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GA NEWS: Wedding performed at More Light dinner June 21

A same-sex wedding made possible by a recent California Supreme Court decision was held June 21 at the conclusion of the More Light Presbyterians’ traditional reception and dinner during the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

         After First Church, Palo Alto, Calif., received the More Light Presbyterians’ Inclusive Church Award, two of its members, Derrick Kikuchi and Craig Wiesner, received the National More Light Presbyterians David Sindt Leadership Award. 

GA NEWS: Same-sex marriage performed at More Light banquet

Hundreds of More Light Presbyterians filled the ballroom at the Marriott Hotel Saturday night for their traditional General Assembly Reception and Dinner.  Once the dinner plates had been cleared, and the cake was eaten, it began to look like the reception was almost over.  But the marriage ceremony had not yet begun.

GA NEWS: Joe Small honored with Festschrift

SAN JOSE - Surrounded by about 40 colleagues, friends and family members, Joseph D. Small was honored at a gathering of his peers June 20. Small was presented a Festschrift, a book of collected theological essays honoring Small’s achievements and leadership in the field of ecclesial theology.

GA NEWS: “You have a tiger God:” GA plenary opens June 21

SAN JOSE – The 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) kicked off this morning with some bursts of hope – with voices from the leadership of the denomination telling of their work and their conviction that, in the words of Robert Wilson, vice-moderator of the 217th General Assembly, “we are better together.”

Associated Church Press awards announced

(PNS) Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-related publications and others won awards in the 2007 “Best of the Christian Press” competition sponsored by the Associated Church Press — the oldest and largest religious press association in North America.

“Dr. Mac: “A tribute to Donald Macleod

Dr. Donald Macleod served as a mentor and friend when I began studies at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1969. This Scottish Presbyterian revered Psalm 100 as an international anthem of God's gracious friendship towards humankind. Its crescendo rises at the grand finale of praise: For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to the end of the ages.

When Donald Macleod stood by you, a student in his class knew this professor seldom fell away as a fair-weather friend. . We saw ourselves as "Macleod's Men," though the language may be sexist, it's how we described ourselves on campus when few women studied for ministry. He received telephone contacts from a myriad of Search Committees looking to fill their pulpits. When "Dr. Mac" extolled the strengths of one of his "men," Pastoral Search Committees seemingly treated Macleod's inventory of candidates as the very voice of the Lord.

Guest Commentary: Mike Huckabee’s charm doesn’t convert Jimmy Carter

Presidential contender Mike Huckabee, an ordained preacher in the Southern Baptist Convention, adores its theology. Born-again Jimmy Carter deplores it. Carter severed Southern Baptist ties in which he was raised because some leaders snarled like roaring lions at other Christians. Recruiting former president Bill Clinton, another Southern Baptist, Carter has cobbled together a coalition of Christians disgruntled with a denomination that keeps women in their place, strictly behind their men.

LPTS women’s ordination anniversary celebration

LOUISVILLE -- In some ways, the anniversaries of women's ordination that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is in the midst of celebrating this year -- 100 years for deacons, 75 years for elders, 50 years for ministers -- are momentous, historic events.

And in other ways they are like a panorama of smaller stories -- layers of personal remembrances, snippets of impressions, allegories laden with history and meaning and politics.

Some are funny stories -- such as when a class of five women arrived at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1980 and found urinals in the women's restrooms and potted plants in the urinals.

Some are painful -- the stories of women who felt called by God to serve at a time when the church said, "Absolutely not."

And some tell folks that as far as the church has come, there are still young women, and women of color, and lesbians who want to be ordained, and mature women scarred by the fighting, who would say the Presbyterian church hasn't come nearly far enough.

27 former GA moderators endorse re-election of Kirkpatrick as stated clark

Twenty-seven former General Assembly moderators have signed a letter endorsing the re-election of Clifton Kirkpatrick as stated clerk of the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The letter, which was initiated by former moderator Marj Carpenter, an elder from Big Spring, Texas, says that Kirkpatrick has done "an excellent job under very difficult circumstances and much pressure."

Outlook reporter, art director honored by Associated Church Press

TORONTO — Leslie Scanlon, The Outlook's national reporter, and Stann Bailey, its art director, received honors from the Associated Church Press during the organization’s annual meeting here April 18-21.

Scanlon, who has been with The Outlook for four years, received a second-place award in magazine newswriting for her coverage of the Cincinnati Presbytery meeting at which minister Stephen Van Kuiken lost his ordination last summer. (That decision was later overturned by the Covenant Synod PJC.)

Gracious Separation: just an idea for now

PORTLAND — A sprinkling of people wore buttons that said: "Gracious Separation, A Faithful Choice," and a workshop to discuss it was packed, but it was far from clear whether people were just curious about the idea or willing to actually support it. The Presbyterian Coalition board has not endorsed it — it’s presenting options but not pushing openly for any — and the Lay Committee, where the idea reportedly has some support and some opposition, hasn’t voted yet.

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