Carol Shanholtzer is a medical technologist who serves as an Elder at Faith Presbyterian in Minnetonka, MN. She wrote this paper on behalf of the Presbyterian Coalition. The report recommending adoption of the New Form of Government (Nfog) will be discussed at the 2010 PCUSA General Assembly. Scripture Is Demoted There is no statement in... Continue Reading

The Mississippi nFOG overture will be among more than 100 overtures considered by the 219th General Assembly July 3-10 in Minneapolis, Minn. Even if the proposal doesn’t gain traction, Herrin said, he hopes it will put the Coalition’s critique of nFOG in the hands of GA commissioners. Several presbyteries have offered ideas on how to... Continue Reading

A main argument in both cases is that the denomination’s so-called “trust clause” was adopted after the congregations were formed, and therefore their property cannot be claimed in trust for the denomination without specific action to grant such a trial The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) congregation in Lancaster, N.Y. (just east of Buffalo) has shifted... Continue Reading

A copy of the filing from Judge Griffith in the case of Taylor et al vs. ARP General Synod has been filed with the Abbeville County Clerk of Court, in favor of the Plaintiffs. Following is an extract of the application of the injunction: The Preliminary Injunction For the foregoing reasons, it is appropriate to... Continue Reading

Following is the full text of the Preliminary Injunction in the case of Taylor et al vs. ARP Synod, filed with the Abbeville County Court of Common Pleas Thismatter is beforemeon the motion ofPlaintiffs Dr. Richard Taylor,Dr.Parker Young, J. David Chesnut, and the ErskineAlumniAssociation forapreliminaryinjunction pursuant to Rule65 ofthe South CarolinaRules ofCivil Procedure. TheCourt has... Continue Reading

Church leader explains why: “In these last hours of the last days, you guys are standing out in the crowd. You’re getting God-smacked on a regular basis, and you’re too stupid to learn to obey.” The tragedy-rocked Virginia Tech community is preparing for the Blacksburg arrival of anti-gay protesters from the Topeka-Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church... Continue Reading

Churches with leaner staffing costs had a larger percentage of their budget directed toward “ministry beyond one’s own congregation” such as missions and community outreach. With churches looking for ways to cut back on expenses, Leadership Network partnered with Your Church magazine and Leadership Journal to find out whether it’s possible to do ministry with... Continue Reading

The Belhar Confession will join the RCA’s historic confessions as a standard of unity. A two-thirds majority of the RCA’s 46 classes have voted to ratify adoption of the confession, which General Synod 2009 voted to add as a fourth standard of unity. Each classis has engaged in conversation and discernment around this decision, which... Continue Reading

Synod 2010 begins its sessions on Saturday, June 12, at 9 a.m. in the Martin and Janet Ozinga Chapel at Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, Illinois. Grace Community CRC, Oak Lawn, Illinois, will serve as the convening church. The Agenda for Synod 2010 is now available on the Synodical Resources page of the Christian Reformed... Continue Reading

The backdrop for this proposal is a growing sense that middle governing bodies — the denomination’s presbyteries and synods — are struggling, trying to find their way in a financially precarious time In May, when the General Assembly Mission Council meets again, the budget difficulties of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are likely to be top... Continue Reading