Communication Archives

Honoring grief and suffering as a Christian

Posted September 1st, 2020

Bible scholar Christian Brady was as prepared as a person could be for the death of a child — which is to say, not nearly well enough.

‘Sing love songs to a lonely world’

Posted August 31st, 2020

Presbyterians of a certain age can still sing — still do sing — the songs of Richard Avery and Don Marsh: “Every Morning is Easter Morning,” “Hey! Hey! Anybody Listening?” “We’re Here to be Happy,” “We are the Church,” and so many other songs are memorable for their catchy tunes and their lyrics embracing an authentic faith and calling for justice for all God’s children.

Mo-Ranch: A great place to work as well as visit

Posted August 31st, 2020

When the Rev. Dick Powell was tapped as a candidate for the job of President and CEO at Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly, he had one demand: “If I can’t stay in the Board of Pensions plan, I’m not coming.” More than a decade later, Powell and every other full-time employee at the camp and conference center in the Texas Hill Country is a member of the Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Board of Pensions’ Director of Wholeness finds opportunity in COVID-19

Posted August 28th, 2020

The Rev. Lori Neff LaRue plans the popular Well-Being Retreat across a year. When COVID-19 canceled the 2020 gathering, she had a little over two months to devise an online alternative. Her question: How could we do it in a way that feeds peoples’ souls while utilizing a virtual platform?

Exploring the stories of the women of the Old Testament

Posted August 26th, 2020

For too long the women of the Bible have been depicted in one-dimensional terms. On one side are saints, such as Mary, while on the other are “bad girls,” such as Eve and Jezebel. Just as often, the female characters of the Bible are simply ignored.

New David Gushee book looks at how post-evangelicals can move forward

Posted August 25th, 2020

In 2014, the Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape study revealed that nearly 8% of the U.S. population comprised adults who had been raised evangelical but had either switched to another religious tradition or no longer identified with any religious tradition at all, roughly 25 million Americans. White evangelicalism, in particular, has seen many leave the faith in droves, especially after white evangelical support of Donald Trump coalesced during the 2016 election. Many of those who have left have branded themselves #exvangelicals, exvangelicals, or post-evangelicals. How should these post-evangelicals move forward? Many wonder if they should leave Christianity and Jesus altogether.

Projection: PC(USA) revenues will be down about $9 million in 2020 due to COVID-19

Posted August 21st, 2020

During Friday’s wrap-up of three days of online meetings, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation Board of Directors circled back to the topic of financial projections in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On budgets and board feedback

Posted August 20th, 2020

Thursday’s open portion of the online meeting of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation Board of Directors was chiefly spent exploring financial reports and the results of a board survey.

Getting their feet wet

Posted August 20th, 2020

Members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). A Corporation Board of Directors eased their way into three days of online meetings Wednesday, helping four new members learn about their roles and how the A Corporation, which dates back to 1799, fits in and works with other PC(USA) agencies and boards.

Jim Mead, passionate volunteer and newsman, dies at age 89

Posted August 18th, 2020

James Wilson Mead, a passionate volunteer and newsman and husband of the late and legendary Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly newsroom editor Jane Adelle (Thompson) Mead, died July 15 in Orinda, California, at age 89.