What follows is part one of a two-part episode from our recent Ecumenical Equipping Event at United Lutheran Seminary in Partnership with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This year we welcomed guest keynoted, Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana, free-range presbyterian pastor, coach, and author of the book, God, Improv and the Art of Living. MaryAnn writes in her book, "We [as the church] are tired and maybe we don't think we have time to play because things are so serious and the world really needs us. But I think when things are at their most serious is when we most need to get in touch with the playful side, the creative side.”

You can read Mary Ann’s full bio along with other helpful resources available on-line at https://presbyphl.org/ecumenical-equipping-event-2020/. However, for now, enjoy (and share away) the first two sessions of our recent gathering with MaryAnn. May you dare to tap into the playful and creative side of both your spirit and call to improvised ministry.

Every February, our Presbytery partners with the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus to host a weekend of celebration of African American Presbyterian Heritage. This year’s guest preacher was the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, director of the PCUSA Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C.. Rev. Hawkins delivered a word titled, “Injustice for One Is Injustice for All.” Listen to this powerful charge as we lean into gospel witness in our present age.

This week, we feature an extended episode as we tell the story of the new re-plant of the collaborative church in West Philly. There is so much to say about what God us doing in and through this witness, so we wanted to share as much of a recent conversation as possible so you could feel part of this new thing- because you are. About twenty years ago, our Presbytery planted the seeds to explore new possibilities of a collaborative worshipping community in West Philly. As some would say, kairos was not then. Then in 2015, the conversation was reconvened in light of a new series of events, which ultimately led to the formation of an Administrative Commission and the calling of a new pastor, Rev. Eustacia Moffett Marshall, to shepherd what is known today as the West Philadelphia Presbyterian Partnership. A new name is in the waiting.

Kairos, though, is not. Kairos is now as the Spirit is awakening something beautiful in West Philly through the collaborative efforts of leaders from the former First African Presbyterian Church, Calvin Presbyterian Church, Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, and the Presbytery of Philadelphia. Listen in to this life-giving conversation with Rev. Eustacia Moffett Marshall, Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace (Executive Presbyter), and Rev. Kevin Porter (Stated Clerk). We are humbled and excited about this shared venture and invite the faithful of our Presbytery to continue to lift in prayer this historical and faithfully revitalized witness.

We give thanks for the faithful and creative work of the Administrative Commission, which continues to walk alongside leaders of the West Philadelphia Presbyterian Partnership:

Constituted 2/12/18

Rev. Dr. Janel Dixon (Cedar Park) – Moderator

Elder Jim Ballengee (Arch Street)

Elder George Henisee (Bryn Mawr)

Rev. Sarah Searight (Swarthmore)

Rev. Todd Stavrakos (Gladwyne)

Rev. Jimmy Lee Stratton (HR)

Elder Diana Taylor (Germantown Community)

Welcome to PresbySpeak, the Podcast of the Presbytery of Philadelphia and collection of our digital resources, keynotes from leadership gatherings, and host for our bi-monthly Covenant Connections ministry stories. This past week our Presbytery gathered at Wayne Presbyterian Church for our January Stated Meeting. In addition to thoughtful pre-meeting conversations, installation of our new moderator and vice moderator, the examination and approval of a candidate for ordination, three presentations from creative initiatives through our Dream Tank for Ministry Possibilities, with the grand prize winner West Kensington Ministry receiving $3,000 for their Friday Night Open Mics, we also remembered our baptisms and gathered and scattered from the eucharistic table. This led us to collect an offering of over $2,000 to be sent to Presbyterian partners responding to relief efforts in Puerto Rico in light of recent earthquakes. Our guest preacher was Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri, Co-Moderator of the 223rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We are grateful for the time she spent with us. What follows is an introduction of our Co-Moderator by our own Executive Presbyter, Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace, followed by a report from Vilmarie and the sermon she delivered in worship, titled, Called in Baptism.

More highlights from this meeting can be found our website, https://presbyphl.org/events/january-21-2019-presbytery-meeting-at-wayne/.

Also, a couple quick plugs. Please join us at the following gatherings coming up in February. The first is our annual celebration of African American Presbyterian Heritage in partnership with the National Black Presbyterian Caucus on February 9th at 3 p.m. at Oxford. This year’s guest preacher is Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, Director of the PCUSA Office of Public Witness in Washington D.C. Also, join us on Tuesday, February 25th for our annual ecumenical equipping event from 9-3 at United Lutheran Seminary. In partnership with the local Lutheran Synod, we are welcoming Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana, Presbyterian minister and author of the book, God, Improv, and the Art of Living. We look forward to a playful day of creative and adaptive leadership development. More info on both these events available at www.presbyphl.org

This week, we feature an interview with Mike Dahl and Rev. Laura Colee of Broad Street Ministry, where Mike serves as the Executive Director and Rev. Collee serves as pastor. A worshipping community practicing radical hospitality across the street from the Kimmell Center in Center City, Broad Street Ministry continues to cultivate meaning, extend welcome, and host numerous social services alongside their diverse neighbors- collectively leaning into God’s future for a more just society. If you remember, in 2017 Broad Street Ministry was also one of the eight recipients of our 300th Anniversary Mission Campaign. In response to our discerned call to elevate education of children, disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, and work towards restorative justice, the dollars Broad Street received helped launch a new initiative that provides vital services of support to those re-tering society after a period of incarceration. Listen into the conversation with these gifted practitioners of the gospel as they share about this initiative, among many others, and they live into a new season of faithful witness in our city.

You can also read the latest blogpost of this story here: https://presbyphl.org/living-into-gods-dreams-for-restorative-justice-a-new-season-for-broad-street-ministry/

In this week's episode of PresbySpeak, we feature a collaborative conversation with Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana, author of God, Improv, and the Art of Living, as co-hosted by Rev. Greg Klimovitz (Presbytery of Philadelphia) and Rev. Dr. William Flippin (SEPA Synod). We hope you will then join us for our annual ecumenical equipping event in partnership with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (ELCA) and United Lutheran Seminary. February 25, 2020. We look forward to seeing you there!

https://presbyphl.org/ecumenical-equipping-event-2020/

Audio from this conversation is via ZOOM.

Guest Preacher at our November 2019 Stated Meeting of the Presbytery. https://presbyphl.org/november-2019-stated-meeting-minutes-in-brief-and-digital-resources/

This past September, five members of our Presbytery’s Leadership Collegium ventured to the southern border as our eyes and ears, hearts and imaginations. In partnership with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Abara Frontiers, they encountered first hand stories, workshops, and connections to those on the ground in both El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. In this episode of PresbySpeak, we feature the full fishbowl conversation with our delegation to the southern border, which consisted of our Moderator, Rev. Randy Barge, our Vice Moderator, Vijay Aggarwall, and the Rev. Samanatha Hudson, Rev. Adan Mairena, and Megan D. Acedo. The conversation was facilitated by our Executive Presbyter, Rev. Ruth Faith, Santana Grace, our Stated Clerk, Rev. Kevin Porter, and our Associate Presbyter, Rev. Greg Klimovitz.

More reflections can be found on our website at www.presbyphl.org. Also stay tuned for details on a follow-up and expanded conversation on Saturday, January 11th, 2020.

This week, we feature an interview with Rev. Dr. Kathryn Threadgill, Associate for Vital Congregations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Recently, our Presbytery was invited to participate in the second cycle of this two-year church revitalization venture. We are excited for the possibilities ahead and how we can continue to come alongside our congregations as we discern where and how the Spirit is moving among us in such a time as this. Listen in to this conversation as Kathryn shares about the vision of Vital Congregations, what it will involve for your congregation, and how it is bearing fruit around the country.

If interested in joining the movement, which will begin in 2020, submit a congregational letter of intent by November 30th. More information is available on-line at www.presbyphl.org/ministry-incubator/vital-congregations

In this week’s episode of PresbySpeak we feature the keynote address at our recent Fall Fest leadership equipping event by Rev. Jessica Tate. Jessica Tate is the Executive Director of Next Church and joined us to share about how we can only build what we first imagine. Listen in to her word to us and then, if you hang on at about the 38 minute mark, you will hear an uncut conversation had on the steps of the Carmel church sanctuary with Jessica, our Executive Presbyter Ruth Faith Santana Grace, our Stated Clerk Kevin Porter, and Associate Presbyter, Greg Klimovitz. It was a gem of a discussion and you don’t want to miss it.