An ecumenical group of Christian denominations that was determined to address racism inside and outside the church is facing an uncertain future after two of its three historically black member-churches stopped attending its meetings.
LOUISVILLE — Southside Church in Tucson, Ariz., has erected a new sign in front of its rustic, southwestern-style, adobe building just like the one Nauraushaun Church has placed in front of its modern, red-brick edifice in Pearl River, N.Y.
This is high season for short-term mission trips, with congregations all over the United States sending groups to paint and hammer, teach and worship, and fix teeth.
About 15 years ago, Los Ranchos Presbytery in southern California and Limuru Presbytery in Kenya began a partnership journey together “with good intentions,” says Steven Toshio Yamaguchi, Los Ranchos’ executive presbyter.
LOUISVILLE — Jorge Lara-Braud, 77, a Presbyterian lay pastor, theologian, and social activist who devoted his life to improving the lot of the marginalized and oppressed, died June 22 after a fall near his home in Austin, Texas.
LOUISVILLE — The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has joined a bipartisan group of some 200 religious leaders, former top government officials, and retired generals in calling on President George W. Bush to sign an executive order outlawing torture and cruel and inhuman treatment of detainees held in connection with the global war on terror.
NEW YORK -- The U.S. religious landscape is far more nuanced than many might have believed, according to a survey detailing a broad range of U.S. religious, social and political beliefs. One finding is that most people in the United States, including evangelical Christians, are not particularly dogmatic about their religious faith.
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.
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.
PNS/SAN JOSE — The official 2007 statistics for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) were released June 20 by the Office of the General Assembly on the convening day of the 218th General Assembly.
SAN JOSE — After a number of failed attempts to land a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly, the Presbytery of San Jose finally succeeded in 2008 and local Presbyterians are excited, Committee on Local Arrangements chair Bob Bowles told the 218th General Assembly’s opening press conference June 20.
LOUISVILLE – A new fellowship started in Presbytery de Cristo and the Synod of the Southwest now enables Middle Eastern Presbyterians and other Arab-speaking Christians in the area to worship in their own language and culture.
An overture from the Presbytery of John Knox (Item 05-12) intends to overturn the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission’s authoritative interpretation (AI) in the recent Bush decision. The PJC ruled that determinations made under G-6.0108 “do not permit departure from the ‘fidelity and chastity’ requirement found in G-6.0106b” (Headnotes).
One of the most important tasks of church officers and pastors is to visit the sick, take care of shut-ins, and meet with members who are in personal or public distress.
