Author Archives: Adrien

Don’t Touch Me!

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister April 9, 2020   As Jesus proceeds from disciple to disciple with basin and towel, he gets stopped by Peter. “Don’t touch me!” Peter in effect protests. … →

---

Disagreements in a Time of Crisis

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister April 2, 2020   Helping congregations handle internal disagreements graciously is one of the most critical tasks of church leadership. Faced with disagreements about which foods are … →

---

With Measured Steps

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister March 26, 2020   The Board of Pensions’ CREDO program gathers pastors for intensive eight-day seminars during which the thirty participants are led in a comprehensive, granular examination of … →

---

A Message from Brian Wallace, Associate Minister

---

Prudence or Panic?

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister March 12, 2020   Last week’s letter addressed the growing impact of the coronavirus epidemic on church gatherings. Registration for June’s General Assembly (GA) was supposed to open … →

---

Congregational Health and Physical Contact

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister March 5, 2020 We are in a series looking at markers of congregational health, something we ordinarily term “congregational vitality.” Many measures of health can be adduced … →

---

Vital Ministry

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister February 27, 2020   Vitality – it’s something we all want for our own selves, for those we love, for work about which we care, and for institutions … →

---

Hope That Never Disappoints

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister February 20, 2020   In his litany of the good fruit Christ bears in us, Paul says that Jesus gives us hope that “does not disappoint us.” … →

---

The Memorial Mandate

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister February 13, 2020 In Hebrew Scriptures, God’s people are commanded to erect memorials to help them remember God’s saving acts in very specific times and places. One … →

---

Of Councils, Emperors, and Powers

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister February 6, 2020   As I write, we still await the final Senate vote on whether President Trump shall be removed from office in response to the … →

---

Wisdom Amid Acrimony

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister January 30, 2020   During last week’s Senate trial, Chief Justice John Roberts reprimanded Democrat accusers and Republican defenders of President Trump by asking them to remember … →

---

Justice Delayed

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister January 23, 2020 In his Letter From A Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. cites a legal maxim to his clergy colleagues who claim to be in … →

---

Naming the Elephant

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister January 16, 2020 When I was interviewing for their pastoral vacancy, the congregation’s search committee told me that the church needed its next pastor to lead them … →

---

Persistence and Adaptability

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister January 9, 2020   Jesus prizes persistence. He teaches that persistence has more to do with salvation than great faith and power. (Matthew 10:22) Persistence is never … →

---

A Holy Night, A Holy Place

A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister December 19, 2020 Much is made of the inhospitable “no room” response Mary and Joseph encountered as they sought accommodations in Bethlehem. Yet there was a place for them, … →

---