Death is not something most people want to discuss. We avoid the topic, and we certainly don’t want to bring it up in a discussion.
For David Barnhart, it’s the story — not his story, but the story of the subject.
There’s still time to register for and receive scholarships for the Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries Network national conference, set for Oct. 15-18 in Louisville, Ky.
In advance of building the 2021-22 Presbyterian Mission Agency budget and approving the agency’s work plan, the PMA Board and representatives from about two dozen mid councils are meeting together for two days following Big Tent to discern the priorities of both groups.
During opening worship at Big Tent in Baltimore this week, the Rev. Cindy Kohlmann and Ruling Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri told the group they would come away from the three-day gathering “spiritually uncomfortable.” The attendees who gathered for the final plenary on Saturday afternoon confirmed that prediction.
The Birds of a Feather learning opportunity allowed Big Tent attendees to discuss how willing they’d be to worship in a congregation that’s more or less diverse then theirs. Photo by Rich Copley
During a learning opportunity at Big Tent called “Birds of a Feather,” Presbyterians were asked in real-time if they would or would not prefer to be part of a same-race worshiping community.
Seeing the responses, Dr. Perry Chang, associate of Presbyterian Research Services, compared what he was hearing from workshop participants with a 2017 Presbyterian Panel report on Race and Ethnicity.
Seventy percent of the …
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The Rev. Dr. Renita Weems, co-pastor of Community of Hope Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tenn., preaches during Big Tent closing worship Saturday. Photo by Rich Copley
The Book of Genesis may spell out God’s plan of salvation. But the Rev. Dr. Renita Weems told nearly 800 people attending Big Tent’s closing worship Saturday that “sometimes I wish God would save us without asking us to participate in salvation. Just get on with it, God! But God continuously invites flawed inconsistent people to participate with God.”
Reems, co-pastor at Ray of Hope Community Church in Nashville, Tenn., preached on a relatively …
The Rev. Dan Milford, pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, spoke during Saturday’s Compassion, Peace & Justice breakfast. Photo by Rich Copley
The Rev. Dan Milford invited folks attending Saturday morning’s Compassion, Peace & Justice breakfast at Big Tent to imagine a church with 20-30 children under the age of 12 with no children’s ministry.
It was hard to imagine, he acknowledged. But if that were the case, the church would ask, “what can we do?” and be able to find readily available answers such as Sunday school, vacation Bible school, children’s choir and more.
But, Milford said, …
Olanda Carr, senior ministry relations officer with the Presbyterian Foundation, talks about the advantages churches that offer avenues for online giving have. Photo by Rich Copley
If your congregation doesn’t have online giving, it is a barrier to full participation in the life of the church, says Rev. Ellie Johns-Kelley, Ministry Relations Officer for the Presbyterian Foundation.
Incarcerated at 14 for 29 years, Troy (center) is one of the returning citizens employed on the Intersection of Change urban farm. He calls founder C.W. Harris (right) and Edward Griffin (left), who runs a cleaning service business, “beautiful people and a blessing from God.” Photo by Paul Seebeck
The Rev. Dr. Karen Brown, who serves as the national chair of the Northeast task force for the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP), says she is “all about poor people.” She sees how the underserved struggle daily in her work at a Baltimore-based nonprofit that provides programs …