Grace and Gratitude, December 2022

Dear Colleagues and Friends, A few weeks ago, I worked with church leaders in a beautiful state park in Indiana. Before I shut my eyes that first night for a good night’s sleep, I checked my phone for the next day’s weather forecast. I noticed the snow icon and went to bed with the expectation of some light snowfall. When I raised my blinds that next morning, my expectation of slight snowfall was exceeded by a wintry blanket of six inches of snow on the ground. What a glorious surprise and wondrous way to start the day and a weekend retreat with church leaders!

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Evangelism in 21st-Century Contexts

We were privileged to work with many truly gifted and inspired church leaders this fall—and we want to share their challenging and encouraging messages with you! Video recordings of sessions from the “Addressing Harm, Embracing Hope” evangelism conference, as well as recorded webinars related to evangelism for our Scattered Church series, are now available online for you to watch and share with others. Recordings are also available with interpretation in Spanish, and some in Korean as well.   Scattered Church webinar series on evangelism

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Celebrating Ten Years of 1001 New Worshiping Communities

A new video features the vision and stories of leaders and communities answering God’s call in new ways.   Click below to view the 18 minute inspirational video celebrating a decade of discernment, dedication and spiritual renewal.

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The Gift of Sabbath from 1001 New Worshiping Communities

Over the last two years, a total of $200,000 was given to 74 Pastors and leaders from the 1001 New Worshiping Communities to allow sabbaths of 2 to 6 weeks. We celebrate the opportunity to help leaders grow in their sabbath practices. If you are a 1001 leader interested in applying in 2023 email Jeff Eddings for more information.

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Theology and Worship

Join a Ministry Leader Formation Cohort in 2023: Apply here for groups gathering around spiritual practices, anti-racism, evangelism and ministerial vision. Contact Alicia Demartra-Pressley in the Office of Theology and Worship for more information.

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Theology and Worship launches resources and a discussion forum for Liturgical Year A

Introducing a new weekly podcast from the Theology and Worship: “A Year with Matthew 25.” Appropriate for worship planning or personal reflection, each episode connects Sunday lectionary readings with the Matthew 25 vision of the PC(USA), drawing on the 2022–2023 Year with Matthew resource. The podcast is available now on the Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and iHeartRadio platforms. Visit the Matthew 25 in the PC(USA) Church and Mid Councils Facebook Group and join David Gambrell, Associate for Worship, each week, as he leads a discussion about that week’s prompts.

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Presbyterian Youth and Triennium

Presbyterian Youth and Triennium launches three resources around the theme “When Did We See You?” to create local experiences for youth, young adults, families and intergenerational groups.

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Theology, Formation and Evangelism in the News during October and November!

The PC(USA)’s Scattered Church speaker explains evangelism as making friends and telling stories Online Advent devotional features PC(USA) authors who write with youth in mind Evangelism Conference Looks at Churches Beautiful Lies and Ugly Truths Evangelism Conference Seeks to Address Harm While Embracing Hope Office of Theology & Worship Launches Gospel of Matthew Resources in New Liturgical Year Bible Scholars Reimagine Evangelism as Equity, Inclusion and Flourishing Panelists Explore the Role Evangelism Plays in Christian Formation” Denominational Leaders and Church Members Remind Presbyterians of the Spiritual Power of Voting

Spreading the Vision of Matthew 25 across the Church

Accept the invitation to be a church of action, where God’s love, justice and mercy are contagious and at the center of everything we do.

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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 →

Coronavirus/COVID-19 — Latest church resources for congregations and members

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