Encouraging, challenging and equipping congregations to thrive spiritually and be apostles for reconciliation
From the General Presbyter Have you ever read the story, “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein? The book begins with a boy and his best friend, who is a tree. Every day the boy climbs the tree, eats the tree’s apples, and takes naps under the tree’s leaves, and both the boy and the tree […]
From the General Presbyter There are a few things happening behind the scenes at the Presbytery of Baltimore’s office that need to be highlighted. First, we want to welcome Rev. Jose Lopez as our part-time consultant with the Commission of Reconciliation. Jose is currently the pastor of Communidad, a new worshipping community sponsored by the […]
From the General Presbyter “All in all it’s just another brick in the wall” Pink Floyd The opening line of the song that boasts this refrain “We don’t need no education” really speaks to Floyd’s assertion: “We don’t need this type of education.” In this sense, “Another Brick, Part 2” is an anthem about repossessing […]
From the General Presbyter This midweek is dedicated to the “shout out!” First to the members of the Presbytery of Baltimore, you all are amazing. When we found out we were not hosting General Assembly live, you showed up and stepped up. Worship was inspiring, folks appreciated the prayer notes, videos were well done, Youth […]
From the General Presbyter Is everybody miserable? Cranky? Irritable? Reactive? My high school graduate came home after two hours of work at her restaurant job complaining bitterly that it was “slow” and so they sent employees home. Oh, the first world problems of the teenager who is fully subsidized by her mother. And yet others, […]
From the General Presbyter “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions. And the roots spring up and make new trees.” Amelia Earhart Some neighbors, who are also colleagues, gave me some ferns out of their garden. At home, I found the perfect spot and began to dig. The first spot resisted. […]
From the General Presbyter “But on you will go, though the weather be foul.On you will go, though your enemies prowl.Onward up many a frightening creek,Though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. — Oh the Places You Will Go by Dr. Seuss My daughter received this book for her high school […]
From the General Presbyter I don’t know about you, but I am tired. Not the proverbial tired of the pandemic or the news about anti-racism marches. Speaking of marches, I attended the Howard County march and it was wonderful. Police, organizers and citizens working together to promote justice and create a meaningful event. No, […]
May 30, 2020: George Floyd I once heard someone say, “you can’t fight ignorance with violence.” I believe that. I believe violence, mayhem, and destructive rioting do nothing to make the naïve suddenly aware, voices heard or problems solved. But how long will the ignorant, the naïve and the unaware hide behind their dominant culture […]
From the General Presbyter Today I was on a Zoom call with Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, the Director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, who talked about being a “Matthew 25 Church,” a new posture of the PC(USA) based on the named text, but more importantly, how we engage the “isms” of our society. I listen […]
