Who laid the earth’s cornerstone when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

Job 38:6b-7

I am writing this column from Jeonju, Korea (more specifically, the Jeonju Best Western—yeah, really; welcome to the global economy). Yesterday I was able to preach to Jungbu (Central) Presbyterian Church, was hosted to a bibimbap lunch (Jeonju is known for its culinary arts, including its fame as the birthplace of bibimbap), and attended a special afternoon worship service for Korean Thanksgiving, with the baptism of 13 people (3 babies, 5 young people, and 5 adults). So far the visit has been a blessing, and the people have been way more than gracious. However, we have been praying for Synod Executive/Stated Clerk Mark Hong, who has been experiencing severe back pain even as he tries to fulfill his commitments for this trip, including preaching twice yesterday morning. Since I’m at the start of the trip, I don’t have much more to say about my journey, except that I’m thankful for being able to be here, and I’m tired from jet lag, so this column is a brief grab bag of items.

Back in the USA, today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and we celebrate in two ways:

• The national church released a short article to promote a short video documenting the Siban’gna landback. The article includes a link to the video; click HERE to go straight to the This is a great gift, as it helps us remember the joy and gratitude we felt that day, it encourages us to keep the connection alive, and we hope to be an inspiration to other presbyteries and churches to recognize the ways God opens to them, to contribute to reparative justice in our world.
• Let us pray fervently that the Gaza ceasefire take effect with the release of all remaining Israeli hostages and the ability for aid trucks to enter It is not mentioned often, but the Palestinian people are the Indigenous people of the land now called Israel, but regardless how this conflict is described, the suffering in Gaza is horrendous and an end to the violence and blocking of humanitarian aid is needed beyond measure.

Late last week we heard the sad news of Father Chris Ponnet’s unexpected death. Father Chris was the long-time director of spiritual care at Los Angeles General Medical Center and director of the St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care. He was a staunch advocate for LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights, and the abolition of the death penalty, and through LA General and St. Camillus he oversaw an innovative CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) program, supported Angel Interfaith Network, and was the on-site supervisor of the chaplain staff that includes our Protestant chaplain, a position now filled by Stephanie Kang. Father Chris was having chest pains which led to surgery, and he died while in surgery. A light for compassion and justice has gone dim, and we all pray for the people Father Chris cared for, including his family and the many patients who sought medical aid at LA General. LA General’s CEO, Jorge Orozco, informs the hospital staff at https://www.youtube.com/live/TKPL3ZPX48U—fast forward to 4:33 to hear the heartfelt announcement.

Finally, with the leadership of Juan Sarmiento and San Fernando Presbytery, we can commemorate 170 years of Presbyterian mission in Los Angeles. As Juan writes,

In a year marked by devastating fires and distressing immigration raids, Presbyterians in Los Angeles are still celebrating a story of faith. This fall, discover the 170th Anniversary Podcast, sponsored by the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)— six episodes tracing a story of courage, creativity, disruption, and grace.

Learn more at https://lapresbyterians.net/ #PCUSA #losangeles #podcast

The life of faith in Southern California is indeed full and dynamic. May we live fully into our calling as God’s people, even as we also take the time to rest and stay open enough to discern and respond to God’s call to us, in the myriad ways we may serve.

Blessings,

Wendy

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Jeremiah 29:7

With the start of October, I feel like I’m in the home stretch towards retirement. But there are many things that I need to do, and things that I’m being offered. One starts this week, when I leave on Thursday morning for Korea. I will be out October 9-21, though I expect to stay in contact by email primarily. I am going with about ten people from the Synod of Southern California and Hawai`i to Jeonju Presbytery, a southwest region with whom the Synod has a sister relationship. In the summer a delegation from Jeonju comes to Los Angeles, and in October (now every other October) a group goes to Jeonju. I had expected to go back in 2020, and in fact several of us in San Gabriel Presbytery were planning a group trip to Korea to coincide with the Jeonju meeting, but COVID did what COVID does . . . and coincidentally, the planning group has dispersed—Karen Sapio to Sacramento, Dongwoo Lee to Kerrville, Texas, and James and Charlene Jin Lee to Dallas! As to the Jeonju exchange, even after COVID subsided there were other bumps in the road that have delayed this trip, so folks impressed upon me that this would be the best time for me to go, before I retire.

I will get to see a couple of folks in Korea, including our own minister member Heidi Park, professor at Ewha Woman’s University. And as a person of Japanese heritage, I have always thought that if I had the opportunity to preach in Korea, I would express my remorse for the oppression practiced by the land of my ancestors against the people of Korea. I hope the folks who hear me will sense my intention, even if my comments are clumsy.

We all have different ways that we can contribute to the cause of reconciliation, on a local and global level. I was invited to attend High Holy Days services of the Pasadena Jewish Temple, and a friend and I attended the service on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, which was held at Temple Beth David right near our Presbytery Center in Temple City, and Kol Nidre, which was held at Beckman Auditorium at Caltech. I think they usually hold the big services at Beckman, but I’m sure they had to make adjustments since the Temple burned down (I was told the only items preserved were the Torah scrolls). They now regularly worship at the Methodist Church on Colorado in downtown Pasadena, who also house First Congregational (UCC) Pasadena, so they did not have available space for the many services during High Holy Days. The services were long (we left after three hours in each), but what a wonderful way to begin the new year! And the leaders expressed how happy they were that we came to their worship services. This was also my first experience of the security that all Jewish congregations have put in place over the last several years due to the increase in anti-Semitic violence; it is indeed sad that we Christians have to consult with our Jewish neighbors about safeguarding our sanctuaries, because they have had to do this for much longer.

Then, yesterday the music director of the church I attended, who also plays organ for the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, very earnestly asked for prayers that the cessation of violence in Gaza holds, and that both sides honor the ceasefire. Because my family has always had such admiration for the Jewish people, this time of violence and concerted oppression in Gaza has been extremely troubling to me, and so I was most appreciative that the new rabbi in Pasadena made the invitation to High Holy Days, and that we all can pray for peace together, and maintain relationships in these extremely complicated times.

People continue to look for ways to protect the most vulnerable in our world. Concerned with the assistance programs for children that are being impacted by the federal government shutdown, the Children’s Defense Fund is holding A National Call to Prayer on Zoom today at 4 pm Pacific Time. And NDLON (National Day Laborer Organizing Network, who has done great work through the Pasadena Community Job Center) is providing training and support for people who are stepping forward to be present with immigrants who are still subjected to ICE raids and detention; they have a new “Adopt a Day Labor Corner” movement, and they have received such strong positive response that they are having another webinar training today at noon Pacific Time—like the National Call to

Prayer, this event also requires registration—you can go to https://ndlon.org/adopt-a-day-labor-corner to learn more about the program, and NDLON in general.

The Eaton Fire Collaborative continues to develop as a hub for services for Eaton Fire survivors, and is forming as the main Long-Term Recovery Group for Altadena. Thanks to Patrick Perry for continuing to represent us at their weekly meetings. And we in San Gabriel Presbytery are working with Church World Service, the Clergy Community Coalition, Southern California/Nevada Conference UCC, and others, in hopes we can offer disaster case managers in churches that have strong relationships with the communities hit hardest by the Eaton Fire, especially the Black community in West Altadena.

And students of Pasadena schools have committed to plant 5,000 trees in burned areas in Altadena and the Palisades. Their kickoff event was to be blessed by Jane Goodall, who had already come to Pasadena High School in March to offer her voice of support and hope especially to our young people. Sadly, Ms. Goodall passed away right before she was to speak in Pasadena, but they started the movement anyway, dedicating the first tree planted to Jane Goodall. Jane Goodall left her native England to live in Africa when she was just in her 20s almost 70 years ago, not yet having formal education, and yet by her dedication and her love for fellow animals, she helped to change the way we humans look at the rest of God’s Creation, including the other animals who live with us, or often in subjugation to our demands for meat and other animal products. Like St. Francis of Assisi, whose Feast Day was just this last Saturday, Jane advocated for fellow creatures of our Great Creator, promoting the path of peace for us humans and all of Creation.

As you can see, even in the midst of many conflicts and crises—actually, in response to them— people of faith are stepping forward in many ways to be a channel for God’s love and saving power for this world. We can stand with immigrants, collaborate with people of different faith traditions, seek understanding without demanding agreement, plant a tree, offer funds and time and expertise, and pray. We have the power of prayer in each of us, so we all have the ability to contribute!

Thanks be to God! May we be bearers of hope and grace and advocacy and God’s love for this hurting world. There is no one way to “do it,” but as you dwell on the Lord and keep your hearts and minds and eyes open for the opportunities God offers us, may we have the trust to obey as we discern God’s will for each of us, and for our churches. We can seek the welfare of the city, no matter where we reside. Amen.

Blessings,

Wendy

As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the
word, that person immediately falls away.

Matthew 13:20-21

This coming Sunday is World Communion Sunday, a day commemorated by Christians around the world, remembering that at the table of grace, we are all connected with each other and with Jesus Christ.

It is also the Sunday when many of our churches receive the Peace and Global Witness special offering. This offering is used to promote the peace of Christ by addressing systems of conflict and injustice across the world. The offering supports peacemaking efforts at multiple levels:

• 25% is retained by congregations to support peacemaking efforts in their local
• 25% is retained by mid councils to support peacemaking efforts at the regional
• 50% supports peacemaking, reconciliation and global witness at the national

This comes at a critical time close to home. We do not like to admit it, but all of us have seen direct impacts on our quality of life, or that of people close to us, due to the concerted efforts of the powerful to dismantle many of the checks and balances that have kept the United States more or less peaceful for our 249-year history. While we Americans have often heard about conflicts in nations thousands of miles away and wondered how it could get this bad, much of the rest of the world is now watching us and wondering what happened. The extremes of rage, gun violence, and despair have resulted in regular occurrences of mass shootings in schools and churches, such as the attack on a Mormon church in Michigan that just happened during worship yesterday. Higher education and the press are being attacked. Human services are being reduced, hurting immigrants, the poor, and ironically many of the states that have been most supportive of the current administration—and either misinformation or fear and vengeance keep the people from seeing how they are hurting themselves.

I do not like to exaggerate, but I’m starting to feel that more than at any time in the history of the United States (except during the Civil War), we are in danger of losing the rights and freedoms we assumed was an integral part of being American. And for a nation that has at times claimed to be a “Christian nation,” the basic tenets of Christ’s teachings are being forgotten—and worse, people are being hurt in God’s name. What do we do?

Too many North American Christians have taken the approach that faith and politics do not mix, or are even prohibited by the IRS. The very notion that we curtail our prophetic voice in deference to the IRS is problematic, but it’s also inaccurate. I would challenge people to consider whether we find it more convenient to pretend we are not allowed to apply our Christian values to our public behavior and political/economic choices. But Presbyterians are especially clear that we need to live our entire lives—not just Sunday mornings—in the light of Christ. In fact, I just shared with the soon-to-be Presbyterians at Interwoven the list of constitutionally-prescribed forms of witness outlined in G- 1.0304, the Ministry of Membership, which include:

• proclaiming the good news in word and deed,
• studying Scripture and the issues of Christian faith and life,
• supporting the ministry of the church through the giving of money, time, and talents, responding to God’s activity in the world through service to others, 
• living responsibly in the personal, family, vocational, political, cultural, and social relationships of life,
• working in the world for peace, justice, freedom, and human fulfillment,
• caring for God’s creation . . .

We miss the mark on many of these responsibilities, I believe because of the cost of discipleship—the feared loss of status, acceptance, or wealth if we followed Jesus’ way. The word of God does not always find fertile ground in us. In Matthew 13:20-23, Jesus is unusually explicit in interpreting the parable of the sower:

“. . . what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed

bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

I am as guilty as anyone else in allowing my fear or greed or comfort level to stunt the fruitfulness of my faith. Nearly every decision we make reflects our faithfulness—how we spend our money, when we speak our truth, who we speak with to either understand another perspective or to connect with others to confront a larger evil. One of my current frustrations is the perpetuation of a binary view of the world, where everyone is forced into one of two camps, and in order to connect on one topic, you must agree on all the others. But we need to learn how to respect and work with people who don’t agree with us on everything.

From the very start, Jesus called together people from opposing backgrounds to serve God and love each other. Certainly if we are to celebrate World Communion Sunday, there will be people at Christ’s table who see some things quite differently from each of us. Love for Christ does not demand uniformity of thought—the entire history of the Christian church, from day one, proved that. So we should be better than anyone at connecting with diverse people for a larger cause.

May we be true to Christ’s call, and respect all the different ways and different people in following Christ, that together we may confront the mounting conflicts in our world with peace and forbearance. In short, may we see each other as Christ sees us, and do as Christ would do.

Blessings,

Wendy

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and went and found him.

John 9:35a (The Message)

In last week’s Presbytery meeting, we approved some important basics for our church life, such as new information on benefits for pastors and their families; presbytery minimum compensation for 2026, and a protection policy for minors and vulnerable adults which can be adapted to congregational use. We also approved a number of ministry shifts within the Presbytery:

• Tiffany Ashworth starts in October as Interim Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Pasadena
• Katherine Lee Baker’s call to Westminster was amended to be a one-year interim position, with the possibility to renew or move to an installed position in the future
• Stephanie Kang began her new ministry as Protestant Chaplain at Los Angeles General Medical Center
• Deidra Goulding and Bong Bringas began last week as chaplains for Retired Presbyterian Church Deidra is full-time lead chaplain for Monte Vista Grove Homes and other retirees in the bounds of San Gabriel Presbytery; Bong continues full-time at San Marino Community Church but is adding a limited role as chaplain at Westminster Gardens.

In addition to these changes, we welcomed Jeff Keuss, Dean of the School of Mission and Theology at Fuller Seminary, as a minister member, and we celebrated the news that Kristi Van Nostran was approved for ordination by San Diego Presbytery to her ministry as a hospital chaplain. Her ordination service will be Saturday, January 17, at Faith Presbyterian Church in San Diego.

All these new ministries are very exciting, but in some cases they create a loss for others. Tiffany leaves Occidental Presbyterian in Eagle Rock, and Deidra leaves Shepherd of the Valley in Hacienda Heights; both were beloved, effective pastors who will be missed by their former churches.

Stephanie had already resigned as chaplain supervisor at PIH Whittier and Downey hospitals, and we must say good-bye to Charity Ngaruiya, who was the chaplain at LA General. Also, Deetje Tiwa will be leaving her role as temporary pastor of GPIB-USA in Claremont. The fellowship is small, so they will not call a new pastor at least for now. Let us pray for these congregations and individuals who will be seeking a new sense of call in their respective ministries.

As I look at these actions, most of the ministries approved this week are outside the congregation, with Presbytery clergy serving people in hospitals, in retirement communities, and a seminary!

I’ve been surprised to learn that some presbyteries choose not to ordain or receive minister members unless they are called to serve as pastor of one of their member churches. I was surprised because I’ve always thought that ministry beyond the congregation is important, especially now in our post- Christian environment. There have been enough generations who have not grown up in church that I think many if not most young people look at churches as if they are museums—and as congregations (and church staffs) get smaller, the “museums” are often locked up for much of the week.

We also learned during COVID, when we turned into instant televangelists, that there are many people who are happy to join worship remotely—they are not, as we had been told, turned off by our old-fashioned worship and newfangled theology. But for various reasons, they do not feel comfortable coming into our physical worship spaces.

Given the situation we are in now, it makes great sense to me that we do like Jesus did, and go find folks where they are, rather than limit our ministries to sitting in our lovely sanctuaries and waiting for the people to come to us. No, that doesn’t mean we abandon our congregations! In fact I realize I have to point out to some folks that for all our other forms of witness—feeding the hungry, working for affordable housing, returning land to Native stewardship, caring for immigrants—the basic and I would say the most important unit of mission continues to be the local congregation, and when a church needs help, that is the priority for the Presbytery.

While congregations are extremely important, church members are also encouraged to go beyond their walls and connect with the community where the community is. Also, while the Presbytery needs to respond to the needs of a congregation, that does not necessarily mean the congregation gets whatever they want. We have the opportunity—maybe the responsibility—to utilize multiple forms of ministry to connect with a community that is no longer comfortably Christian. Thank God that we are free to do this!

Let us pray for the new ministries just starting to blossom, and those who will be seeking new leadership. And let us pray for all those who will experience Christ’s healing power and love through the ministries of chaplains, academics—as well as church outreach activities, faithful friendships, and loving parents and grandparents who demonstrate the love of Christ for their children. We all have opportunities to live out our faith and spread the good news of Jesus’ love, in all the ways we live.

Let’s follow those opportunities. Thanks be to God!

Blessings,

Wendy

“But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Mortals do not know the way to it,
and it is not found in the land of the living.”

Job 28:12-13

I feel like I talk about COVID more than other people, but I think it was a watershed moment for us. It announced a significant change in our understanding of our own power, and its impact has been perpetuated by other events that prove to us, sometimes in brutal terms, that we are not in control of our lives or the world around us.

As Christians, we should know that this is true, and thank God for being infinitely better positioned to guide the universe than us mortals. But we North American Presbyterian Christians, especially those with some privilege, have often played the role of worldly manager in our world. Presbyterians have often been in leadership roles in our nation’s history, based on status, education, wealth, and/or the theological perspective that it is appropriate—even expected—that we practice our faith in the public sphere, using our privilege to make the world better for all. We have accomplished this through hospitals (like Columbia Presbyterian in New York City), education (like Occidental College and Princeton), government (John Witherspoon, the only clergy to sign the Declaration of Independence; and many politicians at all levels of governance, including many presidents and members of Congress), science (multiple stars in the history of NASA, including John Glenn, Katherine Johnson, and of course Sally Ride), and business (Sam Walton). Former Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson II was often asked by other Black church leaders why he was Presbyterian. He would point out that he was born Presbyterian, that his family has been Presbyterian for several generations, but also being Presbyterian gave him access that others did not have. He mentioned being involved in a labor issue that led to a strike, and he was one of several pastors to lead a protest. The CEO of the company would not speak to any of the clergy, until Rev. Nelson arrived; the CEO would only allow the Presbyterian in to meet with him, so Rev. Nelson went in.

I’m sure that every denomination can name distinguished members. But research has shown over the years that Presbyterians are better educated and wealthier than members of most other Christian denominations. Even in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, our churches were able to show generosity to their members and the community, and most of our church members who lost their houses had insurance that is helping them through the crisis.

Generally, many of us have enjoyed some level of privilege that cushioned us from the bumps and turns that the rest of the world feels much more directly on a regular basis. The privilege that the United States enjoys as a nation is referenced in the saying “When the United States gets a cold, Mexico gets pneumonia”—and I think this is true for more than the economies of these two nations. We have had this privilege for so long that we don’t see it as privilege—it’s just the way life is. In most circumstances, we have been able to steer the course of our lives away from danger, or we have resources that allow us to minimize any problems we might encounter.

And then COVID hit. And while wealth enabled some to access medical care, the virus was unknown enough and swift and serious enough that everyone was impacted by it. And COVID’s impacts such as long COVID—and now, by the way, COVID is rising again—keep coming up.

Then, a few years later, some of us were hit by the Eaton Fire. And gun violence has grown to the point that our church sanctuaries are not sanctuaries anymore, and children are trained how to act when there’s an active shooter at their schools. And we have a federal government that is unpredictable at best, with severe cutbacks in many departments that support the well-being of all people. Changes in policies leave senior citizens concerned about their Social Security and Medicare benefits. Agencies such as FEMA and the Small Business Administration struggle to continue providing assistance to survivors of natural disasters with smaller staffs. And the targeting of immigrants—or anyone who looks like they might be an immigrant—impacts all of us; we have minister members leaving the USA for calmer nations, and we have lost neighbors, workers, caregivers, vendors, friends, and peace of mind due to the ICE raids.

These events, and many others, have taken away from us any illusion that we are in control of our lives. We are now facing the uncertainty that burdens the rest of the world, but our past privilege has impacted our ability to adapt and deal with these on-going disruptions to life as we have known it.

So what do we do? A few things come to mind:

• Exercise our faith in God, even when God’s actions are not predictable or even understandable. As Job learned, God does not answer to us or our concepts of justice, and God’s not asking for advice on how the world is supposed to be Thank God that God has so much greater wisdom and compassion than we have—as we pray!
• Mister Rogers (otherwise known as Teaching Elder Fred Rogers, minister member of Pittsburgh Presbytery) told his young viewers that if they are in a crisis, “look for the helpers.” What this means for the rest of us is to be the helpers our children look for.
• Sometimes all we can do is sit in ashes with everyone As pastors and chaplains, we are reminded that we don’t always have the answers to fix the crisis facing others—and sometimes folks aren’t looking for answers, just someone who listens and acknowledges that things are bad. And maybe even go one step further, and try to be kind, even when things are going badly—even very badly. I’ve seen recently both Red Cross volunteers

and DMV workers carrying out their very stressful jobs with great patience and kindness, and at a recent 3+-hour visit at the DMV(!), kindness was a great exercise to practice.

We can all gather together, praying to God, being the helpers, and practicing kindness and the ministry of presence for each other. We can do it in our local churches, in our families and work, and in our next Presbytery meeting, tomorrow night at 7 pm. Even by Zoom, we are strengthened whenever we gather as one. So let us be one as a Presbytery . . . one in love and service . . . one in Christ.

See you tomorrow,

Wendy