Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly is usually a busy time for the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship.
Before some 60,000 supporters met together at Houston’s Discovery Green park to join the family of George Floyd in a peaceful march to City Hall this week, about 200 clergy from diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds gathered in the ballroom of a nearby hotel to pray.
In a very real sense during the colossal challenges of coronavirus and civil protest, God is calling the church out, the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II said during a Vital Congregations webinar Wednesday.
Viisha P. Souza and Alan Kennedy were more than 1,000 miles apart last weekend, but had very similar experiences.
After more than 14 years as coordinator of the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Dr. Christian Iosso this week announced his decision to serve the Church in a new capacity.
La rda. Dra. Diane Moffett, presidente y directora ejecutiva de la Agencia Presbiteriana de Misión, emitió esta declaración el miércoles sobre el profundo dolor y el enojo que ha llevado a las manifestaciones y a la violencia en ciudades de todo el país tras la muerte de George Floyd el 25 de mayo, a manos de la policía de Minneapolis:
"Mi alma está inquieta. Con la pandemia de COVID-19 en su apogeo, matando a más de 106,000 personas en este país y afectando desproporcionadamente a las comunidades no caucásicas, y con los asesinatos de Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd y esta misma semana a David McAtee, mi copa se desborda de desesperación.
The Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, released this statement Wednesday about the deep pain and anger that’s led to demonstrations and violence in cities across the county since the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police: “My soul is troubled. With the COVID-19 pandemic raging, killing over 106,000 people in this country and disproportionately impacting communities of color, and with the slayings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and just this week David McAtee, my cup runneth over with despair.
Even though they were recorded weeks ago, the preaching that was part of last month’s Festival of Homiletics touched on topics at the heart of recent days of protests, injustice and anguish.
“Over a thousand miles away from everyone I know and love, I ran towards the chaos,” Brittany wrote to a friend.
As plans were being made for the 224th General Assembly in Baltimore, a synergy was forming with another event down the interstate in Washington D.C.: The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival was preparing to hold its Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington during the GA’s opening days, giving folks a chance to shuttle down to the like-minded event.
Then the pandemic hit.