Former Stated Clerk Parsons pens ‘Our Connectional Church’

New title from WJK explores future of PC(USA)

WJK Press release

LOUISVILLE — Westminster John Knox Press is pleased to announce the publication of Our Connectional Church: The Hopeful Future of the PC(USA) from Gradye Parsons with a foreword by Frank Clark Spencer. From Spring City, Tennessee, to Atlanta, Georgia, Parsons explores the unique faith traditions of four Presbyterian churches, demonstrating the diversity of ministry done by Presbyterians today. With particular emphasis on the importance of the congregation and its connection to the larger church body, Parsons argues for networking and relationship building to bolster the denomination’s long-term renewal.

As former Stated Clerk of the PC(USA), Parsons brings to this project a faithful understanding of the church as he celebrates our connectional lives, whether connection is found in congregations, colleagues, ministry, or Reformed theology. The diversity of our worship and ministry gives hope for the future of the PC(USA), he writes, tapping into the deep wells of the Presbyterian aquifer — the common ethos that unites the church, serving as a source for different ministries and growth.

Reflecting on the current roles of local congregations, as well as beyond the congregation, Parsons also considers the future of the Presbyterian Church. “I sense in many PC(USA) congregations a willingness to connect to our resurrection faith, connect to their community, and connect to the denomination as they move out in ministry and mission,” he writes. “These are signs that God is not finished with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).”

“Thank you, Gradye Parsons, for this beautiful snapshot of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),” says J. Herbert Nelson II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Perfect for Presbyterians interested in the state of ministry being done today, Our Connectional Church is now available for purchase from Westminster John Knox Press and other major retailers.

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Gradye Parsons served as Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) from 2008 to 2016. A Tennessee native, he pastored two congregations for over fifteen years in Newport and Bristol, Tennessee. Parsons served as presbytery executive and Stated Clerk of Holston Presbytery before coming to the Office of the General Assembly. He and his wife, Kathy, live in Kodak, Tennessee.