In 2000, eight retirees led an effort to plant a new Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation in the mountains of north Georgia. Today, Faith Presbyterian Church – Blue Ridge has 159 members and is one of the fastest-growing congregations in Cherokee Presbytery and the Synod of the South Atlantic. Last year, Sunday morning worship attendance averaged 109.
The COVID-19 pandemic. Record breaking natural disasters. Racial injustice and unrest. Rising poverty. Fear of election violence.
So, with all of this trauma and extra stress 2020 has unleashed, how does one cope with anxiety or depression?
This was the topic of a Sunday evening conversation hosted by 1001 New Worshiping Communities. Their guests were Dena and Jason Hobbs, who are familiar with the struggle of anxiety and depression, both professionally and personally.
As the Rev. Crawford Brubaker began working on what would be his new book, “Alas! A Lament for the United States of America,” he remembers tossing page after page of paper into the garbage.
On behalf of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, the Mission Development Resources Committee (MDRC) has approved Mission Program Grants to 21 new worshiping communities. The “1001” communities receiving grants are listed below, followed by the presbytery and synod they belong to and a brief description of their mission and ministry:
The Rev. Sean Chow, associate for training and leadership cohorts for 1001 New Worshiping Communities, is thrilled that the first cohort of leaders of 100 1NWC startups are being trained online.
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary’s Church Planting Initiative has teamed up with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s 1001 New Worshiping Communities to create the book “Sustaining Grace: Innovative Ecosystems for New Faith Communities” (Wipf and Stock, 2020).
As the digital national “101 Racism & Organizing Training” event for UKirk Collegiate Ministries began last week, Shaniya Auxier admits she was “a little bit hesitant.”
Three digital conferences in October from Theology, Formation & Evangelism and its ministry partners will provide renewal opportunities for Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leaders and congregational members as they seek to live out the gospel during this time of pandemic, chaos and disruption.
Although leaders of new worshiping communities (NWCs) describe both discipleship and spiritual formation as types of personal growth, there are key distinctions in their descriptions of the two.
The Washington Corrections Center for Women is both the largest and the only maximum and medium security prison for women in the state. It’s surrounded by barbed wire, and you have to go through five locked gates to get to the main population.
