The Kentucky Supreme Court today ruled to send back to a lower court a defamation case filed by a former employee against the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In a 4–3 ruling, Kentucky’s highest court returned the case — filed by former Presbyterian Mission Agency employee the Rev. Eric Hoey — to Jefferson Circuit Court to determine whether it is a matter for the Church to decide or whether the case should be tried in civil court.
Martha Clark has announced her retirement from the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Clark serves as the General Counsel for the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) and Office of the General Assembly (OGA), as well as the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) A Corporation, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Investment and Loan Program Inc. (PILP), Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Inc., Presbyterian Mission Agency Board and Committee on the Office of the General Assembly.
As Presbyterians increasingly face legal and other issues around providing welcome and hospitality to immigrants, the Immigration Office of the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has released a new resource for congregations titled, “Welcome and the Law.”
General Assembly Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson, II, has issued a letter to the church, commending the new resource.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) filed an appeal yesterday in the Rev. Eric Hoey’s lawsuit against the church, asking the Kentucky Court of Appeals to reverse a March 17, 2016 decision by the Jefferson Circuit Court to lift its stay in the case.
It’s been a year since more than 70,000 Central American families crossed the border into the United States seeking asylum. The federal government was not prepared to accommodate such a large number of mostly women and children. In many cases, the families were shuttled across the borders unable to speak the language and navigate their way through a complicated legal process.
In this presidential election year, questions regarding permissible activities from churches have been raised. As a federal tax-exempt, 501(c) (3) organization, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), at all levels (i.e., General Assembly, synod, presbytery and particular congregation), is permitted to engage in a limited, insubstantial amount of witnessing or lobbying activities which attempt to influence legislation or issues.
It is strictly prohibited, however, from engaging in political activity which includes, but is not limited to, participating or intervening, directly or indirectly, in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for elective public office. Violation of these …