Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is closely monitoring Hurricane Sally as the slow-moving storm makes landfall in southern Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.
Presbyterian ministers seeking a call will soon find it easier to connect with churches looking to fill positions. Church Leadership Connection (CLC), the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s computerized database and matching system, is getting an upgrade.
Sunday was a special day for Bedford Presbyterian Church in Bedford Village, in northern Westchester, New York. Not only was the church preparing to call a new pastor, but also heard words of encouragement from the Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The tragic deaths of African Americans at the hands of police officers have sparked renewed energy into a public debate about race and policing. The Presbyterian Mission Agency created a short video designed to raise awareness of the structural or institutional bias against people of color within the law enforcement and criminal justice systems.
Session and committee meetings can be transformed when we are more attuned to God’s will through intentional times of prayer and silence.
¿Adónde le ha llevado su viaje de fe?
Mi viaje siempre me ha mantenido en la iglesia. Cuando era niño, mi hora del recreo incluía la alineación de mis muñecas en el sofá para la escuela dominical donde yo era el maestro, para la adoración donde yo era el predicador, y cantábamos juntos. Después enseñé en la escuela dominical con verdaderos niños, lo que me llevó a convertirme en un educador cristiano, que me condujo a trabajar para el presbiterio como coordinador del centro de recurso y luego como consultor educativo y coordinador de campamento. Mientras tanto, completé la preparación del pastor laico comisionado de mi presbiterio (PLP) y desde entonces me encargaron un par de iglesias. Eventualmente fui llamado a servir como coordinador del programa CLP del presbiterio. Dios me guía y yo sigo. Bueno, realmente Dios empuja y ¿quién soy yo para decir que no a Dios?
당신의 신앙 여정은 당신을 어디로 인도하고 있습니까?
제 여정은 저를 늘 교회로 이끌었습니다. 어렸을 적에 저는 소파에 인형들을 나란히 앉혀놓고 주일학교 선생님 놀이를 하거나, 목사님처럼 인형들에게 설교를 하는 놀이를 했습니다. 저와 인형은 함께 찬양을 부르기도 했습니다. 후에 저는 진짜로 아이들을 주일학교에서 가르쳤고, 이를 통해 크리스찬 교육자로 인도하심을 받았습니다. 이후에는 노회에서 지원 센터 코디네이터, 교육 상담가, 캠프 코디네이터 등으로 일하도록 인도하셨습니다. 그러면서 저는 노회의 평신도 위임 목사 (CLP) 과정을 마쳤고 그 이후로 몇몇 교회를 섬기고 있습니다. 결국 저는 노회의 평신도 위임 목사 프로그램 코디네이터로 부름을 받았습니다. 하나님께서 인도하시고 저는 따릅니다. 좀더 실감나게 말하면, 하나님께서 그 길로 가도록 뒤에서 밀고 계시는데, 누가 하나님께 가지 않겠다고 말하겠습니까?
Where has your faith journey taken you?
My journey has always kept me in the church. As a child, my playtime included lining up my dolls on the couch for Sunday school where I was the teacher, for worship where I was the preacher, and we all sang together. Later in life, I taught Sunday school with real kids, which led me to become a Christian educator, which led me to work for the presbytery as the resource center coordinator and then as their educational consultant and camp coordinator. In the meantime, I completed my presbytery’s commissioned lay pastor (CLP) preparation and have since been commissioned to a couple of churches. Eventually I was called to service as the presbytery’s CLP program coordinator. God leads, I follow. Well, more realistically, God pushes and who am I to say no to God?
In the latest edition of “Everyday God-Talk,” So Jung Kim, associate for theology in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Office of Theology & Worship, speaks with theologian Amos Yong about his most recent book regarding the work of the Holy Spirit.
Although they won’t actually “be confirmed” during the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) 2021 Worship and Music Conference, a small group of middlers will make history by being part of the first denomination-wide confirmation class at Montreat.