WBAL Aired August 30, 2023: WJZ Aired August 31, 2023: Follow up on WJZ aired September 3, 2023 WMAR Aired September 1, 2023 https://youtu.be/H_j9N6jrvEM?si=TmNtGCktOSoWQnPg
by Myra Brosius Among our many ministers, Robert C. Galbraith holds a distinctive place. Beginning in 1853, he served Govans for twelve years leading up to and through the Civil War. By many accounts, he was a bright, industrious, and dedicated minister. One of Rev. Galbraith’s most compelling qualities was his call to minister to “negroes” during our country’s tragic era of slavery. Equally intriguing is a personal scandal involving race that arguably, may have contributed to his leaving Baltimore…
On Sunday afternoon, August 27th the Black Lives Matter sign displayed by our church, Govans Presbyterian, was vandalized. The banner had been vandalized once before and lovingly repaired by a church member. We recently had our Pride Flag stolen as well. Other churches in the area displaying similar messages of love and diversity affirming symbols have had similar acts of vandalism. We live in a society in which values are communicated in images, symbols, and sound bytes. As a church…
WYPR’s On the Record with Sheilah Kast featured our Juneteenth Jubilee celebration, happening June 12, 2023! This multi-genre concert (classical, jazz, blues, gospel, spirituals, ragtime, folk, etc.) will feature music composed by or for African-American musicians. It is being organized by Jonathan Jensen, bassist for the award winning Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Lea Gilmore, First Service Music Director and Minister for Racial Justice and Multicultural Engagement.
We read today of how Pharaoh represents the Kingdom/s of Men or Kingdom/s of the World with his hoarding, violent, oppressive, and extractive practices. Pastor Tom will lift up the women in the story who all engaged in different kinds of resistance against this oppression. The Church today is called to follow the example of these women as we seek to be the Beloved Community or Kin-dom of God. We are called to resist the Kingdoms of this world with…
The story of Jacob wrestling with God is a classic initiation story. Jacob seperates, faces challenges, gains a new identity, and reintegrates. We go through initiations all the time including puberty, moving out, finding a partner, becoming a parent, and many more. Through it all God is with us and through it all our understanding of God and our faith can grow along with us. We are always invited into deeper understandings and a deeper relationship with God. -Pastor Tom’s…
How can the Bible help us deepen our relationship with God? First, it is helpful to remember that the Word of God is theological concept much bigger than the Bible. We will also hear in this sermon what Presbyterian theology says the Bible is and what it is not. The answers may surprise you.