WYOMING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Dear Beloved:

Last week I dug through memorabilia to find things I kept from 1976. I found newspapers and even an art collections of the presidents’ portraits, through Nixon. I remember writing a paper for school about the celebration, and I have passed on a Scholastic book titled, Day of Glory, to my grandchild, a book I have kept for more than 50 years about the surrounding events and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. All the while, I was watching the World Cup, cheering “USA! USA!” in my living room. And watching the PC(USA) General Assembly with a range of emotions, especially as we debated issues of speaking truth to power in the name of bearing the yoke of Christ. The joy of that bicentennial celebration was completely different from this years’ joy and angst.

It’s not easy being Christian in America today, celebrating what is good and right and honorable. And honestly admitting what is evil and wrong and dishonorable. I offer this takeaway from our July 5^thworship that was presented in the Invitation to Confession:

“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

This invitation suggests a theological premise from which faithful citizens of heaven (the church) advocate for justice and peace in and among the earthly nations where they live. I believe that the imago dei resides in every US citizen and resident (with or without papers), and across all national and ethnic boundaries we define. We are all beloved children of God.

Praying for the USA is not the same as being a white Christian nationalist. 

The reality is this nation has yet to fulfill the call of justice, to labor for peace, to provide human rights for all. Therefore, I pray, and invite you to your own,

Lord our God, king of the universe, please, bless the United States of America! We need it. We need you. And bless your church within its borders, that we may be ambassadors of Christ’s ministry of reconciliation. Keep us, the disciples of Christ, from confusing our allegiance to you with any pledge of duty on earth. Come, Lord Jesus to save us from ourselves and from temptation and deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, yours the power and to you belongs all glory forever. Amen.

Peace, RevBev

Dear Friends:

Last week I shared the impact of the General Assembly on me. This week I’d like to share key actions of the General Assembly that impact the church in the USA. Next week, I will share about the issues addressed that impact the world. Of course, the lines are not quite that clear so you will notice overlap. And this is not exhaustive.

ALL the work of the GA is a result of people and churches just like WPC asking for input, interpretation, guidance and faith to be put into action. I offer this very brief summary as a reminder that the work of the church is much larger than we are used to thinking about in our small-ish corner of the world within our church. Down the street and across the country, small and large churches are actually working in all these areas. None of us can do it all, but we can all do something.

Perhaps something below or next week will open us to a larger vision of our ministry as is, or a re-direction of our mission focus in the coming years.

The date & location of the 228^th General Assembly approved: to be hosted by el Presbiterio de San Juan in San Juan, Puerto Rico from June 11-June 22, 2028.

Administrative actions: from new hires to operating procedures

Artificial Intelligence: approved a policy and commended this to the church for study; expressed significant guidelines for officers of the church in the use of AI

Christian Nationalism / White Christian Nationalism: affirm our commitments to bear faithful witness in public life and declare opposition to establishing Christianity as a privileged force or dominant ideology or identity of the US or any nation

EarthCare: a number of actions about policy and investments and divestments

Gender Justice, ICE/Immigration & Internal Displacement; Labor & Human Trafficking; and Racial Equity: all included many avenues of advocacy, accountability, and resourcing for churches

Young Adult Advisory Delegates: An interesting subtext that was woven throughout the GA meetings was the meaning of reconciliation and inclusion. It was especially prominent in discussions by the YAADs between a moderate and progressive group and a self-identified conservative group called Presbyterians for the Kingdom (PftK). PftK’s stated goal is to return the PC(USA) to the true faith as a suitable “bride” for Christ. Though efforts to find common ground and build relationships were attempted, a lack of mutual forbearance and respect for others meant the two went in opposite directions.

If you want to read any or all of the actions of the 227^th General Assembly you can create a free account on myGA.pc-biz.org.

Or you can go to https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/church-structure/general-assembly/general-assembly-gathering

Peace, RevBev

We found a pair of earrings and a set of keys in the church pews.

If you have misplaced or lost something, please contact the Church Admin – Anna at 973-376-3066 or e-mail at admin@wyomingpresbyterian.org

Read Your Own Darn Book Club
Come join us on Tuesday at 7pm in the Cottage! Join us for discussion and fellowship! Please See Calendar page for Book Club dates.

June 2026 – Read Your Own Darned Book Recommendations

• It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover—Judy R.
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman—Ann S.
• Nemesis by Philip Roth—Becky
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt–Becky
• The Last Ranger by Peter Heller—Monica
• Stuffed and Starved; the Hidden Battle for the World Food System by Raj Patel–Janet
• Picky; How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History by Helen Zoe Zeit–Janet
• The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett—Debbie W.

April 2026 – Read Your Own Darned Book Group Recommendations

• The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne-Monica M
• How the Other Half Eats by Priya Fielding-Singh-Janet S
• The National Park Mystery Series by Aaron Johnson-Beverly F
• The Bookclub for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick-Debbie W
• What We Can Know by Ian McEwan-Ann S
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman-Debbie J
• Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon-Ellie L

March 2026 – Read Your Own Darned Book Group Recommendations

• The Shadow Lily by Johanna Mo-Judy R
• The Truth about the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline—Judy R
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans—Becky
• The Forbidden Garden by Simon Parkin—Becky
• The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick—Marie
• Any of David Rosenfelt’s books—Marie
• Tell me Everything by Elizabeth Strout—Janet
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy—Emelie
• Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood—Emelie
• The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho—Monica
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi—Debbie J.
• The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett—Debbie J.
• Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce—Debbie J.

February 2026- Read Your Own Darned Book Group Recommendations

• Missing You by Harlan Coben—Becky
• Bread of Angels by Patti Smith—Becky
• West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge—Ellie
• Live like a Guide Dog, True Stories from a Blind Man and his Dogs about Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith by Michael Hingson—Ellie
• The Widow by John Grisham—Judy R
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans—Debbie W.
• Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum—Janet
• The Ages of Globalization by Jeffrey Sachs–Janet

January 2026- Read Your Own Darned Book Group Recommendations

• Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum—Marie
• Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams–Marie
• The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult—Heather
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore—Becky
• West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge—Becky
• Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister—Janet
• The Choice by Gillian McAllister—Janet
• Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister—Janet
• The Academy by Ellin Hilderbrand—Debbie W.
• The Christmas Stranger by Richard Paul Evans—Debbie W.
• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid—Debbie W.
• Poems by Robert Frost–Monica