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matthew 25:31-46

The Immersion, a PC(USA) conference on congregational vitality, hears from one of the nation’s foremost biblical scholars

Dr. Obery M. Hendricks, Jr., the final keynoter for The Immersion conference which concluded Thursday, shared his insights on two more of the 7 Marks of Congregational Vitality — Outward Incarnational Focus and Empowering Servant Leadership. The Office of Vital Congregations sponsored the conference, held online and in person at Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina.

The talent behind the trio of Triennium resources

After sharing last month the free downloadable resources created to inform possibilities for Triennium-related celebrations in the local context, Gina Yeager-Buckley jumped at the chance Monday to bring along some of the talented people who created the resources related to group study, recreation, and worship and prayer — and are on the verge of creating even more resources in the weeks to come.

The nitty gritty on the city

“The world is hungry for healing and hope,” the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, told the Urban Presbyteries Network conference on Thursday following opening worship. “I want to remind us today to keep the main thing the main thing: the church’s call to make disciples of Jesus Christ.”

‘Nobody is beyond resurrection’

Before Kevin Riley got clean and sober, he found himself at the former site of Trinity Presbyterian Church, which is now home to a nondenominational church in Sedro Wooley, Washington, a town about an hour north of Seattle.

‘This seems to be the right tool at the right time’

Two presbytery executives who have seen firsthand what the Matthew 25 invitation can do to make ministry and evangelism more effective and more inclusive joined the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s president and executive director, the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, for the second edition of “Being Matthew 25.” The conversation is hosted each month by the Rev. DeEtte Decker, the Mission Agency’s social media strategist. Watch the episode here.

Welcoming the stranger

As part of his sabbatical from Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina, a few years ago, the Rev.  Brad Smith brought his wife, Nancy, and their three young adult children to Taiwan to experience the richness of both Taiwan’s culture and church life.

‘There’s a lot at stake’

For the past five decades, the Rev. Jim Wallis has been exploring the complexity and possibility of two of his favorite words, “justice” and “faith.” On Wednesday, Wallis, the founder of Sojourners magazine who now directs the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University, delivered a talk at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., exploring whether American democracy is even possible given the threats to voting rights, civil rights and any number of other challenges Americans are facing.