(OGA) According to a recent survey conducted by Lifeway Research, 94 percent of Protestant responders believe that teens and children are protected from abuse within their congregation and 93 percent of responders believe that adults are protected from abuse within their congregation. In a twist, 32 percent believe more pastors have abused teens and children than have been reported. I wonder if this could be reflective of the sentiment that “It cannot happen here. …” Or, is this a part of a general fear that, as reports of abuse within other denominations surface, our beloved denomination also has its own horrific stories? In either case, as ruling elders serving on the governing bodies of our congregations, we have the obligation and the ability to make changes that prevent or greatly reduce the chances of these unimaginable outcomes. The Book of Order now requires that all church councils implement child and youth protection policies to keep church events and communities safe for … [Read more...]
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Commentary 2 days ago
Transitional ministry and cultural proficiency
Guest commentary by Jihyun Oh Transitional ministry can happen at any time. It can happen in a 10-year pastoral call when key members of the congregation move away or die. It can happen in a 22-year pastoral call when the neighborhood around a congregation begins to change. It should happen when the congregation finds itself older and less energetic and unable to support the vision and mission that the members discerned 30 or 40 years ago. It can happen when the congregation experiences a transition in pastoral leadership. I want… continue reading... -
Looking into the lectionary 2 days ago
Trinity Sunday — June 16, 2019
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 Our God is characterized by collaboration. Wisdom speaks in Proverbs about being beside God from the very beginning, a master worker, delighting in all that God called forth. Our God is characterized by gratuitous giving. Paul says in Romans that while we were weak, Christ died for the ungodly. God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Truly, God’s giving knows no end. Our God is characterized by stalwart, steadfast, advocating presence. Jesus… continue reading... -
Book Reviews 3 days ago
Holding Faith: A Practical Introduction to Christian Doctrine
Cynthia L. Rigby Abingdon Press, 408 pages There is no one teaching theology and preparing students for ministry better than Cynthia Rigby right now. Thankfully, “Holding Faith” is an invitation to many outside her classroom at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary to join with her in the joyful task of doing theology together in a robust, engaging and winsome way. This publication is both a creative and faithful primer in Reformed theology in the context of current trends of “dechristianization” and the rapid digital transformation of our culture. She begins by… 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 Uncategorized67 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 Reviews66 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.
Court of Appeals upholds dismissal of defamation lawsuit following the 1001 New Worshipping Communities investigation August 1, 2017 Outlook Reporting2 comments A Kentucky Court of Appeals panel has upheld a state court ruling dismissing the defamation lawsuit that Roger Dermody brought against the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
In a July 28 decision, a three-judge appeals court ruled that the lower court was correct to apply the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, saying that not to do so would involve “excessive government entanglement into an ecclesiastical controversy.”
The three-judge panel upheld a 2015 summary judgment by Jefferson Circuit Judge Judith McDonald-Bu...
Hoey files defamation lawsuit against PC(USA) June 25, 2015 Outlook Reporting2 comments A second defamation lawsuit has been filed against the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) A Corporation – the denomination’s corporate entity – stemming from an ethics investigation involving the 1001 New Worshipping Communities program.
Eric Hoey, who has served as the PC(USA)’s director of Evangelism and Church Growth, filed suit in Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky on June 16.
Hoey is the second person involved with the investigation to file a defamation suit. Roger Dermody – who was hired in 2010 as the PC(USA)’s deputy executive director for mission, serving directly under Linda Valentine, executive direct...- Board announces departure of employees from 1001 New Worshipping Communities program June 1, 2015 Outlook Reporting2 comments As of June 1, none of the four men who have been involved with a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) investigation involving the 1001 New Worshipping Communities program still works for the denomination.
Marilyn Gamm, chair of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board, announced during a late afternoon news conference on June 1 that the four men are no longer employed by the denomination. Gamm declined to characterize the nature of those departures – whether the employees resigned, were terminated, or some other arrangement was made – describing that as a “private personnel matter.”
One of those leaving is Roger Dermo...
Regarding ruling elders: Keeping church safe
Nancy Taylor named acting executive director at the Presbyterian Historical Society
PHILADELPHIA (PHS) A familiar face with the Presbyterian Historical Society is stepping into a temporary leadership role. Nancy Taylor, who has led the Society’s archival and communications efforts for more than 10 years, has been named acting executive director by the Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in consultation with the PHS Board of Directors. “Simply put, no one knows PHS collections, staff, and researchers better than Nancy,” said the Reverend Dr. George Abdo, PHS board chair, and Ernest R. Higginbotham, incoming PHS board chair, in a joint statement. “She will provide terrific leadership during this time of transition and help PHS continue to serve more Presbyterians, scholars, and students.” Taylor will fill the vacancy left by the Reverend Dr. Beth Hessel, who resigned to take a similar position with the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, a historic member library and architectural archives. “Thank … [Read more...]
Receive “Looking into the lectionary” for free
Jill Duffield crafts study aids based on the lectionary Scriptures for the coming Sunday. Join our mailing list to have this content delivered directly to your inbox every Monday afternoon. Looking into the lectionary explores some of the appointed texts with an eye toward preaching and teaching. There's the occasional prayer or litany. Sometimes there will be a story or a link to one. Parsing a Greek verb or lifting up a word study is a part of the journey, too. Books that resonate, newspaper articles that raise questions, current events that cause us to grieve and rejoice: all is fodder for honing our hearing and sharpening our vision as we look with curiosity and gratitude into God’s inspired and living Word. Join our mailing list . … [Read more...]
Transitional ministry and cultural proficiency
Guest commentary by Jihyun Oh Transitional ministry can happen at any time. It can happen in a 10-year pastoral call when key members of the congregation move away or die. It can happen in a 22-year pastoral call when the neighborhood around a congregation begins to change. It should happen when the congregation finds itself older and less energetic and unable to support the vision and mission that the members discerned 30 or 40 years ago. It can happen when the congregation experiences a transition in pastoral leadership. I want to focus on this last instance of transitional ministry and how it relates to something else I’ve been pondering a lot lately: cultural competence or cultural proficiency. Cultural proficiency is one of the competencies that call seekers can select on Personal Information Forms to describe the gifts they offer as church leaders. It is listed among the Organizational Leadership qualities, and is described as the competence of having a “solid … [Read more...]
Trinity Sunday — June 16, 2019
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 Our God is characterized by collaboration. Wisdom speaks in Proverbs about being beside God from the very beginning, a master worker, delighting in all that God called forth. Our God is characterized by gratuitous giving. Paul says in Romans that while we were weak, Christ died for the ungodly. God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Truly, God’s giving knows no end. Our God is characterized by stalwart, steadfast, advocating presence. Jesus tells his disciples in John that ultimately nothing will be left unsaid or unrevealed. Keenly aware of human finitude and limits, God makes accommodations, sending the Holy Spirit to tell the truth and help humans grasp the mind and heart and will of their God. Trinity Sunday grants us the joy of remembering and celebrating the amazing grace, the glory, the beauty and the goodness of our God. Trinity Sunday challenges us to pattern … [Read more...]
Holding Faith: A Practical Introduction to Christian Doctrine
Cynthia L. Rigby Abingdon Press, 408 pages There is no one teaching theology and preparing students for ministry better than Cynthia Rigby right now. Thankfully, “Holding Faith” is an invitation to many outside her classroom at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary to join with her in the joyful task of doing theology together in a robust, engaging and winsome way. This publication is both a creative and faithful primer in Reformed theology in the context of current trends of “dechristianization” and the rapid digital transformation of our culture. She begins by reminding us why theology matters and questioning the caricatures and characterizations of those who claim that theology is not necessary for faith (which is itself a theological claim), by reminding us why theological doctrines matter to our everyday lives of faith. With engaging illustrations, conversational writing and clear explanations, she helps us see that ours is a dynamic and thinking faith rather than a museum … [Read more...]
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