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Thinking the Faith, Praying the Faith, Living the Faith is written by the PC(USA) Office of Theology and Worship.

Thinking, praying, and living the faith is at the core of ministry in the Office of Theology and Worship. In the following videos, learn more about what thinking, praying, and living the faith means to the leadership of the Office of Theology and Worship. Discover why it matters and what difference it makes in our lives, work, and worship.  

Charles Wiley  
Barry Ensign-George
David Gambrell
Christine Hong 
Karen Russell

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August 15, 2011

Banner of Hope

Teresa Stricklen

by Teresa Lockhart Stricklen 

Presbyterians love words.  Words are important, wonderful gifts from God.  But more than words are needed.  Actions and tone often speak louder than words and are equally important, too. 

Such a time is this.  Our words and actions and tone need to cohere in a Christian witness of integrity to the world.

I’ve been editing and preparing September 11 resources.  The pain suffered by so many for ten years has been palpable in my research at times.  The world is hurting.  Sometimes you can feel the throbbing of its ache.  And we are called to heal in Jesus’ name, not heap on more hurt.

Sometimes, though, when you look at the things Christians have said and done to folks, and are doing even now, you have to wonder: Is there not enough healing work in the world to do, that we have to look for ways to hurt one another inside the church so that we have something to heal?   

So I’m proposing a radical idea: let’s help God heal the world.  Here’s one simple way that anyone, young or old, can do that now.  Prepare New York is an organization that has come up with a simple great idea for commemorating September 11.  They are collecting various sizes and colors of ribbons, whatever anyone sends, that have prayers, blessings, hopes written on the back.  The weekend of 9-11 people will gather in Battery Park to weave these ribbons of hope into a huge tapestry to be hung throughout the city as a banner of hope.  Why not participate?  Send your ribbons to

Intersections International 

274 Fifth Avenue 

New York, NY 10001 

so that they arrive by September 11. 

In the meantime, my prayer is that the church will stand in the world like such a banner, woven of prayer and blessing and hope in whatever forms people have to offer to the glory of Christ.

Naïve faith?  Lord, I hope so. 

Tags: heal, healing, september 11, words actions integrity hope banner 9-11