The Rev. Dr. Lee Hinson-Hasty of the Presbyterian Foundation kicked off the third season of his “Leading Theologically” podcast on Wednesday looking at the joys of ministry alongside guest the Rev. Mark Ramsey, executive director of The Ministry Collaborative. Listen to their 30-minute conversation here or here.

Special guests have been announced for an advocacy and activism conference kicking off Oct. 20 at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, Kentucky, to empower young adults to make their voices heard on important issues.

We find ourselves once again mourning the massive loss of lives through natural disaster. We are heartbroken to hear of the devastation in Libya caused by severe flooding this week. As of this writing, the estimated death toll could exceed 20,000. In addition, tens of thousands have been left homeless. This comes just days after news of the tragic loss of lives in Morocco’s earthquake.

The topic of unification and what church governance may look like was one of the main conversations on day two of the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly’s fall meeting. The committee spent Tuesday morning focusing on legacy as it moves toward unification.

A weekly infusion of Taylor Swift music has proven memorable and meaningful at Brentwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.

A tour of the Presbyterian Historical Society can open a treasure of historic documents, photos, letters, and more. Archivists take great care of the materials they receive from churches, pastors, and families that shed light on the Presbyterian experience dating back several hundred years.

In this week’s OGA In Focus, Allison Davis, a digital collections specialist, describes her efforts to ensure these historic items are handled with great care.

Dr. Melva Wilson Costen, a leading voice in church worship and song, died Friday at the age of 90. Her funeral services will be held Saturday, September 16, at 1 p.m. EST at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.

In a news release from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary, a school where Costen had longstanding career and personal connections, her passing on Sep. 8 was announced and her influence around the globe memorialized.

The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly has approved the latest additions to the draft docket for the 226th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). During the opening session of its fall meeting on Tuesday, COGA members said yes to the plan that not only includes online committee meetings, but other events and activities during the in-person portion of the assembly in Salt Lake City.

Bruce Klunder became aware of the civil rights movement when he was 18 years old. At the young age of 26, he lost his life fighting for that same cause.

The Rev. Bruce Klunder died protesting the construction of a segregated school in Cleveland, Ohio, in April 1964. During the protest, several other activists used their bodies as blockades, throwing themselves on the ground to block a bulldozer’s path. As the driver backed away from them, he drove over Klunder, who had laid down behind the machine. Klunder’s death was ultimately ruled an accident, but it served as a turning point in the fight against Jim Crow segregation, polarizing the Cleveland community and inspiring others to join the discussion.

Presbyterian hymnwriter the Rev. Dr. John A. Dalles has completed several new anniversary hymns for congregations marking special milestones — some of them going back centuries.