On May 22, the Way Forward Commission held its second-to-last meeting before the 2018 General Assembly convenes in St. Louis in June – using most of that time to provide updates on its ongoing work, and a sense of how it will proceed in the time it has left. The commission – which has some power to act on its own – has already made its report and formal recommendations to the assembly. It can’t add any new recommendations to that report now, said Mark Hostetter, a minister from New York who serves as the commission’s moderator. What the commission does seem prepared to do is to prepare “a collection of observations,” as Hostetter put it, that it would send to a new Moving Forward Commission, if the assembly decides to create that entity as Way Forward has recommended, or to agencies or other groups within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). At the commission’s next meeting, June 5, those reports are likely to be presented regarding a number of areas — including communications in … [Read more...]
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Outlook Reporting 2 mins ago
Way Forward Commission strives to present counsel to the church on its ongoing work
On May 22, the Way Forward Commission held its second-to-last meeting before the 2018 General Assembly convenes in St. Louis in June – using most of that time to provide updates on its ongoing work, and a sense of how it will proceed in the time it has left. The commission – which has some power to act on its own – has already made its report and formal recommendations to the assembly. It can’t add any new recommendations to that report now, said Mark Hostetter, a minister from New York… continue reading... -
Outlook Features 13 hours ago
Presbyteries offer 223rd GA a potpourri of overtures
The only big theme in this year’s constitutional overtures appears to be the broad spread of topics and proposed remedies. In the lead-up to a General Assembly a major focus of attention, second only to candidates for moderator, is the list of overtures proposing Book of Order changes. At the submission deadline — 120 days before the 223rd GA kicks off — there were 18 such overtures, all of which have the necessary concurrences. Overture 31, offered by the Presbytery of Wabash Valley, addresses a polity question. It would amend… continue reading... -
Outpost Blog 2 days ago
Three POINTS and a POEM about PREDESTINATION
Predestination is a widely misunderstood term tossed around and utilized in odd ways today. So I thought I might offer to you some of my thoughts on predestination as well as some simple and basic information about it from the vantage point of a humble still-reforming pastor. And I do this in the old-school throwback way of the “three points and a poem.” 1. Predestination is about the end. People begin to talk about things that occur in our daily lives as being “predestined.” They say that they were “predestined” to meet… continue reading...
Parties in Stamford case had tried to expedite process in order to get a ruling on the merits of the case January 1, 1995 Uncategorized56 views The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission -- in sidestepping the question of exactly how deeply a session should be required to probe into the private life of a gay elder who has acknowledged being in a committed, life-long relationship but has declined to say whether he is sexually active -- has put the question off but has not put it to rest.- Ministering with the Earth January 1, 1998 Book Reviews62 views By Mary Elizabeth MooreChalice. 1998. 226 pp. Pb. $19.99. ISBN 0-8272-2323-4 Ministering with the Earth is a quiltwork, both the on-the-ground activity and Moore's book about so ministering. Moore, professor of theology and Christian education at Claremont School of Theology, is fond of the metaphor, suitably pastoral and feminist.
- Remembered Voice: Reclaiming the Legacy of 'Neo-Orthodoxy' January 1, 1998 Book Reviews61 views By Douglas John HallWJKP. 1998. 145 pp. Pb. $18. ISBN 0-664-25772-0 It was in this order. I first read Tillich's Dynamics of Faith. Riveting. Next came The Courage to Be. Gripping. Then I went back and read the first volume of the Systematic Theology. Things began to make sense. Next came Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality. Positive.
PC(USA), A Corporation: Everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask April 25, 2018 Outlook Reporting5 comments Confused, confused, confused.
So many say they are confused by the octopus-like discussions involving the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) corporate structure. (Others just shake their heads and walk away.)
The issue will come up again at the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board meeting in Cincinnati April 25-27. Discussions are ongoing, which means that what’s on the table may change between now and when the assembly convenes in June in St. Louis: these proposals may morph.
Dear readers, we cannot tell you where to align yourselves in this dispute. We can, however, attempt to offer a primer of some of the te...
Vision before structure: Presbyterian Mission Agency Board scrutinizes recommendations from other groups April 25, 2018 Outlook Reporting4 comments CINCINNATI – The Presbyterian Mission Agency Board is considering asking the 2018 General Assembly to take the next two years to vet both the details and the vision of recommendations from the Way Forward Commission and the All Agency Review Committee, so that “a more comprehensive and sustainable recommendation can be brought to the 2020 General Assembly.”
That language is contained in a proposed set of comments (P.002 Governance Task Force WFC AARC comment) to the assembly that the bo...
Presbyterian leaders clarify what’s at stake in debates over restructuring April 9, 2018 Outlook Reporting4 comments LOUISVILLE – While no blazing agreement was reached, participants in an April 8-9 conversation regarding the corporate structure of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have agreed on some next steps and clarified their sticking points and places of disagreement.
It’s possible that holding this meeting and airing the differences may lower the tension as two competing proposals regarding a reconfiguration of the PC(USA), A Corporation – which is the corporate identity for the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) and the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) -- head towards the General Assembly that will meet in St. Lou...
Way Forward Commission strives to present counsel to the church on its ongoing work
Tagged With: Way Forward Commission
Hawaii’s volcanic activity not slowing down
A lava roadblock covers a residential road May 12, 2018, at Leilani Estates, Pahoa, Hawaii. U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman John Linzmeier LOUISVILLE (PNS) – It’s been weeks since Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began erupting on the big island, creating a spectacle of bright lava flow and billowing ash. In its latest report, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says the seismic levels, ground cracking and eruptions have gradually increased and several lava flows have merged. Authorities say health concerns have risen as the lava pours into the ocean, causing an acidic plume of acid gas, steam and volcanic particles. Combined, they can cause skin and eye irritation as well as breathing problems. “The southeast end of the island needs prayer. I cannot image what they are going through,” said Dana Pagalaboyd, with Hawaii VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster). “They live in what sounds like a war zone, with the constant uncertainty of where the … [Read more...]
Presbyterian churches remember victims in Texas school shootings
LOUISVILLE (PNS) – Presbyterian church leaders continue to follow the aftermath of last Friday’s mass shooting at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area. As many as 10 people were killed and 13 wounded in the 25-minute attack. Authorities are still investigating what led the 17-year-old suspect to fire on students and faculty. For residents in and around Houston, there is shock and pain, according to local church leaders. “So far, the Red Cross has taken the lead on counseling following the shooting on Friday,” said Beth Kauffman, Presbyterian Disaster Response coordinator for the Presbytery of New Covenant. “Unfortunately, just like the rest of the country, the news was all about the royal wedding over the weekend, so there’s not a lot of communication right now. Hopefully this week, more information will be coming out.” As details emerge about the alleged shooter, Kauffman says congregations in the area are angry. “People are really mad that there have been so many … [Read more...]
Presbyteries offer 223rd GA a potpourri of overtures
The only big theme in this year’s constitutional overtures appears to be the broad spread of topics and proposed remedies. In the lead-up to a General Assembly a major focus of attention, second only to candidates for moderator, is the list of overtures proposing Book of Order changes. At the submission deadline — 120 days before the 223rd GA kicks off — there were 18 such overtures, all of which have the necessary concurrences. Overture 31, offered by the Presbytery of Wabash Valley, addresses a polity question. It would amend W-4.0404 by requiring presbyteries to answer two additional constitutional questions at the installation of Ministers of Word and Sacrament. Those questions remind everyone that the installation is an act of presbytery and that the minister is a member of the presbytery. They ask the presbytery to affirm support of the pastoral relationship and welcome the pastor as a colleague. This is a creative and direct way of engaging the presbytery in this process, … [Read more...]
Letting the Spirit lead — May 21, 2018
This issue of the Outlook introduces the candidates standing for co-moderator, moderator and vice moderator, digs deep into the latest data on Presbyterian pastors, and explores what it means to be a member of the household of God. No matter the configuration, how do our communities reflect the character of the One we follow, Jesus Christ Click here to read the issue in the Uberflip reader. Meet the moderator candidates Those standing for co-moderator and moderator and vice moderator share their sense of call and hope for the PC(USA). Vocation within the PC(USA) Frank Spencer offers a review of the data on newly ordained pastors and benefits. Adoption Adopting a child mirrors God’s adoption of us all. Embodying parenting and faith Like faith, parenting is just theoretical until it is put in action. Singing the faith Singing with children is an important part of faith formation. The power of family mottos David Lee Jones applies family systems theory to family … [Read more...]
What the church can do to help opioid addicts: A Q&A with Raymond Barfield
(RNS) — The opioid epidemic claimed more than 40,000 lives in the U.S. in 2016 alone. And the problem is growing particularly acute in Appalachia. In Tennessee, for example, 80 percent of crimes are drug related. On Friday and Saturday (May 18-19) a conference on opioid addiction will bring clinicians, clergy and educators to the tip of southern Appalachia to begin a yearlong conversation on ways churches can help heal and support those caught in the epidemic’s grip. Among its organizers is Dr. Raymond Barfield, a pediatric oncologist at Duke University who has a joint appointment at its divinity school. For five years he directed a program called “Theology, Medicine and Culture.” He now teaches courses on Christian philosophy and mentors students in the Medical Humanities Study Program. This interview was edited for length and clarity. How did the conference come about? I was asked by Duke to go and give some talks in Bristol, Tenn. After my first talk, I got a tour of … [Read more...]
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