Blog post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org When I was executive presbyter in Milwaukee, there was one city whose economy was based on the GM auto plant. During the great recession, the plant closed. This resulted in increased unemployment and under employment. Downtown became a ghost town as stores closed and shops boarded…
Blog post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org It’s been a long time since Marilyn and I have taken a vacation together. Somewhere between getting kids through college, living apart for two years with very demanding jobs, beginning new work for each of us in 2017, life hasn’t allowed the rhythm for us to…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org I’m still receiving thank-you notes. Some are in the form of cards. Some are by email. Others come in envelopes. These are words of thanks and appreciation to Giddings-Lovejoy for hosting General Assembly. The notes are a reminder of the generosity and kindness in the hearts…
Rev. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org I remember 1968 very well. Dr. King was assassinated in April, and later that year, 50 years ago this month, Robert Kennedy was assassinated. I still remember the newscast that morning as I was preparing for school. In that momentous and devastating year, something else happened—something big that would give…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Transitional Leader of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy choward@glpby.org I spent a lot of my childhood in the Chicago projects visiting my cousins. My one cousin, Opal, loved to dance! She was older and would take all of us little ones, put on a stack of 45s, and line us up to teach…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Transitional Leader of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy choward@glpby.org Every other month I meet with the large church pastors in our presbytery over lunch. This month it was decided to eat at Pappy’s, the popular barbeque restaurant near St. Louis University campus. I will admit that St. Louis has some of the best…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Transitional Leader of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy choward@glpby.org Last Sunday at Webster Groves was Youth Sunday. The entire program was given over to the young people under the age of 18. Part of the presentation was the videos which the young people had produced. The videos were filled with questions the young…
Friends, Last week I wrote a blog about Southminster Presbyterian Church based on an article from the Washington Post. I was unaware that the article had significant factual errors. Repeating errors do not make them true, and I unintendedly did so. The main correction is that the prayer vigil that was held at Southminster was not for any police officer.…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Transitional Leader of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy choward@glpby.org Crossroads defines themselves as an organization that is committed to dismantling systemic racism. This weekend they shared many ideas with our presbytery. One particular concept stood out for me, the concept of Courageous Space. Courageous space differs from safe space. Safe space was originally…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Transitional Leader of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy choward@glpby.org On August 9, 2014 Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, MO. This horrific incident created a line of separation in our community and nation. The city of St. Louis is now viewed through the racialized lens created…