Mission Yearbook: Author explores faith beyond patriarchal limits

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: Author explores faith beyond pat...: It turns out that the proverbial old witch in the woods has much to teach the faithful about liberating feminine wisdom from Christian patri...

The SPC Kindness Kids Discuss the Importance of Build Up One Another

 

On Sunday, July 19, our Kindness Kids discussed the importance of affirming others and lifting people up. We thank Debbie Rudiger for leading our Kindness Kids. 

Below are some pictures of this activity. Each picture depicts something that represents a child, along with affirmative comments from their peers. The SPC Kindness Kids meet every Sunday morning during the Sligo Presbyterian worship service. 

The SPC Kindness Kids Discuss Feeling Isolated and Make Cards Shut Ins

On Sunday, July 12, our Kindness Kids discussed how it feels to be isolated and made cards for some of the congregational shut ins. We thank Debbie Rudiger for leading our Kindness Kids. 

Below are some pictures of this activity. The SPC Kindness Kids meet every Sunday morning during the Sligo Presbyterian worship service. 

Refocusing Faith: A Study of Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians (Dealing with Traditions and Customs - 1 Corinthians 11:2-34)

Paul faced a problem. One of the churches he’d planted in Greece was being torn apart by factions and internal conflict, a situation that sounds an awful lot like what we see within the modern church. These divisions not only endangered its ability to share the Christian faith within a pagan world, they also threatened the unity of the church itself. In this letter, Paul challenged these Christians to put aside their animosities and refocus their faith on Jesus Christ. In each session, we’ll consider a part of Paul’s letter as follows:

• Session 1 - Paul’s Greeting (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)
• Session 2 - The Issue (1 Corinthians 1:10–3:4)
• Session 3 - Doing the Work We’ve Been Given (1 Corinthians 3:5–4:21)
• Session 4 - Right and Wrong (1 Corinthians 5:1–6:20)
• Session 5 - Marital Distractions  (1 Corinthians 7:1-40)
• Session 6 - Food, Freedom and Focus (1 Corinthians 8:1–9:23)
• Session 7 - What’s Most Important (1 Corinthians 9:24–11:1)
• Session 8 - Dealing with Traditions and Customs (1 Corinthians 11:2-34)
• Session 9 - Like a Body (1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
• Session 10 - Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
• Session 11 - Tongues  (1 Corinthians 14:1-40)
• Session 12 - Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-58)
• Session 13 - And in Conclusion (1 Corinthians 16:1-24)

In our eighth session, we looked at how Paul focused on the importance of honoring traditions and customs held by people within and outside the church (1 Corinthians 11:2-34). The discussion and passage are below.

1 Corinthians 11:2-34 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I handed them on to you. But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. Any man who prays or prophesies with something on his head shames his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled shames her head—it is one and the same thing as having her head shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair, but if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, she should wear a veil. For a man ought not to have his head veiled, since he is the image and reflection of God, but woman is the reflection of man. Indeed, man was not made from woman but woman from man. Neither was man created for the sake of woman but woman for the sake of man. For this reason a woman ought to have authority over her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man or man independent of woman. For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, but all things come from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled? Does not nature itself teach you that, if a man wears long hair, it is dishonoring to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. But if anyone is disposed to be contentious—we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

Now in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, to begin with, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine. When you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s supper. For when the time comes to eat, each of you proceeds to eat your own supper, and one goes hungry and another becomes drunk. What! Do you not have households to eat and drink in? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I commend you? In this matter I do not commend you!

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body eat and drink judgment against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If you are hungry, eat at home, so that when you come together, it will not be for your condemnation. About the other things I will give instructions when I come.

Bible Readings for July 29, 2026

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Mission Yearbook: Podcast guests discuss ritual, lineage and liberation

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What We Believe: The Faith of the Presbyterian Church (Who is God?)

At Sligo Presbyterian Church, we're discussing what Presbyterians believe and how Presbyterian congregations govern themselves. During the series, we’re answering the following questions:

• Session 1 - Who are we?
• Session 2 - Who is God?
• Session 3 - Why did Christ come?
• Session 4 - What does the Holy Spirit do?
• Session 5 - How can we respond?

In our second session, we answered the question, "Who Is God?" A recording of the discussion and the passages used are below.

I Corinthians 8:4, 6 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

Even though food is offered to idols, we know that none of the idols in this world are alive. After all, there is only one God. ...We have only one God, and he is the Father. He created everything, and we live for him. Jesus Christ is our only Lord. Everything was made by him, and by him life was given to us.

I Timothy 1:17 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

I pray that honor and glory will always be given to the only God, who lives forever and is the invisible and eternal King! Amen.

I John 4:8-10 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

God is love, and anyone who doesn’t love others has never known him. God showed his love for us when he sent his only Son into the world to give us life. Real love isn’t our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven.

Malachi 3:6 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

Descendants of Jacob, I am the Lord All-Powerful, and I never change. That’s why you haven’t been wiped out,

I Peter 2:8, 9 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

They disobeyed the message and stumbled and fell over that stone, because they were doomed.  But you are God’s chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done.  

Ephesians 1:4 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people.

Romans 9:10-16 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

Don’t forget what happened to the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Even before they were born or had done anything good or bad, the Lord told Rebekah that her older son would serve the younger one. The Lord said this to show that he makes his own choices and that it wasn’t because of anything either of them had done. That’s why the Scriptures say that the Lord liked Jacob more than Esau. Are we saying that God is unfair? Certainly not! The Lord told Moses that he has pity and mercy on anyone he wants to. Everything then depends on God’s mercy and not on what people want or do.

John 15:16 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name.