Mission Yearbook

Creative Mission Project in Northern California

In September the Presbytery of Sacramento hosted a group of 14 health care professionals from the Indonesian Christian Association for Health Services. Among them were nurses, chaplains, physicians, chaplains and administrators.

Real-life ‘Hidden Figures’ mathematician Katherine G. Johnson is longtime Presbyterian

“Hidden Figures”—the movie about a group of brilliant female African-American mathematicians who aided NASA during the space race—took the second spot at the box office in its first weekend of wide release. The movie features the story of Katherine G. Johnson, a longtime Presbyterian and 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee.

Roberts preaches message of radical diversity at College Conference at Montreat

Stepping again into the pulpit—and alternately striding across the stage— at the College Conference at Montreat in early January, the Rev. Paul Roberts Sr., president of Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary in Atlanta, continued to explore the conference theme, “Beyond Babel,” based on Genesis 11:1-9.

Cuban-born pastor prays for continued hope and reconciliation for his homeland

The Rev. Tony Aja returned to Cuba last October for only the second time since he fled the country with his father in 1967. Strolling through his old neighborhood, he remembers all too well how his family and friends suffered during the Cuban revolution, but as a minister of the gospel he clings to the hope that forgiveness and reconciliation, even at the political level, will come eventually.

College Conference attendees are challenged to move ‘Beyond Babel’

As over 1,000 college students and their advisors rushed the doors of Montreat Conference Center’s Anderson Auditorium on January 2 for the annual College Conference’s opening worship, Frisbees featuring the logo of UKirk — the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s collegiate ministries network—flew overhead.

Ghost Ranch operations transfer from PMA to National Ghost Ranch Foundation

The Ghost Ranch Education & Retreat Center has transferred its operations from the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to the National Ghost Ranch Foundation (NGRF). The Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation established in 1972 to support Ghost Ranch as a ministry of the PC(USA), has been providing financial, operational, and volunteer resources for Ghost Ranch.

Launching Intentional Communities for young adults is ‘game changer’ for PC(USA)

Coming of age in New Zealand, Paul Humphreys deeply understood that country’s special, spiritual connection with the land. “As a child, I was often messing around in rivers, hiking, biking, and sailing,” says Humphreys, who has served as program director for Outreach and Disciple-Making at the Crestfield Camp & Conference Center in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, for the last two years. Crestfield, the camp and conference center for Pittsburgh Presbytery, is a thriving facility that currently serves over 600 campers in the summertime as well close to 3,000 conference and retreat users.