BIG TENT: The future is now: youth ministry task force gets feedback at Big Tent

ATLANTA — What do young people want from the Presbyterian church? And — for the young and energetic, the skeptical and the faithful and the passionate — what do Presbyterian churches have to offer?

WARC’s Nyomi applauds appointment of Roman Catholic dean at Presbyterian seminary

(ENI) —The appointment of a Roman Catholic nun as dean of San Francisco Theological Seminary illustrates the truth of the saying "to be Reformed is to be ecumenical", says the general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

Faith groups cheer as Congress approves FDA regulation of tobacco industry

(NCC) Faith leaders have applauded Congress for its action approving landmark legislation authorizing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products.

Protestant Christianity’s Reluctance

Swiss politician seeks inspiration from 16th-century Calvin

GENEVA — (ENI) The16th-century teaching of John Calvin can inspire a "reformation of values" in the face of the economic and ecological crises that confront the world, a Swiss politician has said at a ceremony to mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformer's birth.

Kobia tells Dutch gathering Christians should welcome all faiths

Doom, Netherlands — (ENI) The head of the World Council of Churches has warned of a backlash in Europe against migrants and refugees, after gains by anti-immigration parties in elections to the European Union parliament.

Stephen A. Hayner named president of Columbia Theological Seminary

DECATUR, GA.—Stephen A. Hayner has been unanimously elected the ninth president of Columbia Theological Seminary by the board of trustees.  [caption id="attachment_20641" align="alignright" width="150"]Stephen A. Hayner [/caption]Following a nationwide search for a successor to Laura S. Mendenhall, who served Columbia since 2000, the board turned to its own Peachtree Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth to lead the school. His appointment is effective July 1, 2009.

Graham Baird tells Presbyterians to embrace the messy life of ministry

ATLANTA — Is it possible for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to experience a Pentecost-like renewal?

BIG TENT: Mendenhall goes out with a bang

The moving truck was nearly full, the family pick-up truck was gassed and ready to roll in the morning, and the seminary was just three days away from announcing her successor.

BIG TENT: PC(USA) Evelyn Hwang’s retirement is honored at the Big Tent

Linda Valentine, Evelyn Hwang, and Gradye Parsons standing togetherATLANTA - A buoyant gathering of grateful well-wishers packed the Peachtree Suite at the Hyatt Regency Hotel here to celebrate the retirement of Evelyn Hwang after her more than 48 years of service on the national staff of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) both in New York City and Louisville.

BIG TENT: From maintenance to missional mode: McDonald challenges disciple workshop

ATLANTA -- Glen McDonald challenged 42 workshop participants at the first ever Big Tent event here to become sacrificial in moving their congregations from "maintenance mode to missional mode."

BIG TENT: Lindner: Denominational challenges in post-denominational times

ATLANTA – In some ways, these tumultuous days feel like a perfect storm for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

BIG TENT: Young adults in their 20s and 30s see the world through different lenses

ATLANTA – Young adults in their 20s and 30s see the world through different lenses than do many older folks – and churches trying to answer the questions “Why don’t they stay with us?” and “Why do they give so little?” would do well to pay attention.

BIG TENT: Clear vision, faith in God’s plan, are keys to multicultural outreach, Chestnut tells Big Tent gathering

ATLANTA – “As the Blues Brothers said, we’re on a mission from God,” said the Rev. Robert Chestnut, in a workshop entitled “Growing the Church Deep and Wide: Spiritual Practices of Multicultural Outreach” here at the 2009 National Multicultural Conference, part of the first ever Big Tent event of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) June 12.

BIG TENT: Parsons urges elders to re-think role, take risks, be “dangerous”

ATLANTA — “The office of elder is not just some job in the church.

BIG TENT: Justice for neighbors:PC(USA) looks toward a new immigration reality

ATLANTA — “How we treat people should never be up for discussion.

BIG TENT: You are a potential evangelist, Mead tells Big Tent conferees

ATLANTA, June 12 -- When someone asks a Christian “ `Why do you believe in all that God stuff?’ they’re not looking for an intellectual answer,” said James Mead, associate pastor of Chapel Hill Church in Gig Harbor, Wash.

BIG TENT: Hoey aims to fill the tent

ATLANTA, June 12 – Eric Hoey knows that Presbyterian evangelism isn’t working; he has every intention of reversing that.

BIG TENT: Carvalhaes calls Presbyterians to be “God’s hands in the world”

ATLANTA — Cláudio Carvalhaes’ parents met at a small independent Presbyterian church in Sao Paulo, Brazil, married, and then raised their four children in the heart of that same church.

BIG TENT: How big is big? Presbyterians gather in opening service of Big Tent

How big a tent does the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) need?[caption id="attachment_20625" align="alignright" width="360"]Anna Carter Florence tells participants at the opening worship service of the Big Tent Conference in Atlanta Thursday night (June 11) how “big” the church’s tent should be. She is an associate professor of preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Ga. OUTLOOK photo by Erin Dunigan.[/caption]

Alt7: You are the artwork. the artist. the art curator, Bronsink tells young pastors

“You are artwork. You are artists. You are curators,” Troy Bronsink, pastor of an emerging church new church development in Atlanta, told the Alt7 gathering of clergy under 40 at Montreat Conference  Center on June 10.[caption id="attachment_20621" align="alignright" width="360"]At the emergent worship celebration at the 2009 alt7 Conference at Montreat, participants prayed, sang, shared the bread and cup. Troy Bronsink, pastor of an emerging church new church development in Atlanta spoke to the group about creativity as an expression of faith and faith community while another young pastor, Aaron Doll of First Church in Brockport, N.Y., accompanied Bronsink’s words by creating a clay vessel. OUTLOOK photo by Erin Dunigan.[/caption]

Alt7 Conference: Edmiston: Moving traditional church into the 21st Century (in ten easy steps)

Editor’s note: This is the second of three reports from the Alt7 Conference at Montreat Conference Center, North Carolina, June 8-11.

How big a tent?

ATLANTA – How big a tent does the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) need?

Publishing Corp. launches new online resource

A new online resource center from the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC) was launched June 1.