Unglued Church: a faithful response to church decline
When Sarah Robbins accepted her first call, at Dormont Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, she knew it would be a challenge. The church had been experiencing declining membership, deteriorating facilities and dwindling finances. While she hoped that she might bring new life to the congregation, she realized that couldn’t happen unless she talked about death and resurrection. Read more »
July 19, 2016
Unglued Church: A Faithful Response to Church Decline
Unglued Church: a faithful response to church decline
When Sarah Robbins accepted her first call, at Dormont Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, she knew it would be a challenge. The church had been experiencing declining membership, deteriorating facilities and dwindling finances. While she hoped that she might bring new life to the congregation, she realized that couldn’t happen unless she talked about death and resurrection. Read more »
This year’s weather systems, especially the El Nino patterns, have caused serious headaches for disaster assistance crews across the country, whether dealing with flooding or drought situations. 
August 12, 2016 Rev. Gladys Lariba Mahama has a big job. She is a minister with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, serving five congregations spread across the upper eastern region…. 
Growing congregation finds purpose in helping others
A year and a half ago, 10 people gathered in Jeanie Shaw’s living room in Sacramento, California, to worship. Before long, they moved to her backyard. This past Easter, the growing group—more than 100 people—gathered to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and three adult baptisms. 
Community school partnership helps boys at risk
“Let’s rock the DREAAM House.” Those are the words coming from 10 excited five-year-old boys participating in the DREAAM Summer Pre -K Academy. The DREAAM House is a community-school partnership significantly funded by First Presbyterian Church of Champaign and Southeastern Illinois Presbytery. 
Grace Covenant Presbyterian planting the seeds to end food insecurity in Asheville
A trip to Haiti and a community conversation planted a seed at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church that is bringing fresh vegetables and fresh hope to Asheville, North Carolina. 
Making inroads against human trafficking
When Jill Bolander Cohen’s stepdaughter called her one afternoon, she didn’t expect her stepdaughter to be asking for her to help a high school victim of human trafficking. “This young woman’s mother sold her to a trafficker for $25,000,” Cohen says. “Her mother needed the money to open and operate her business, and the young woman’s trafficker was shipping her around the country as she worked to pay back her mother’s debts.”
Around 40 people, half of whom were homeless, spent last Monday afternoon fishing on the Monterey Bay aboard a luxury yacht. The trip was organized by Sweaty Sheep Ministries, a Santa Cruz church group that plays sports and games to build relationships across socioeconomic groups. 
Minute for Mission: Presbyterian Association of Musicians
The Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) shaped and enabled my current vocation as a church musician. I have enjoyed multiple careers. My first career was as a school music teacher. My second career was as an actuary. While that career was intellectually and monetarily rewarding, it was not my true vocational calling.
Changes in organization and mission present challenges and opportunities
The Synod of Alaska-Northwest continues to live into a new and creative way of being a synod. After decades of being a large program body, it has recently moved to a reduced function as provided for by the Book of Order. Although mission in the form of programs no longer occurs, the ties between the member presbyteries are perhaps stronger than in the past. The synod does mission only in terms of how it supports its member presbyteries, taking seriously the mandate of the 211th General Assembly (1999): to “develop, encourage, equip, and resource congregations and their leaders, . . . enhance the effectiveness of congregations, and find simplified, flexible and more responsive ways to . . . work in a rapidly changing environment.”