Presbygrow

This is one of the best “short” explanations of the Missional Church.

Missional Church Simple

“Real People, Real Lives, Real Spirituality”

www.spiritualbookclub.com is an on-line global community of kindred spirits who explore spirituality through books, music, discussion, and ways to get involved in doing good things globally. It’s a spiritual home on the web.

We’ve been here since 1999, and we work to feed the spirits of those who visit this site with:
*Books that nourish the soul, give deeper insights
*Music that moves you (or that just rocks and therefore moves you)
*Discussion that makes you think about what you believe
*Links that help you get involved in cool projects all over the planet

Want a meaningful way to spend a half an hour?

Check this out:

“A collection of inspirational videos and text featuring America’s finest religious thinkers, stories of personal faith, and reflections on spiritual topics, gathered from television broadcasts of 30 Good Minutes, a weekly ecumenical and interfaith program on WTTW 11 (PBS) in Chicago.”

www.thirtygoodminutes.org

Chicago

May 27-30, 2010

Pre-conferences May 26-27, 2010

The conference seeks to explore “growing the Christ’s church deep and wide” in an increasingly diverse world. The conference is a place of differences. People with varying languages, cultures, ethnicities, theologies, genders, generations and backgrounds will come together to recognize the amazing potential of differences and, through affirming and celebrating those differences, create something new.

Come and wade in the H₂O, that is the 2010 11th National Multicultural Church Conference and be nourished, sustained and reborn.

For more information, click here.

Are you looking for the ideal location for your next church retreat or family gathering?

BookARetreat.com is a complete directory of all the Presbyterian camps and conference centers in the United States and Canada.  This new search engine will find the perfect place for your event based on your lodging needs and locaion.

**BookARetreat.com is brought to you by:

Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association www.pcca.net

Passion for Jesus, focus on prayer part of vision for Evangelism and Church Growth office

by Bethany Furkin
Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — For many Presbyterians, “evangelism” can be a scary word, one that brings up feelings of hesitancy, nervousness and fear.

Talking about one’s faith can be hard, especially when it’s not a common topic of conversation, says Philip Lotspeich, coordinator for church growth and transformation in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC).

“It’s so deep, so personal, that we have a hard time articulating it,” he says. “It’s like being asked to go out and run a marathon without being trained to do it.”

With a refreshed vision statement, the PC(USA)’s Evangelism and Church Growth office is preparing Presbyterians for that metaphorical marathon.

“We really want to help churches and presbyteries pursue their full redemption potential,” says Ray Jones, the GAMC’s coordinator for evangelism.

click here to continue reading

The Office of Small Church and Community Ministry has produced several excellent new resources that are focused on the needs of small congregations in the PC(USA).

Many of these resources can be downloaded free from the website, or may be purchased for a small fee.

Click here for more information.

Beyond the Ordinary is the blog, sponsored by Research Services of the PCUSA, that tracks information and posts findings from the U.S. Congregational Life Survey. Data junkies (like me) will find this fascinating stuff!

http://presbyterian.typepad.com/beyondordinary/

“The Church is Alive project stems from an idea that the Church is more than what some currently believe. We have heard the worries and anxieties that say that our church is ‘dying’ or ‘already dead,’ but instead we believe that the church is alive, vibrant, and a powerful force for good in the world. We believe that the Holy Spirit is breathing new life into all corners of our denomination, and that our body of believers is rich with stories of giving back, exploring fresh approaches to community, and discovering new ways to worship God.”

www.thechurchisalive.com

From the website www.offthemap.com

“Otherlyness is the spiritual practice of noticing and serving others in ordinary ways. We believe Christians ought to be known for a way of living that is generous and intentionally otherly at its core.”

The Spiritual Discipline of Serving from Recycle Your Faith on Vimeo.