LOUISVILLE (OGA) How do churches connect with their neighbors? What barriers do they need to break in order to establish that relationship? Neighborhood Church: Transforming Your Congregation into a Powerhouse for Mission was selected by Ruling Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri and the Reverend Cindy Kohlmann, Co-Moderators of the 223rd General Assembly (2018), to inspire churches to become strong community partners. In the continuing video series on the book, Co-Author Rob Mueller talks with people who have seen firsthand how being a neighborhood church can change lives. Click here for more information about the book and other videos. by Rick Jones, Office of the General Assembly … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE (OGA) At a time of political and racial divisions in the United States, the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is urging Americans to look beyond labels and find ways to connect. The Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, says people should be looking for the heart of individuals. In a continuing series of interviews, Nelson shares his thoughts on building unity in a country divided. by Rick Jones, Office of the General Assembly … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE (OGA) With the 224th General Assembly (2020) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approximately eight months away, the Stated Clerk Nominating Committee has begun the process of seeking a nominee for the office. “The committee is proud to begin the prayerful and Spirit led process of listening and discernment as we search for the person God is preparing to serve as the Stated Clerk for the next four years,” said Ruling Elder Wilson Kennedy, committee moderator. “We are searching for a dynamic leader who will do the hard work of leading the PC(USA) into God’s future with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.” Per Standing Rules of the General Assembly, the Stated Clerk is elected every four years and applications are available to all ruling elders and ministers of the Word and Sacrament. The Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, will be completing his first term next June and is eligible to seek additional terms in office. “We will accept applications until 180 … [Read more...]

(OGA) When the Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, was elected Stated Clerk of the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), one of his first acts was to create the Hands and Feet initiative. The idea was to work with organizations in the cities that would host the next General Assembly to address community needs such as hunger and poverty. For the past year, the focus has been in Baltimore, host of the 224th General Assembly (2020), with special emphasis on The Center, a mission initiative of the Presbytery of Baltimore. The nonprofit organization hosts mission teams from across the country to engage in community services with other churches and nonprofits in the Baltimore area. As part of the church’s commitment to The Center, two fellowships were established in 2018. Melva Lowry and Olivia Thomas have been working with Center staff to expand programs and work with visiting churches. “The Hands and Feet initiative helped us branch beyond … [Read more...]

(PNS) Renowned biblical scholar Dr. Cain Hope Felder may have been a Methodist, but he had fans among Presbyterians, too. Felder, who taught for decades at the Howard University School of Divinity and before that at Princeton Theological Seminary, died Tuesday at the age of 76. “I learned to appreciate his genius as a seminarian, when he would come to San Francisco Theological Seminary as a visiting professor,” said the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. “I was blessed to sit under his tutelage as I continued to grow as a young pastor.” Moffett said that Felder’s 1989 book “Troubling Biblical Waters: Race, Class, and Family,” which explored the significance of black people in the Bible, “helped me to see the importance of an African American man in biblical hermeneutics. His contributions impacted many. I am saddened by his death and grateful for his life.” “A great and mighty oak has fallen with the death of Dr. … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE (PNS) — From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 the United States celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month. During this period the country recognizes and honors the rich history and contributions made by Hispanic and Latino-a Americans.  Hispanics/Latino-a are the largest people of color group in the United States and the third-largest people of color group in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). According to the Office of the General Assembly statistics, about 2 percent of members of organized congregations are Hispanic about — 17,000 all in all. This does not include folks involved in new church developments, fellowships, and new worshiping communities. And, according to research conducted for the 1001 ministry by the PC(USA) Research Services, about 15 percent of participants in some worshiping communities linked with the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s 1001 NWC initiative are Hispanic. To further celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, a special worship service was held … [Read more...]