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Advocating for change can be a slow and sometimes arduous process, whether lobbying Congress to reduce military spending and strengthen the safety net for low-income families, supporting better gun control, or fighting for the rights of women and other marginalized groups, such as our siblings in the LGBTQIA+ community. So it was fitting that multiple speakers at Ecumenical Advocacy Days sought to encourage and motivate participants to stay the course. Sometimes, you might want to “stop sharing, stop risking, stop reaching out, stop serving, stop giving, stop listening, stop loving, stop trying, stop dreaming, stop believing,” said the Rev. Dr. Alvin O’Neal Jackson, a senior strategist for the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. But “biblical faith is always in the business of believing that God’s vision of the future will prevail over the death and destruction of the present. We walk by faith and not by sight.”
Jackson and others from various faiths helped to give an uplifting tone to EAD, which was entirely online this year and included participation by multiple ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, including the Office of Public Witness, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and World Mission. Until May 21, you can go here to purchase access to recordings of sessions on topics, such as equipping and mobilizing your congregation for justice, taking action for human rights in Peru, addressing "food apartheid" and more. You also can read about EAD and other topics in the stories below. (Photo by Luis Morera via Unsplash) |
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Ecumenical Advocacy Days preacher urges participants to take Jesus’ advice to ‘go and see’ |
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie opened Ecumenical Advocacy Days with a rousing sermon in which the biblical story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 became a rallying cry to be courageous, persistent and compassionate. (Photo by Maggionio via Pixabay) |
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New conference in Louisville, Ky., to prepare young adults and seminarians to engage in advocacy work |
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) will hold an advocacy conference for young adults and seminarians from Oct. 20-22 in Louisville. The event is for people living in or near the area who desire to explore the connection between faith and justice. |
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SDOP webinar on veterans and poverty May 16 |
The next webinar in "The Struggle is Real" series will help congregations and others discover ways to listen, engage and form relationships with communities to address poverty's impact on veterans. (Photo by Angelique Johnson via Pixabay) |
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Gift of the Heart Kits needed |
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance needs your help to replenish the inventory of Gift of the Heart Kits after recent tornadoes. |
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'Queering the Bible: Queering the Prophets' |
“Queering the Bible,” an annual series by Unbound that centers queer theologies and commentaries on biblical texts, returns June 1 with “Queering the Prophets.” It will feature queer writers, theologians, ministers, activists, poets and artists. |
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Antiracism workshop May 17 |
Join the Office of Gender & Racial Justice for a webinar on antiracism at 7 p.m. May 17. It’s part of a monthly webinar series that continues in June and July with webinars on heteropatriarchy and reproductive justice. |
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Church in Puerto Rico embraces Earth-friendly practices |
Primera Iglesia Presbiteriana en Bayamón is in its first year as an official Earth Care Congregation, which are churches that demonstrate they are active stewards of the Earth. |
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Apply to host an International Peacemaker for September/October 2023 |
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program says, “Don’t delay. Apply now! Your congregation or mid council could host a peacemaker this fall.” Applications are due by June 1. |
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Mosaic of Peace Conference set for March 4-15, 2024 |
The Mosaic of Peace Conference in Israel/Palestine provides opportunities to engage with Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders, walk in the footsteps of Jesus and connect with partners to take meaningful action for a just and lasting peace in the region. |
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Office of Public Witness issues Action Alert on spending |
The Office of Public Witness is asking Presbyterians to tell their representatives in Congress to move some of the funds that go toward buying destructive weapons to programs that help people feed themselves and their families. |
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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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