For Cameron Presbyterian Church and Calvary Presbyterian Church, both in Statesville, North Carolina, accepting the Matthew 25 invitation was not a difficult decision. When presented with information about the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s invitation by Salem Presbytery, the Rev. Timothy L. Bates, pastor of the two churches, says both congregations saw it as a great opportunity to join other Presbyterian churches in the endeavor. Read more »
October 8, 2021
One pastor and two churches are building congregational vitality
For Cameron Presbyterian Church and Calvary Presbyterian Church, both in Statesville, North Carolina, accepting the Matthew 25 invitation was not a difficult decision. When presented with information about the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s invitation by Salem Presbytery, the Rev. Timothy L. Bates, pastor of the two churches, says both congregations saw it as a great opportunity to join other Presbyterian churches in the endeavor. Read more »
If you think congregants are busy during Advent and Christmas, consider your preacher, who, as the Rev. Dr. Chip Hardwick quipped on Wednesday, quoting a friend, must be, during the few hours between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, Billy Graham, Martha Stewart and Santa Claus rolled into one. 
When Nkazi Sinandile learned that refugee women in her adopted city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, were having trouble retaining employment because of various barriers, she created another outlet for their talents in 2009. 
What’s great about small churches?
Lots, says the Rev. Ellie Johns-Kelley, Ministry Relations Officer for the Presbyterian Foundation. Small churches have strengths, she says, and those can be celebrated year-round, and especially during seasons of stewardship emphasis. 
In its final action of 2021, the Presbyterian Mission Agency on Thursday passed what it called enabling motions that will result in some if not most of the ideas generated in a consultant’s report, “Reflecting, Reimagining and Making Space for Rebuilding,” being worked into the PMA’s Mission Work Plan that must be approved by the 225th General Assembly in 2022. 
As he began to talk exclusively with unchurched people, Dr. Tom Bagley heard the same thing again and again from people who were spiritually curious about God and faith: They wanted nothing to do with the church because of its hypocrisy, judgmentalism and exclusivity. 
Now that the War in Afghanistan has ended, the cost of the United States’ longest war can be represented in numbers. 
For every step forward that has been taken toward closing the global gender gap, there have been at least two steps back.
And then some — largely due to COVID-19. 
Each year at this time Presbyterians and others celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans to this country. 
The Rev. Dr. Brandi Casto-Waters learned a lot in seminary, but, she admits, not everything.