Presbytery of San José

June 25, 2025

Dear Friends of the Presbytery of San José,

Greetings in the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit! I am en route home after a week and a half in Boksburg, South Africa, a suburb of Johannesburg where I represented the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as a member of the governing bodies of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

The WCC, established in 1948, is the global fellowship of 356 churches representing 660 million Christians, of which the Presbyterian Church (USA) is a founding member church. In addition to attending to the business of the Council such as its financial affairs and various programs and initiatives dealing with climate justice, economic and gender justice, we wrestled with public statements related to Palestine and Israel, South Sudan, Ukraine and Russia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the recent suicide bombing in Syria, and so much more.

Our General Secretary, who is a pastor theologian from South Africa, gave an opening address titled “Dare to Hope.” Gathering in South Africa, we had the opportunity to visit the Apartheid Museum and prison facility called “Number 4” which, together with other prisons like it, was notorious for its savage treatment of non-White inmates. For decades under Dutch and then British rule, indigenous South Africans endured the horrors of subjugation, enslavement, and then apartheid as colonial powers extracted gold resources and imposed a system of racism, brutally enforced at every level of society. In the midst of that, many churches, indigenous communities, and members of civil society put life-and-limb, literally, on the line over many years until apartheid was abolished. Apartheid’s consequences are still present, and there are segments of society that are nostalgic about it, but South Africa as a whole dared to hope.

As with many of my WCC colleagues from contexts of war, poverty, gender discrimination, rising sea levels that threaten whole villages. And the whole Council prayed and tried to make sense, as I’m sure you did as well, about the U.S. bomb attack on Iran and President Trump attributing his order as somehow blessed by the love of God and the God of love. In the midst of it all, we dared to hope.

I had the opportunity to share a bit about you, the Presbytery of San José. Because I was in South Africa on June 17^th, that meant I observed my one year anniversary as EP. I shared with colleagues how I continue to be blessed with joy to serve in this call. I shared how the Westhope church in Saratoga, with Erik Swanson’s pastoral leadership, has been convening some of us in considering ways to provide tangible support for our migrant communities who have fear about ICE raids. Or how the Sunnyvale Church, with Hardy Kim’s and Annanda Barclay’s pastoral leadership, recently hosted a conversation on building communities of peace with guests from North Ireland and South Korea. By the way, Sunnyvale Church is hosting the Presbytery’s Unity Candle this coming Sunday, June 29^th, so let’s be praying for our siblings in the faith there. I shared how this vibrant community of over 3800 Presbyterians serve and worship in 37 congregations, worshipping communities, fellowships, and affiliated non-profits, together with teaching elders who serve there and in validated ministries in the region and other parts of the world, are daring to hope. And I should add, three Commissioned Ruling Elder candidates and one already commissioned, all daring to hope.

The 16^th century Reformed theologian, John Calvin, wrote: “Faith believes God to be true, hope awaits the time when this truth shall be manifested; faith believes that he is our Father, hope anticipates that he will ever show himself to be a Father toward us.. . .faith is the foundation upon which hope rests, hope nourishes and sustains faith.”

As ones called to community, committed to justice, from Mountain View to Gonzales, from Watsonville to San José, from California to New York, to Egypt and Cuba, Brazil and India, Philippines, to Fiji, let us continue to be a people who dare to hope.

In Joy and Justice,

The Rev. Dr. Neal D. Presa, Executive Presbyter

(408) 763-5004 | Neal@sanjosepby.org

#CalledToCommunity

#CommittedToJustice

Executive Presbyter Rev. Dr. Neal Presa was in Johannesberg, South Africa, representing the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at the 70th Session of the Central Committee World Council of Churches, and leading the the finance policy committee of the WCC. He is pictured with The Rev Jihyun Oh, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly and Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency and Ruling Elder Dr Dianna Wright, Associate Stated Clerk and Director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations. Click image for a larger version. Source: Neal Presa's Facebook page.

HORIZONS BIBLE STUDY DAY September 13, with Rev. Dr. Rhashell D. Hunter, author of the 2025-26 study

Register now for clergy retreats this Fall

Anyone who has any kind of illness wants to be cured. The goal being that they will never have any symptoms like pain, mobility issues or side-effects from medications. Certainly, people with cancer and heart disease want a “fix” that will keep them healthy and out of the hospital for good.

However, when talking about mental illness it can be a very different story. There are people that have one moderate depression (dysthymia) and never get depressed again. There are people who have one panic attack and never have another. But most people with a diagnosed mental illness require treatment for life.

“Treatments” is a very big word. It can mean medications, and there are many, from anti-depressants to anti-psychotics. It can mean talk therapy, sometimes with medications. It can include “dual diagnosis” which means people with a mental illness and a substance abuse problem.

A person who understands they have a mental illness realizes they will probably never be cured. So, what qualifies as healing? Healing can be described as living a life that has meaning. For example, having a living situation that is the best possible…group home, with family or single apartment, having friends, going to activities, working or volunteering.

Churches can really help by offering transportation, calling to keep folks connected and sponsoring mental health education for members. Even though there aren’t many cures, healing is possible…a meaningful life is possible.

If you need support, here are some channels:

• Teaching Elders/Ministers in the Presbytery, can contact Neal Presa, Executive Presbyter and he will connect you to the Pastors Supporting Pastors (PSP) program.
• As well, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefit through the Board of Pensions for six free 1-hour sessions with a licensed therapist and unlimited 24/7 crisis counselor phone calls.
• For anyone (clergy and anyone) experiencing suicidal ideation, you should immediately contact 988 or 911.

Blessings.

Soul Shop for Faith Leaders, August 23 at Zephyr Point

Nathan Wheeler, a certified trainer for Soul Shop (a faith-based suicide prevention workshop for ministry leaders and congregations) leads a training on August 23 at Zephyr Point.

Soul Shop™ for Faith Leaders is a workshop for clergy, lay pastors, and faith-based clinicians. It aims to help them build safe communities and prepare them to address suicide as a standard part of their work and life. This crucial training is designed to equip faith community leaders with the skills to provide support, hope, and connection to those affected by suicide. For more visit: https://www.soulshopmovement.org/upcomingtraining

It is Pride season again, and the 2025 Silicon Valley Interfaith Booth is gearing up for another wonderful event. Silicon Valley Pride is August 30^th-31^st at Caesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose.

Several churches in the San Jose Presbytery are part of the team and if you are interested, please contact one of our co-chairs, Pr. Kristoffer Rhude (kristofer.rhude@gmail.com) or Dale Loepp (deloepp@gmail.com).

In this article, PC(USA) Office of Public Witness lists ways Presbyterians can be 'disciples in action' and goes on to say:

"We call upon you to exercise your freedom of conscience. You have the freedom to decide how God is leading you to stand during this period of political and societal chaos. The choice is not whether we will defend our democracy and our immigrant brothers and sisters, but how. Each one of us must choose to stand with those whose rights are being trampled upon by persons who respect only those they consider worthy."

7-8 Aug, Global Leadership Summit, First Pres. Mountain View.

11 Aug, Trauma-Informed Advent Planning at SF Theological Seminary.

23 Aug, Soul Shop for Faith Leaders, Zephyr Point NV

30-31 Aug, Silicon Valley Pride, Caesar Chavez Park SJ

6 Sept, 8:30am-1:30pm N.E.A.R. Gathering at First Pres Mountain View.

6 Sept, 2-4pm Open House at Immanuel House in San Jose.

13 Sept, Horizons Bible Study at Grace Presbyterian Church, Walnut Creek.

9-11 Sept, Fall 2025 Clergy Retreat for all Teaching Elders.

13-15 October Leaders of Color Retreat at Zephyr Point.

www.sanjosepby.org

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