By Mark Collette, The Houston Chronicle. Regional Presbyterian leaders voted Saturday to accept the exit of two Houston-area congregations in an ongoing schism fomented by social issues including gay marriage. On a voice vote, the Presbytery of New Covenant, governing body for 95 Southeast Texas congregations, agreed to dismiss Memorial Drive Prebyterian Church in Houston…
By Joseph Rossell, Juicy Ecumenism. Data from the Pew Research Center has revealed the youngest and oldest religious groups in the United States. The numbers show Protestant mainline denominations are aging fast, and could be headed for steep membership declines unless they make major changes soon. The Presbyterian Church (USA) and its splinter denomination the…
World Mission July 11, 2016 Mission co-workers teach and preach around the world by Jonathan Seitz | for Mission Crossroads Lukas Nkhoma, Jonathan Thole and Watanga Ngoma leave the classroom at Justo Mwale University in Lusaka, Zambia. (Photo by Johanneke Kroesbergen) TAIWAN – Together, we are among the largest Presbyterian faculties in the world. Our…
The next President of the United States will likely be a self-identified mainline Christian. Hillary Clinton is a member of the United Methodist Church and Donald Trump continues to assert that he is a Presbyterian. However, Clinton does not align with the UMC on the exclusivity of Christianity, LGBTQ issues or abortion. Trump’s self-avowed denomination…
There seemed little reason to be meeting in a space as large as the Portland Convention Center as the exhibit hall was nearly empty as were the bleachers and most of the chairs in the section for observers of the 222nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Press row was a mere 11 chairs,…
Governing body moves to oust First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem’s pastor, replace leadership By Sarah Wojcik, The Morning Call. A dispute over denominational identity has taken another divisive turn in Bethlehem, where the Lehigh Presbytery is canceling its contract with the new pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem and preparing to push aside church…
The 222nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has now convened. One of the more controversial items of business is known as “the apology overture” which seeks individual and institutional apologies be made to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ/Q) community because it says “there will be no chance for healing…
I’m in Portland for the 222nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). There is a lot on the agenda for the week and each morning I’ll be posting a video round up of the news from the prior day. There is no question that the week will be filled with controversial decisions but one of the…
UPDATE: A message from the church session has been posted on the First Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem web site, explaining why it asked the “Trustees to seek definitive answer to the question of the ownership of the Church’s property. Accordingly, the Trustees filed suit in the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas to simply seek confirmation from…
The Presbyterian Church (USA) headquarters building in Louisville, Kentucky is draped today with a banner paying homage to a man who intentionally rejected the Christian faith and embraced the religion of Islam. The giant banner, contrary to some Islamic teachings, includes a photograph of Muhammad Ali. The banner says that the Presbyterian Church (USA) is “celebrating…