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News, events, updates, and tidbits from the Presbyterian Historical Society. Use tags to read related articles or sort by author for similar posts written by PHS staff members and volunteers.

Now Processed: The Burned Churches Project Records

July 26, 2021

In June 1996, the Rev. Dr. Mac Charles Jones led 38 pastors to Washington DC. These pastors had all served church buildings that were burned by white supremacists. For two days, the pastors met with the President of the United States, the attorney general, and members of Congress to share how the fires impacted their church communities and the racism they experienced in the aftermath of the arson. The pastors sharing their stories led to the creation of the...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

African American History, Ecumenism, Collections, Archival Processing

Now Processed: Church World Service Records

July 26, 2021

The Church World Service Records have been processed as Record Group 529 and the guide to the records is now available: https://www.history.pcusa.org/collections/research-tools/guides-archival-collections/rg-529

In 1946, seventeen denominations formed Church World Service (CWS) as a relief agency. Churches throughout the United States provided over 11 million pounds of food and medical supplies to communities in...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

Collections, Ecumenism, Church World Service, Archival Processing

Pride Month Special Collecting

June 25, 2021

Presbyterian organizations preparing to walk in Chicago's Pride Parade, 1998. [Pearl ID: 153426]

As part of our Pam Byers Memorial Collection, the Presbyterian Historical Society is working to create a Pride Collection. We hope to collect stories about Presbyterian congregations and other worshiping communities that celebrated Pride in...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

LGBTQIA+ History, Collections

Stories of More Light Churches

June 17, 2021

In 1978, several churches took issue to a ruling by the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. General Assembly. The assembly had ruled that although LGBTQIA+ people could join churches, they could not serve in official leadership roles. The churches that heard this ruling and were determined to stand against it began to declare themselves “More Light” churches. The name More Light came from a quote in John Robinson’s Farewell Address that said that God had...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

LGBTQIA+ History, Collections

Processing the Church World Service Records

March 15, 2021

In 1946, seventeen denominations formed Church World Service (CWS) as a relief agency. Churches throughout the United States provided over 11 million pounds of food and medical supplies to communities in Europe and Asia that were affected by World War II. In the next two decades, CWS expanded its work into Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, and the mission of the organization shifted from providing immediate disaster relief to creating long-term development projects in partnership with local communities. CWS also began to work in...

Author:

Elizabeth Wittrig

Tags:

Ecumenism, Archival Processing, Church World Service