(PNS) John Detterick, who for eight years led the General Assembly Council (now the Presbyterian Mission Agency) and before that the Board of Pensions for five years, died Tuesday at age 80 at his home in Denver after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving wife and four children. According to those family members, he will be remembered by many for his wisdom, faith, honesty, humility, leadership and grace. “He was a great leader for our church, and the two of us were the closest of partners in the ministry of Christ’s Church,” said the Rev. Dr. Cliff Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk Emeritus of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and professor of World Christianity and Ecumenical Studies at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. “I give thanks to God for John Detterick for the many gifts he shared with me, with the broader church and with the Church Ecumenical.” “While I did not know John, people have fond memories of his ministry and work,” … [Read more...]

(PNS) Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has reached out to presbyteries in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana to offer assistance following a round of winter storms that has left many people without heat and safe drinking water. “Literally, the entire Synod of the Sun has been impacted,” so nearly a dozen presbyteries, said the Rev. James Kirk, Associate for National Disaster Response for PDA. While PDA is still waiting to hear back from some presbyteries, the ministry anticipates multiple church damage grants and multiple initial assistance grant requests. “PDA is reaching out and working with the presbyteries as they assess the extent of the damage,” said Kirk. “The event is still unfolding,” and both travel and communication have been hampered by the weather. Texas has been particularly hard hit by the effects of an arctic blast that left millions under boil-water advisories after back-to-back storms dropped temperatures to record lows, leading to power … [Read more...]

(OGA) Some changes have been made for two presbyteries in Montana, while two California presbyteries have decided to form a new one. This was part of the agenda of a recent meeting of the newly formed Administrative Commission on Mid Councils. The commission was authorized during the 224th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) last summer during the church’s first online gathering. It acts with the authority of the GA by approving synods’ requests to organize, divide or combine presbyteries. During a meeting earlier this month, the commission heard about plans for Glacier and Yellowstone presbyteries to move the boundary between the two to allow Glacier to better facilitate the work of a new ministry in Basin, Montana. “The ministry emerged by the Spirit and forged partnerships as participants were drawn together in this work of God. We have been finding, discerning, receiving an experience of unity in the common call that God has set before us, and in the power … [Read more...]

(OGA) Good leaders pray. For years I could not understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he told the believers in Thessalonica to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). How do you do that? As a pastor’s kid, I thought Dad’s pastoral prayers dragged on for an eternity. As teenagers, my brothers and I began to time each of Dad’s prayers. One Sunday dinner, my older brother told Dad he had set an all-time record by praying for more than six minutes. “How do you even know God is listening that long? And besides, if God knows everything, why do you have to tell God what God already knows?!” he asked. I thought it was a good question. Then Dad said, “Boys, I don’t pray for God to know about us. I pray for us to know about God.” Years later, I thought of Dad’s response when I read American Trappist monk Thomas Merton say that he does not pray to change God. He prays so that he might be changed. This resonates with the Jewish theology that to pray is related to “judging oneself.” … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE (OGA) Depending on the source, the world’s emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic could be four months, six months or longer. Regardless of how long it takes, the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, says the church needs to be ready. The nearly yearlong pandemic has taken its toll on thousands of churches across denominations. Some have closed their doors permanently, while others have found new, innovative ways of outreach. Nelson believes the work should be underway now to address the church of the future. by Rick Jones, Randy Hobson and J. Herbert Nelson, Office of the General Assembly … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE (PNS) — The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is providing for congregational use an online Ash Wednesday service that features liturgy and music in English, Spanish and Korean. The 40-minute pre-recorded service was filmed at the chapel in the Center’s Louisville, Kentucky, office and is available on the Center’s Vimeo page here. Ash Wednesday, which in 2021 falls on Feb. 17, marks the beginning of Lent, a time of reflection and prayer in preparation of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. The Rev. Dr. David Gambrell, associate for worship in the PC(USA)’s Office of Theology & Worship, who along with Dr. William McConnell, a Mission Engagement Advisor in the Presbyterian Mission Agency, prepared the service, said he’s confident that the service reflects the hope and promise of the gospel. Resources for use with the service may be found here. Additional resources are being added. “In some ways, it feels as though we have been living in the season of Lent since … [Read more...]