40 years ago — August 20, 1979 The Presbyterian Church in the United States and the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America held to the understanding that all property is held in trust to the denomination — but it did not clearly state so in its documents. The U.S. Supreme Court shocked the churches with its July 2 ruling. The case involved a Presbyterian church in Georgia. The presbytery determined the minority within the congregation represented the church. The Georgia courts applied the “neutral rule.” In the absence of clearly stated local or denominational documents, the courts could determine possession based on secular criteria. Hence the majority of the congregation were awarded the property. The Supreme Court’s decision overturned the long-standing 1872 decision that “recognized the unity of the Presbyterian polity with its hierarchy of judicatories — sessions, presbyteries, synods and the General Assembly.” The federal court returned the case to the … [Read more...]
Call me by name: A lifetime of race and relationships
The charge is armed robbery. The defendant’s lawyer declares at the outset that this is a case of mistaken identification. I had done everything I could to avoid being selected as a juror: my best Italian-wool suit, my French-cuffed shirt and my natty bowtie. Attire I had worn as a law professor to meetings with Wall Street lawyers before I retired. My outfit screams to the prosecutor, prompting him to ask the entire panel, “Have any of you ever been involved in a criminal case before?” I rehearse a response in my head so as not to appear too eager to avoid my civic duty. During my early career as a law professor, I served as the court-appointed lawyer for three different defendants’ appeals of their convictions. I plan to leave out the part about teaching criminal law for over a decade, unless the prosecutor asks. I remain silent during the jury selection process until the prosecutor asks if any of us knows other prospective jurors. My neighbor Lynn glances at me and volunteers … [Read more...]
Taking risks, trying new things, granting permission — August 19, 2019
Culture is changing rapidly. Being and doing church cannot remain static while everything around us evolves. Nonetheless, our loyalty is to Jesus Christ alone. How, then, do we discern what is essential and what should be jettisoned? How do we experiment with mission and ministry in a way consistent with the gospel? This issue wrestles with these questions, shares stories of out-of-the-box thinking and offers an example of a major change navigated with grace. Click here to read the issue in the Uberflip reader. Social entrepreneurship and mission The Epiphany project of First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta awards grants to help local people serve the community. Leslie Scanlon reports. Turning the Holy Spirit loose in our polityPresbyterian polity offers freedom and flexibility, open to the innovative winds of the Holy Spirit. Stronger together Two Presbyterian agencies worked together to negotiate a healthy merger. … [Read more...]
Storytelling and stewardship: How stories form the church into generous stewards
90-minute Presbyterian Outlook webinar Thursday, August 29, 2019 at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT) – On demand replay provided to all who purchase Presented by Sean Mitchell Stories are told everywhere — at the dinner table, in the store and in the classroom. Stories shape us and influence our formation and decision-making. And, storytelling informs and shapes practices of discipleship as well. Join Sean Mitchell in this webinar as he presents storytelling as a core practice for equipping the saints to mature as generous stewards. He will discuss examples of stewardship storytelling from Scripture and church history and provide a framework for developing a storytelling model for church leaders. Live participation and/or on-demand video replay — $29.95 (1-6 participants from the same church/ministry) Purchase the Webinar Who should attend? If you are a pastor, elder, congregational leader of a stewardship ministry team or involved in planning a church fundraising initiative, this … [Read more...]
Preaching about Racism: A Guide for Faith Leaders
Carolyn B. Helsel Chalice Press, 128 pages Reviewed by Rachel Cheney As a predominantly white denomination, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has the option to choose whether we want to think or talk about racism. Most people of color are not afforded this luxury. For many, talking about racism is not an abstract mental exercise, but a painfully lived out reality. Taking on this topic from the pulpit can be daunting. In “Preaching about Racism,” Carolyn Helsel lays out a format for pastors and faith leaders to engage the necessary task of talking about racism from the pulpit. She argues that for white pastors preaching to predominantly white congregations, it is crucial that we start with gratitude for the work that Christ has already done in our own lives. She explains: “The shame of sin does not motivate us to live new lives. Our gratitude for what God has done gets us excited to live humbly and work for justice” — especially justice for those most affected by the prevalence … [Read more...]
Periodically dark
“Sunday school books were made for black people, but the black church doesn’t like books.” A decade has passed, but I remember the day I heard that statement like it was yesterday. The echo of a needle screeching to a halt on a phonograph filled the room. As it was for most of the purely Presbyterian parts of my theological education, I was the only “black people” in this Reformed theology class, so everyone’s head snapped in my direction. I was just about to respond to my classmate’s clear misunderstanding, when out of nowhere, the professor decided to out-asinine him. “Carlton, would you like to tell us how the black church feels about Sunday school books?” Rather than look curiously at him like the RCA terrier staring at the phonograph, I gently responded, “I would love to, except there is no such monolithic thing as ‘the black church,’ and if there were, I doubt seriously I could speak for all of them.” Class was dismissed. Yet the exchange shed light on how little is … [Read more...]
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