PNews 5/26/22

A Passion for Public Justice

From its inception, the Reformed movement, of which Presbyterianism is the primary American expression, has held that Christ calls us to make a difference in the world. Protesting the unbridled proliferation of guns is surely saying and doing the right thing. But it is apparently far from enough, as this week’s tragic school shooting in Uvalde TX underscores. Perhaps the only real solution is to vote out those who refuse to take a stand for reasonable gun control, beginning with weapons tailored for mass killing. It will take great resolve and perseverance. Are we ready for the battle that pursuing justice might incur? In this week’s meditation, A Passion for Public Justice, Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge addresses this question and more.

The Unthinkable in God’s House – A message from General Counsel Mike Kirk as our prayers and lamentations continue

We like to think of our churches as places of safety and refuge. A place to commune with God and join in fellowship with our church community. Unfortunately, others view churches as targets. White supremacist Dylan Roof murdered nine people at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina in 2015. Recently a Las Vegas man with a grudge against Taiwan entered the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California, and shot members and friends of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church who were gathered at a celebratory luncheon.

It is unfortunate that church leaders must think about how to prevent such violence or how to respond to it if it happens. But sessions should discuss church safety. There are many resources available for churches, including the following:

· Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship (FEMA)

· Safety for Faith Based Events at Houses of Worship (Department of Homeland Security)

· Active Shooter Resources (FBI)

· Five Options for Survival (Brotherhood Mutual)

· Active Shooter (The Insurance Board)

· Developing an emergency plan for violence on church property (Creating Safe Ministries, PCUSA)

Student Loan Debt Webinar

This webinar will cover the changes to Federal Student Loan policy that massively affect PC(USA) leaders. The webinar will be presented by PeopleJoy. PeopleJoy is a student loan consulting company contracted by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to provide digital advising as well as hands-on document preparation and submission for Federal Programs including Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Income-Driven Repayment Plans, Loan Consolidation, Default Recovery and more. You can find past webinars and FAQs at www.pcusa.org/loanassist.

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