Social Justice

Restorative Justice: A Practice of Anam Chara

Blog Post by Rev. Brandan S Eddy, BCC Chaplain, St. Elizabeth Hospital, O’Fallon Illinois “What is something that really bothers you…?”  A simple but deeply complicated question and one that hardly gets asked these days. Especially these past few years amid the heartbreak of the pandemic in addition to the politically charged climate that surrounds us, perhaps we fear the…

Where Do We Stand

Blog Post by Pastor Mark Wiley First Presbyterian, Hillsboro and SonLight Parish First Presbyterian of Park Hills and Ironton Property Chair, Presbytery Administration Team Bull Shannon on the NBC sitcom Night Court (January 4, 1984-May 31, 1992) once quipped. You’re the Judge and you stand for Justice — You are the public defender you stand for the underprivileged — You…

Lessons from Tulsa

Guest Editorial from  Cecil G. Wood, PhD Ruling Elder, First Presbyterian-Kirkwood Synod Commissioner “Over the past several weeks, I have listened to and watched in awe and horror the retelling of the events of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. After much thought and consideration and hearing the calls for reparations of various types, I have come to the following conclusion which…

Sorrow Filled Headlines

Guest Blog Post by Julie Burchett and Janice Seele Webster Groves Presbyterian Church Advocacy Team Members “Mass shootings mar holiday weekend; at least 2 dead, 20 injured in Florida incident.” “Gunfire sprayed into homes hurts three teens in St. Louis overnight.” “Nine people are dead after a gunman opened fire yesterday morning at the Valley Transportation Authority light rail yard…

Lets Talk About Reparations

Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery Leader choward@glpby.org Yesterday I along with Rev. Jackie Taylor, General Presbyter of Baltimore Presbytery, lead a group of 61 mid-council leaders from across the country on the topic of reparations. We used the Atlantic article The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates. It can be found here https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/ Our conversation taught…