28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all…
Blog Post by Rev. Elizabeth “Liz” Kanerva Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Associate Leader My father was a veteran and on Memorial Day I have found myself wandering among the markers at Jefferson Barracks pausing here and there reflecting on the steep cost of war. Independence Day is celebrated with parades, picnics, and good friends. It is a day to remember the…
Guest blog post by Ruling Elder, Mike Willock Member of Second Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, Missouri Every now and then a passage of Scripture springs opens in a new way – revealing something that was always there but was somehow hidden from view. That happened to me as I read the March 18 devotion from Luther Seminary. The passage was…
Blog Post by Tony De La Rosa, Ruling Elder Transitional Synod Executive Synod of Mid-America Trigger warning: this is a sermon about blood. If you are at all sensitive about the subject, or if it makes you queasy, be aware that I will be talking about it… a lot. You can take comfort in the fact that I will not…
Blog Post by Ellen Schroeder, Ruling Elder Clerk of Session, Second Presbyterian Church Imagine a place where you can get away from day-to-day stress and concerns; where your mind is free to drift in all directions while the subconscious works on problems. Now imagine that this place is remote but still connected with the outside world. That is a sacred…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Isaac Wanyoike Pastor of Pendo Presbyterian and BJC Triage Chaplain The nation of Kenya is a combination of four two tribes all with different dialects. In each community, there are still cultural and language differences. Though I and my wife are from the same tribe, we have differences in our pronunciation not to mention cultural…
Blog Post by Rev. Liz Kanerva Associate Presbytery Leader I’m a huge fan of TikTok’s. I’m struck by how this short-form video platform has taken off to include not only the fun dances my 16-year-old incessantly performs in the kitchen but how it is being used so creatively by pastors in their ministries. One creator, in particular, the Rev. Cliff…
EARTH DAY 2021: A reminder that we are not just on Earth for a while, but we are of Earth Blog Post by Rev. Carleton Stock, Honorably Retired Presbytery Earth Care Team I was fortunate to be exposed to nature early on in life when I spent time on my grandparent’s farm during the summers of the Fifties in upstate…