Presbyterian Mission Agency Congregational Vitality Archives

Vital Congregations pilot initiative impacts churches in Trinity Presbytery

Posted April 15th, 2019

Now that churches in South Carolina’s Trinity Presbytery have gone through the seven marks of congregational vitality, as part of their participation in the two-year Vital Congregations initiative pilot program, pastors are beginning to notice a difference in their congregations.

Stewardship calls for a modern view of tithing

Posted March 13th, 2019

About five years ago, Adam J. Copeland met with a husband and wife who were co-pastoring a church.The couple tithed their income to the congregation and had no extra income to give to other charities and causes that they wanted to support. That reality had made them resentful of the church.“If tithing to church is the goal, there needed to be a reality check,” Copeland says.

NEXT Church gathering weaves together stories of faith

Posted March 12th, 2019

Meeting together since 2010 as a group dedicated to “vibrant theological discussion, spiritual growth and evangelistic courage” in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), NEXT Church is gathering this week under its 2019 theme “Woven Together: Stories of Dissonance, Sacrifice and Liberation.”

Forty days of Lenten prayer

Posted March 5th, 2019

The Rev. Duke Dixon, pastor of Presbyterian Church of Easton in Easton, Md., part of New Castle Presbytery, returned from a sabbatical last summer feeling his congregation needed to pray — really pray — for its community.

Souper Saturday meal, broadcast deliver joy around University of Kentucky campus

Posted March 4th, 2019

The Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team lost its showdown at the University of Tennessee Saturday, but that didn’t dampen the warmth of the spirits of those watching the game on a big projector screen at Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church next to the UK campus.

Church led by Schuller grandson joins with Presbyterian church in Southern California

Posted March 1st, 2019

A Southern California church headed by the grandson of “Hour of Power” founder and televangelist Robert Schuller is merging with a Presbyterian church in Irvine, Calif.

Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation receives its $1 million grant

Posted March 1st, 2019

The Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation has received its $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish its Pastoral Leadership Revitalization program.

Native of Ethiopia to lead First Presbyterian Church of Dallas

Posted February 28th, 2019

A native of Ethiopia has been called as senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Dallas.

Union Presbyterian Seminary professor awarded $18k grant to write Earth care liturgy

Posted February 6th, 2019

Union Presbyterian Seminary Professor of Theology the Rev. Dr. Paul Galbreath has been awarded a grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship to develop liturgical resources for congregational use that link Christian discipleship and Earth care, grounding environmental advocacy in corporate worship practices.

In the breaking of bread, their eyes were opened

Posted February 1st, 2019

Building bridges between Central Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, Iowa, and others in the faith community is the thinking behind a series of get-to-know-you meals the congregation is calling “souper suppers.”