Hunger and food insecurity are so widespread in the United States they add $160 billion to national health care spending, according to Christian advocacy group Bread for the World.

The 2015 Advent Calendar from Presbyterians Today is sure to reawaken in you the beauty and spirituality of Advent, thanks to the wonderful, poetic reflections of author Rachel Srubas and the vivid, contemplative watercolors of illustrator Roy DeLeon. Rediscovering Advent features a Scripture reading, meditation and prayer for each day of Advent.

Any national gathering of Native Americans is a time of renewing friendships, making new friends and sharing stories of mutual ministry. Members of more than 13 Native tribes from seven states gathered in Greensboro, N.C., for leadership training, to share best practices of ministry and leadership and to learn more about leadership and service opportunities in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Presbyterian Pastor Ben Johnston-Krase never dreamed he’d end up in a dense urban area between Duke University and downtown Durham, N.C. It wasn’t part of the dream he says God gave him more than a year ago. He saw himself being called to a new church. Except when he got there, there was nothing but a farm.

Meeting via conference call Nov. 19, members of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board executive committee approved DREAM grants, provided updates on the progress of the interim mission work plan and discussed board restructuring among other topics.

Religious groups, including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), are pushing back against a wave of opposition toward Syrian refugees and working to preserve the U.S. as a haven for them.

Progress toward equality of men and women in the news media has ground to a halt, according to newly released results from the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP).

Growing up as an Asian immigrant in Canada and later settling in the U.S., the Rev. Dr. Kevin Park—who immigrated with his family to Toronto from Seoul, South Korea, when he was nine years old—says that his experience profoundly shaped his theology and his outlook on ministry.

Choosing to make a difference in the world through Presbyterian World Mission, congregations and individuals from around the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) continue to respond in unique and creative ways to keep mission co-workers in service around the world.

Despite the recent terrorist activity in Paris, the world’s pre-eminent climate change conference—the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21)—will go on as planned November 30 through December 11 in Le Bourget, France, a northeast suburb of the French capital. The annual meeting brings together all countries and representatives from business, the public sector, the United Nations, non-governmental organizations and the faith community who want to take action for the climate. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) associates Rebecca Barnes, associate for Environmental Ministries and Bill Somplatsky-Jarman, coordinator, Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) with the Compassion, Peace and Justice Program, are attending this year’s conference.