The Rev. Frank Diaz, whose work and ministry ranged from serving as an electrical engineer and Realtor to leading what is now the Presbyterian Mission Agency, died Jan. 14 at age 90.
As always, it is difficult deciding on what were the best 10 films for the past year, especially when a few potential ones, such as Ava DuVernay’s “Origin,” have not yet opened in the Cincinnati-Dayton area. (A penalty for living in what Hollywood regards as “flyover territory!) However, we cannot wait, so below are the 10 out of the many fine films reviewed in Visual Parables this past year that illuminate spiritual and/or ethical issues.
During the first of two days of in-person meetings Thursday, the Unification Commission heard an update from Acting Stated Clerk the Rev. Bronwen Boswell on how a pilot program unifying communications ministries in the Office of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency is proceeding.
The Rev. Dr. Keith Albans, who served 16 years as the Director of Chaplaincy and Spirituality at Methodist Homes in the United Kingdom, is something of a wordsmith. His prodigious abilities were on display Thursday during a University of Waterloo’s Conrad Grebel University College webinar, “It’s How You Say It: Exploring the Language and Imagery of Aging.” The hour-long event was carried by the Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry Network and attended by more than 100 people from around the world.
A queer psychotherapist who wrote a recent book about how people can rediscover their faith after a harmful church experience was the guest last week on “A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast.” Listen to the 35-minute conversation that hosts Simon Doong and the Rev. Lee Catoe had with Matthias Roberts, author of “Holy Runaways: Rediscovering Faith After Being Burned by Religion,” by going here.
“Truly eye-opening” is how the Rev. Dr. Yushin Lee describes the first CREDO conference for Korean pastors, sponsored by The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) last spring.
Meeting Saturday via Zoom, the Unification Commission voted to approve the formation a small task force to work with staff to review its charter “and all polity, process and procedural issues” related to the commission’s upcoming report to the 226th General Assembly next year and make recommendations to the Unification Commission at its next meeting, set for Jan. 18-20, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Almost 25 years ago, James “Jim” Rissler had a plan for his future. A ruling elder involved in the youth ministry at Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, Rissler envisioned he would continue to work in commercial banking until his early 50s. Then he would find a way to work for an organization that more directly gave back to the community and the world.
The Holy Spirit had another idea.
