Description
Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God with all our heart, soul,
mind, and strength. The next greatest commandment was to love our neighbor. But how
can we truly love our neighbor if we don’t know our neighbor? Beginning in 2020,
Foothills Presbytery started a more intentional and deeper conversation about Racism.
One of the results was a series of interviews with African American church
leaders—people in Foothills Presbytery telling their own stories.
Workshop participants can taste the seven interviews and how they informed
program materials shared more broadly with congregations in the Presbytery.
Participants will learn how to create a courageous, authentic, and deep listening space.
Leaning on touchstones for intentional collaboration, we will spend time practicing being
fully present, speaking with intention, and listening deeply with respect. Participants will
engage in the practice of dwelling in the word, a simple but powerful way of listening to
God in Scripture that shapes our imagination.
With a greater understanding of our neighbors, we can live in ways encouraging
deeper, more authentic relationships. Listening deeply to these stories, and having
intentional conversation around them, we open ourselves to a better understanding of
issues we often avoid. Christ calls us to love one another (John 13), to bear one
another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and to be compassionate to one another (Luke 6:31).
Engaging in courageous conversations helps us answer that call.
Workshop Leader: Pressley Cox
Rev. Pressley Cox serves as the Associate for Shared Mission and Ministry in Foothills Presbytery where she supports leaders, makes connections, and provides coaching among the congregations, the surrounding communities, and across our denomination. She is a graduate of Presbyterian College, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, and Columbia Theological Seminary.
Co-Leader: Debbie Foster
Rev. Deborah Foster serves as the Presbytery Leader and Stated Clerk for Foothills Presbytery. She is a graduate of Presbyterian College and Erskine Theological Seminary. Her passion is challenging communities and people to discover and align their strengths with their purpose, call and context.