On August 30, a number of Evangelical Christian voices released The Nashville Statement. Because of the amount of news coverage this statement has generated, Theology and Worship, a ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), thought it would be helpful to clarify how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has considered the issues discussed by the Nashville statement. Here are some thoughts which might help clarify the position of our denomination.
The 2017 Peace & Global Witness Offering includes an opportunity for congregations and mid-councils to join a church-wide effort “to address and improve the worsening plight of the African-American male.”
Paola Schellenbaum is a trained cultural anthropologist in Italy and abroad. Her work includes research and training on intercultural education and integration. This fall, she will be one of 16 individuals who will visit Presbyterian churches, mid councils and other institutions as part of the International Peacemakers initiative, sponsored by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.
In a video by Presbyterian Mission, Financial Aid for Service is drawing attention to its Transformational Leadership Debt Assistance (TLDA) program. TLDA offers $5,000 loans — with forgiveness for service — to qualifying pastors of churches with 150 or fewer members and to qualifying pastors of new worshiping communities.
During World Humanitarian Day on August 21, Dr. Rebecca Samuel Dali received the 2017 Humanitarian Award from the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation at the United Nations office in Geneva in recognition of her courageous efforts in reintegration of women abducted by the Boko Haram into their local communities in the northern Nigeria.
With Reformation Sunday approaching October 29, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is providing a wide range of resources for churches commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
Like many high school graduates, Mindy Vande Brake was searching for purpose in her life. The St. Cloud, Minnesota, native went to college close to home, but couldn’t settle on a major that she found exciting. She decided to get some work experience and found herself in the restaurant industry.
Recent immigrants who serve as clergywomen found helpful guidance and encouraging contacts at the New Immigrant Clergywomen’s Leadership Institute last month in Daytona Beach, Florida. Female clergy from around the country gathered to collaborate and develop leadership skills to better serve their congregations and the church. Developed by PC(USA) Racial Ethnic & Women’s Ministries (RE&WM), Leadership Institutes are designed to help racial-ethnic, immigrant and women leaders strengthen skills and relationships, learn new ideas, be encouraged to expand personal comfort zones and receive inspiration, guidance and support from national church leaders and executives.
In 1996, the year after I graduated from seminary, presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordained 408 new ministers of Word and Sacrament. Many of them continue to serve and lead in the PC(USA) two decades later in critical ways. In 2016, the PC(USA) ordained about half (47 percent) of the number we did in 1996, with only 214 ordained. While we have fewer congregations in 2016 than 1996, it is only 17 percent less, not 47 percent! The need for qualified ministers of Word and Sacrament will increase as Baby Boomer generation pastors continue to retire over the next decade or so. The median age of a Presbyterian minister in 2017 is over 60 years old. The PC(USA) pastorate mirrors the demographics of about 20 mainline denominations in the U.S.
