As a lead-in to next week’s hybrid Evangelism and Immersion conferences, three people heading innovative ministries spoke Tuesday in The Scattered Church series, which provides Presbyterians with theological reflections and practical resources for socially distanced ministry.
The Presbyterian Office of Vital Congregations is inviting people to gather at the beginning of November around Lake Susan at Montreat Conference Center for a deep dive into the seven marks of vital congregations.
In the final of three forums celebrating Black History Month last week, the Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson, coordinator of the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP); the Rev. Carlton Johnson, coordinator of Vital Congregations; and Christian Brooks, the representative for domestic issues at the PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness, addressed the 2022 theme “Resiliency to Recovery.”
In a true celebration Black history, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s weekly worship service Wednesday reminded worshipers of the sorrows of the past and the joys of the future for African Americans. The service celebrated the gifts, skills and coping strategies of Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) as the theme for the month-long celebration “Resiliency to Recovery” was observed.
When Theology, Formation & Evangelism ministries realized they had some underspent funds in their budget this year, the Rev. Carlton Johnson, coordinator for Vital Congregations, had an idea: Why not use the funds to support historically underserved African American churches in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)?
LOUISVILLE — Whenever the Rev. Carlton Johnson talks about hymns from the heart of the Black church, he feels a responsibility to carry on the tradition of his ancestors. For their hymns are, as W.E.B. Du Bois observed, “the most original and beautiful expression of human life and longing born on American soil.”
Four Presbyterians took a crack Wednesday at defining what Spirit-inspired worship looks and feels like during a Vital Conversations webinar hosted by 1001 New Worshiping Communities and the Office of Vital Congregations. Watch the webinar here.
One result of the pandemic is that members of organizations — churches included — are reimagining their common life together as well as their giving practices.
As the Vital Conversations series moved toward one of the most important marks of Vital Congregations — keeping the focus outward rather than inward — organizers landed four speakers for Wednesday’s session uniquely qualified to offer up their experiences and share their views.
“What does it mean to actively follow Christ?” the Rev. Carlton Johnson asked three PC(USA) church leaders during a Vital Conversation panel discussion on Lifelong Discipleship Formation Wednesday, which is one Seven Marks of Vital Congregations (see section two).
