Pope Francis opens foot-washing rite to women in gesture of inclusion

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis has changed the rules so that a priest may wash the feet of women and others in..

Still fighting the death penalty, Sister Prejean gets pope’s blessing

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Two decades after her anti-death penalty work was transformed into an Oscar-winning movie, “Dead Man Walking,” Sister Helen Prejean’s..

Book Reviews

Strangers in This World: Multireligious Reflections on Immigration

Editors: Hussam S. Timani, Allen G. Jorgenson, Alexander Y. Hwang Fortress Press, Minneapolis. 318 pages REVIEWED BY NICHOLAS YODA G.K. Chesterton spoke..

Presbyterian News Service

PC(USA) moderator takes ‘Call to the Church’ on the road

(PNS) Heath Rada, Moderator of the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is extending his “Call to the Church” to locations..

Outlook Features

Through the Lens: Photography connects community with God

Most photographers talk about taking photos or shooting photos. Not Cathy Newcomb. She receives photos. For her, the experience of contemplative photography..

Voices

Is it prophetic to be so predictable?

“Some things I think are very conservative, or very liberal. I think when someone falls into one category for everything, I’m very..

Benedictory

Annual meetings reimagined

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I READ last year was Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow.” A central argument is what he..

Insights columns

Recreating worship

As my paintbrush touches the canvas, I imagine the emotion I feel to run through me and embody itself on the canvas...

Insights columns

Children’s Christian formation enhanced by music education

by Anne McNair The most important place for a child’s music education is in the church. It is where they learn to..

He/She Said

Gregory Wolfe

“Lamenting the art of your own era is intellectual laziness at best and a serious dereliction of duty when it comes to..

Presbyterians in Action

Prayer shawl ministry

The Presbyterian Church of the Siuslaw in Florence, Oregon, has a prayer shawl ministry. A knitting group meets regularly and has distributed..

In This Corner

A Presbyterian choir director blooper

A Presbyterian choir director sent me this blooper from his church bulletin. “The sermon Sunday night is ‘What is hell?’ Come early..

Calendar Check

Calendar Check – April 2016

APRIL 1-3 MONTREAT, N.C. Mantreat on Montreat. Montreat. montreat.org APRIL 13-15 CLINTON, S.C. Together is Better: A Conference for Small Church Missional..

Calendar Check

Calendar Check – March 2016

MARCH 19 CORBETT, ORE. Equipping Pastors, Elders and Staff to Lead a Changing Church featuring Heidi Husted Armstrong. Menucha. menucha.org MARCH 28-31..

From the Archives

New Year’s confession (20 years ago)

20 years ago — January 15, 1996 An individual preparing to be ordained for the gospel ministry is required to share a..

Deaths

Deceased (from the Jan. 18, 2016 issue)

Mary Louise Ellenberger, 89, May 25, Glen Arm, Md. John R. Sharp, 76, May 11, Baltimore

Honorably retired

Retirements (from the Jan. 18, 2016 issue)

Daniel O. Beteta, from pastor, Latinos Unidos en Cristo, San Mateo, Calif. David Lee Blevik, from pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Dearborn, Mich...

Transitions

Transitions (from the Jan. 18, 2016 issue)

Nathan Esser, to pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Sioux Falls, S.D., from pastor, Mars United Presbyterian Church, Mars. Pa. Craig Goodrich, to pastor,..

Anniversaries

Anniversaries (from the Jan. 18, 2016 issue)

Southminster Presbyterian Church, Boise, Idaho. 60 years

Presbyterian News Service

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team to consider new volunteers

The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team gathers this week in Jacksonville, Fla., to consider adding a group of new members. The so-called “Discernment..

Presbyterian News Service