God’s world is changing, says Presbyterian hymn writer the Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, and her new hymns for Advent and Christmas are designed to, in her words, “help us to make sense of the places where faith and everyday life meet.”
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, a parachurch organization begun during the 1940s to provide support to conscientious objectors during World War II, has announced a new vision statement, according to a news release.
“Tell the story of Center Church honestly: the good, the bad and the ugly.”
This guiding principle framed the Rev. Tom Moore’s workshop at Stewardship Kaleidoscope 2022. Moore told participants the story of Center Presbyterian Church in McMurray, Pennsylvania, showing the importance of honesty and transparency when it comes to the church and its finances.
The Rev. Dr. Luke Powery, Dean at the Chapel at Duke University and an associate professor at the Duke Divinity School, used the account of the Valley of Dry Bones found in Ezekiel 37:1-14 last week to remind preachers that sermons about resurrection must first encounter death in a real way.
Reflecting the ecumenical spirit of Stewardship Kaleidoscope, Mark Stauffer, past Council president and treasurer of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and the Rev. Joseph Moore, Ministry Relations Officer of the Presbyterian Foundation, co-presented a workshop called “Stewardship After the Gift.”
At its fall meeting, the Board of Directors approved plans designed to ensure that the Board of Pensions continues to meet the demands of change in the Church. The 2023-2024 Strategic Vision will guide the agency through a season of rebuilding, and the 2023 Business Plan is the blueprint for the groundwork that will be laid next year.
Stories motivate stewardship by demonstrating the “markers of hope” each church creates and reminds members that they are part of an organization that makes a positive difference in the world.
The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has named a longtime servant of the denomination to the position of Vice President, Church Relations. The appointment of the Rev. Dr. Douglas Portz, most recently a Senior Church Consultant at the Board, bolsters the agency’s ongoing efforts to provide strength and stability to support the changing Church.
The welcome of people forced to leave their homes to find a new place to live played a role in Jesus’ life and his teachings. Motivated by fear for their son’s safety, Mary and Joseph took Jesus and sought refuge in Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15). Jesus would later proclaim that in welcoming people we do not know, we welcome him (Matthew 25:35).
In response, Presbyterians across the country and around the world have been, and are, involved in welcoming refugees as our siblings and new friends. Louisville is no exception.
