To congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Earlier today the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved a recommendation from its Civil Union and Marriage Issues Committee allowing for pastoral discretion to perform “any such marriage they believe the Holy Spirit calls them to perform,” where legal by state law.

They also approved a recommendation to change language in the Book of Order to indicate that “marriage involves a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman.”

Both decisions …

Kathleen Bostrom sees parallels between shoes and writing.

“Sometimes we writers have to try on a lot of shoes until we find the ones that fit,” she said Thursday during the Presbyterian Writers Guild lunch at the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), adding that it took some years for her to find her niche as a writer.

Affirming a commitment to work for the common good in society together with people of other faiths, the 221st General Assembly (2014) on Thursday voted to approve a policy statement titled “The Interreligious Stance of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).”

Also on Thursday, commissioners followed the recommendation of the Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations and voted 506-72 not to approve the development and distribution of material making a distinction between ancient and modern Israel.

The 221st General Assembly has approved restructuring the annual Peacemaking Offering after 2016 into a Peace and Global Witness Offering.

The retooling of the autumn offering ― traditionally received on World Communion Sunday ― is part of an effort led by the Special Offerings Task Force to roughly double receipts for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s four special offerings to $20 million by 2020.

Recommendations that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) advocate measures to prevent gun violence won resounding approval Thursday from the 221st General Assembly (2014).

“Gun violence is a public health crisis in the United States that is not being adequately addressed,” said Teaching Elder Commissioner Wallace Fletcher of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, adding, “30,000 people a year are killed by guns in the United States.”

With Pharrell Williams' Happy blaring through the Cobo Center's speakers, commissioners at the 221st General Assembly (2014) ended Thursday's marathon session by having a ball.

Well. actually tossing 248 red beach balls around in celebration of the 248 new communities created since the 220th General Assembly (2012) created the 1001 Worshipping Communities initiative.

After clearing a number of procedural hurdles, the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) agreed to grant pastors discretion in determining whether or not to conduct same-gender marriages in civil jurisdictions where such marriages are legal.

The action effectively removes the ban on Presbyterian pastors marrying same-gender couples in those jurisdictions.

Presbyterians hope to provide quality education to 1 million children in the U.S. and around the world in the next four years – as a way to alleviate poverty, especially for women and children.

That was the primary message at the “Educate a Child, Transform the World" luncheon attended by some 150 people during the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church, (U.S.A.).

Even as they were suggesting a change in the church’s stance on who may marry and who can perform same-gender wedding ceremonies, commissioners to the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) were thinking about how to talk about the decisions and keep the denomination whole after they return home Saturday.

“There are ways to work together,” said Jeffrey Bridgeman, moderator of the Assembly Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues. “It’s our job as the church together to make that happen.”

제 221차 미국 장로교 총회는 영어가 제 2외국어인 사람들이 총회에 많이 참석한 것을 인식하면서, 모든 참석자들이 총회가 처리하는 사안들을 그들의 모국어로 이해할 수 있도록 하기 위해 최선을 다하고 있다.

 제 220차 미국 장로교 총회 (2012)는 필수 비지니스들이 한국말과 스페인어로 번역되도록 지시했으며, 통역 서비스는 이미 과거 여러 총회들로부터 제공되어 왔다. 모든 안건들은 총회 전에 두 언어로 번역되어, PC-Biz 비지니스 웹싸이트에 게시되었다.