If you go to a church that follows the Revised Common Lectionary, you may have heard (or preached) a sermon last Sunday based upon the story of Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus (John 11:1-44). Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead is the last of John’s seven narrated “signs” of Jesus, all of which point to his identity as Messiah and lead people to believe in him.
As an adviser for the Unglued Church, a program in Pittsburgh Presbytery for help with church change, I encounter a lot of churches at the end of their rope. It’s a time in a church’s life when it’s important to emphasize the importance of thinking beyond survival, and how the congregation might imagine leaving a legacy for God’s ministry and mission.
The Presbyterian Mission Agency’s 1001 New Worshiping Communities is offering a series of webinars to prepare and equip members of the church for ministry. All webinars are available at no cost, and up to 100 registrants can listen and learn to each live presentation.
It all began in Pittsburgh over a sandwich.
When Rev. Dr. Clinton “Clint” Cottrell, pastor and head of staff at Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church in Fort Myers, Florida, sat down in a sandwich shop during the 220th General Assembly (2012) to break bread with his Peace River Presbytery colleague, Rev. Miguel Estrada, their long-held dream took shape.
After weathering rains so heavy that they flooded the exhibit hall and much of the ground floor on the first day of the Go Disciple Live “Be the Light” Conference, some 275 attendees at the opening worship were particularly primed to hear a sermon on Jesus’ call of the first disciples at the seaside.
A year and a half ago, ten people gathered in Jeanie Shaw’s living room in Sacramento, California to worship. Before long, they moved to her backyard. This past Easter, more than 100 people gathered at Eventide Community to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and three adult baptisms.
Neighborhood prayer walks help historic congregation experience new life By Paul Seebeck To the Rev. Jon Brown the congregation he serves, which is about ten minutes away from the World Trade… Read more »
‘Verge 2.0’ combines experience and inspiration in new format What does it take to grow a good idea into a great one? For the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Presbytery of the Northwest… Read more »
