(PNS) At its heart, said filmmaker David Barnhart, his nearly-completed documentary “Flint: The Poisoning of an American City” is the story about what happens to democracy when people’s voices are taken away. Created by Story Productions, a ministry of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, “Flint” elicited reactions of anger when shown at gatherings in places like Sundance, the nation’s largest independent film festival. “That’s what we want” Barnhart told the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) during “Coffee with the Clerk” screened via Facebook Live on Monday. Because of scheduling challenges, the Barnhart interview had been taped at North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Atlanta the week before. “We want people to be moved to action,” Barnhart told Nelson. “We want them to engage in their city and nationally.” Barnhart said he made three of four trips to Flint to meet people before the cameras began rolling. “For me, filmmaking has … [Read more...]
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Outlook Features 13 hours ago
The core of stewardship is love
Many churches in the United States, from mainline to evangelical and beyond, host a Stewardship Sunday every year. Usually in the fall, Stewardship Sunday typically signifies that a congregation’s stewardship season is underway. The day often includes a series of elements that most churchgoers have come to know well: testimonials during worship from church members who tithe, one brave sermon on money based on a Scripture that includes the phrase “gave her last mite,” “cheerful giver” or “rich young ruler” and an afternoon all-church meeting about the budget. While nothing about… continue reading... -
Outpost Blog 13 hours ago
Letters to the church I love
Guest blog by Alissa Conner This month, we invited our bloggers to write a “love letter” to the church. Here are their letters. Dear church, It is so easy to get bogged down in the mire of woe that surrounds the church world — or perhaps the world in general. I hear all around about how small you are getting, or how volunteers aren’t enough, or how we don’t talk like we used to. Still, I see a different side every day and I love you for it. I don’t… continue reading... -
Outpost Blog 2 days ago
A love letter to the church of welcome and justice
This month, we invited our bloggers to write a “love letter” to the church. Here are their letters. Dear church, You aren’t perfect, but that is also why I love you. This is what gives me hope for the future: While we aren’t perfect, we are constantly changing, learning and growing. We are indeed Reformed and always reforming. We come from a history of exclusion, and now we are naming the sins and evils of the world and in our communities: racism, white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and… 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 Uncategorized69 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 Reviews61 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 Reviews59 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.
Rethinking evangelism January 30, 2019 Faith Matters1 comment Because many people now think evangelism means fundamentalists shouting on street corners, lots of mainline Protestant churches have backed away not only from the word but, sadly, from any meaningful practice of it.
Charlene Han Powell, executive pastor at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York, says she’s finally come to terms with the word and now wants to resurrect it in a way that mainliners can accept — not grudgingly, but enthusiastically.
Powell spoke about this recently to my home congregation in Kansas ...
Moving Forward Implementation Commission gets moving December 17, 2018 Outlook Reporting1 comment The Moving Forward Implementation Commission held its first meeting by conference call Dec. 17 – a time of introductions and presenting preliminary thoughts about what the commission is expected to do.
The 2018 General Assembly created the 12-person commission when it adopted the recommendations of the Way Forward Commission, giving the new commission the authority to take “any and all administrative actions as necessary” to implement the W...
All approved: Assembly approves recommendations from Way Forward, All Agency Review and report from Vision 2020 June 21, 2018 Outlook Reporting1 comment ST. LOUIS – With relatively little discussion and no drama, the General Assembly approved the recommendations of the Way Forward Commission and All Agency Review Committee.
While some commissioners struggled to understand the complexity of the proposals, those who have wrangled with these issues for months – and there’s been no shortage of drama there – have said they involve issues of power, control, accountability and trust.
The changes the assembly approved June 21 by a vote of 474-47 will mean governance of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation – a secular corporation the church uses to ha...
Flint’s water crisis far from just a Flint problem
Southern Baptists should investigate churches that cover up abuse, says SBC president
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, said the denomination’s Executive Committee should immediately investigate 10 churches named in a report by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News, including Second Baptist in Houston — one of the largest churches in the SBC. If any churches were found to have covered up abuse and refused to mend their ways, Greear told a gathering of Southern Baptist leaders on Monday (Feb. 18), then the convention should consider removing them from the denomination, a process known as “disfellowshipping.” “We must take bold and decisive steps to send an unequivocal message: Churches that have a wanton disregard for sexual abuse and for caring for the survivors are not in good fellowship with this convention,” Greear said. Greear made his remarks at a regularly scheduled meeting of SBC’s Executive Committee at its offices in Nashville, a week after the two Texas newspapers published the results of … [Read more...]
Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, former refugee and Obama White House advisor, to head Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
CHICAGO (RNS) — When Krish O’Mara Vignarajah and her family arrived in the United States as refugees fleeing civil war in Sri Lanka, the community welcomed them with open arms. Her dad found a job as a schoolteacher in Baltimore, where the family, including the then 9-month-old Vignarajah, settled. The superintendent of schools helped her family find an apartment, she said. The vice principal helped them start a bank account. Churches and temples literally put clothes on their backs — warm coats and other gear to help them adjust to the city’s bitter winters. “It was because this community — we call it now the ‘circle of welcome’ — embraced us not just as strangers, but as neighbors, as friends, as family, that I had the chance to really live the American story,” she said. Now Vignarajah hopes to extend that same welcome to others as president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Vignarajah, who was policy director for former First Lady Michelle Obama, is … [Read more...]
The core of stewardship is love
Many churches in the United States, from mainline to evangelical and beyond, host a Stewardship Sunday every year. Usually in the fall, Stewardship Sunday typically signifies that a congregation’s stewardship season is underway. The day often includes a series of elements that most churchgoers have come to know well: testimonials during worship from church members who tithe, one brave sermon on money based on a Scripture that includes the phrase “gave her last mite,” “cheerful giver” or “rich young ruler” and an afternoon all-church meeting about the budget. While nothing about Stewardship Sundays is inherently bad, the catch is around what they (and the approach they so often represent) say about the real meaning of stewardship. Personal testimony is inspiring. Talking about money is a critical part of Christian community. Budgets are necessary planning tools. But were you to attend a “stewardship” service, you’d likely leave with the impression that stewardship is mostly the same … [Read more...]
Letters to the church I love
Guest blog by Alissa Conner This month, we invited our bloggers to write a “love letter” to the church. Here are their letters. Dear church, It is so easy to get bogged down in the mire of woe that surrounds the church world — or perhaps the world in general. I hear all around about how small you are getting, or how volunteers aren’t enough, or how we don’t talk like we used to. Still, I see a different side every day and I love you for it. I don’t just see the surface of change, but a depth that is still there and ever deepening. I am constantly astounded by the depths of your love. I watch the surge of care that surrounds a member or even stranger when they suffer tragedy and I am moved. You care so deeply and often silently flow together to take care of an injured party. You provide meals, rides, shoulders to cry on, financial support. It happens so often and so smoothly that often others don’t even know that it occurred. Dear church, In a world where most people … [Read more...]
DISCOVERING SCOTLAND
Open tours June and October 2019. Led by Scottish Presbyterian Pastor. Includes Iona, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Inverness. Scenery, history, heritage of faith. Or choose our tour for Presbyterian Women - September 2019. Brochures - scotustours.com/our-brochures.html Contact – Rev Jim Wallace [email protected] Custom church group tours for 2020 also available. Scotus Tours Perthshire Scotland … [Read more...]
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