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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RNS Morning Report - Catholic rituals blend with Neapolitan folklore in queer pilgrimage🏳️‍🌈⛪

Top Stories Catholic rituals blend with Neapolitan folklore in pilgrimage for queer community MERCOGLIANO, Italy (RNS) — Inside a church just outside Naples, people known as femminielli gathered for La Juta, a centuries-old Candlemas pilgrimage honoring the Madonna of Montevergine. With new book, Sikh researcher hopes to shift the narrative on the Tenth Guru (RNS) — ‘The wisdom actually doesn’t see this East-West divide or conceptions of medieval (versus) modernity,’ said author Harinder Singh. For 2026 Super Bowl, ‘He Gets Us’ ad goes more personal, less political (RNS) — The billion-dollar ads have been criticized by some conservative Christians as being too ‘woke’ or liberal in the past. A new take on the campaign will focus on dealing with the struggles of life, rather than social conflicts. Palestinians allowed in to Gaza and patients are evacuated to Egypt as the Rafah crossing reopens CAIRO (AP) — The reopening of the crossing marked a key step in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire but mostly a symbolic one, with few people allowed to travel and no goods allowed to pass through. Opinion Not all are called to be martyrs like Alex Pretti. But we can be witnesses. (RNS) — People of faith are being called to view politics through the lens of faith, not the other way around. The Dignity Act challenges Americans to choose cooperation on immigration (RNS) — We have the opportunity to make real, tangible progress and bridge the current divide. ICYMI Epstein bought Kaaba covers. What does the sacred Kiswah cloth represent? (RNS) — The black, gold-embroidered cloth that shrouds Islam’s holiest site in Saudi Arabia is a revered artifact that carries spiritual meaning for Muslims worldwide. Francis’ actions scrutinized as Vatican appeals court reviews finance trial VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As the Vatican’s highest appeals court reviews the landmark finance trial, defense lawyers are increasingly focusing on an uncomfortable question: the legality of actions taken by Pope Francis during the investigation. Support Our Work As a nonprofit newsroom that covers all faiths, RNS sits uniquely at the intersection of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. News tips or feedback? Email comments@religionnews.com. Like the Morning Report? Share it with a friend. Forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here. We rely on reader donations to power our reporting. Donate here. Or send a check to: Religion News Foundation PO Box 1808 Columbia, MO 65205

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