Presbyterians Today - A Time of Rest Before the New Year

Dear friends, I write to you today with an update on our plans for this e-newsletter in the coming months. You may or may not know that, for some time now, a major project has been underway to create a whole new website for the national offices of the PC(USA). We hope to have this new website launched by the end of this year. This is very exciting to us, but it is also a massive undertaking and currently requires much of our web developer team's time, along with many others. In order to give our web team the time and space they need in order to focus on preparing our new website for a strong launch, we will be temporarily pausing several of our regular e-newsletters, including this one. Do not worry, we have every intention of bringing back a monthly PT e-newsletter at the beginning of 2025 along with a renewed and reinvigorated Presbyterians Today presence over all. I can't wait to share all of that with you. In the meantime, please check in on our social media accounts and on the blog, as we still intend to post some new content there in the interim. Also, if you ever want to check on the status of things, you can email me at editor@pcusa.org and I will be happy to share what updates I can. Also, I'm linking below the two digital feature stories we published earlier this year. If you haven't had the chance to read them yet (and even if you have!), I commend them to you! Thank you all for your loyalty and your patience during this season of transition. Big things are on the horizon! Sincerely, Layton Williams Berkes Managing Editor, Presbyterians Today

Isolation in the Lone Star State

by Fred Tangeman Loneliness is an increasing problem nationwide. How are pastors in Mission Presbytery staying connected during their calls? What Texas is to states, Mission is to presbyteries: one of the largest and most diverse in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), with dozens of congregations near San Antonio and Austin, and large swaths of countryside where farm supply stores and oil wells outnumber houses of worship. Mission includes 120 churches in South Central Texas, an area stretching from the Rio Grande Valley north to the Hill Country. The presbytery lists 300 Teaching Elders and more than 19,000 lay members. Of all the challenges facing its pastors, isolation is near the top, said the Rev. Dr. Sallie Watson, General Presbyter of Mission. Isolation and its shadow companion loneliness grew as a problem during the pandemic, but have long been issues in Mission owing to its size and turnover. Nearly 600,000 people moved to Texas in 2020—and that’s just from other states. Pastors factor into a constant internal and international migration.

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Reparations for the Future at Third Presbyterian Church

by Shani McIlwain What does it mean to be a “friend” to colleagues in ministry when harm has been done? How can reparations pave the way to a more just future? A catchy thematic worship song starts out every Sunday at Third Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, Missouri. “Come on and get your praise on, you know we got it going on at Third Church, where the word is broken down for you; it’s so easy it will make you

wonder at Third Church.” brings anyone visiting into a worship experience like no other. Rev. Cedric Portis has served as pastor of Third Presbyterian since 2003.  A man with great faith and a clear understanding of what it means to be called, Rev. Portis does not hold back with emotion as he carefully lays out the story of Third as he and the church’s members see it: a repeated failure of an ordination vow that many in the PC(USA) tradition know well, “Will you be a friend among your colleagues in ministry, working with them, subject to the ordering of God’s Word and Spirit?” Perhaps the question that remains is one’s definition of “friend.”

Previous reports of this story have referred to this as a three-way real estate deal with Third Presbyterian and two other churches no longer in existence today. Under Rev. Portis’ leadership, the ministry of Third was bursting and growing rapidly. The building that the church occupied from its beginning was no longer suitable for the growing ministry. When a predominately white congregation voted to close its doors, the Presbytery gave way for Third to move into the new space.  Rev. Portis states that upon hearing of Third’s intent to take over the space, the church members changed course and decided to do a merger rather than a closure. With that came unexpected expenses such as replacing items taken from the church, getting their kitchen up to code and so much more. Retelling the story, Rev. Portis shared with deep conviction the layered amount of harm caused that felt almost like a metaphorical repeated beating when a church is already operating in a deficit.

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Presbyterians Today - Healing and reconciliation mean forging new paths

Dear Readers, With the end of June, we close out our second quarter theme for the year on "healing and repair." Reflecting on these ideas as I read the two latest entries on our blog, I'm struck by the fact that healing from past hurts isn't a matter of simply revisiting or attempting to re-do the past. It does require an honest reckoning with what has come before, but it also requires a willingness to forge new pathways, not built on the scar tissue of old wounds. As Rev. Bethany Peerbolte explores in her ministry, Our Tapestry, sometimes a healthy and reconciled future flourishes in a digital space, especially for LGBTQIA+ Christians and others who have been wounded by the church, who need supportive and open community that transcends geography. And digital ministry requires ever-evolving innovation, liturgy, and theology of connection. In Pittsburgh Presbytery, meanwhile, the recently renamed Alliance for Honor and Repair challenges whether the concept of reconciliation as a whole binds us to a past-oriented approach, and whether we must break-free of a desire to fix the past in order to find hope in the future. I appreciate the reminder that healing and hope can be found in newness, in ways of doing things we've maybe never considered. I had some of this on my mind over the past couple of weeks as the 226th General Assembly of the PCUSA happened in Salt Lake City. I was covering the event from home while taking care of my newborn and other daughter, and was grateful for the ways technology allowed me to be plugged in and participate. Of course, the technology also presented some headaches and challenges for all involved. Our Director of Communications often reminded us both before and during the Assembly that -- as has been true for every GA since Covid -- this one was happening in a way that has never been done before. As we collectively try to heal from the trauma and upheaval of Covid (even while it is still a very present reality) we are still being forced to find new ways of doing church together. It is not a seamless process, but it is a reminder that God, too, is always doing a new thing and that wherever and however we gather (and however imperfectly) the Spirit is there dancing, healing, reconciling us to God and one another, and moving in love and beauty. For all the exhaustion of the 2-week Presby-marathon, I walk away from it full of hope for what the church can and will be and for the efforts we make toward healing the world in the here and now. Where have you encountered healing lately? How has it challenged you to embrace new things and new ways of doing/being? Let me know! I'd love to hear. And please take time to read the pieces below. Let them challenge and inspire you. Next we turn out attention to our third quarter themes: leadership and change. I look forward to sharing more insights from brilliants minds and hearts on the PT blog soon. Happy Reading!   Layton Williams Berkes Managing Editor, Presbyterians Today

When Church is Dangerous, Digital Ministry Provides Sanctuary

by Bethany Peerbolte “Finally!” was all my United Methodist friend had to text me when I asked how their general conference was going. While I echo their relief, I know the recovery period for my LGBTQIA+ siblings is far from being final. Presbyterians stand as proof that the vote is sometimes the easiest part of change. As the leader of a ministry with over 90% LGBTQIA+-identifying members, I know a vote is one step of a long journey — one that began with fervent prayers for change. Not to change the Book of Order but to change oneself. For every LGBTQIA+ person raised in the Christian faith, their journey of self-discovery includes years, often decades, of praying to God to change who they are. Our Tapestry logo - rainbow fontIn my time leading Our Tapestry (a 1001 New Worshiping Community supported by the Denver Presbytery), I have heard hundreds of stories from individuals whose journey began with the daily battle of praying to God for change and the daily rejection of that prayer.

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‘Reconciling to what?’

by Jeff Eddings ‘Reconciling to what?’ That was one of the first questions I had from a member of the newly formed “Repair and Reconciliation Alliance” of the Pittsburgh Presbytery. The alliance had been formed with the mandate to do two things: (1) to engage in a thorough review of the experience of our Black Presbyterian churches through history. (2) to offer recommendations on actions of repair and reconciliation. The hopeful outcome of this work is that “the Pittsburgh Presbytery may become a more harmonious, joyful, and just community within the Body of Christ.” As the chair of the committee, I was meeting with each member of the alliance to learn more about their hopes for the work we are going to engage in over the next two years. The alliance is a mix of teaching and ruling elders, both Black and white, and includes pastors from two of our historically Black churches. As I met with Pastor De Neice Welch of Bidwell Presbyterian Church, her question about the destination of reconciliation was one that, thanks to my white privilege, I had not considered.

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Presbyterians Today - Mountains and Valleys

Dear friends,   As we enter the season of Ordinary Time, I am reminded that nothing is ever ordinary. Yet there is something about the word “ordinary” that fits. Not in the sense of boring or dull but as an “in-between” season, a time to breathe after the culmination of the celebratory days. Just as most of our days are lived between the big events, the church year is filled with more ordinary days than holidays. The holy days are the mountaintops, whereas Ordinary Time is the slopes, valleys and flatlands. All are beautiful — and all are necessary. Those valleys and flatlands are often where healing takes place. It is a safe space where we can embrace the transformative power of vulnerability and the courage to confront our deepest wounds. We all have a journey of trauma healing — whether it came from abuse, grief, disaster or even religion. My journey recovering from religious trauma has been filled with twists and turns, leading me to the realization that healing is a sacred and ongoing process. And it requires us to be vulnerable, which feels counterintuitive in the moment. We continue our ongoing exploration of “healing” and “repair” in our blog posts and stories. They teach us that healing from religious trauma often requires us to reshape our spiritual identity independently. Filtering through the debris of rigid doctrines, inherited theological concepts, and damaging or poisonous ideologies allows us to discover the core of our genuine spirituality, bestowed by a higher power. Embracing self-compassion means allowing ourselves to be imperfect, recognizing that healing is a journey and that it’s OK to lean on others for support. Perfection is not the goal. Leading from a place of humanness is very much in line with the ministry of Jesus. As you delve into the stories below, seek out the insights nestled within, ones that resonate and beckon to be woven into your own journey. Though the imprints of religious trauma may linger, they need not define our leadership; instead, they can be harnessed as sources of profound wisdom.

Melody K. Smith Associate Director for Digital and Marketing Communications

Whosoever

The intersection of biblical interpretation and queer identities remains a focal point of discussion. The latest blog post, "For the Bible Tells Me So," delves into this complex intersection.The author offers a poignant exploration of how interpretations of scripture impact attitudes towards sexuality and gender diversity. Read how they navigated the delicate balance between fidelity to scripture and the call for inclusivity and affirmation, while serving as a beacon of hope for individuals seeking acceptance and belonging within religious contexts.

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When Religion Leads to Trauma

In the landscape of faith and spirituality, the subject of religious trauma has gained increasing attention. Probing the complex relationship between religious communities and healing from trauma, this article navigates the paradoxical role of churches as both sources of trauma and potential sites for healing and restoration. As faith communities confront the reality of religious trauma, it offers a timely and compassionate exploration of the path toward healing and wholeness within the context of faith.

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Spreading the Vision of Matthew 25 across the Church

The PC(USA) believes that we are called to serve Jesus by contributing to the well-being of the most vulnerable in all societies – rural and urban, small and large, young and not-so-young. From affordable housing to community gardens to equitable educational and employment opportunities to healing from addiction and mental illness to enacting policy change – there is not just one way to be a part of the Matthew 25 movement.

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