LEXINGTON, Kentucky — The Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (MRTI) has joined nearly 200 signatories on a statement from global institutional investors urging companies to support workers and markets during the coronavirus pandemic. “The Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment signed on to this statement asking companies to provide paid leave, prioritize health and safety, and maintain employment, customer relationships, and financial prudence during this unprecedented time,” said Rob Fohr, Director of Faith-Based Investing and Corporate Engagement. “It is of the utmost importance that publicly-traded companies show leadership as this crisis unfolds and implement robust measures to protect their workers. “MRTI will work with other faith and values-based investors to ensure that these concerns continue to be raised with corporations.” The statement breaks down five areas the signatories want investors to … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE (OGA) One of the questions surrounding Presbyterians in the midst of COVID-19 is how it will impact the planned gathering of the 224th General Assembly (2020) in Baltimore this summer. The assembly is currently scheduled for June 20–27 at the Baltimore Convention Center. This week, Baltimore officials announced that the convention center could also serve as a field hospital as the number of infected patients continues to rise. The convention center has not yet been converted or seen its first patient. As previously announced, OGA leaders have already delayed opening registration for GA224 until no later than April 20. On Thursday the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) met virtually to consider several options for conducting the assembly should the virus continue to spread in the coming months. The options range from moving ahead with the planned gathering in June to conducting a virtual assembly. Following an executive session, COGA released a … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE — For decades, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has stood ready to respond to domestic and international disasters — even a crisis on the monumental scale of the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) announced it has pulled more than $2 million out of reserves it uses to supplement unsupported or under-supported disaster responses — a fund fortified in part by gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing — to help aid response to the coronavirus pandemic. The funds will be divided between international response and grants to mid councils (synods and presbyteries) and their congregations to support work in response to and impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Information about how to apply for grants has been sent to all mid councils. “As Christians, believing in the living God means attending to God’s Spirit, alive right now, comforting and challenging us,” said the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE (PNS) — Each day the number of people infected with the coronavirus continues to rise across Kentucky, the U.S. and the world. To help ensure the well-being of staff in the Louisville offices and the surrounding community, leaders are closing the Presbyterian Center at 100 Witherspoon St., in Louisville, effective Friday, March 27. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered that all non-life-sustaining businesses must close their doors in order to continue containment of the coronavirus. The governor’s order allows exceptions for financial institutions. Because the Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program falls into that category, it will continue to function with limited hours. The majority of Center staff are already working from home after the continued spread of the coronavirus prompted officials with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to take action two weeks ago to ensure the health and safety of employees. There are no reported or confirmed cases of the … [Read more...]

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (PNS) — Somewhat submerged in the barrage of headlines about COVID-19 is news that Mother Nature is still doing her thing. Middle Tennessee is reeling from a severe storm outbreak at the beginning of this month, an earthquake struck Utah last Wednesday, and spring springing usually comes with tornadoes and harrowing storms, including ones that hit the Southeast Tuesday. As always, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) plans to respond to calls for help, though in a somewhat altered way, given the limitations of a churchwide domestic travel ban and social distancing necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus. “Disasters aren’t stopping just because we can’t travel,” says David Rauer, a New Jersey-based National Response Team volunteer for PDA. As a National Response Team member, Rauer regularly travels to places where disasters strike and helps coordinate a response with local Presbyterian leaders. His deployments can last from days to … [Read more...]

(OGA) The Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has unveiled a new web mapping tool that shows confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in proximity of mid councils and congregations. “The OGA has developed this application in order to spread accurate information among its members and constituents, in an effort to help Presbyterians be a connectional church and find one another in the midst of this crisis,” said Vicente Guna, manager of technologies. The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at the Whiting School of Engineering (Johns Hopkins University) provides and maintains data on confirmed cases of the virus, which they made publicly available through the ArcGIS online platform, with technical support from ESRI and the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. “You can click on any element of the map to get updated information on mid councils/congregations contact information and COVID-19 cases,” Guna said. “You can also activate … [Read more...]