Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day officially kicked off this morning in Washington, with its theme “Lift Every Voice: Racism, Class and Power.” The day-long gathering of over 200 Presbyterians began with a panel discussion of diverse voices on collective power. The panelists, from various professions and parts of the country or world, shared their work and personal stories of oppression and neglect at the hands of corporations, institutions and classes of people. While the stories and backgrounds were different, the message was the same.

A compilation of news from Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seminaries including Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Columbia Theological Seminary, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary and Union Presbyterian Seminary; and other pertinent seminary news.

The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson gave testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works this week. The director of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Office of Public Witness spoke on the moral imperative to act on climate. The hearing was held to look at the role of environmental policies on economic opportunity, national security and the moral imperative to act on climate change.

Cuando me convertí en una anciana gobernante, me acuerdo que las preguntas constitucionales para la ordenación e instalación que realmente resonaron en mí fueron aquellas que hablan de ser compañeros(as) en el servicio de Cristo.

내가 사역 장로가 되는 과정에서 안수및 위임을 위한 헌법 질문들을 받았을 때에 내 마음에 정말 울림이 되었던 질문들은 그리스도를 섬기는 일에 협력자들이 되는 것에 대해 언급하는 질문들이었다.

<한국어> <Espaňol> When I became a ruling elder, I recall the constitutional questions for ordination and installation that really resonated with me were those that speak to being partners in Christ’s service.

The Mid-Kentucky Presbytery is aiding the PC(USA) Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) program by assembling hygiene kits for use in disaster relief efforts. The effort coincides with Louisville, Kentucky mayor Greg Fischer’s 5th annual Give a Day Week of Service initiative. The 2016 week of service runs April 16-24.

The Rev. Sue Washburn has been named interim editor of Presbyterians Today, the award-winning bi-monthly magazine of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) She joins the staff following the departure of former editor, the Rev. Patrick Heery, who accepted a pastoral call at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn, New York.

For the past week a group of Presbyterians have been witnessing for peace by traveling throughout Israel and Palestine as part of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program’s 2016 Mosaic of Peace conference. Participants, program coordinator Carl Horton and associate for ecumenical partnerships Kate Taber have been chronicling their experiences on the Peacemaking program’s blog page, Swords into Plowshares. 

Ruling Elder Malinda Spencer, a Christian educator and a past president of the Presbyterian Association of Resource Centers, has been named associate for Curricula Training and Promotion for the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Congregational Ministries Publishing (CMP).