Grace and Gratitude, February 2022

Since beginning the new year, I have experienced a deep sense of being unsettled. I know there are some good, clear reasons for this feeling. We are going into another year of living with and dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. I continue to navigate relationships in the virtual world, as I long for the days in which meeting in person was normative. There is deep polarization in our country, and even in our churches. And once again, we are dealing with structural racism and resistance to even having a conversation about the problem (sin) of racism in our nation and church. Maybe, just maybe, the best way to describe my unsettledness is that it has everything to do with the disruptions we have experienced over the past two years. Even though I resist disruptions in my life, I am beginning to live into these disruptions as ways in which to hear God’s voice and be guided in God’s will. Continue here →

Faith at Home Lent Practices A webinar on February 24 will be available with author and pastor Traci Smith, who will talk about simple practices for at-home faith formation during Lent. We will release six short videos for use by households that highlight faith practices. In addition, Presbyterians can fill out this form to receive a promo code for copies of Traci’s book at 50% off of the list price. Register here →

Student loan debt forgiveness Thanks to changes in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, clergy and other church leaders are now able to get more forgiveness earlier. Watch and read about some of the details here. Contact Melonee Tubb at melonee.tubb@pcusa.org for more information. Watch webinar →

Vital Congregations The Office of Vital Congregations is excited to announce the next wave of presbyteries to join the Vital Congregations Initiative! Presbyteries include: The Presbytery of the Peaks (Virginia); Presbytery of St. Augustine (Florida); Presbytery of Mississippi, New Castle Presbytery (Delaware); and a new church in our Virtual Presbytery, Southminster Presbyterian Church (Arizona). There are now 40 presbyteries participating in the Vital Congregations Initiative, covering some 20 states. The newest wave begins its journey in mid-March with a kick-off worship and information session. For information on how to join the initiative, email Vital Congregations. VC Facebook page →

Princeton Seminary disassociates Samuel Miller’s name from chapel After hearing diverse students lamenting their pain of having to worship in a chapel named after a slaveholder and opponent of abolitionism, Princeton Seminary President the Rev. Dr. M. Craig Barnes calls the Board of Trustees vote "a commitment to the ongoing work of confession and repentance." Read story →

Working for racial reconciliation Two PC(USA) congregations in Princeton, New Jersey, show how holding difficult conversations can result in progress toward healing the nation’s racial divide. Watch/read story →

Act like Jesus in the world A Wisconsin pastor uses new worshiping community videos and the PC(USA) Matthew 25 vision to illustrate what being Presbyterian looks like. Watch/read story →

We are called to share the good news of Christ in word and deed In Matthew 25, particularly verses 31-46, the story of the sheep and goats, Jesus makes clear, that what we do matters to God, how we treat the least of these is important. Jesus counts himself among the least of these. As disciples, we are called to continue the work Jesus began, speaking truth to power and building a world where people are no longer marginalized. As we work to change systems that cause human suffering, we too are part of the least of these. Matthew 25 reminds us that our work is not in vain. What we do matters to God. Read story →

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