Prayer for Palm/Passion Sunday

Cloaks on the road, leafy branches cut from the fields of those who welcomed you, Lord Christ, all offerings of what..

Johnson Amendment remains intact in latest omnibus spending bill

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The part of tax law that prohibits houses of worship from engaging in explicit political activity will remain intact..

Voices

Via Crucis: Praying for peace in Honduras

Guest commentary by Lora Burge Representing PC(USA) World Mission and Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, I recently spent a week in Honduras as part..

Looking into the lectionary

March 25, 2018 — Palm/Passion Sunday

Mark 11:1-11 Palm/Passion Sunday, Year B Why are you doing this? What are you doing? These two questions are front and center..

Presbyterian News Service

Clarification of Evaluation Standards for the Standard Ordination Exams

(OGA) At its annual meeting from March 5-10, the Presbyteries’ Cooperative Committee on Examinations for Candidates (PCC) sought to clarify for both..

News from other sources

Rules of Discipline revision draft before the church for study and response

The Rules of Discipline Task Force presents the first draft of the proposed changes to the Rules of Discipline to the church..

Religion News Service

Survey: Protestant church diversity ‘heading in the right direction’

(RNS) — More than 4 in 5 Protestant pastors say their congregations are predominantly made up of one racial or ethnic group...

Voices

Space to grieve, room to trust: Following the Spirit into God’s future

Guest commentary by Heath Rada Sometimes life confronts us with situations where there seem to be no “right” choices. It is at..

Book Reviews

A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community

John Pavlovitz Westminster John Knox Press, 188 pages Reviewed by Laura Collins I first became aware of John Pavlovitz when his columns..

Religion News Service

Archbishop of Canterbury: Church has failed to protect children from abuse

LONDON (RNS) — Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby told a national commission investigating child sex abuse that his church has not done..

Voices

The baptismal community

The other day a friend mentioned to me that her family, including a newborn granddaughter, might be looking for a church. That’s..

Outlook Features

The practice of prayer with children

Parents, Sunday school teachers and ministry leaders often prepare children to pray by encouraging eyes to be closed, hands to be folded..

Outlook Features

The most important part of thankfulness: A Reformed view of prayer

Prayer and the Reformed tradition The Reformed tradition is not a monolithic statement of doctrine. It is a variety of voices from..

Voices

Graceful preaching

I’ve become a big fan of the concept known as GRACEFUL PREACHING. While this might be a new term for a few..

Presbyterian News Service

PC(USA) Office of Public Witness to take part in Washington march against gun violence

LOUISVILLE (PNS) — Last week, thousands of high school students across the country took part in a 17-minute walk out demanding stricter gun..

Presbyterian News Service

COGA issues statement on review committees’ reports

LOUISVILLE (COGA) The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) has issued a statement calling the work of three bodies created..

Voices

Lent: Reckoning with wounds

I went with a couple friends to see “A Wrinkle in Time,” directed by Ava DuVernay. My heart jumped when Mrs. Who,..

Book Reviews

Holy Solitude: Lenten Reflections with Saints, Hermits, Prophets, and Rebels

Heidi Haverkamp WJK Press, 148 pages Heidi Haverkamp is an Episcopal priest who previously delighted readers with “Advent in Narnia: Reflections for..