Horizons: November/December 2024
November/December 2024
Who Do You Say That I Am? Perspectives on Jesus
Years ago at a Christmas eve service that I attended, the pastor read a gospel account of Jesus’ birth to the congregation, and then invited all the young children up to the front of the church to talk about the story. He asked the children to share what they thought was important about Jesus or Jesus’ birth. An enthusiastic preschooler chimed in right away: “Jesus was a baby so he liked milk!”
As the best educators often do, the pastor responded in a way that celebrated the participation and viewpoint of the young learner. “Oh, yes! I love thinking about baby Jesus having some milk in his mom’s arms. We were all babies once and needed food and care.”
The pastor allowed time for all the children to respond if they wanted, and affirmed each of them. Some kids talked about God, others about farm animals or the dark. At the time, I thought it was a sweet response to children hearing the story of Jesus’ birth—a prelude to the sermon where the real learning would happen. In the years since, I’ve thought of that service not for what I learned in the sermon, but as a testament to how a story will have different meanings, depending on where we are in life. And the stories of Jesus’ life are no exception. Sometimes we key in on Jesus’ humanity: he drank milk, he wandered off from his parents, he got angry, he cried. Other times, we marvel at his divinity: he performed miracles, he walked on water, he rose from the dead. Or maybe we focus on his ministry of extending love: he fed, he healed, he taught all who would listen.
Seeking to understand Jesus’ life and ministry can easily be a lifetime pursuit. Wherever you are in that quest, this issue was created to give you tools and encouragement. You’ll study what scripture says about Jesus, encounter writers and artists expressing who Jesus is to them, as well as consider creeds and statements of belief that confess our Presbyterian understanding of Jesus.
Whether this issue serves as a testament to the many ways that God is at work in the world or prompts you to reflect on who Jesus is to you, I pray that these pages remind you of the amazing community you’re a part of— both through Presbyterian Women and as a follower of Jesus Christ. As we approach the Advent season and celebrate the birth of our Savior, may God’s love and peace encircle you.
—Sharon Dunne Gillies, editor
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Features
Who Is Jesus for Presbyterians?
The PC(USA)’s Office of Theology and Worship offers a look at who we, as Presbyterians, as part of the Reformed tradition, say Jesus is. Highlighting statements from our denomination’s Constitution, the office provides guidance in our understanding of who Jesus was and who he calls us to be.
Jesus as a Peacemaker and Justice Seeker
Naomi McQuiller reflects on Jesus as a peacemaker—someone who brought healing and wholeness to individuals, but just as importantly, someone who brought people to community and reshaped ideas about belonging.
Following Jesus Across History: The Impact of Context on Christian Expression and Identity
In considering what it means to be a follower of Jesus, where and when we live shapes who we understand Jesus to be. Christine Luckritz Marquis identifies three distinct moments and expressions of Christianity in our centuries-old tradition.
Interfaith Activism from the Top and Below
As a PC(USA) mission co-worker serving in Indonesia, Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta has first-hand experience of what it means to live as a follower of Jesus in a society where Christians are not the majority. She describes how individuals and communities honor religious diversity, and how a Thank Offering grant is supporting Christian and Muslim women in Indonesia.
PW Resources
Fellowship of the Least Coin
Liza B. Lamis
Celebrate the Gifts of Women
Saints and Widows: A Mildly Subversive Reading of Acts 9:36
Laurie Kraus
Anna H. Bedford Bible Study Resource
Dr. Sarah Leer offers reflections and questions for studying lessons Five and Six of the 2024–25 PW/Horizons Bible study, Let Justice Roll Down: God’s Call to Care for Neighbors and All Creation by Patricia K. Tull.
Departments
Devotion
A Humble Birth, A Teacher for the Ages
Cecilia Amorocho Hickerson
Unpacking the Theme: Scripture Study
Four Gospel Lenses for Tools in a Lifelong Examination
Rev. Dr. Judy Yates Siker
Working for Justice and Peace
Reviving the Racial Equity Dialogue
Stephanie M. Patterson
Supporting Mission
A Mission of Love and Necessity: Menstrual Hygiene Kits for Haitians
Helen Griffin
Books
Pages Worth Turning
Stories from the Ages
Making Space
Hillary Mohaupt
Mosaic
News and Information about Presbyterian Women and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
After the Offering
A Vision Made Real: A New Maternity Ward Saves Lives in Ghana
John Winstead and Patti Law
Faithful Parenting
Legendary Compassion
Melanie Marsh
