The way that Jesus ties the challenges of forgiving those who have hurt us and keeping our promises together in his Sermon on the Mount came together on a trip last fall by synod executives to Native American congregations.

“It was at once inspiring and sobering, as the congregations demonstrated stirring faith amid challenges rarely experienced by dominant culture congregations,” the Rev. Dr. Chip Hardwick, Synod of the Covenant Executive, wrote in a Presbyterians Today column published January 11, 2023.

In the article titled “Jesus shows us how to heal injustices,” Rev. Hardwick describes how elders within these Native American congregations live out Jesus’ message in Matthew 5:21-37 while leading ministries in very difficult  circumstances.