A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast

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This week on GA Watch, we feature the Disparities Experienced by Black Women and Girls Task Force of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the report it is bringing to the 225th General Assembly. We welcome members of the task force, Shanea Leonard, Coordinator for Gender & Racial Justice,  & Samantha Davis, Executive Director for Black Swan Academy.

Report from the Disparities Experienced by Black Women and Girls Task Force

Black Women and Girls Task Force Webinar Series

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This week, we discuss the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Laguna Woods. A Matter of Faith sends its deepest and most heartfelt prayers to the families, friends, and generations of folk who have experienced these traumatic events.

Question of the Week:
Despite our best intentions, white supremacy culture often creeps into our solutions to justice issues. How have you observed it manifest in addressing major issues we face as a church and a community?

Special Guest:
David Staniunas, Records Archivist, Presbyterian Historical Society

Guest Question:
Remembering the past and reconciling with history is hard, especially for the church.  It’s important that we maintain records, photos, and stories of our church’s past.  However, that also means maintaining evidence of past wrongs as well as successes and good things the church has done.  How do we navigate the balance between remembering, celebrating, and reconciling with our history? "whitesupremacyculture.info

Resource Roundup:
whitesupremacyculture.info

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Presbyterian Historical Society Live Webinar Series

Easter COVID-19 collection

Presbyterian Historical Society Pearl Digital Collections

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GA Watch is additional weekly content that drops on Mondays! We discuss the overtures and the resolutions coming before the 225th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). This week we feature Rob Fohr & Kerri Allen from the Committee on Mission Responsibility through Investment (MRTI)

Report and Recommendations:
Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) Response to 223rd General Assembly Directive on Environmental Policy

For more overtures and resolutions, CLICK HERE!

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This week, we catch you up on what's been going on with us! Yes, we got to spend time together over the weekend! And we talk about the great work that the PC(USA) is doing in assisting people with their student loan forgiveness!

Question for the Week:
You have talked on the podcast before about how a church's dress code says something about a congregation's culture and values.  But what about the attractiveness of pastors and faith leaders?

Special Guests:
Kate Trigger Duffert, Manager for GA Business and Per Capita Promotion, PCUSA
Kerry Rice, Deputy Stated Clerk, Office of the General Assembly, PCUSA

Guest Question:
I have heard about the “General Assembly” of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) before.  What is it exactly?  Is it a governing body or an agency?  Is it a representative democracy?  Further, how does the General Assembly process and structure reflect our Presbyterian values and how is it different from other Christian traditions?

Resource Roundup:
PCUSA Student Loan Forgiveness Assistance
PC-Biz
General Assembly

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This week, we talk about SCOTUS with its leaked decision about Roe v. Wade and we hold our United Methodist siblings in our hearts as they experience a split in their denomination. 

Question for the Week:
There is an increasing concern about children developing gambling-like addictions because of the use of micro-transactions and "loot boxes" in video games (paying for a chance to get a specific item or outfit). Some people want these removed entirely from games. What are your thoughts?

Special Guest:
Rev. Cathy Chang, Mission Co-worker, The Philippines, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Guest Question:
I recently learned that human trafficking is, in fact, still happening. I thought this practice and business died a long time ago, but clearly I was wrong. It's all over the world! And not only in “developing countries”! As an individual what can I do to prevent it? In the world context, is there something I can do?

Resource Roundup:
Travel Study Seminar to the Philippines and Hong Kong
PCUSA Human Trafficking Resources
International Migration Review Forum
National Study on Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children in the Philippines
What is Human Trafficking?
Children's Book: The Mystery Behind Hulyan's Layered Clothes
Presbyterian mission co-worker the Rev. Cathy Chang red-tagged in the Philippines
PCUSA Position on Abortion & Reproductive Issues
7 THINGS TO DO TO FIGHT FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE

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Habiendo celebrado la Semana Santa, ¿qué significa vivir siguiendo los pasos de Jesús en esta realidad? Si escuchamos con atención, Jesús nos llama a extender el reinado de Dios, el Shalom, entonces ¿cómo respondemos desde los valores del reino, como personas, comunidades de fe, y como Iglesia? (Cambio Climático, economía, política, discurso religioso, etc, con todas las consecuencias…)

Creo que sería productivo integrar en la conversación, qué es lo que podemos hacer para desde nuestras comunidades crear espacios de resistencia y resiliencia que abran oportunidades de vida digna.

Invitado especial
Rvdo. Dr. Israel Flores Olmos, 
Dean of  Seminario Evangélico Unido de Teología (SEUT), España
Stated Clerk of The Sínodo de la Iglesia Evangélica Española

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Question of the Week:
The church as a denomination, as well as at the congregational level, often finds itself in an identity crisis:  Are we a corporation? A non-profit? Or a mission organization? How do we navigate this fine line as people of faith?   

Special Guest:
Dr. Thomas G. Long, Professor Emeritus of Preaching, Emory University's Candler School of Theology

Guest Question:
I have a question about preaching and plagiarism--Is it wrong? How can you tell a sermon is plagiarized? How can we stop it (or should we)? Or is this topic moot because preaching as we understand it now will be irrelevant in the future?

Resource Roundup:
A Little Book of Plagiarism
Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery
Twitter and Elon Musk

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This week we talk about the overturning of the travel mask mandate and another history making moment...this time in the MLB with the first female baseball manager. All that and more on this week's episode!

Question for the Week:
Do you think it is possible to be a Christian and also believe in evolution? Some folks make it sound like you can only believe in creationism or evolution, but I'm not convinced.

Special Guest:
David Barnhart, Filmmaker & Associate for Story Ministry, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Guest Question:
When people think of movies and filmmaking, they often think of big budget Hollywood films that are beautiful to look at but maybe lack original ideas or independent films that are trying to make social statements. Further, we often keep film in the box of "entertainment" or "art", without recognizing intersectionality with other areas of life. How can filmmaking be a type of ministry? And is the only hope for films that really challenge us emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually in the documentary and independent space?

Resource Roundup:
Fearless Dialogues: A New Movement for Justice

Flint: The Poisoning of An American City

Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence

Trouble the Water Docuseries

Barnhart Films for non-church groups

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This week we celebrate the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and talk about what that means as people of faith!

Question of the Week:
How many times do you think you have to read something in the Bible before you get a "good read" of it? Like a better or deeper understanding of the text? Do you have any strategies for staying engaged with a text as you read it?

Special Guest:
Richard Hong, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Englewood, NJ

Guest Question:
I understand that our churches need to have more of an online presence, especially on social media. But how do we know what to post, when to post, and to which social media platform would be best? And where are we supposed to get the content from when we’re just trying to keep things afloat?

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We talk about the Grammy's snub of Lil Nas X and how interesting is that Christian music has a category and what that means. And the Pope the past week apologizes to the Indigenous community for the horrendous treatment of indigenous people. What does that mean for us? We get into it all this week!

Question for the Week:

Special Guest:
Rev. Dr. Letiah Fraser, organizer, activist and chaplain

Guest Question:
I feel like we overlook and discount the experiences of our disabled siblings in the church. What can be done to empower them and give them more visibility?

Resource Roundup:
Disabling Lent Devotional
The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability

For Listening Guides, click here!
Got a question for us? Send them to [email protected]!
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