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October 7, 2024

Speaking for the third time this year as part of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church’s McClendon Scholar in Residence Program on Saturday, the Rev. Dr. Brian McLaren shared his thinking on what the world needs most from Christians today.

October 4, 2024

When word began to circulate that western North Carolina had suffered massive damage from Hurricane Helene, one of the landmarks that came to the mind of many Presbyterians was Montreat Conference Center.

October 4, 2024

“What does it feel like to be stuck?” asked the Rev. Sara Hayden, host of the “New Way” podcast, a production of the 1001 New Worshiping Communities (1001 NWC) movement. Her guest, Dr. Corey Schlosser-Hall, deputy executive director for Vision and Innovation at the Presbyterian Mission Agency, gave both a theological answer and a personal anecdote. According to Schlosser-Hall, to be stuck is to be without confidence and faith, i.e., lacking in “con-fidelis.” Feeling stuck reminded him of driving a brown Ford Pinto station wagon in high school and having to navigate the North Dakota winters with only rear-wheel drive. Sometimes, one needs more to get unstuck and stop spinning one’s wheels than to exert more effort doing the same thing. Sometimes, one needs a group of people pushing from behind or sand to help with traction under one’s tires.

October 4, 2024

As Stewardship Kaleidoscope 2024 opened in Portland, Oregon Sept. 23, attendees had probably seen the “Keep Portland Weird” slogan in several places. The annual conference is presented by the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

October 3, 2024

The perils of the Civil Rights Movement and the need for continued racial healing and activism were apparent as the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program took a group on a humbling journey through the Deep South and to other historically significant spots.

October 3, 2024

In preparation for its annual conference, the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE) has announced its educators of the year. Among the honorees is Miatta Wilson, associate in the Office for Christian Formation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Wilson has been recognized as the Enrich-Educator of the Year for 2024. Two Sustain-Lifetime Achievement Awards were also announced to honor retired educators the Revs. Roberta Dodds Ingersoll and Zeta Lamberson.

October 3, 2024

As the one-year anniversary of the horrific actions committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, approaches, and the subsequent sustained response by Israel in retaliation for the taking and killing of hostages commenced, there appears to be no let-up in the violence that’s left more than 40,000 killed and nearly 2 million people displaced within Gaza. Neither does there appear to be any increased hope for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, and fears of a wider war within the region increased when Israel launched ground operations targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and Iran launched ballistic missiles into Israeli territory earlier this week.

October 3, 2024

To Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, the staff and students of Dar al-Kalima University College
Bethlehem, Palestine 

Dear Friends in Christ, 

I write to you on behalf of your partner, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), to say that we join you and stand with you in grief and anger concerning the September 16, 2024 attack on Dar al-Kalima University College. 

October 2, 2024

As longtime ministry colleagues in the Presbytery of Charlotte in North Carolina, the Revs. Drs. Lori Archer Raible and Amantha Barbee have maintained a close friendship through the years, united in their love of neighbor and their shared passion for justice.

October 2, 2024

Nearly a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall, communities that sustained damage are still reeling from the consequences of the storm that tore through a major swath of the southeastern United States and caused an estimated 160 deaths.

October 2, 2024

The Gospel writer Luke set out to provide an “orderly account” of the life of Jesus. Yet reading the story backwards yields insights we can appreciate even more today, said the Rev. Dr. Eric Barreto in the second plenary address at Stewardship Kaleidoscope on Sept. 24. The annual conference is presented by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 

October 2, 2024

The PC(USA) Africa Mission Networks and the Office of Public Witness (OPW), located in Washington, D.C., are collaborating to advocate for the U.S. government to support vaccination access for low-income countries through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Specifically, there are two new malaria vaccinations that have been approved for use by the World Health Organization (WHO) that have proven successful after decades of research.

October 1, 2024

Despite rhetoric to the contrary, there are many people making positive contributions to their communities after migrating to this country, and churches can do more to serve as allies.

October 1, 2024

The local laundromat in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, was Linda’s chapel. It was where she first shared a prayer concern that had been weighing heavily on her mind — and on her family’s heart — to say nothing of their budget. At the time, Linda was dealing with stage 4 cancer. “Since I got sick, my washer and dryer can’t handle the volume of blankets and bedding,” she confessed to the pastor and volunteers from the Presbyterian Church of Waynesboro. “And the expense of doing my laundry would have been difficult to handle without your help.” The help that had become a lifeline for Linda and other families — for whom the escalating cost of health care was threatening to drive them even deeper into poverty — was the church’s “Fresh Start: Loads of Love” laundry outreach program.

September 30, 2024

Can pastors and musicians be friends? Only if the way be clear, in Presbyterian parlance, and a Town Hall put on Thursday by the Presbyterian Association of Musicians demonstrated just how the relationship can flourish when worship and worship planning are done intentionally and lovingly.

September 30, 2024

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is set to host its annual World Mission Initiative Conference and W. Don McClure Lecture Oct. 11-12 in person and online.

September 27, 2024

As Hurricane Helene hurtled toward Florida and neighboring states, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and others in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) were monitoring the storm and calling for prayers amid predictions of catastrophic storm surge.

September 26, 2024

While Presbyterian News Service was not present for the three days of Committee on the Office of the General Assembly meetings that concluded on Thursday, the news service did have the next best thing at its disposal: a question-and-answer session via email with Kate Trigger Duffert, Director of General Assembly Planning, one of the OGA staff and others present for COGA’s last in-person meeting ever at Zephyr Point Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Zephyr Cove, Nevada.

September 26, 2024

If establishing edible landscapes and climate resilient communities is the goal, Presbyterians for Earth Care provided at least some of the answers during an informative webinar Wednesday.

September 26, 2024

While the Sept. 1 Day of Prayer for Just Peace in the Philippines has passed, a new set of resources and prayers is available to help congregations and individuals support peace year-round among Filipinos, and push for a resolution of the armed conflict on the island country in southeast Asia.