presbyterian

NEXT Church 2018 gathering begins in Baltimore

The Rev. Jessica Tate, director of NEXT Church, opened the NEXT Church gathering in Baltimore today welcoming the 675 participants in this year’s event under the theme of “The Desert in Bloom: Living, Dying, and Rising in a Wilderness Church.” The annual conference brings together Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members, pastors and those in affiliated ministries to envision what is “next” for the denomination.

Infusing capital with Presbyterian values

 If investors demanded it, would companies change their practices to benefit the environment and slow the effects of global warming? The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Faith-Based Investing and Corporate Engagement believes that this strategy can work, and that companies encouraged to do so may improve their practices through dialogue. The Presbyterian Board of Pensions and the Presbyterian Foundation are helping bolster this effort by paying for an additional staff person in this office. The staff person, Katie Carter, started work in 2017.

Concert to aid ‘Wicked’ cast member critically hurt in car crash

The 150-year-old Presbyterian Church at Tenafly is notable for its star power. Many of its members and cantors who lead hymns or participate in services have performed on Broadway, off-Broadway or with the New York City Opera. All of that musical talent will join forces to help Jerad Bortz, a veteran of “Wicked” who was left paralyzed from the chest down when he and his husband, songwriter Steven Skeels, were involved in a car accident on Feb. 4.

Presbyterian University of East Africa may be saved by land sale

The Kenya Mission Network conference meeting here February 8 – 10 touched on a topic that is critical to Kenyans: the potential closure of the Presbyterian University of East Africa as well as two other larger universities with religious roots.

Anticipation from Tanzania on the Conference on World Mission and Evangelism

Dr. Fredrick O. Shoo is presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). He is also author of a “Welcome” in the Handbook for the upcoming World Council of Churches Conference on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME). A 12-member delegation from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will attend the conference to learn from and share experiences of global mission.