wfn.org | Conference will explore men's role in PC(USA)'s mission and ministry

[PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org]

Note #6460 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

26-March-2001
01104

Conference will explore men's role in PC(USA)'s mission and ministry

Onetime Tennessee governor is keynote speaker 

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE - Presbyterian men from across the nation will gather next month
to share "daily bread," explore ways of furthering the mission of the
Presbyterian Church (USA) and celebrate the resurgence of men's groups
across the denomination.

The theme of the 2001 National Conference for Men of the PC(USA) is "Men in
Mission: Sharing Our Daily Bread." Organizers hope to draw at least 300 men
to this year's two-day event, which gets under way on April 26 in suburban
Memphis, TN.

"We're taking the theme from the Lord's Prayer, with the idea that as men
we're asking for the strength to do something and to make a difference,"
said the Rev. Curtis A. Miller, associate for men's ministries in the
Congregational Ministries Division. "The idea being that the ministry of men
can make a difference, and not only expand but enrich the total mission of
the church, and how do we do that?"

The annual conference is sponsored by the National Council of Presbyterian
Men and is open to all Presbyterian males. The membership of Presbyterian
Men (PM), the official men's organization of the PC(USA), is racially and
ethnically diverse. The lay-led group coordinates the men's ministries work
of the church in congregations, presbyteries and synods, conducts national
men's meetings and provides resources to groups of men throughout the
church.

"Each of these conferences are a convergence of men from across the nation,
so that's the great part," said Donald E. Travis, outgoing president of PM
and an elder at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Los Alamitos, CA.
"(It's about) men from across the Presbyterian Church coming together in a
common setting for worship and singing and workshops and communion."

Men's ministries experienced a severe decline during the 1970s and 1980s but
has been showing signs of new life in recent years. Miller said 40 to 50
percent of all congregations in the PC(USA) now have men's ministries of
some kind, up from just 10 percent six years ago. The ministries range from
prayer breakfasts and church-school classes to Habitat for Humanity crews
and groups that support soup kitchens and shelters.

"Presbyterian Men have pretty much redefined themselves as being the mission
arm for men's ministries," said Miller, whose office for Men's Ministries
serves as a support and liaison on behalf of the denomination to
Presbyterian Men.  "In that redefinition they have really begun to look at
some issues and some opportunities that men can make a unique contribution
to."

Presbyterian Men, which drew 250 men to its conference last year in Atlanta,
is focusing increasingly on mission opportunities, according to Miller. The
group co-sponsored a teleconference in February focusing on the effects of
domestic violence on children, and is searching for ways to become more
involved in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance relief programs.

In the past, the men's conference has ended on a Sunday, but this year's
program will conclude on Saturday, so that pastors can get home in time for
Sunday services. While past events were held in hotels or conference
centers, this one will be held at a church - Germantown Presbyterian.

"It's more of a religious setting," said Miller, "and also, by having it in
the church we do not have to pay for the use of conference facilities.
Therefore we can reduce the price of registration for this and make it more
affordable for the men of the church to attend."

A variety of workshops are planned on topics ranging from developing men's
ministries in congregations and mentoring young men to assisting in disaster
relief and other such projects
Former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander, a member of the PC(USA), will be the
keynote speaker; his address is titled, "A Call for Men to Consider Public
Service as a Mission."

The plenary speakers will be the Rev. Craig Barnes, pastor of National
Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, and the Rev. Jim Logan, pastor of
South Tryon Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC.
The Rev. David McKechnie, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston,
TX, will lead worship.

For more information, contact Polly Marcum in the office for Men's
Ministries by phone at 1-888-728-7228, ext. 5472, or by email:
pmarcum@ctr.pcusa.org Visit the Presbyterian Men's Web site at
www.presbyterianmen.org

_______________________________________________
pcusaNews mailing list
pcusaNews@pcusa.org

To unsubscribe, go to this web address:
http://pcusa01.pcusa.org/mailman/listinfo/pcusanews