Attendees who made it to the pre-conference workshop of the Presbyterian Global Fellowship gathering here Aug. 21-22 got a taste of what was to come the rest of the weekend.

But instead of listening to an outline of what speakers the Rev. Alan Roxburgh and the Rev. Mark Lau Branson were planning to say, the audience experienced a role reversal.

Roxburgh and Branson asked attendees what they’d like to talk about during the conference, held at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church as one of PGF’s regional gatherings. The theme of the gathering, hosted by the Presbytery of San Diego, was …

Amid much fanfare, the Montreal World Film Festival (FFM) began Aug. 29 with the showing of the delightful coming of age film 1981 by Quebecois director Ricardo Trogi.

As with other such gala events, there was the preliminary gathering of a large crowd outside the Palace des Arts’ Theatre Maisonneuve to watch the celebrities arrive and stride up the red carpet.

But Hollywood was not represented. The emphasis of this festival, as its name indicates, is on world cinema. Celebrities there were, but most would be unrecognizable to Americans — even Trogi, the director of the opening film.

The United …

Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of stories about congregations engaged in significant outreach and evangelism ministries, reflecting the General Assembly’s commitment to “Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide.” — Jerry L. Van Marter

The Rev. Devon Ducheneau knew that in order to survive, today’s churches need to turn their focus outward and embrace the community around them rather than continue as secluded islands.

The part that would take some work was convincing the members of her two small churches, Southpark and Westminster Presbyterian churches in Charleston, W. Va. that this was the path they needed to …

DECATUR, Ga. — Fourteen years after inaugurating its certificate program in Christian spirituality, Columbia Theological Seminary will this fall offer five spirituality courses. All count toward the completion of certificate requirements but are open to anyone of any denomination.

Columbia faculty members Kimberly Long and Martha Moore-Keish, along with Professor Emeritus Ben Johnson, who founded the program, former General Assembly Moderator Joan Gray, and John Kloepfer are among the class leaders.

Courses include "Worship and Spirituality," Sept. 17-20, led by Long and Moore-Keish;, "Immersion Experience: Invitation to a Deeper Spiritual Life," Oct. 1-4; "Mysticism and Christian Spirituality," Oct. 22-25 at …

Clean water is now flowing at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Matanzas, Cuba, because of Presbyterians living up to the very name of their synod — Living Waters — and the gospel compassion behind it.

A group of Presbyterians from First-Trinity Presbyterian Church in Laurel, MS, recently returned from Matanzas, where they installed a new water-filtration system, celebrated the achievement with residents and pondered the spirit of Jesus behind it all.

“It’s mind-boggling to think of those words of Jesus: ‘I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,’ ” said Verniece Goode, a First-Trinity member who helped lead …

Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of stories about congregations engaged in significant outreach and evangelism ministries, reflecting the General Assembly’s commitment to “Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide.” — Jerry L. Van Marter

There was no altar call, no great cries of alleluia, no flames of spirit descending from above. The preacher probably went home to lunch and the life-giving preacher’s nap, already releasing …

“As Presbyterians, we are supposed to be living our lives out of gratitude, being good stewards of all that we’ve been given,” said Tustin Presbyterian Church’s pastor, the Rev. Rebecca Prichard. “I think that caring about creation is absolutely something that we should be doing as human beings, as Christians, and more specifically as Presbyterian Christians.”

So when the opportunity came for Tustin to partner with the organization 350.org to create a liturgy for its “International Day of Climate Action” on Oct. 24, it was a rather, so to speak, organic partnership. 

According to its Web site, 350.org is “an …

With the Labor Day weekend approaching and the U.S. Congress poised to take up a number of “social safety net” issues when it returns from summer recess, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy has released three related resources authorized by last summer’s 218th General Assembly.

“Connecting to the Creed” is a new guide to help Presbyterians study and discuss “A Social Creed for the 21st Century,” which was adopted by the Assembly by a 5-1 margin. The new creed — which ACSWP took the lead in developing — marks the centennial of the adoption …

For Nathan Hogue, it started with the glass coin jar sitting on John Rigby’s desk. As a third grader, he knew about it, was interested in it, watched it as its level of coins rose. And even though Mr. Rigby taught fourth grade, Nathan knew the reason the Giving Jar was on Mr. Rigby’s desk.

“Nathan has a huge heart,” said Mr. Rigby. “The Giving Jar captured his imagination.”

The Giving Jar came about as a result of Rigby’s multiple trips to the Mississippi Gulf coast to work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

As a …

Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of stories about congregations engaged in significant outreach and evangelism ministries, reflecting the General Assembly’s commitment to “Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide.” — Jerry L. Van Marter

Five members of Community Presbyterian Church in Crestline, Calif., found this out firsthand when they took on a surprising community project. 

In addition to the church — which has about …