SAN JOSE, June 23, 2008 ˜ Because they are able to adapt and change quickly, small churches are frequently better able to respond to community needs, an innovative small church pastor told 100 people attending the Small Church Luncheon at the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) here June 23.
SAN JOSE — The General Assembly Committee on Health Issues, on their first full day of meeting (June 23), considered an overture to recommend the development of a comprehensive HIV and AIDS policy for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that reflects the ways the disease disproportionately affects Latino and African-American segments of the United States population, and the magnitude of global pandemic.
SAN JOSE, June 23, 2008 ˜ After nearly seven hours of conversation, occasional confusion and spirited debate, a sharply divided Committee on Theological Issues and Institutions approved Overture 13-06 from Newark Presbytery, voting by a margin of 33 to 26 (with two abstentions) to ask the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to make five changes to the 1962 translation of the Heidelberg Catechism which since 1967 has been used in The Book of Confessions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
SAN JOSE – The committee considering gay ordination at this General Assembly is so far holding its fire – it’s agreed to talk through most everything on its agenda before formal voting.
On this 25th anniversary of the reunion of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (northern stream) and the Presbyterian Church in the United States (southern stream), people who were there look back.
SAN JOSE — With a whirlwind of gospel energy sweeping the room, attendees at the Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association [www.pcusa.org/phewa] (PHEWA) Awards and Music Celebration recognized outstanding ministries of justice and danced to musicians at the General Assembly launch of the Winds of Hope, Winds of Healing Project.
Members of the Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues spent the afternoon Monday (June 23) considering six overtures regarding the Iraq War. The overtures coming before the committee ranged from the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, assistance for Iraqi refugees, war profiteering, and building peace in Iraq.
SAN JOSE — The Committee on Review of General Assembly Permanent Committees and Commissions will take action today (June 24) on recommendations to change the ordination examination process for Ministers of the Word and Sacrament made by the Presbyteries‚ Cooperative Committee on Examination for Candidates (PCCEC).
There is a lot of talk in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) about declining membership and the need to reach out to youth as the future of the church — it just doesn’t usually come from the youth themselves.
SAN JOSE -- The Rev. Victoria Kelly was a high school math teacher in Atlanta—even winning teacher of the year one time—when she heard God calling her to a career in the military.
SAN JOSE -- Folk-singer, songwriter David LaMotte does not apologize for being an idealist. An award-winning musician with a Presbyterian pedigree as long as his hair, LaMotte told more than 900 at the General Assembly Breakfast that he had titled his presentation “World-changing 101.”
SAN JOSE -- “It’s easier to be committed to unity at the expense of inclusion or be committed to inclusion at the expense of unity,” said John Buchanan to more than 200 attendees at the Covenant Network luncheon today (June 23) at the meeting of the 218th General Assembly.
More than 800 people used to attend the Baghdad church served by His Eminence, Avak Asadourian, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Iraq.
Overture 11-19, Commitment to Peacemaking was unanimously approved today (June 23) by the Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues.
Two overtures relating to human trafficking were approved today (June 23) by the Committee On Peacemaking and International Issues and will be presented later to the General Assembly.
Overture 11-22, from the Presbytery of San Francisco, On Supporting Those Who Feel Called to Seek Status as Conscientious Objectors, was approved 57 to 15 by the Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues today (June 23).
SAN JOSE — After hearing former GA Moderator, Rick Ufford-Chase, declare that the Dallas Invitation “represents a new day and a new way,” the Mission Coordination and Budgets committee voted unanimously, 60-0, today (June 23) to recommend its adoption by the General Assembly.
SAN JOSE — Thousands of Presbyterians gathered Sunday, June 22 for the opening worship service of the 218th General Assembly, summoned out of the sunny morning by two bagpipes acting as Shofar. Simultaneous services for commissioners and visitors ensued at buildings a mile apart with a satellite link connecting them.
SAN JOSE — Five simple cots, random pieces of clothing and a host of chairs and suitcases littered the stage at the Club Regent at the Fairmont Hotel here, temporarily transforming the elegant space into a makeshift homeless shelter in Baton Rouge, LA, for the stage play, “The Name of the Rain.”
On this 25th anniversary of the reunion of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (northern stream) and the Presbyterian Church in the United States (southern stream), people who were there look back.
“Jellyfish” is so international that it is an Israeli film featuring Hebrew, German, and a Filipino dialect to accompany the occasional thickly-accented English. “Jellyfish” is a montage of several different life-stories, all of people who are flying under the radar — mostly invisible.
SAN JOSE — Participants at the Presbyterian World Mission Luncheon June 22 couldn’t help but try out the proposed name change for the General Assembly Mission Council. When GAC chair-elect, Carol Adcock (Grace Presbytery) announced, “General Assembly Mission Council,” applause ensued.
SAN JOSE — There is hope for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) if it becomes grounded in first-order concerns, the Rev. Mark Labberton, pastor of 1700-member First Church of Berkeley, Calif., told the Presbyterian Coalition luncheon Sunday (June 22).
SAN JOSE, June 22, 2008 — The opportunity to add commissioner resolutions to the 218th General Assembly closed 10 a.m. Sunday morning with 13 of the 17 submitted being referred to committees, based on action of the Bills and Overtures Committee.
As proud bearer of the nickname, “Honest Habe,” I begged to be given the part of that heroic senatorial candidate, when Mr. Warnaar assigned our fifth grade class to re-enact the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Greg Smith was assigned the role of Stephen A. Douglas, and, sure enough, I drew the name of Abraham Lincoln.
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