Editor's note: This is the latest in a series of stories about congregations responding to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s call to "Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide." The call to grow in evangelism, discipleship, servanthood and diversity was adopted by the 2008 General Assembly and renewed by the 2010 General Assembly. — Jerry L. Van Marter

Kids are kids, the old saw goes, but while the concept is simple, it is a very important lesson that not only children, but adults as well should learn. Greg McPherson and the children of Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa, Ala. …

Mollie Brown Hopper, who with her husband Bill served as a Presbyterian mission worker in Iran for many years, was interred in the Memorial Garden at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary here July 27. Millie Hopper died earlier this spring at Westminster Gardens in Duarte, Calif. where she and Bill Hopper lived.

A brief service accompanied the interment, led by the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick , former General Assembly stated clerk and world mission director for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Former national staff colleague the Rev. Kathy Lancaster read an account of Mollie's life written by her husband, who was unable to …

There are about 170 million cats and dogs in the U.S. that have found a place in the homes of American pet owners, according to the 2009-2010 National Pet Owners Survey.

Probably most of them have also found a place in their owners’ hearts. And anyone who’s ever had to say goodbye to Fido or Fluffy has wondered if their beloved pets will be waiting for them in heaven.

The fate of our four-legged friends — whether they have a soul, whether they'll be in the afterlife — has occupied the minds of Christian thinkers ever since the days of …

After each Presbyterian Youth Triennium, event staff  hear over and over again, from adult members of our churches: "Oh, if I could just be a fly on the wall at that event!" or "I'd love to see what goes on!" or "Why do the youth get the fun worship?"

So this year, the Triennium Design Team created the Ambassador program. Ambassadors are adults who come to Triennium and participate in any or all of the conference, but do not have any responsibility as adult advisors, small group leaders, or other conference leadership. 

Many of them traveled to Triennium with …

In this age of Facebook, cell phones and Skype, it's easy to stay connected to the people and causes we like. But how many of us actively connect with organizations we don't like or with people who don't like us?

Reaching across those boundaries is part of the mission of the Salam Medical Center, near Cairo, Egypt. Dr. Freddy Elbaiady, director of the clinic, spoke about Jesus' call to love our enemies July 27 at the New Wilmington Mission Conference, held at Westminster College this week.

Founded in 1996, the Salam Medical Center provides health care to some …

A global churches' peace event scheduled for 2011 in Jamaica must tackle increased military spending by Western countries at a time of economic downturn, a meeting of Italian Christians has said.

“This is an affront to ethical values,” said a document issued by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christians at a June 2 meeting in Milan to prepare for the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation to take place on the Caribbean island in May 2011.

The peace convocation, organized by the Geneva-based World Council of Churches, will mark the culmination of the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence. Launched in Berlin in …

Megachurches here in the heart of the Bible Belt are thriving enough to support a major building boom despite a sluggish economy.

First Baptist Church of Gardendale has built a $19.7 million, 2,700-seat sanctuary about 15 miles north of Birmingham. After a small arson fire in April delayed the opening, the first service in the new building is now set for Aug. 8.

First Baptist Church of Trussville is in the midst of a $7.5 million expansion that will include a new, larger home for its preschool, expected to be ready in January.

A new $4 million, 1,000-seat youth sanctuary …

The Rev. Jimmie Ray Hawkins, pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Durham, N.C., was one of 19 persons arrested last week during a protest at a meeting of the Wake County School Board.

The school board's new 5-4 majority is implementing its plan to scrap the county's school busing system, a move the protesters say will resegregate Wake County's schools, creating racial tensions reminiscent of the 1960s.

"There was more police than you’ve ever seen in your life," Hawkins told the Presbyterian News Service in a July 27 interview. "You had to have a ticket to get in and about …

Hymn writer Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has penned a new hymn dealing with immigration, now on the webpage of the National Council of Churches for free use by congregations.

"Abraham Journeyed to a New Country" is set to the familiar Gaelic tune of "Morning Has Broken." Examples of biblical immigrants like Abraham and Sarah, Ruth, and Jesus are featured in the five-stanza text, among the resources offered by the NCC/CWS Immigration Task Force.

In her introduction to the hymn, Gillette writes: "Jesus himself was a refugee in Egypt when his parents had to flee from Herod for his safety. Jesus …

Modern information technology can help a traditional Protestant church in the Philippines strike a balance between spirituality and social advocacy, and draw new pastors, church leaders say.

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines is grappling with the challenge of finding ministers because ministry is "not very attractive because this is the only course which a student enters to become poor," said the Rev. Reuel Marigza.

The divinity professor at the UCCP-run Silliman University in Dumaguete, central Philippines, was quoted in the UCCP-GA News, an official Web site reporting about the May 25-29 general assembly of the 62-year old …