Category Archives: PC(USA)

Stated Clerk launches “Tilling the Soil” – PC(USA)

Parsons’ first weekly video message focuses on ‘elder picking’

LOUISVILLE—The Reverend Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), announced this week the beginning of a weekly video clip for church leaders.

Gradye Parsons at a podium

Parsons hopes the approximately 5-minute clips, under the banner “Tilling the Soil,” will provide information and inspiration for the wider PC(USA), especially elders and ministers of the Word and Sacrament.

“It is a time of great change in the church,” said Parsons. “How we navigate that change depends a lot on how we discern together the direction of God’s Spirit and identify and nurture church leaders. I hope the thoughts I offer each week will contribute to and help prod a collective discussion about all of that.”

Topics will cover a broad spectrum, such as the role and work of elders and visioning for the future. Parsons will also invite an occasional discussion on a current book of interest to the life of the church.

(To read the full text of the article, click here.)

“Tilling the Soil” clips will be available at www.youtube.com/gradyeparsons. Parsons hopes viewers will take advantage of the opportunity to offer comments and share their own stories.

Scholarship Opportunity

The Office of Financial Aid for Studies has a scholarship opportunity available to students attending any one of the following universities:

Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Indiana University – Bloomington
University of Iowa – Iowa City
Ohio State University
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Michigan State University
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Northwestern University
Purdue University
Washburn University

The student must:

  • Be an active member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
  • Be a graduate or undergraduate student majoring in natural and physical sciences, medicine, agriculture, business, or law
  • Maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale

Download the application here.

If you have any questions, please contact

Laura A. Bryan, Associate
Financial Aid for Studies
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Toll free: 888-728-7228 ext 5735 or finaid@pcusa.org.

GLAPCE Event Registration

“Go…Preach…Teach!, October 26-28, 2010, at Weber Center in Adrian, MI (http://weber.adriandominicans.org/Home.aspx).  There is still time to register!  Our speaker, Joyce MacKichan Walker is a gifted leader, and spending time with her will be worth your while. We will explore spiritual leadership: how to claim it, call it out and develop it in others in order to shape, empower, form and transform educational ministry.  If you can’t find your registration information, have no fear.  Just follow this link to page 3 of The Breeze:   http://apcenet.org/documents/regions/glapce/GLAPCE_Breeze_Spring_Summer_2010.pdf.  Unlike many events, the GLAPCE Fall conference usually has fewer than 50 attendees, so you can directly engage the leader and really get to know/network with other folks who do what you do in our region.

Scholarships for APCE in Albuquerque, NM on Feb. 2-5, 2011: Given this event is too far to drive to this year, extra funds could really help!  Be sure to check your Presbytery for any available Leadership Development funds.  Also, APCE awards a variety of scholarships!  Here is a chart listing the vital information on each one: http://www.apcenet.org/documents/scholarships/ScholarshipChart-2010.pdf.  Three of these scholarships have deadlines coming very soon:  The Val Murphy (October 1), the Certification course scholarship (ASAP – first come, first served), and the Small Church scholarship which is due SEPTEMBER 15 – THIS WEDNESDAY! Forms for these and other scholarships are available at www.apcenet.org.

219th General Assembly

July 3-10, 2010

To follow the business items presented at General Assembly, go to the 219th General Assembly web site and click on the green “Login to PC-Biz” button on the upper-left side of the site. You will be redirected to the PC-Biz site. In the upper-right corner of the PC-Biz site select the “Register a New User” link.

Elder Karen Hahn and Rev. Cheryl Thorne will be discussing their impressions of the 219th General Assembly in Minneapolis, Minnesota, starting July 2. Be sure to follow their blog as they keep us up-to-date.