Presbyterian Mission Agency presbyterians Archives

Back to school means back to missions

Posted August 19th, 2022

It’s back to school time, and for parents that means helping children sharpen their pencils and charge their laptops in preparation for the first day. For children it means adapting to new morning routines and getting back to a studying and test-taking rhythm. And for pastors, it’s that wonderful time of year to bless school backpacks. While blessing backpacks is popular in big and small churches, it is only the start to what congregations can — and should — be doing to engage more deeply with local schools. According to Dr. Irvin Scott, a faculty member of Harvard Graduate School of Education, backpack blessings have grown over the years because they provide a relatively hassle-free, easy-to-execute outreach to families. “It’s a good first step,” said Scott, with emphasis on “first.”

Sanctuaries under construction

Posted August 19th, 2022

The rooms we occupy — those places where breath is taken, words are spoken and memories are made — are often taken for granted. They have four walls and a ceiling, reflecting the personality of the occupant or the traditions of an organization. But can rooms be more?

Decently and in order

Posted August 16th, 2022

Even though it doesn’t appear in the Book of Order — I looked — perhaps there’s no phrase, for better or worse, that sums up Presbyterianism than “decently and in order.” If something exists in our life together, we Presbyterians have a committee and — if we’re really on our game — an acronym for it. However, there’s an important reason for our fascination with process and structure: We value shared governance.

A home away from home

Posted May 26th, 2022

Presbyterians have been stepping up to help Afghan families feel welcome in the United States, from providing meals and housing to helping children get registered in school.

Presbyterians reach out to Native American communities during pandemic

Posted October 27th, 2020

Hardly a day goes by without the Rev. Brad Munroe receiving a call from someone wanting to make a donation to help Native Americans in the southwestern United States, many of whom are struggling to cope with poverty and the weight of COVID-19 and its economic fallout.

Principles of investing

Posted June 12th, 2017

If you’re fortunate to have a 401(k) or IRA but know little about investments, chances are you spend a minimal amount of time reviewing your quarterly statement — a quick glance at the numbers to see if they’re up or down. But do you really know where your hard-earned dollars go?

Seminary students serve up a hot cup at College Conference

Posted January 11th, 2017

If every waiter is said to be an aspiring actor, might every barista somehow be a future campus minister? Such was almost certainly the case at last week’s College Conference at Montreat, where on Wednesday morning, Jan. 4, some 30 campus ministers from across the country were served their morning coffee by a group of keenly interested and highly motivated seminary students.