Recovering from a great disaster challenges a congregation's quick reflexes and endurance, according to Greg Hughes, pastor of Malibu Church in Malibu, Calif.
"Up until this point it's been a sprint," admits Hughes. He and the church made international news as the first structure to burn in the October 2007 wildfires that wreaked havoc through the Malibu area last fall. "Now we've got to start pacing ourselves -- we are now in the marathon stage," says the pastor. Almost six months after the fire, the story of Malibu Church is one of both perseverance and exhaustion, of challenge and opportunity as the staff and the congregation work to grieve over what has been lost and dream toward what is yet to come.
Joyce MacKichan Walker was honored February 15 as Educator of the Year by the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators at its annual conference in San Diego.
Walker, a 20-year church educator at the Nassau Church in Princeton, N.J., was ordained in 2007 as a Minister of Word and Sacrament to serve as minister of education at the church.
LOUISVILLE -- The Stated Clerk Nomination Committee has chosen Gradye Parsons, currently director of operations for the Office of the General Assembly, as its nominee to be the new stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The General Assembly, meeting in San Jose in June, will make the actual decision -- and it's likely that other candidates will step forward to challenge Parsons for the position.
But the nomination committee, in a news release issued April 3, announced that it had selected Parsons from among 14 candidates as the nominee it would recommend to the assembly -- with committee moderator Steve Grace saying in the news release that Parsons "brings a wonderful blend of experiences and creative leadership" to the position.
NEW YORK -- Eileen W. Lindner, a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) minister widely known as editor of the Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches and as a tireless leader and chronicler of the ecumenical movement, has announced her departure from the National Council of Churches USA on May 15.
Lindner, former NCC deputy general secretary research and planning, has served as director of organizational development since a reorganization of the NCC on Jan. 1. "Fund raising is a crucial position for any non-profit organization and this has never been more true for the Council than it is now," Lindner said. "The role of fund raiser needs to be focused much more sharply than is possible in my current position."
LOUISVILLE -- Clifton Kirkpatrick has been appointed as visiting professor of ecumenical studies and global ministries at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary beginning next fall.
The announcement was made during the "Voices of the Church Dinner," held March 4 in conjunction with Louisville Seminary's annual Festival of Theology and Alum Reunion. Kirkpatrick was the guest speaker.
Kirkpatrick is currently stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) He is also president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and serves on the governing boards of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and the Council of Presidents, United States Chapter, of the World Conference on Religion and Peace.
LOUISVILLE -- The need for the church to revitalize and strengthen its commitment to evangelism in a rapidly growing multicultural world will be the focus of the ninth annual Multicultural Conference of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in San Antonio, Texas.
The official theme of the April 10-13 event is "Gather All Nations and Tongues: Good News for All Congregations," inspired by the prophesy of Isaiah 66:18.
"We hope that Isaiah's prophesy will be a blessing and inspiration for our gathering as we seek to claim, celebrate, and live our calling as a multicultural church, preaching the good news to all with emphasis on spiritual growth, peace and justice," said Raafat Girgis, a conference planner and the PC(USA)'s associate for multicultural ministries.
What happened in Dallas in January seemed to be a turning point for many who were there: a coalescing of people from across the spectrum of Presbyterian life, joining together to sign a covenant promising to work together in support of international mission.
In the time since then, some of the groups those 64 people represent have endorsed the covenant -- groups such as Presbyterians for Renewal and Presbyterian Global Fellowship. And others who weren't at the Dallas consultation have also offered their support -- including the Presbytery of Central Washington of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Columbia Theological Seminary plans a "ground-blessing" at the site of a new $9.6 million student residence hall April 1, at 5 p.m., on the Decatur, Ga. campus. The "green" building is expected to be one of the first buildings to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
LOUISVILLE -- Souper Bowl of Caring officials say Presbyterian churches collected more than $1 million in February's annual anti-hunger campaign.
As of March 5, organizers say, 2,356 Presbyterian churches nationwide had raised $1,001,523 -- and collections haven't been fully reported. The total marks the second straight year that Presbyterian collections broke the $1 million mark.
So far some 14,654 organizations and congregations from a variety of U.S. religious denominations have reported collecting a record $9.5 million, according to Souper Bowl officials.
Columbia Theological Seminary plans a "ground-blessing" at the site of a new $9.6 million student residence hall April 1, at 5 p.m., on the Decatur, Ga. campus. The "green" building is expected to be one of the first buildings to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Beryl Elizabeth Birdsong Kraemer, 98, widow of Charles E.S. Kraemer, who was president of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union-PSCE), died March 1 in Charlotte, N.C. A memorial service was held March 19 at First Church in Charlotte.
Mrs. Kraemer grew up in Greenville, Texas, and received a teaching certificate from East Texas State Teacher's College in Commerce, Texas.LOUISVILLE -- A group of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations in New Brunswick Presbytery is hosting a "meet and greet" event on April 25 at which all four candidates for moderator of the upcoming 218th General Assembly (2008) have agreed to attend.
The evening event, sponsored by a group calling itself the Central Jersey Moderator Candidate Host Committee, will be held at the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, N.J.
"It's wonderful that the members of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville and other area Presbyterians get a chance to meet the future leader of the PC(USA) General Assembly," said Jeffrey Vamos, pastor of the host church.
In a diverse nation where many minority groups participate in a dominant society yet maintain their cultural differences, questions arise about how the faithful practice their religious beliefs. Should they keep their religion to themselves or shout it from the rooftops? These and other questions will be explored April 14 at the Wilson College 2008 Orr Forum on Religion. The theme of the forum is, "On Being Publicly Religious."
A daylong series of events is planned, culminating with the Orr Lecture at 7:30 p.m. in Laird Hall, when Nancy Ammerman will present "Religious Communities and the Good of the World." The lecture is free and open to the public. "I think Dr. Ammerman will make an argument, or at least suggest, that religious communities have a role to play in the common good. They have a contribution to make," says David True, chair of the Wilson College Department of Philosophy and Religion. "That doesn't mean that religions aren't capable of huge wrongs or can't be divisive. But many Americans find meaning in religious communities and traditions, and they find it in diverse ways. That's a big point for her -- that American religion contains a great deal of diversity and individuality."
(PNS) Johnson C. Smith University Board of Trustees has announced that Ronald L. Carter will become the university's 13th president on July 1. Carter will leave Coker College in Hartsville, SC, where he has served as provost and dean of faculty since 1997.
NEW YORK -- Serene Jones has been selected to become the 16th, and first woman, president of the historic Union Theological Seminary in New York City. The announcement was made Monday by David Callard, chairman of the seminary's board of trustees.
Dr. Jones will assume the presidency of the seminary on July 1. She will succeed Joseph C. Hough, Jr., who is retiring after serving as Union's president since 1999. Dr. Jones, the Titus Street Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School, will come to Union after seventeen years on the Yale faculty. At present she also serves as chair and faculty member of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Yale University. Jones has held faculty appointments at Yale Law School and in the Department of African American Studies and Religious Studies.
A major new survey of the religious leanings of American adults has found that the country's spiritual landscape continues to shift -- with barely half of adult Americans identifying themselves as Protestants and with 16.1 percent claiming no religious affiliation at all.
The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey found that for many Americans, religious affiliation is anything but permanent. More than a quarter of American adults (28 percent) have left the faith tradition in which they were raised, switching to another religious tradition or to no affiliation at all. If switching from one stripe of Protestantism to another also is counted, 44 percent of American adults have either changed their religious tradition, gone from no faith tradition to choosing one, or dropped any affiliation at all.
LOUISVILLE -- Elder Roger Shoemaker, a member of Southern Heights Church in Lincoln, Neb., has become the fourth candidate to stand for moderator of the upcoming 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Shoemaker, 74, was endorsed Feb. 16 by Homestead Presbytery.
The only elder in the race, he joins Bill Teng of National Capital Presbytery, Bruce Reyes-Chow of San Francisco Presbytery and Carl Mazza of New Castle Presbytery as a candidate for the denomination's highest elected office.
Is torture always wrong, or are there situations that may make it necessary? And how might followers of Jesus best deal with this question?
For the past few years many Americans have been concerned about the use of techniques commonly understood to be torture, which the U. S. administration has defended as necessary to gain information from detainees. About sixty people came together at Columbia Theological Seminary, in Decatur, Ga., February 3-5, to seek ways of helping Presbyterians deal with this challenge.
Geneva -- (ENI) The general secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev. Samuel Kobia, has announced that he will not seek a second term at the head of the world's biggest Christian grouping.
"Kobia made his intentions known today stating personal reasons for his decision not to seek a second term," the WCC announced on February 18 after almost nine hours of deliberations behind closed doors by its main governing body, the central committee.
"The central committee received this news with regret but accepts the decision of the general secretary," said the WCC moderator, the Rev. Walter Altmann, in a statement.
The WCC committee was to consider an extension to his current term, which ends December 31, 2008.
LOUISVILLE -- Former General Assembly Moderator Rick Ufford Chase and his wife, Kitty, have been named transitional co-directors of financially-troubled Stony Point Center, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-owned conference center in New York.
They will share the full-time director's position beginning August 1, succeeding William Pindar, who recently resigned.
"Kitty and Rick are uniquely qualified to lead Stony Point Center into its vision for the future," said Gary Batty, president of the Stony Point governing board. "Not only do they have extensive backgrounds in peace and justice work that is deeply grounded in the practice of their faith, they also bring a passion for modeling an intentional community at Stony Point Center -- both strong components of the vision."
LOUISVILLE -- The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (GAPJC) has ruled that candidates for ordination must comply with the sexual behavior standards of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), even if they disagree in conscience with them.
The GAPJC, in a landmark ruling dated Feb. 11 on a case from Pittsburgh presbytery, declared that the authoritative interpretation that the General Assembly approved in 2006 does not permit exceptions to the requirement in the PC(USA)'s ordination standards, which say that candidates must practice fidelity if they are married or chastity if they are single.
The Constitutional Services section of the office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.,) has issued an advisory on the recent rulings of the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Council on ordination standards. It states:
In 2006, the 217th General Assembly adopted an Authoritative Interpretation (AI) of G-6.01081 in the Book of Order that clarified the relative powers of the governing bodies within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This AI was affirmed and clarified by the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (GAPJC) in February 2008 in the opinions found in three cases.2,3,4
LOUISVILLE -- It's a season of reconfiguration for the General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) -- with new leadership and a new structure.
At its meeting in Louisville Feb. 13-15, the council approved a new "Mission Work Plan" that will guide its work for the next four years, although details of the PC(USA)'s budget for 2009 and 2010 won't be presented until the council meets again April 23-25.
The plan includes some broad commitments -- that the council will be collaborative, accountable, responsive, and excellent in its work.Presbyterian Colleges and Seminaries Listed below are colleges and universities of various levels which are affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Click..
LOUISVILLE -- Souper Bowl of Caring officials say Presbyterian churches collected more than $1 million in last month's annual anti-hunger campaign.
As of March 5, organizers say, 2,356 Presbyterian churches nationwide had raised $1,001,523 -- and collections haven't been fully reported. The total marks the second straight year that Presbyterian collections broke the $1 million mark.
So far some 14,654 organizations and congregations from a variety of U.S. religious denominations have reported collecting a record $9.5 million, according to Souper Bowl officials.
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