LOUISVILLE — It was a fine conjunction of forces: more than a thousand people, standing in a long chilly line under a sweet sliver of a moon, drawn to the parking lot of a conservative church in the Louisville suburbs by the prospect of listening to a rock star — Bono of U2 — who admits that he's not too comfortable in churches and that on this tour "the wheels are falling off my wagon a little bit — having no sleep and I drink too much."
Howard Edington, 60, pastor of 5,500-member First church, Orlando, Fla., for two decades and a prominent figure among evangelical Presbyterians, has told his congregation that he will retire at the end of January 2003.
The retirement announcement by Edington, who saw the size of his downtown congregation more than triple during his 21 years as pastor, took some in the congregation by surprise. And the response has been both widespread praise and appreciation from his supporters for his work, and hints at some unrest within the congregation.
Susan Andrews, pastor of Bradley Hills church, Bethesda, Md., was endorsed Nov. 26 by National Capital Presbytery as a nominee for Moderator of the 215th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
She becomess the second nominee for moderator. Former missionary Harold Kurtz was earlier endorsed by Cascades Presbytery.
Many Americans don't think twice about walking up to the counter in a cozy java joint and ordering a coffee drink for $3 or $4. What they may not know is that coffee farmers in many countries are struggling to sell their coffee for anywhere near a living wage — and that how people in the United States buy their coffee can have a direct impact on the quality of life for farmers in some of the poorest countries in the world.
Baltimore Presbytery met on Thursday, Nov. 21, and, after considerable discussion, did not adopt any of several proposals put before it regarding enforcement of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Constitution.
Many evangelicals in the church have been watching Baltimore Presbytery closely to see how it would deal with Don Stroud, a gay minister who's declared publicly that he cannot in conscience comply with the part of the Constitution that restricts ordination to those who practice fidelity if they are married or chastity if they are single.
CHICAGO — When Ron Lundeen got a call at his home in Arizona on his 59th birthday, asking him if he knew of someone, anyone, who might be a good match for leading a $40 million fund-raising effort for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Lundeen kept repeating that he couldn't think of a soul. Then he hung up the phone and couldn't think of anything else.
During the last several months, I have received numerous communications asking where I stand in relation to controversial actions being taken by two members of the church I serve. This statement is intended to bring clarification.
I am in an awkward position as the pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Newport Beach, Calif., and the moderator of its session.
Donald Stroud, the gay Presbyterian minister who's been at the heart of a dispute in Baltimore Presbytery because of his public statements that he cannot in conscience comply with Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) prohibitions against ordaining sexually active gays and lesbians, grew up in the Presbyterian Church and began telling people when he was 9 that he was going to be a minister. Stroud also said he knew early on that there was "something different" about him, compared to other boys.
Paul Rolf Jensen isn't surprised and he isn't happy.
The decision of two designated members of Baltimore Presbytery's Permanent Judicial Commission not to bring charges against Don Stroud, an openly gay minister who has said publicly that he cannot in conscience comply with the provision in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Constitution that limits ordination to those who practice fidelity if they are married or chastity if they are single, means "they have decided to use the Constitution as toilet paper," Jensen said in a written statement.
Two members of Baltimore Presbytery's Permanent Judicial Commission designated to review an investigating committee's report say no disciplinary charges should be filed against Donald E. Stroud, a gay Presbyterian minister who is on the staff of That All May Freely Serve.
The commission members' letter to the presbytery, which will meet on Nov. 21, was made public Thursday by Charles P. Forbes, the presbytery's stated clerk.
MINNEAPOLIS — Some in the Covenant Network of Presbyterians are arguing that the time has come to interpret what the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) really means when it limits ordination of elders and ministers to those who practice fidelity if they are married or chastity if they are single. And their conclusion: it does not say what many people think it does.
MINNEAPOLIS — It's clearly not a time for legislation: the Covenant Network of Presbyterians has no plans to push now for another amendment to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) to remove restrictions on ordaining gays and lesbians who don't promise to be chaste. Instead, the group is working to win over what co-moderator Eugene Bay of Philadelphia called "the great middle of the church" and to broaden its agenda
MINNEAPOLIS -- Fahed Abu-Akel, moderator of the 214th General Assembly (2002) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has released a letter to the General Assembly's commissioners announcing his opposition to calling the Assembly back into session for a special meeting to address what some in the church are calling a "constitutional crisis."
The Mid-Atlantic Synod has decided to set up an administrative review committee to review the actions of Baltimore Presbytery regarding Donald Stroud, a minister who has publicly said that he cannot comply with the section of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that does not permit the ordination of those who are single and sexually active.
It’s true: the advertising folks would hate it. There’s absolutely no jingle in the phrase, "International Leader Development."
But the idea itself has plenty of pull. Think of Christians from many countries, some of them new converts, some religious minorities in a volatile political landscape, hungry for pastors who can teach them about the Bible and God.
LOUISVILLE — Mike Loudon's church in Lakeland, Fla., thinks of itself as "very evangelical," he said — but it loses people, folks who think his Presbyterian church isn't conservative enough, to Assemblies of God or Southern Baptist congregations. Sacramento, where Scott Anderson's from, has been named one of the most integrated cities in the country. There, he said, one of the fastest growing congregations is called the "spiritual life center," which promotes no clear dogma or doctrine at all.
LOUISVILLE — Whether the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is in a time of crisis — theological, constitutional or just plain lethargy, with some people ready to post explanations of their views onto the front doors of church institutions while others pull the blankets up to their ears in delicious slumber every Sunday morning, effectively unconscious to the Presbyterian church — is a matter of debate.
LOUISVILLE — John M. Mulder, 56, president of Louisiville Seminary for 21 years, has resigned due to health concerns.
Meeting in Louisville Saturday (Oct. 26), the seminary's board of trustees "determined his resignation is in the best interest of the seminary and is effective immediately," according to a seminary news release.
Dear 214th General Assembly Commissioners:
It has come to our attention that there is an effort being made to reconvene the 214th General Assembly for the purpose of dealing with what some consider to be a constitutional crisis in the PC(USA). It seemed appropriate for us, both having stood for the office of Moderator of this past Assembly, to remind our fellow commissioners of the theme of our Assembly.
In 1895, Henry Van Dyke, pastor of the Brick church, New York City, wrote The Story of the Other Wise Man, which is still in print and still a favorite at Christmastime. It is about a Persian, Artaban by name, who follows the Christ star. Because he stops on his pilgrimage to assist the needy, he misses meeting the three Magi in Bethlehem. He continues his quest after the Christ for 33 years, ministering to others with gifts originally meant for the Christ-child. Finally he comes to Golgotha. There he hears Christ's words: 'Inasmuch as thou hast done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me' (Matthew 25:40).
In this story, translated into many languages, Van Dyke, another wise man, continues to touch our lives. In addition to being a pastor, Van Dyke was a popular writer, professor and diplomat, who deserves notice on Nov. 10, his 150th birthday.
GUATEMALA CITY — Rocked by 36 years of civil war which took at least 200,000 lives, this Central American nation continues to struggle with the haunting memories of that conflict and the poverty and crime which have followed.
It’s a precarious peace. Most of those who committed atrocities during the war have gone unpunished. Some who have pushed for justice have paid with their own lives.
News release from Presbyterians for Renewal
A few weeks ago, members of the Board of Presbyterians for Renewal learned that some General Assembly commissioners are urging their comrades to reconvene the 214th General Assembly to address what they term a "constitutional crisis." We have carefully analyzed the commissioners’ rationale and the possible outcomes of such a meeting, and we believe a called Assembly at this time would be inopportune and perhaps misunderstood.
The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) is telling commissioners to the 214th General Assembly (2002) that the PC(USA) is not in a constitutional crisis and there is no need to recall the Assembly, which met last June in Columbus, Ohio, into special session.
LOUISVILLE — With a change to biennial assemblies on the horizon for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — the 2002 General Assembly voted for the denomination to start holding its annual policy-setting meeting every other year, beginning in 2006 — some new ground rules have to take effect.
And the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly is recommending that, when the change takes effect:
ORLANDO — One of the best lines to come out of the Presbyterian Coalition's national gathering Oct. 3-5 came from Jerry Andrews, a pastor from Chicago, saying that as a Coalition leader "I have preened and postured and posed for you" and "almost perfected the art of whining," but now "the days of whine and poses are over."
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