by Tom Cramer | Reflections Blog
The wider church is a beautiful place to serve. At the presbytery level you’ll find servant leaders who are passionate about God’s mission, and realize that, for Presbyterians, we depend on each other to grow God’s Church. Although it is a little tongue-in-cheek to...
by Forrest Claassen | Reflections Blog
Father Greg Boyle’s presentation reminded me of my winding path away from affluent suburbia. It made me wonder about renewed ways to seek my spiritual growth. And it made me wonder how God is calling the Presbytery beyond itself once again. First Few Steps Tony...
by Tom Cramer | Reflections Blog
Ten Years Ago It feels like yesterday when my senior pastor burst into my office to announce that a new position had been posted on the presbytery’s website. I was then an associate pastor at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, and he said to me, “Tom, this...
by Forrest Claassen | Reflections Blog
Last month Tom wrote of “telling the better story.” He spoke of “God’s alternative narrative,” which values forgiveness over winning and community over control (see Gil Rendle’s Doing the Math of Mission). Tom then described three beautiful examples of churches in Los...
by Tom Cramer | Reflections Blog
Long ago, before I knew much about the internal workings of churches or denominations, people who loved me told me stories about the person of Jesus, and that encounter changed everything for me. Their stories engaged my imagination to consider an alternative way to...
by Forrest Claassen | Reflections Blog
With apologies to the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem: Thoughts on the upcoming presbytery meeting. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter in Los Ranchos… a time to begin, and a time to end; a time to examine pastors for ordination,...
