Western will use this resource from PC(USA) publisher Westminster John Knox Press for reading and study. Author Cheri L. Mills shares portions of the narratives of formerly enslaved individuals in conversation with biblical passages as a basis for a Lenten journey that refuses to deny the truth of lived experiences.

Our annual congregation meetings in January are quintessentially Presbyterian. There is fellowship, a budget presentation and abundant desserts. This year, the fellowship is virtual and you’re on your own for dessert. And this time, we have some perspectives about the budget that take us beyond the numbers.

Basically, here’s the situation. When the Western congregation received our building in the IMF transaction 25 years ago, we also inherited the obligation to keep the property in good repair. It’s an expensive proposition, on the order of $300,000 a year (for maintenance, repairs, utilities, insurance and capital replacements).