Christian Formation

What’s next for ministry in the post-pandemic era?

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Office of Christian Formation (OCF) recently introduced two new resources designed to help congregations, church leaders, communities and organizations navigate the post pandemic world.

‘Attending with faithfulness to the church’s worship and community’

The first-ever hybrid version of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship and Music Conference began in person Sunday from Montreat Conference Center and includes an entirely online offering June 27 through July 2. View the conference livestream schedule here. Register for the online conference here.

The preacher as doubter

Preachers, Brian McLaren told more than 1,400 people viewing the Festival of Homiletics online last week, must also be doubters. If they need role models, the author, speaker, activist and public theologian said, preachers have to look no further than Jesus and Paul.

Ninety is the new 60 in Korean culture

Koreans certainly know how to throw a party, and with average life expectancy in South Korea steadily increasing — rising from 61.9 in 1970 to 81.9 in 2020 — even more milestone birthday parties are expected in the years to come.

Amazing Grace Smith!

It’s truly a ‘virtual world’ when someone born and raised in South Carolina can work full-time in Portland, Maine, while also serving as a virtual Young Adult Volunteer fellow with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville, Kentucky.

Fitting hybrid worship into the context of the local congregation

Highlighting worship efforts during the pandemic ranging from high-tech and labor-intensive to one church’s “Call ‘Em All” telephonic approach, Thursday’s webinar on Hybrid Ministry: The Scattered Church was a balm for clergy and worship leaders who’ve struggled mightily with pandemic-induced issues including pastoral care, trauma and self-care.

Ministering through the challenges and gifts of older adults of Hispanic heritage

After serving for many years as a commissioned lay pastor of Brentwood Presbyterian Church in the Presbytery of Long Island, New York, a Matthew 25 presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Rev. Ida Rosario retired at the end of 2020 to start a new season in her life and ministry. Today she serves as a minister in a small multicultural church that partners with a Hispanic congregation of more recent immigrants.

Webinar series kicks off Older Adult Week

To help congregations prepare for Older Adult Week, which starts Sunday, the Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries Network (POAMN) presented the first of three webinars as part of its Celebrating Longevity Around the World series. The webinars are focused at looking at different cultures as a way to learn more about how to honor and value older adults.

Christian Formation cohort groups are just about the best gift ever

As cohort groups are being formed by the Office of Christian Formation in partnership with the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators and Presbyterian Youth Workers Association, Christian educator Linda Babcock said her cohort was “a real lifesaver.”