The Church as a global community of faith to be mutually respected and shared is the focus of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's 2010 Festival of Theology and Reunion, April 25-28. This year's theme is "The Global Church: Implications for Mission and Ministry."

"Five hundred years after events of the Reformation, churches shaped by this important movement are asking themselves what it means to affirm that reformation is an ongoing process, one of which the Church always stands in need. Today, new life from communities in the Global South is rapidly transforming the map of the Christian world," said the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and visiting professor of ecumenical and global ministries at Louisville Seminary, who is one of three festival lecturers.

There is "a new, growing awareness of the responsibility of faith in the world, and a new urgency to better define what it means to be Christian in the world today," added Festival lecturer the Rev. Allan Boesak, a major player in the Christian struggle against apartheid in his homeland of South Africa.

A third global leader in the trio of lecturers is the Rev. Katherine Johnson, professor of church history and historical theology at the seminary, who is currently on a three-year leave to serve the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) as assistant general secretary for ecumenical studies and global mission. She will be speaking on the importance of confession and forgiveness as a key element in the process of global reconciliation.
The lecturers noted that this year both the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) will hold general assemblies which will lift up the gospel’s call for economic and ecological justice and for a new sense of community among churches north and south.

The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the PC(USA) will be featured as well during an April 27 dinner.

DECATUR, Ga. — The Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary is sponsoring a hands-on, interactive event, "Social Networking Media in Congregations: Possibilities and Practicalities," July 26-29 on the seminary campus here.

Keynote speakers for the event — designed for congregational leaders, pastors, and others involved in church communications — are seminary president Steve Hayner and Georgia Institute of Technology doctoral candidate Susan Wyche. Both are experienced in the practical and faith-related aspects of social networking.

The event includes workshops for beginners and for others more familiar with the various forms of social networking media. Panel discussions with pastors and other church leaders experienced in using social media effectively will provide opportunities to learn from those who are putting these tools to work in support of churches' pastoral care, mission/outreach, education, staying in touch, inviting, welcoming, and event planning, decision-making, and community-building.

This event is designed to help conference participants explore, plan, launch, and maintain social networking media such as Facebook, ConstantContact, Twitter, blogs, YouStream, Skype, Flickr, and podcasts. Participants will learn how to choose from the huge array of social networking options, based on their particular ministries, goals and needs.

PRINCETON, N.J. — Princeton Theological Seminary will hold its annual used book sale May 7–10 in the seminary’s Whiteley Gymnasium.

Donations of books will be accepted through May 4, and may be dropped off at the convenience of the donor in the lobby of the gymnasium in boxes or bags marked "Book Sale."

All proceeds from the sale will benefit theological seminaries around the world, many in nations to which Princeton Seminary's international students will return to teach. The sale is sponsored by the Stewardship and Missions Committee.

For more information about the sale or donation of books, contact Erin Buckner by email, by phone at (609) 306-0787, or visit the book sale page on the Seminary’s web site.

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is hosting a number of events in April, including "Women, Ministry, and the Art of Leadership: Exploring New Terrain" each Wednesday from 10:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m., led by the Rev. Susan Kendall, director of the Doctor of Ministry Program.

The seminary's Metro-Urban Institute will hold its annual Urban Intensive Conference April 8-10. Entitled "Becoming the Beloved Community: Environmental Justice in the City / Calling for the Order of the Day," the conference will explore Martin Luther King Jr.'s theology of the Beloved Community as a resource for strengthening churches through community outreach for social and ecological justice.

The Rev. Julie Johnson, D.Min., director of HolyCreek Ministries in Atlanta, will lead the spiritual formation elective "Christian Discernment" April 8-11. The seminary will present "A New Inscription from the Time of King David?" April 13, featuring Yosef Garfinkel of Hebrew University, who will discuss his excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa, located near the Elah Valley and identified as biblical Sha'arayim.

The seminary will honor four distinguished alums and welcome nearly 200 returning grads to Alumnae/i Days, April 28-May 1. The celebration will include the annual Albright-Deering Lectures in United Methodist studies April 29. Heather Murray Elkins, professor of worship, preaching, and the arts at Drew Theological School at Drew University in Madison, N.J. will present "Altar-ing the World: Sacramental Work and Worship. Lecture topics include "Thirst-making Water: Preaching in the Font" and "Bread-making Word: Presiding Under the Table".

CHICAGO — Sixteen persons from McCormick Theological Seminary recently returned from a travel seminar to Egypt. The for-credit seminar was led by Professors Sarah Tanzer and Ted Hiebert in cooperation with the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo.

The McCormick group was joined by a group of 12 students from the Egyptian seminary that took them to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Sinai. The trip included visits to the Great Pyramids at Giza, the (New) Library at Alexandria, Mt. Sinai, the tombs of the Kings and Hapshepsut’s Temple.

Students have posted photos online and will publish papers and journals from the course in  Transforming Traditions.