering! Mark Labberton was born in Yakima, Washington, an agricultural town in Eastern Washington State. He has been married to Janet Labberton for 42 years, and they have two adult sons. Mark did an undergraduate degree in English Literature at Whitman College, his MDiv at Fuller Theological Seminary, and his PhD in hermeneutics at Cambridge University. Mark was ordained in the Presbyterian Church USA in 1982, and served has primarily served as a pastor (twice at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, as well as in Carmel, CA, and in Wayne, Pennsylvania). In 2009, he became a professor of preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary, where, in 2013, Mark became its fifth president. He concluded his presidency at the end of 2022, and is now professor and president-emeritus, primarily writing, preaching, and speaking. Mark serves as a trustee for International Justice Mission. His podcast, Conversing, is distributed by Fuller Seminary and Comment Magazine.  He instigated what became another podcast, Credible Witness. Mark will be preaching during the closing worship service on Thursday morning. Zionsville Presbyterian Church, Zionsville, IN Tuesday, April 28 - Thursday, April 30, 2026 with a pre-gathering for pastors starting the evening of Monday, April 27 Register Early bird registration: $300 by February 15 Special rates available for spouses and leaders under 30 ($100), missionaries and leaders of small churches leaders with 100 members or less (no cost). Click below for details or email us with specific questions. More details Email us We are currently raising $50,000 to support scholarships to the National Gathering for small church leaders, missionaries, younger leaders, and spouses. Whether you can make it to the National Gathering yourself or not, you can still participate by giving to our scholarship fund! Give to TFC Email the office

Fellowship Community | 600 E. State St. | Sharon, PA 16146 US

Presbyterian Foundation - Discover the Power of Rest with Ayana Teter

What does it mean to rest faithfully in a season that constantly demands more? At the Luminosity Conference, we are honored to welcome Rev. Ayana Teter as a plenary speaker, offering a timely and deeply needed reflection on pastoral rest and its importance for sustaining ministry and vocation. Rev. Teter serves as the Associate Dean for Students and Formation at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, where she walks alongside students as they discern their callings and develop spiritual practices that support long-term faithfulness. Beyond the classroom, she works as a congregational consultant, helping churches and nonprofit organizations live more fully into their God-given mission through coaching, spiritual direction, strategic planning, and visioning. Ayana brings a rich integration of theology, spirituality, and embodied practice to her work. With a passion for ballet, musical expression, and lifelong learning, she invites leaders to consider rest as a sacred discipline essential to healthy leadership. She is currently completing her Doctor of Ministry degree with a focus on Christian Spirituality, deepening her commitment to forming leaders who can remain grounded, creative, and resilient over time. Join us at the Luminosity Conference to learn from Rev. Ayana Teter in her plenary session. She will invite us to reimagine rest as an act of trust, resistance, and renewal—one that allows pastors and leaders to serve with greater clarity, joy, and faithfulness. Register Today

Warmly, The Luminosity Conference Team Presbyterian Foundation | Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Please note that it is now common for bad actors to impersonate an event, organization, or hotel to try to trick you into making a reservation on a fake hotel website so that they can capture your credit card information. If you ever have questions about an email that you received concerning this conference, you can forward it to serving@presbyterianfoundation.org and we'll be glad to look into it for you.

This Week in Religion - The evangelical split on immigration

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Lead story

Evangelicals divided over what faith demands as immigration tensions deepen

Editor's note:

Immigration reform has become a recent flash point among evangelical Christians. Polls show that evangelicals generally support reforms to secure borders and provide legal pathways to citizenship, but almost half see recent immigrants as a drain on U.S. resources or a threat to Americans’ safety. A third say Christians should show them love. The divides, which have grown during the Trump era of mass deportations, have led to criticism of efforts such as the Immigrant Connection, a 12-year-old church-based network of legal clinics that assist immigrants.

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Religion News

The ranks of US rabbis grow more diverse, with rising numbers of women and LGBTQ+ people

Rabbis and rabbinical students in the United States are more diverse than ever.  By Luis Andres Henao/The Associated Press

The pope faces crisis as a traditionalist group plans bishop consecrations without consent

A breakaway group attached to the traditional Latin Mass announced plans to consecrate new bishops without papal consent in a threatened revival of schism. By Nicole Winfield/The Associated Press

This doctor couldn't save one Palestinian toddler. Now he hopes to save all Gazan children.

A 53-year-old Kuwaiti-born and US-trained doctor is the unlikely visionary who has won the support of Israeli authorities for a sprawling new philanthropic enterprise in the Gaza Strip. By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service

Bangladesh's Hindu minority in fear as attacks rise and a national election nears

Attacks on Bangladesh’s Hindu minority have surged since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The violence has deepened fears about their place in the Muslim-majority nation ahead of a Feb. 12 election. By Julhas Alam, Al Emrun Garjon and Sheikh Saaliq/The Associated Press

A Muslim-owned thrift shop blends modest fashion, faith and sustainability

Modify Thrift, which opened last May, aims to offer modest, stylish outfits while debunking stereotypes about Muslim women. By Ulaa Kuziez/Religion News Service

 

Commentary and Analysis

The pioneering path of Augustus Tolton, the first Black Catholic priest in the US – born into slavery, he’s now a candidate for sainthood

Augustus Tolton was ordained in Rome in 1886. Previously, the only Black Catholic priests in the US had been men who presented themselves as white. By Annie Selak for The Conversation

When Mormons say to comply with ICE incursions, we're forgetting our own history

In 1857, when Latter-day Saints deemed actions emanating from Washington, DC, to be significant breaches of constitutional norms, they didn’t comply; they resisted. By W. Paul Reeve/Religion News Service

Clergy protests against ICE turned to a classic – and powerful – American playlist

Clergy demonstrating against ICE in Minneapolis have turned to classic ‘freedom songs’ – the music associated with protests ever since the Civil Rights Movement. By David W. Stowe for The Conversation

Not all mindfulness is the same – here’s why it matters for health and happiness

Mindfulness is taught everywhere from schools to workplaces. But scientists define and measure it in very different ways. Here’s why that matters. By Ronald S. Green for The Conversation

 

Photos of the Week: Candlemas, Haitian immigrants and more

Buddhist monks hold candle lights to float in a pond to venerate the Buddha on Meak Bochea Day, at Wat Phneat Sampily, in a suburb of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

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