SAN JOSE — Thousands of Presbyterians gathered Sunday, June 22 for the opening worship service of the 218th General Assembly, summoned out of the sunny morning by two bagpipes acting as Shofar. Simultaneous services for commissioners and visitors ensued at buildings a mile apart with a satellite link connecting them.
SAN JOSE — Five simple cots, random pieces of clothing and a host of chairs and suitcases littered the stage at the Club Regent at the Fairmont Hotel here, temporarily transforming the elegant space into a makeshift homeless shelter in Baton Rouge, LA, for the stage play, “The Name of the Rain.”
On this 25th anniversary of the reunion of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (northern stream) and the Presbyterian Church in the United States (southern stream), people who were there look back.
“Jellyfish” is so international that it is an Israeli film featuring Hebrew, German, and a Filipino dialect to accompany the occasional thickly-accented English. “Jellyfish” is a montage of several different life-stories, all of people who are flying under the radar — mostly invisible.
SAN JOSE — Participants at the Presbyterian World Mission Luncheon June 22 couldn’t help but try out the proposed name change for the General Assembly Mission Council. When GAC chair-elect, Carol Adcock (Grace Presbytery) announced, “General Assembly Mission Council,” applause ensued.
SAN JOSE — There is hope for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) if it becomes grounded in first-order concerns, the Rev. Mark Labberton, pastor of 1700-member First Church of Berkeley, Calif., told the Presbyterian Coalition luncheon Sunday (June 22).
SAN JOSE, June 22, 2008 — The opportunity to add commissioner resolutions to the 218th General Assembly closed 10 a.m. Sunday morning with 13 of the 17 submitted being referred to committees, based on action of the Bills and Overtures Committee.
As proud bearer of the nickname, “Honest Habe,” I begged to be given the part of that heroic senatorial candidate, when Mr. Warnaar assigned our fifth grade class to re-enact the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Greg Smith was assigned the role of Stephen A. Douglas, and, sure enough, I drew the name of Abraham Lincoln.
SAN JOSE, June 22, 2008 — Mike Farrell, a Hollywood actor and producer best known for his role as medical doctor B.J. Hunnicutt in the television series M*A*S*H, told a lunch-time gathering that he was happy to answer questions about the groundbreaking TV series.
SAN JOSE, June 22, 2008 — “As I raise my three daughters, I am reminded every day what it means to be a woman in this world,” Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) moderator, the Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, told the packed room gathered to celebrate “Visionary Women Transforming the Church and Society” at the Women of Faith Awards breakfast.
The Synod of the Southwest is withdrawing an overture to the General Assembly, which had sought to give the General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) the flexibility to invest its medium- and long-term funds with the Presbyterian Foundation or elsewhere if it chose.
A sense permeated last January’s gathering that only the providence of God could bring together such a strikingly diverse collection of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) pastors, workers, mission personnel, and leaders for such a peaceable — indeed, course-altering — meeting regarding Presbyterian mission.
On the Day of Pentecost, which was very windy here in West Virginia, I could not help but be impressed by the Scripture reader’s ability to pronounce the names of all the various nationalities listed in the narrative in Acts.
There is an Irish custom that when someone moves from one house to a new one, they take live coals from the fire with them. The coals symbolize the heart of the home; the warmth, the food, and the good cheer.
Editor’s Note: This is the twelfth essay in a series dealing with theological topics of interest and importance to Presbyterians. The essays are a response to the General Assembly Task Force Report on the Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church, but also a considered effort to probe the Reformed heritage and find fresh theological language with which to move beyond the poles that divide us.
In recent days, various stories in the church press have addressed perceived conflicts between the General Assembly Council and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Foundation, including references to a supposed attempt by the GAC to bypass financial controls and inappropriately access donor funds for General Assembly programs, projects and missions.
There is a cry in America. This cry pierces the air around us — sometimes silently or ignored; sometimes blaring like an infant’s wail — but it is a lament that has persisted for so long … for too long.
What could be better than being well-educated, but slightly bored, children jumping into a wardrobe closet and finding a magical land called Narnia where you have cool adventures with your siblings, and become royalty? Well, how about finding yourselves transported, a few years later, poised to return as conquering heroes?
Both are action-adventure movies, and with both, suspension of disbelief is easier done with tongue firmly planted in the cheek. We’re just having fun here, we’re not really trying to convince you that it’s real, so just sit back and enjoy the story.
The Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat, N.C., opened May 24 with 400 persons registered to attend during the celebration weekend.
SAN JOSE, July 22 – The woman stood in the bright afternoon sun, her head bowed, tears streaking her face. A Presbyterian minister – who had never met her before, who was in town for General Assembly and happened to be walking by – opened his arms and pulled her into a comforting embrace. Before long, tears streaked his face too.
SAN JOSE – The 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has elected as its moderator, Bruce Reyes-Chow, the youngest candidate in the race, and the only one of the four candidates who did not wear a necktie.
SAN JOSE – Four candidates have stepped forth to fill the office of Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). On June 22, the late Sunday afternoon session of the 218th General Assembly heard nominating speeches for the four men seeking to fill the office being vacated at the end of the General Assembly by Clifton Kirkpatrick,
The Rev. David Zuverink of Los Gatos, California, presented this year’s Witherspoon Society Whole Gospel Congregation Award to the First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, California.
The Witherspoon Society held its award luncheon on Sunday June 22 where it presented the Andrew Murray Award to Clifton Kirkpatrick “in grateful recognition of his good spirited ministry as stated clerk, his commitment to ecumenical partnerships,
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