wfn.org | 36 Presbyterian churches make 'top 300' list

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Note #6327 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

10-January-2000
01007

36 Presbyterian churches make 'top 300' list 

Lilly-funded research identifies examples of 'local church excellence  

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A Lilly Endowment-funded nationwide study of local church
excellence has identified the 300 "outstanding Protestant churches" in the
United States.

	Of the top 300, 36 are Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations.

	The two-year study, headed by Paul Wilkes, a professor at the University of
North Carolina at Wilmington, will be summarized in a book, Excellent
Protestant Congregations: the Guide to Best Places and Practices, that will
be published this spring by Westminster John Knox.

	"We looked for churches that nurtured the spirit, welcomed and yet
challenged, both preached -- and more importantly -- lived the Good News,"
Wilkes said. "These churches we found are simply wonderful places to be," he
added. "They not only take care of their members and the newcomer, but reach
out generously into the world."

	The study also identified 300 excellent Roman Catholic parishes. Those
results will be published in a separate volume by Paulist Press.

	Many of the selected churches will send representatives to a nationwide
conference called the "Pastoral Summit," May 30-June 1 in New Orleans.

	The PC(USA) appeared to have the largest number of churches on the list,
though 54 of the churches were listed as Baptist (of which there are
numerous denominations).  The list also included 31 United Methodist
churches, 25 Episcopal churches, 20 Lutheran churches, 12 congregations of
the United Church of Christ and 10 Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
congregations.

	Eight Assembly of God churches were on the list, as well as seven American
Methodist Episcopal churches, six Presbyterian Church in America churches,
five Free Methodist churches and four Reformed Church in America
congregations.

	A number of other churches, including the Church of God in Christ, the
Foursquare Church, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, the Church of
the Nazarene, the Mennonite Church the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and the Alliance Church had one or two
churches on the list.

	Seventy "community" or independent churches were on the list.  

	The complete list of PC(USA) congregations on the list (alphabetical by
state) are:

* First Presbyterian Church, Fairbanks, Alaska
* Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles
* Young Nak Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles
* Young Saeng Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles
* Grace Presbyterian Church, Paramount, Calif.
* Ingleside Presbyterian Church, San Francisco
* San Francisco Network Ministries, San Francisco
* Solana Beach (Calif.) Presbyterian Church
* Torrance (Calif.) First Presbyterian Church
* First Presbyterian Church, Colorado Springs, Colo.
* Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Denver
* New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C.
* Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta
* Oakhurst Presbyterian Church, Decatur, Ga.
* Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta
* Trinity Presbyterian Church, Atlanta
* Young Nak Presbyterian Church, Doraville, Ga.
* Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago
* First Presbyterian Church, Downers Grove, Ill.
* Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis
* Zionsville (Ind.) Presbyterian Church
* Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, Baltimore
* Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, N.Y.
* Mount Kisco (N.Y.) Presbyterian Church
* First Presbyterian Church, New York City
* Jan Hus Presbyterian Church, New York City
* College Hill Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati
* Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati
* First Presbyterian Church, Portland, Ore.
* First Presbyterian Church, Reading, Pa.
* First Presbyterian Church, Gallatin, Tenn.
* Bellevue Presbyterian Church, Nashville
* Vienna (Va.) Presbyterian Church
* Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, Gig Harbor, Wash.
* Church of Mary Magdalene, Seattle
* Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church, Spokane, Wash.

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