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Institute for Public Service Reporting – Memphis

"World Without End: Essays on Apocalypse and After," by Martha Park, a Memphis preacher's daughter, will be published in May.

Faith

Martha Park’s curious soul: Memphis native’s book explores her faith and ours in God’s creation

Every now and then when she was younger, Martha Park would find herself in one of her father’s sermons. “I’m using you in my...

David WatersApril 3, 2025

Myangel Durking stands with her father, Anthony Durking, one nearly 50 young fathers who were honored at an AFIRM ceremony at Second Presbyterian Church last month. (Photo by Ramon Johnson.)

Hope in Memphis

New Memphis program aims to reform welfare one father at a time

Eight young fathers take turns introducing themselves. They say their names, a bit about why they are here, and how many children they have....

David WatersDecember 9, 2024

Kelis Rowe (left) and her sister, Adriane Johnson-Williams, grew up in Whitehaven, walking distance from the Levi Public Library. When they weren't in school or at church, they were in the library reading and dreaming. Recently, they both became published authors. "Librarians are demigods, my sister and I both agree on that," Adriane says. (Karen Pulfer Focht)

Hope in Memphis

A Sister Story: How two siblings from Whitehaven both became authors

When Kelis Rowe and Adriane Johnson-Williams weren't at school or in church, they were at the Levi Public Library.

David WatersOctober 7, 2024

Paul Young, the child of two ministers, took the oath of office as Mayor of Memphis in January 2024.

Faith

Meet Paul Young: How a preachers’ kid became the new mayor of Memphis

On New Year’s Day 1992, a Memphis minister brought his two young sons to the brand-new Pyramid on the Mississippi River. The shimmering Downtown...

David WatersJanuary 3, 2024

Rev. Cheryl Cornish at First Congregational Church in Cooper-Young. (By Karen Pulfer Focht)

Faith

Memphis congregation embraced Cornish’s “theology of hospitality”

Shortly before she retired in October as senior pastor of First Congregational Church, Rev. Cheryl Cornish preached a sermon on the miracle of “the...

David WatersDecember 6, 2023

Faith

Rescuing old furniture restores her soul

L Cool's faith-based organization helps women develop enterprising ways to earn a living

David WatersOctober 17, 2023

Jay Brown spent 35 years in ministry. He was a seminary professor, and eventually president of Memphis Theological Seminary. Then he gave it all up to become a truck driver. He loves it. (© Karen Pulfer Focht)

Faith

Shifting gears: Seminary president finds new life as long-haul trucker

The Rev. Dr. Jay Earhart-Brown, the former Presbyterian minister and seminary president, the son and father of Presbyterian ministers, and a man who loves...

David WatersAugust 8, 2023

Maureen Griner (left) and Margaret Ann Zenselmeyer hold a family adoptive daughter Adasia and her childhood artwork. (© Karen Pulfer Focht)

Faith

Two Sisters of Memphis share their hope, hearts, lives with the poor

When they joined a religious order decades ago, Maureen Griner and Margaret Ann Zinselmeyer took vows of poverty. The Ursuline Sisters of Mount St....

David WatersApril 6, 2023