A group of Christian leaders from across the globe have gathered at the Presbyterian Mission Agency in Louisville to prepare for a month-long journey throughout the U.S. Nine International Peacemakers will be speaking to congregations, presbyteries and synods about the challenges and rewards of sharing Christ in their homelands.
When members of Canfield (Ohio) Presbyterian Church began raising funds for a remodeling project and addition in 2008 they made sure 10 percent of the capital raised was reserved for mission activities. Several years later, and another remodel of existing facilities, the church opened its mission housing space to those engaged with area service organizations.
The Fall 2016 gathering of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board (PMAB) is underway, September 13-16 in Louisville, albeit with a new meeting structure. The board’s revised meeting plan includes its traditional focus on primary mission areas and adds “Generative Discussions” and “Ministerial Team” sessions to address operational and strategic planning.
Sparked by the belief that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) can be a place for vibrant theological discussion, spiritual growth and evangelistic courage, the renewal group NEXT Church has been fostering conversations since 2010.
The lives of 79 young adults were transformed over the past week as the 2016-2017 Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) class gathered at Stony Point Conference Center in New York to begin their YAV experience; each signed up for “a year of service for a lifetime of change.”
John Pangani, a real estate broker and chef with his own catering business in South Bend, Indiana, has a heart for helping others in his native Malawi and in America.
The Winnebago Presbytery got a chance to learn from its counterpart in Colombia this past May when five visitors from Urabá Presbytery spent a week in northern Wisconsin.
Changes in organization and mission present challenges and opportunities
The Synod of Alaska-Northwest continues to live into a new and creative way of being a synod. After decades of being a large program body, it has recently moved to a reduced function as provided for by the Book of Order. Although mission in the form of programs no longer occurs, the ties between the member presbyteries are perhaps stronger than in the past. The synod does mission only in terms of how it supports its member presbyteries, taking seriously the mandate of the 211th General Assembly (1999): to “develop, encourage, equip, and resource congregations and their leaders, . . . enhance the effectiveness of congregations, and find simplified, flexible and more responsive ways to . . . work in a rapidly changing environment.”
Although all PC(USA) mission co-workers have left South Sudan, there is grave concern for those who are left behind. “Thanks be to God. I arrived in Nairobi at 10.30 a.m.,” said Leisa Wagstaff by email. “Let us continue to pray for the people I left behind.” Wagstaff expects to be in Kenya for a minimum of 2-3 weeks.
Although there is a tentative cease-fire in Juba, South Sudan, Presbyterian mission co-worker Leisa Wagstaff remains in the city, with colleagues around the country and in the U.S. working on an evacuation plan to get her out of the country.
