As a child, the Rev. Dr. Lindsay Armstrong loved Mister Rogers and his neighborhood of make-believe — especially the puppets King Friday XIII and Henrietta Pussycat.
#GivingTuesday, a day Presbyterians share their faith, love and finances with a world desperately in need of those and more, opened at noon Eastern Time on Nov. 30 with worship at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina, which also offered up a fun film that employs a church catchphrase: “Ready, Set, Shift!”
In its final grant cycle for 2021, on behalf of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, the Mission Development Resources Committee awarded 18 Mission Program Grants to worshiping communities — including eight to those just getting started.
One of the most frequently asked questions about the nearly 700 new worshiping communities launched in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) since 2012 is, “How long does it take a new worshiping community to become financially sustainable?” This question is surrounded by similar ones about funding communities of new disciples, building solid financial skills and practices, budgets, salaries, giving and grants.
A recently-released 1001 New Worshiping Community 2020 Leader Report continues to show that NWC’s are more racially diverse and younger than PC(USA) congregations.
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.
Applications from interested presbyteries and individual congregations that have the blessing of their presbytery are now being accepted for the fourth wave of the Vital Congregations Initiative.
Highlighting worship efforts during the pandemic ranging from high-tech and labor-intensive to one church’s “Call ‘Em All” telephonic approach, Thursday’s webinar on Hybrid Ministry: The Scattered Church was a balm for clergy and worship leaders who’ve struggled mightily with pandemic-induced issues including pastoral care, trauma and self-care.
