Author Archives: Adrien
2020 General Assembly Report: Day One
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Saturday, June 20, 2020 Unprecedented. That word has been much over-used in recent months related to the COVID pandemic, collapse of the economy, and the tsunami of …
PNews – 6/11/2020
How Can We Be Actively Anti-Racist? The PC(USA) Store stands in solidarity with the protesters who are crying out for justice. Additionally, they believe that in order to fully support people of color, white individuals must educate themselves, have conversations with each …
The Church on Public Display
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister June 11, 2020 The church of Jesus Christ is on public display, whether we recognize it or not. The church has led the way in some recent …
A Time to Mourn
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister June 4, 2020 A week ago, we surpassed the grim total of 100,000 American lives lost to COVID-19, and that number continues to grow daily. A few …
PNews – 6/4/2020
How Do We Respond to Racism Amid a Pandemic? There is a time to dance and there is a time to mourn. Today we mourn. In the fifth of the Church’s six “Great Ends,” Presbyterians affirm that one of the our core …
Awareness & Transformation: Conversations About Life, Race, & Faith
Awareness & Transformation: Conversations About Life, Race, & Faith In response to the killing of George Floyd, presbytery staff members Ralph Lowe and Brian Wallace are recording a series of conversations you are welcome to use with your congregation in …
A Letter to White Presbyterians
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Elder Ralph Lowe Director of Justice Ministries June 2, 2020 Dear White Siblings in Christ, Another news cycle, another black life taken, and another city in rage and in flames. I am tired; I …
A Cry for Racial Justice
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Monday, June 1, 2020 How long, O Lord, how long? Words fail us, as we grieve the horror of black lives lost savagely, cut short in recent …
God at Work Away from the Sanctuary
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister May 28, 2020 Pentecost is usually a grand celebration of God’s revolutionizing Spirit at work in the church. Sanctuaries fairly explode with sights and sounds celebrating …
Truthfulness Always
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister May 21, 2020 In my recent weekly letters I have been exploring how the church can fulfill its Great Ends (Book of Order F-1.0304) during this season when COVID-19 …
Let My People Go that They May Worship Me!
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister May 14, 2020 In the past two letters I have explored how the church, with its facilities locked down, can be guided by the first two …
Public Presence
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister May 7, 2020 In last week’s letter I suggested that the Great Ends of the Church (Book of Order F-1.0304) offer us sure guidance as we navigate our pathway …
Sure Guidance for a Traumatized Church
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister April 30, 2020 Let’s be honest. The church has been traumatized by its incapacity to fulfill an essential function, namely, to gather God’s people together for worship, …
Jesus Incognito
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister April 23, 2020 One of the most important roles of church leaders is to help their congregations discern where and how God is present and at …
Easter in the Valley of the Shadow of Death
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister April 16, 2020 This year Easter arrived amid the deadliest viral outbreak in more than a century. Death is everywhere at hand, and we don’t yet know …