Let’s celebrate 50 years of MRTI! Half a century ago, Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) was created in recognition of the church’s unique opportunity to advance its mission faithfully and creatively through the financial resources entrusted to it. MRTI implements the General Assembly’s policies on socially responsible investing (also called faith-based investing) by engaging corporations in which the church owns stock. This year, in recognition of its 50th anniversary, the team worked diligently to create a resource book, “Reflections on 50 Years of the Presbyterian Church as Investor,” to help document what has been done and help future committee members serve effectively.

Congregations, presbyteries and synods have a new opportunity to help the planet by participating in an effort to reduce the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s carbon footprint.

After a national search, the University of Dubuque has named Rev. Dr. Beth McCaw, who currently serves as associate professor of ministry at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, as dean of the seminary and vice president of the university. The appointment will begin on Jan. 1, 2024.

The Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the Synergos Pastoral Residency Program.

The Presbyterian Historical Society is happy to announce that three oral history interviews with Emeritus Stated Clerk of the General Assembly the Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick are now available through Pearl Digital Collections.

The Board of Trustees of Columbia Theological Seminary has appointed Robert Hay Jr. as Vice President for Business and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, effective January 8, 2024.

The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish Plentiful Gifts: Nourishing Members for the Flourishing of Small Member Congregations. Through this new initiative, UDTS will partner with several judicatories to shepherd cohorts of small churches in seasons of transitions, without full-time pastors, to equip members to carry on being church through vital congregational practices.

The provisional total for the 28th Conference on the Parties (COP28) suggests that 97,372 delegates registered to attend the summit in person. With a further 3,074 attending virtually, this takes the overall total to 100,446. These numbers easily make the Dubai event the largest COP in history. The first climate COP – held in Berlin in 1995 – had 3,969 delegates. Among those nearly 100,000 delegates were four Presbyterians, including Alethia White, World Mission’s Co-Regional Liaison for Northern and Central Europe, for whom this event was a first. “Some of the most beautiful parts of COP for me was the way in which it is, in a lot of ways, a microcosm of the whole globe, really. And we are all here because we are committed to caring about this issue of climate change.”

Almost 25 years ago, James “Jim” Rissler had a plan for his future. A ruling elder involved in the youth ministry at Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, Rissler envisioned he would continue to work in commercial banking until his early 50s. Then he would find a way to work for an organization that more directly gave back to the community and the world. The Holy Spirit had another idea.

Nathan Sobers, a commissioned ruling elder in Kendall Presbytery and the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Soda Springs, Idaho, shares part of his faith journey on the most recent edition of “A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast.” Listen to Sobers’ conversation with ‘A Matter of Faith’ hosts Simon Doong and the Rev. Lee Catoe here. Sobers comes in at 11:55.