rev. gregory bentley Archives

Board approves plan for reimagining and rebuilding the Presbyterian Mission Agency

Posted October 7th, 2021

In its final action of 2021, the Presbyterian Mission Agency on Thursday passed what it called enabling motions that will result in some if not most of the ideas generated in a consultant’s report, “Reflecting, Reimagining and Making Space for Rebuilding,” being worked into the PMA’s Mission Work Plan that must be approved by the 225th General Assembly in 2022.

Good, honest medicine

Posted October 6th, 2021

The Presbyterian Mission Agency Board set the table Wednesday in order to decide Thursday whether to approve a consultant’s report that envisions new ways for the mission agency to do its ministry in the coming years.

Consultants recommend a decentralized, partner-seeking and harm-repairing Presbyterian Mission Agency

Posted September 16th, 2021

A consulting firm hired to help redesign the structure and purpose of the Presbyterian Mission Agency to more adeptly carry out the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Matthew 25 invitation and to better serve a changing Church and changing world has completed a report that recommends some sweeping changes for the agency over the next 30-42 months.

Maintaining an outward focus

Posted August 26th, 2021

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.

‘Keep our eyes fixed firmly on the prize, not on the politics’

Posted July 19th, 2021

Friday’s online appearance by Co-Moderator Elona Street-Stewart gave the Presbytery of East Iowa the chance to hear from one of the PC(USA)’s top leaders and to share some of the antiracism work going on in churches around the presbytery.

We’ll understand it better by and by

Posted May 27th, 2021

The Rev. Dr. Neichelle Guidry opened a Festival of Homiletics worship service last week by singing a hymn she’s returned to often during the pandemic, “We’ll Understand It Better By and By”: “When the morning comes/All the saints of God are gathered home/We’ll tell the story how we’ve overcome/For we’ll understand it better by and by.”

Special GA committee seeks to keep momentum going on a unified budget

Posted April 28th, 2021

The Moving Forward Implementation Special Committee continues to discuss ways to help three of the denomination’s entities — the Office of the General Assembly, the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the A Corporation/Administrative Services Group — develop a unified budget to present to the 225th General Assembly next year.

Presbyterian Mission Agency Board sympathetic to Shinnecock Nation’s fight

Posted April 23rd, 2021

A request for mutual aid by Shinnecock Nation tribal leaders via the Racial Equity Advocacy Committee and the Native American Consulting Committee fell on welcoming ears Friday among members of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board.

New investment strategy focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion

Posted March 26th, 2021

New Covenant Trust Company will start utilizing new positive and negative screening tools to assist investors who want their investments to align with their values beginning April 1. These tools will allow New Covenant Trust Company to target investment in companies with a strong record of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Aligning the Presbyterian Mission Agency to carry out the work of Matthew 25

Posted January 23rd, 2021

The Presbyterian Mission Agency Board spent most its six-hour meeting Friday discussing how the Matthew 25 vision will inform the work of the Mission Agency in the coming years. The PMA has begun a Vision Implementation Process to align its work with the three foci of the Matthew 25 invitation: building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty.