Fact Verses Fiction: Procedural Myths, Part 1 As Presbyterians, our commitment to Robert’s Rules of Order goes without saying, but if we’re being honest, how many of us have actually read through all 800 something pages lately? Since beginning my journey as your Stated Clerk, I have committed myself to working my way through the “tome” as I have come…
If you attended our February Presbytery Gathering last month, you’ll recall we tried something a little different for our practice question to open the business of the meeting. The practice question is typically just a fun way to open the meeting while also making sure the body is familiar with the voting process and checking to see if the technology…
Blog Post by Dr. John Hughes, Ruling Elder Dean of Commissioned Pastor Education Member of Webster Groves Presbyterian Church Just what is a commissioned pastor anyway? So it often goes when we in the church hear about this important office. Commissioned pastors are not the equivalent of ordained clergy. Their training is quite different and their calls to serve are…
Blog Post by Rev. Thirza Sayers Pastor Hillside Presbyterian Church, Light for the Darkness, Our Selah Due to the isolation and anxiety caused by the pandemic and the fear, violence, and uncertainty caused by the war in Ukraine, many of us have personally experienced mental health variances in the past few years. Few of us have weathered this storm completely…
Blog Post by Rev. Doug Mankell, Honorably Retired During my years as pastor at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Logansport, Indiana, a very active church member during those years was a man named Charlie Burks. Although Charlie was retired during my pastorate, his life prior to his retirement was truly remarkable, to say the least. Charlie had been a B-17 bomber…
Blog Post by Rev. Paul Frazier Pastor of First Presbyterian, Hardin, Illinois My son Travis wanted a Bassett hound that another family couldn’t keep anymore. The dog’s name was Happy, also named “The Miracle Dog.” The boy who owned happy wrote a story about how Happy ran away one day and yet, returned home six months later. His mother declared…
A Message from Renita Heinzl St. Luke’s ACPE Certified Educator & Senior Chaplain I have the distinct privilege of serving as the ACPE Certified Educator and Senior Chaplain at St. Luke’s Hospital’s Network of Care. Our Spiritual Care Services is comprised of eleven team members. Ordained in the PCUSA, board-certified as a chaplain, and certified as a Marriage and Family…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Alan Meyers Honorably Retired Look in your church library and see if you can find a book called The Bible Speaks to You, by Robert McAfee Brown. It was part of our denomination’s Christian education materials when I was in my first year of high school. (Yes, I am an old dude. I’m talking about…