Wrestling with total depravity
For years, I’ve been the pastor assigned to teach about Presbyterian theology and polity to people interested in joining the congregation. I’ve..
Latest Posts
College Conference at Montreat: Keeping the Sabbath is simple, but not easy
MONTREAT, North Carolina (PNS) — About 900 Presbyterian college students have gathered at the close of their Christmas break for the 2020..
United Methodist leaders propose plan to split church over LGBTQ ordination, marriage
(RNS) — Bishops and leaders of a number of United Methodist groups have announced a proposed agreement to split the United Methodist..
Who tells our story?
“Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” This is the haunting refrain in the musical “Hamilton.” The question, the entire musical,..
Christmas came — and (80 years ago)
80 years ago – December 20, 1939 There are some days that stand out from the others like Thanksgiving and New Year’s..
A youth group in Texas …
A youth group in Texas were asked, “Why is it important to go to church?” One young lad answered: “You should always..
Presbyterian Giving Catalog
The Presbyterian Mission Agency realizes that many little churches or small groups want to help with mission outreach. So, they put out..
Ashina Krishna
“Being able to set up a shared space is a positive outcome for people who have likely faced difficult circumstances in the..
Block party Kingdom
I remember hearing a pastor once define church in a way that struck me as odd. He said, “The church is supposed..
2nd Sunday of Christmas — January 5, 2020
Jeremiah 31:7-14; Ephesians 1:3-14;John 1:(1-9) 10-18 Christmas 2A Adjectives abound this second Sunday after Christmas. The Gospel lesson exudes descriptors of the..
Per capita and financial sustainability committee releases preliminary report
A committee considering the future of per capita and financial sustainability in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has issued its preliminary report —..
Stated Clerk: What per capita pays for, why it matters
(PNS) An immigrant fellowship gathers each week to worship and praise God. But how do they connect with the larger church? The..
Making a Scene in the Pulpit: Vivid Preaching for Visual Listeners
Alyce M. McKenzie Westminster John Knox Press, 226 pages Reviewed by Layton E. Williams Alyce M. McKenzie begins her new book, “Making..
New Year’s Day prayer
God of all time, as we start a new year , we look back with thanksgiving for your grace woven throughout each..
Texas church grieves, prays, sings after deadly shooting
WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas (RNS) — The West Freeway Church of Christ, a close-knit congregation of about 280, didn’t get to finish its..
A year of change and opportunities: J. Herbert Nelson reflects on 2019
As the year draws to a close, the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the..
Passionate for Justice: Ida B. Wells as Prophet for Our Times
Catherine Meeks and Nibs Stroupe Church Publishing Incorporated, 160 pages Reviewed by Cynthia A. Jarvis If you read “Passionate for Justice,” you..
50 years after ‘Black Manifesto,’ religious groups take up reparations again
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. described 11 o’clock on Sunday morning as the “most segregated hour in America." This story is..
WCC condemns attack at Hanukkah celebration in New York City
(WCC) The World Council of Churches (WCC) condemned an attack on a Hanukkah celebration at a rabbi´s home north of New York..
Presbyterian Historical Society adds digital scans from RNS project, collecting initiatives
PHILADELPHIA (Presbyterian Historical Society) In April 2019, the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) highlighted four ongoing initiatives that expand its mission in new ways:..
What’s right about Hebron Presbyterian Church?
Hebron Presbyterian Church — Staunton, Virginia Hebron Presbyterian Church started a new committee: the GROW team. Our focus is not..
Fiction in faith formation: Stories that act as mirrors
After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband to be killed, God sent the prophet Nathan to David...
A silent worship revival at an Episcopal church for the deaf
NEW YORK (AP) — The Lord's Prayer ended with the bang of dozens of fists that landed on open palms after a..
Deaf Christians often struggle to hear God’s word, but some find meaning in the richness of who they are
(THE CONVERSATION) — For years, my husband would say after we returned from the church, "I thought the sermon was good." To..
Pruning the vine
Guest commentary by Jason Schiller I am an aspiring gardener. I love the idea of tending to and cultivating fruits, vegetables and..
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