The history of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is deep, and the Presbyterian Historical Society has a devoted staff of archivists, communicators, administrators, and fundraisers to ensure its collections are cared for and accessible. In this week’s OGA In Focus, Luci Duckson-Bramble, director of development, shares how her work opens opportunities for Presbyterians and the public to step back in time to learn about the past and the future.
Ministry can take many forms, from pastoring a church and working in the mission field, to helping ensure the denomination’s vision is clear. In this week’s OGA In Focus, Kerry Rice, Deputy Stated Clerk of the Office of the General Assembly, shares how his work can make a difference in the larger church.
If you are a mid council leader or have attended recent General Assemblies, you know that when the Rev. Tricia Dykers Koenig is introduced, applause often follow. Dykers Koenig plays a key role in the Office of the General Assembly as Associate Director of Mid Council Ministries. In this week’s OGA In Focus, she shares about her work building relationships across the church.
Finding the right individual to lead a church can be a daunting task. Persons seeking a call want to ensure they go where God is calling them. It’s a process that can take months. In this week’s OGA In Focus, Manuel Silva-Esterrich, OGA’s manager of Call Process Support, shares how his job helps bring clarity to churches looking to fill vacancies as well as those seeking a place to serve.
The Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia is a historical treasure of information. From books and papers, to films, pictures, and other documents, staff use their talents to share the stories with congregations across the denomination. In this week’s OGA In Focus, Sonia Prescott, reference and outreach archivist, talks about how she uses her love for history to minister to people about the past.
The process of training and equipping new ministers to serve their communities has gone through a lot of changes in recent years thanks to advancements in technology. But there’s more to becoming an effective minister than just taking the courses. In this week’s OGA In Focus, the Rev. Tim Cargal, associate director for ministry leadership development, shares the joys of helping ministers get the most out of their calling.
A tour of the Presbyterian Historical Society can open a treasure of historic documents, photos, letters, and more. Archivists take great care of the materials they receive from churches, pastors, and families that shed light on the Presbyterian experience dating back several hundred years.
In this week’s OGA In Focus, Allison Davis, a digital collections specialist, describes her efforts to ensure these historic items are handled with great care.
What does it take to bring Presbyterian history to life for church members, researchers, and others interested in the early days of the denomination’s presence in the world? The bulk of that rests on the shoulders of Nancy Taylor, who serves as executive director of the Presbyterian Historical Society as part of the Office of the General Assembly.
In this week’s OGA in Focus, Taylor says church history provides a needed perspective for people looking to the future.
Keeping track of church statistics for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been Kris Valerius’ job for many years and she’s become quite good at it. In this week’s OGA In Focus, Valerius shares how talking numbers can lead to good conversation with Presbyterians across the denomination.
The Rev. Bronwen Boswell, Acting Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has named Ruling Elder Kate Trigger Duffert as director of General Assembly planning for the Office of the General Assembly. Trigger Duffert is no stranger to the workings of OGA and GA planning, having worked in the agency for four years. Her appointment comes at a critical time as the agency is now planning its third historic assembly that will include online committee meetings followed by in-person plenaries in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2024.