Presbygrow

October 18–22, 2010

First Presbyterian Church

Fort Worth, Texas

Sponsored by:

Grace Presbytery & the Office of Church Growth

The 2010 Transformation Conference is an event that will bring together pastors, elders, and other church leaders to talk about, dream about, learn about congregational transformation in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Register here.

To learn more, and download a brochure, click here.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

Calvary Baptist Church

123 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019

(from the website)

The objective of Movement Day is to:

• Convene leaders from across Greater New York and other large cities to hear the trends related to cities, urban ministry, and urban leadership from the best Christian thinkers; to

• Study the best models of urban gospel movements; and to

• Collaborate in new ways to reach and renew our metropolitan communities.

Movement Day is an invitation-only opportunity to be a part of an historic gathering of leaders learning from one another across our largest cities in North America.

For more information, go here.

World Christian Discipleship: an internship in missional leadership in Pittsburgh.

WCD is designed for young adults who are interested in discerning and preparing for Christian vocation, regardless of occupation (pastor, lawyer, teacher, church planter, aid worker, etc.). The program is non-traditional and experiential. Participants will live a simple life in community with others whole serving the East End neighborhood and select local churches. They will regularly reflect on Scripture and the great interpreters of the faith. The community of about 12 will be a diverse ethnic community from across the nation, committed to living according to a religious rule, remaining accountable to one another, while exploring the global needs of the Church.

Participants will work 15-20 hours per week in local business as a missional presence in the East End, and they will serve in an urban church plant or church in redevelopment.

Applications, Questions, and more info at:  www.worldmissioninitiative.org/wcd

FROM GREED TO NEED

Pastor is still in the investment going from large firm in Houston to tiny church in West Texas

By Paul Seebeck
Associate for Mission Communications

ALBANY, Tex. – Well, the pay is a little less.”  Trey Little is laughing out loud at the question.  “What has it been like going from senior vice president of a big Houston investment firm, to pastor of a small Presbyterian Church in a tiny town in Texas?   “The first Sunday I preached there were 25 people in worship, and 50 members,” says Little. “I was pretty convinced I’d been called to the church to make disciples, so I immediately starting focusing on – investing in— evangelism and mission.”

In 1996, Little thought he had life figured out.  He was being paid a lot of money to sell fixed income securities.  “I wanted to make money and spend it as fast as I could,” Little’s laugh softens as he remembers what that was that like.    “I thought I was going to retire at 35, to golf, hunt and fish, and buy my kids nice things, take my family and friends on vacations.”   But then what he valued began to change.  Trey and his wife Leslie were members of Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston.    He’d been a volunteer with the youth of the church since 1991 and felt as if he was “kind of going through the motions at work” when the director of youth ministries, Ann Stewart, approached him.    “Have you ever thought about doing this full-time?’ is what she asked me,” says Trey.   “You’ve got to be kidding me’ is what I thought.  They were offering me a position that paid $26,000 dollars. I had a daughter a wife, country club expenses, but I told them we’d pray about it.”

During that time of prayer and discernment, Trey and Leslie went on their first mission trip together to Reynosa, Mexico with a group of middle school students.  The theme for the week was on following Jesus.   The leader of the trip pointed out that in Matthew 4 when Jesus called his first disciples they immediately dropped their nets – left what they were doing – and followed him.
(more…)

Starting May 4th,  Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator of the PCUSA, and Carol Howard Merritt, pastor and author of the book, Tribal Church, will be hosting a weekly internet radio show that will discuss the Church, culture, politics, and everything in between.

According to Bruce Reyes-Chow, “through our diverse church experiences and a deep common yearning to find the bridges between tradition and innovation, Carol and I will attempt to provide a place where we can discover the challenges and celebrations that God may have in store for us and the world.  We hope you’ll find the time to join us.”

I [Meredith] am encouraging anyone involved with Congregational Transformation, or those particularly interested in issues surrounding the changing church and culture,  to take the time to “tune in” to these conversations.

Click here for a more detailed description about “The God Complex Radio Show” from Bruce’s blog.

Click here to download the flyer.