Horizons: January/February 2025
January/February 2025
Connected and Connectional
It’s not difficult to find evidence that we’re living in divisive times. Whether we’re considering the national news or our social media feed, how to interpret a particular scripture passage or what to support with a limited budget, it often feels like there’s very little we all agree on.
While those tensions and disagreements are true and valid, they’re not the only truth. It also happens to be true that we have allies, friends, colleagues, loved ones with whom we share beliefs and dreams, celebrate traditions. Psychologists have noted that people tend to pay more attention to negative events or feelings than positive ones. They call this pattern negativity bias and believe that the ability to focus on negative experiences was key to survival in the early days of human history.
So consider this issue a commitment to building a positivity bias. You’ll find writers and artists celebrating the connections that shape our lives, our communities, our organization of Presbyterian Women and our witness as agents of God’s love in the world. You’ll find examples of connections that are foundational (like the very intentional structure of PW or PC(USA)’s mission partnerships) or fortuitous (like finding just the right mentor). Of course, alliteration aside, as people of faith we understand these connections to be the Holy Spirit at work, “God winks,” if you will.
How many times have you thought of a friend or loved one only to have them reach out to check in? How many times have you felt isolated in an experience only to encounter someone who feels the same way and immediately forge a strong connection?
Now these connections don’t mean full agreement and blissful harmony. If nurtured, these connections can grow into strong relationships where we can share our commonalities and our differences. They can be relationships where we learn about and support another person’s experiences of the world. They can be opportunities to catch a glimpse of the fullness of God—our loving creator and guide.
—Sharon Dunne Gillies
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Features
Presbyterian Women: Stronger and Better Together
PW’s Executive Director Susan Jackson Dowd spotlights how the structure of Presbyterian Women connects and strengthens PW groups at the congregation, presbytery, synod and national levels. Celebrating the many possible ways of being PW, she affirms that Presbyterian women faithfully live out the PW Purpose and strengthen our denomination.
Reimagining Migrants as Neighbors Through the Power of Connection
Hunter Farrell describes how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s partnerships and history of advocacy have shaped a commitment to promoting a just and loving response to migrants. He introduces the Migrant Ministries program, in which faith-based activists gather online to learn how to accompany migrants in their communities.
Sharing the Journey—Mentorship Relationships
Pat Roller identifies the benefits of a mentorship relationship for individuals and communities and the qualities that mentors and mentees should have to be most successful in this pairing.
PW Resources
Supporting Presbyterian Women’s Annual Mission Fund is a Very Big D.E.I.L.!
Carissa Herold
2025 Birthday Offering Recipients
2025 Birthday Offering Dedication Service
Kristen Campbell and Shonda Galloway
Anna H. Bedford Bible Study Resource
Dr. Sarah Leer offers reflections and questions for use in studying Lessons Seven and Eight of the 2024–2025 PW/Horizons Bible study, Let Justice Roll Down: God’s Call to Care for Neighbors and All Creation, by Patricia K. Tull.
Departments
Devotion
Bringing God to Our Neighbors
Cecilia Amorocho Hickerson
Unpacking the Theme: Scripture Study
Robes, Rivalries and Reconciliation: What we receive and pass on through generations
Rev. Rachel VanKirk Mathews
After the Offering
Summer Art Camp
Rev. Kate Morgan and Brandon DeHoff
Supporting Mission
Your Love in Action
Nancylee Hadley
Books
Pages Worth Turning
Stories from the Ages
Balancing the Sweet and the Savory
Hillary Moses Mohaupt
Mosaic
News and Information about Presbyterian Women and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Working for Justice and Peace
Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church Converts Dismantled Guns into Garden Tools
Jack Walker
Faithful Parenting
Of Waterways and Snails
Melanie Marsh
