Presbyterians across the denomination will have the opportunity to get some new perspectives on evangelism next month in a Leader Formation webinar titled “Breaking the Myth of the Presbyterian Fear of the ‘E’ Word.”

People sensing God’s call to be a catalyst for change in their community can consider enrolling in “Lead Change: A Certificate in Community Faith Formation,” a new certificate in community faith formation being offered by Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary. The inaugural cohort of 15 learning partners, as the seminary calls its students, will begin in March and finish in late November.

It was just under a year ago when the Rev. Joshua Park left his role as lead pastor of Bethany Korean Presbyterian Church in Marietta, Georgia, to begin working for the Office of the General Assembly as the manager for Korean-Speaking Councils Support within Mid Council Ministries.

In this edition of OGA In Focus, Park describes his work and how his life has shaped his call to ministry. 

The second installment of a video/webinar series highlighting the Christian mission in Myanmar (formerly Burma) resumes at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. An ecumenical prayer service commemorating the violent regime change in 2021 will broadcast live on the World Mission Facebook page.

The year 2022 saw crowds returning to theaters after the Covid disaster, though not as large as before. However, James Cameron’s “Avatar” sequel again drew huge receipts, reaching as of January 23 over $2 billion world-wide, surpassing the receipts generated by “Top Gun: Maverick.” Of the two it is Camron’s film that made my Top Ten List because the latter was merely an escapist film waving the flag of nationalism — no doubt a well-made, exciting film but one running counter to Christ’s boundary-breaking teachings of love and acceptance.

After 20 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, a global pandemic, protests against racial violence, and frequent shootings, more Americans than ever are living with the effects of trauma. The good news is that Jesus was born and died in a traumatized world, and his story speaks forever to wounded people worldwide.

Recent episodes of “Along the Road,” a podcast series by Mid Council Ministries in the Office of the General Assembly (OGA), look at the constant of change in church life, including two “Nourish” episodes focusing on education and leadership by ruling elders and deacons and an “Encounter” episode about challenges facing transitioning congregations.

Tyre Nichols was a father, son, friend and co-worker. But on Jan. 7, he became the face and victim of the latest violent clash with law enforcement. He was 29 years old.

The release of body camera and surveillance video last week shows that Nichols was stopped by police near his home in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was brutally beaten and kicked. Based on the video released by authorities, they continued to beat him until he could not stand. There appeared to be no urgency to administer medical attention.

The Co-Moderators of the 225th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have appointed 10 individuals to serve on the Special Committee on the Standing Rules of the General Assembly. An additional appointment is pending. The Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis and the Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace announced the appointments in a letter late last week.

People attending the Association of Partners in Christian Education’s annual event had a role to play at the start of pastor and author John Pavlovitz’s final plenary Saturday morning: Pavlovitz turned over the microphone and asked them what they’ve experienced since the conference opened on Wednesday.