The online form for sharing thoughts on the identity and purpose of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as part of a church-wide conversation initiated by the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly will now be available until December 18. The extended period allows time for even more people throughout the denomination to weigh in.

Emily Stecher, the director of Christian Education at the First Presbyterian Church of Portland, Ore., sees stars everywhere. In the church’s Sunday school classrooms—where the 8-10 year-old children recently made stars to represent God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah—in the congregation’s faithful volunteers, and especially in the new Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) denominational curriculum, Growing in Grace & Gratitude.

Meeting in Chicago this week, the Israel/Palestine Mission Network (IPMN) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is setting goals for its continued work in the Middle East. Gathering at the Cenacle Conference and Retreat Center Oct. 29–31, 2015, the group is worshiping, learning and connecting across issues surrounding justice in Israel and Palestine.

El Moderador de la Asamblea General Heath Rada ha llegado a ser bien conocido por las personas presbiterianas debido a su compromiso con la reconciliación dentro de la profundamente conflictiva Iglesia Presbiteriana (EE.UU.). Así que no es de extrañar que su invitaciones para predicar en la 222a Asamblea General (2016) el próximo verano, reflejen el amplio espectro de la denominación con la invitación de tres diversos pastores y pastoras de la IP (EE.UU.).

Thirteen new worshiping communities will receive nearly $200,000 in mission program grants, from the Presbyterian Mission Agency. The funding will further support existing worshiping communities, and start new ones in the Presbyterian Church, (U.S.A.) 1001 worshiping community movement.

Over a long weekend this fall, 23 Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seminarians from across the United States gathered together at the Children’s Defense Fund Haley Farm in Clinton, Tenn., for the 37th annual Racial Ethnic & New Immigrant Seminarians Conference. 

A small sea of orange washed over First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone, N.Y., this past weekend. The church, located in northeast Queens, held an “Orange Weekend” to raise awareness of violence against women and girls. 

“We started in 2009 with five girls who really had to fight for their right to play football [soccer in the U.S.] in their communities and families,” said Rami Khader, the manager of the Diyar Academy for Children and Youth in Bethlehem, Palestine, and one of the initiators of the women’s football program. 

“Women in the church, to me, are like flames. They’re strong, life-giving forces in the church that, with the right kindling, will continue to grow and expand their reach,” says Sera Chung, associate for Gender and Racial Justice at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) “As a church, it’s important for us to figure out how we can continue to feed these flames, and not to stifle them to the point of burning out.” 

At its Oct. 26, 2015 meeting, Jefferson County Public Schools voted to name its newest early childhood education center after Ernest "Camp" Edwards, a long-time educator, youth mentor and leader at Grace Hope Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Community Center. He died in 2005.