In the first full day of their meeting last week, members of the National Committee on the Self-Development of People threw the word “new” around quite often. During an opening Bible study, SDOP Coordinator Alonzo Johnson and Committee Chair Rebecca Reyes referred to Isaiah 43:16-21. In the scripture, God speaks of not dwelling on the past, but instructs followers to move forward. Read more »
January 30, 2017
Self-Development of People National Committee meeting looks to the future
In the first full day of their meeting last week, members of the National Committee on the Self-Development of People threw the word “new” around quite often. During an opening Bible study, SDOP Coordinator Alonzo Johnson and Committee Chair Rebecca Reyes referred to Isaiah 43:16-21. In the scripture, God speaks of not dwelling on the past, but instructs followers to move forward. Read more »
This afternoon, the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), issued a statement opposing President Trump’s executive action on immigration. 
Members of the national committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP), are meeting in Miami this weekend to welcome new members, determine vision for the organization and seek spiritual renewal. 
“There are times when God says to us, ‘don’t just sit there, do something.’ At the same time there are certainly times when God says, ‘don’t just do something, sit there.’ Be still, just a minute. Be still and know that I am God,” said the Rev. Jon Brown, pastor of Old Bergen Church in Jersey City, New Jersey—a union church of the Reformed Church in America and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
The first thing I noticed when I exited the car was the sound of bagpipes. Welcome to College Conference at Montreat, where students descend each year for faith formation, fellowship, and the occasional tune from that beloved Scottish instrument. I took the music as a personal welcome, as this was my first Montreat experience. 
Today, African-American mission co-workers continue the transforming work of God’s mission, answering the call to service through Presbyterian World Mission. Leisa Wagstaff, currently serving in South Sudan, shares her personal reflection on this irresistible call. Like the mission workers who served a century before her, Leisa has found herself personally transformed. That is the essence of God’s mission. 
The Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) program’s final application date for international placement is fast-approaching. Candidates interested in placement at one of the five international sites must apply by February 1. Current YAVs are in the process of taking over the program’s Instagram account (@yavprogram) to showcase each site’s partner organizations and also highlight everyday living. 
More than 600 church educators are gathering in Denver, Colorado this week at the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) annual event to discuss the latest trends in Christian education and learn about best practices that address the diverse needs needs in the church. 
Darius and Vera Swann used their skills as educators to spread the gospel in Asia and become an important part of the Presbyterian mission legacy. Growing up in the segregated South, the Swanns’ mission service was shaped by inequities they knew firsthand. 
LOUISVILLE – In a recent denominational survey, nearly three-quarters of Presbyterians said that “Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord,” a finding that stands in contrast to an earlier study on Presbyterian views of salvation.