Today in the Mission Yearbook - Delivering ‘a grammar of faith that can help us become the church God has always intended us to be’

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Delivering ‘a gram...: The Rev. Dr. José Irizarry delivers a prophetic sermon during chapel service for the PC(USA)’s national staff October 29, 2024 The Rev. Dr. ...

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, October 27 and Sunday, November 3, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, October 28, 2024 - That leaders put aside their pride and ambition for the good of their country.
• Tuesday, October 29, 2024 - That the leaders of the church maintain their focus on Jesus Christ and his teachings. 
• Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - That we look past their differences and unite as a country.
• Thursday, October 31, 2024 - That we have the courage to confront the violence within our society.
• Friday, November 1, 2024 - That police officers remember that they are servants of their communities.
• Saturday, November 2, 2024 - That parents and communities would teach young people the importance of love and compassion.
• Sunday, November 3, 2024 - That those in national authority would be given godly counsel and God-fearing advisors.

Praising the Lord at Country Springs - Sunday, October 20, 2024

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: Praising the Lord at Country Springs - Sunday, Oct...: The Sligo Presbyterian Church Board of Deacons sponsors a worship service at the Country Springs Retirement & Assisted Living Facility. ...

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, October 20, 2024

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service ...: During the months of September, October and November, we'll discuss the following parables found in the Gospel of Mark: September 22 - N...

Sunday's Message: The Parables of Jesus - A Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: Sunday's Message: The Parables of Jesus - A Growin...: During the months of September, October and November, we'll discuss the following parables found in the Gospel of Mark: September 22 - N...

WCC News: Prayers for Caribbean unite compassion and commitment to make a difference

Serve, Work and Transform: WCC News: Prayers for Caribbean unite compassion a...: As the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle this week is dedicated to the churches and people of the Caribbean, ambassadors and staff of various region’s...

WCC News: Preparations for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026 in Armenia guided by hope

To prepare the resources of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity for the year 2026, a joint international editing group with representatives from the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches (WCC) met in Etchmiadzin, Armenia from 12-18 October. Dome of the Church of the Holy Angels in Aragatsotn, Armenia. Photo: Martin Browne/WCC 22 October 2024 The meeting was hosted by the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, and participants of the meeting were received by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians on 17 October. The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity for 2026 comes from Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:4). “Our meeting in Armenia was a unique experience of pilgrimage together with our member churches,” said Rev. Dr Mikie Roberts, WCC’s programme executive for Spiritual Life and Faith and Order. “Besides visiting historical Armenian sanctuaries and learning about the history and culture of Armenian people, we had the opportunity to hear from Artsakh Armenians, who have lost so much, but are not losing their hope.” Every morning, participants gathered for morning prayer in the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, which was recently re-consecrated after a years-long renovation. To work on the materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026, members of the international editing group from WCC and the Roman Catholic Church were joined by group of representatives from Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, as well as Evangelical and Roman Catholic churches in Armenia. Every year, churches and Christian communities worldwide are invited to join the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and use the resources prepared to pray together for unity among churches and Christians throughout the year. In the northern hemisphere, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated on 18-25 January; in the southern hemisphere celebrations take place around Pentecost, a symbolic date for the unity of the church. Learn more about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity  Members of the International editing group of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026 resources were received by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians on 17 October in Etchmiadzin, Armenia. Photo: Armenian Apostolic Holy Church See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

Looking into the lectionary - Breaking unification commission news

October 27, 2024 Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost  Jeremiah 31:7-9 I arrived in Aberdeen, Scotland, retrieved my luggage, and waited for the person from the college who was supposed to pick me up. I waited and I waited and I waited. It was about an hour later when I realized my mistake. I had misread the time of my arrival in Aberdeen due to Scotland’s use of military or 24-hour time. So, if my ride had come to get me, she had left the airport long ago. I was alone, 16 hours into my travel, and in a foreign country. I was not thinking clearly due to fatigue and unfamiliar with the customs or how to arrange my own transportation. It was the most alone and unwelcome I think I have ever felt. Perhaps you know the feeling. Maybe it was a time you took a wrong turn on a trip and became utterly lost. Maybe it was when you sat for the first time in a new class in a new school and didn’t know a soul. Maybe it was when your mom or your dad or your husband or your wife walked out the door carrying a suitcase and never came back. Maybe it was when you sat in an exam room wondering when the doctor would come back with your test results. Maybe it was when you stood because you couldn’t sit any longer, in a hospital waiting room while someone you loved underwent surgery. Maybe it was when you walked into your house three days after the funeral of your spouse, your family and friends had gone home, and you realized there was no one there to greet you. Or perhaps you are busy all day with children, longing for even one word of adult conversation. Perhaps you check social media a hundred times a day hoping to see something to make you smile but end up feeling more alone despite your thousands of “friends.” Maybe your children are teenagers, and they don’t talk to you much anymore. You don’t seem to get together with other parents anymore either. Or maybe you are a teenager, and you know the other side of that story — everyone else at school seems happy, but you’re not. Bullies used to have to insult you to your face. Now texts and posts flood your account 24 hours a day. You can’t tell mom and dad because they are so busy, and they won’t understand. Yes, loneliness is pervasive in our world today. But before we dwell there too long, we need to hear some good news. ... Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Thanks to this week's writer Matthew A. Rich. Order of worship for October 27, 2024, by Matthew A. Rich The Rev. Jihyun Oh named leader of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s interim unified organization from the Unification Commission On practicing silence (October 27, 2024) by Samantha Coggins Black Mountain Presbyterian shines bright in the darkness by Fred McCormick Want the worship resources for October 20, 2024? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... What baseball can teach the church about faithful change Can the church embrace change without losing its core identity? Matthew Rich looks at MLB for inspiration. In a new film, 12 pastors take a leap of faith — hoping friendship can overcome their divides Inspired by Mr. Rogers' timeless question, ‘Won’t you be my neighbor?,’ pastors come together in a new film to explore if friendship and faith can bridge polarization in an increasingly divided world. —  Bob Smietana Journey to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-Being Based on their experiences of Native American cultures and U.S. churches, the authors offer guidance for anyone “seeking a better way of living in this troubled world ... a way that Indigenous people have known about from time immemorial.” — Brent Anderson Reformation Sunday resources for Oct. 27 Presbyterian Historical Society highlights the remarkable contributions of a Protestant reformer, Argula von Grumbach. —  Emily Enders Odom Presbyterian Publishing Corporation receives a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. PPC will use the grant to develop ‘Worship for the Whole People of God,’ helping congregations to engage children in intergenerational worship and prayer. — PPC A prayer for Reformation Sunday Chris Currie offers a prayer that names the complex legacy of our church. A litany for Reformation Sunday Composed of excerpts from the creeds, catechisms and confessions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), this litany has been compiled by Susan Carter Wiggins. Revelation: Professing Christ Today In a world that frequently promotes hatred, hostility and division, discover Revelation’s call to embody God’s grace, generosity and forgiveness. A new Fresh Outlook study. Pre-order the Outlook's daily Advent devotional today! In a world dominated by binary thinking – light vs. dark, good vs. evil – this Advent devotional challenges us to see beyond familiar binaries and embrace the complex, natural patterns of God in the world.

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, October 21 and Sunday, October 27, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, October 21, 2024 - That doctors and nurses communicate compassion and concern to their patients. 
• Tuesday, October 22, 2024 - That we respect and honor their parents and raise their children with compassion.
• Wednesday, October 23, 2024 - That the war in Gaza be settled as soon as possible.
• Thursday, October 24, 2024 - That we all recognize that our actions impact others.
• Friday, October 25, 2024 - That the world unites in care for those affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
• Saturday, October 26, 2024 - That workers be paid a living wage.
• Sunday, October 27, 2024 - That youth value honesty and respect in all their relationships.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, October 13, 2024

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service ...: During the months of September, October and November, we'll discuss the following parables found in the Gospel of Mark: September 22 - N...

Sunday's Message: The Parables of Jesus - Lamps and Baskets (Mark 4:21-25)

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: Sunday's Message: The Parables of Jesus - Lamps an...: During the months of September, October and November, we'll discuss the following parables found in the Gospel of Mark: September 22 - N...

The PC(USA) Store - Your Advent & Christmas Sale Starts Now

Prepare for the Advent and Christmas seasons and save big on these new and best-selling books when you shop our Advent & Christmas Sale! But hurry, these sale prices end next Tuesday, October 22. Shop the Sale

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WCC News: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 resources available in seven languages

Churches and Christian communities worldwide are invited to use the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 resources which are now available online in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Arabic. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 10 October 2024 In order to pray together for the unity among churches throughout the year, the prayers and reflections for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 were prepared by the brothers and sisters of the monastic community of Bose in northern Italy. The resources are jointly published by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches. The final material is sent to the WCC member churches and Roman Catholic episcopal conferences around the world – and communities are invited to translate the text and adapt it for their own use. The year 2025 marks the 1,700th anniversary of the first Christian Ecumenical Council, held in Nicaea, near Constantinople in 325 AD. This commemoration provides a unique opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the common faith of Christians, as expressed in the creed formulated during this council. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 offers an invitation to draw on this shared heritage and to enter more deeply into the faith that unites all Christians. The guiding biblical text for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 comes from John 11:17-27. The theme for the week, “Do you believe this?” (v. 26), takes its cue from the dialogue between Jesus and Martha when Jesus visited the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany following the death of their brother Lazarus.  The traditional period in the northern hemisphere for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is 18-25 January. In the southern hemisphere churches often find other days to celebrate the Week of Prayer, for example around Pentecost, which is also a symbolic date for the unity of the church. Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 Learn more about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland