By Viola Larson The Presbyterian News Service reports that on October 14-16 during the annual Polity Conference, Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons preached about Ahaz and his refusal of a sign from the prophet Isaiah. He spoke of a sign needed by those in leadership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and concluded that the sign, unlike…
buy cigars online usa “No to the [proposed U.S.] strike [against Syria], yes for dialogue, and yes for a political solution that will save the lives of thousands and thousands.” That was the message delivered by the Rev. Dr. Riad Jarjour in a Sept. 10 webinar hosted by the Presbyterian Church (USA). Jarjour, a pastor…
In three separate statements issued last week, Presbyterian Church (USA) officials and agencies pleaded for the United States to “refrain from military action” against Syria. As debate intensified over proposals for a limited U.S. strike in response to the Syrian government’s apparent use of chemical weapons, the PCUSA was listed among the organizations endorsing an…
Two months have passed since Gradye Parsons, stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (USA) sent a letter to the stated clerk of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), Jeffrey Jeremiah. The angst in the June 27 letter concerning the EPC’s reception of congregations that have disaffiliated from the PCUSA was palpable. The EPC stated clerk responded in a letter dated…
A panel of Presbyterian Church (USA) leaders took up the topic of racial issues during a session of the third annual Big Tent meeting at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 3. Linda Valentine, Gradye Parsons, Arlene Gordon, Bruce Reyes-Chow, Teresa Chavez Sauceda and Marcus Lambright had a conversation on racial matters…
The 221st General Assembly meeting of the Presbyterian Church (USA) takes place next summer in Detroit, Mich. That same city filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection Thursday, July 18. USA Today reported that Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr released a plan last month to restructure the cash-strapped city’s debt and obligations that would leave many…
Membership in the Presbyterian Church (USA) declined by more than 100,000 last year, according to the 2012 statistics released recently by the denomination’s Office of the General Assembly. It is the single largest annual membership decline since the PCUSA was formed in 1983. By the end of 2012, total membership in the PCUSA was 1,849,496,…
By Gail West U.S. Presbyterians and interfaith partners will pore over more than 800-pages of a legislative proposal for U.S. immigration reform released Tuesday. These include a pathway to citizenship for 11 million people working in the country illegally. The Rev. Gradye Parsons, stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Wednesday congratulated senate lawmakers…
Dear General Assembly Moderator Neal Presa and Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons: I was delighted to read aloud to a session last night, as we were studying the Book of Order, the following two paragraphs about our confessions: F-2.01 THE PURPOSE OF CONFESSIONAL STATEMENTS The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) states its faith and bears…
In approving a new structure and leadership design for the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) on February 27, the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) simultaneously approved the accompanying staffing rationale, which includes reductions in force. “While the new structure will enable OGA to better serve the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) by…