Many of you have reached out to me regarding a summary of what took place at the 227th General Assembly in Milwaukee, WI a few weeks ago. Here Is a synopsis, however it does not do justice to all the actions the body took. The consent agenda alone had 64 items of business from a total of 13 committees. Then the committees had other business for the assembly to address. Here are some of the highlights: 

1. The General Assembly approved the meeting of the 228th General Assembly (June 11-22, 2028) to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This will be the first time a meeting of the General Assembly has been hosted in Puerto Rico.   
2. The Assembly also marked the conclusion of a decade long study to unify the denomination. We now have A corporation which is the corporate identity of the denomination, and Presbyterian Life and Witness (PL&W) which is the ecclesial arm of the denomination.  
3. There will be constitutional amendments to the Book of Order. They mainly address concerns about administrative leave, boundary training, anti-racism training, and non-disclosure agreements from being used in terminations which occur at the national headquarters. The assembly on the recommendation of the Constitutional Interpretation Committee approved Authoritative Interpretations to help offer guidance on several areas in the Book of Order and will be placed in the Annotated Book of Order. Changes to the Book of Order will have to be approved by a majority of presbyteries before they are implemented.  
4. A request to develop a more robust theological framework document and study guide which addresses human sexuality and gender, including a policy and study on the Christian vocation of family was referred to Presbyterian Life and Witness.  
5. The assembly approved several items of business from the Theological Education and Ordination Committee. Some of this work came from the work of previous General Assemblies. Of note, the assembly approved requiring training every 36 months for the presbytery body responsible for preparation of ministry. The body also approved expanding the Standard Ordination exams to include a Senior Ordination Portfolio, showing work done throughout a candidate’s education.   
6. The assembly codified granting commissioned pastors (CREs) voice and vote in presbyteries while serving their commission. This is something we already do here in Arkansas.  
7. The assembly approved referring a request to the Presbyterian Life and Witness to study historic and ongoing harms experienced by African American Presbyterians within congregations, mid councils, and denominational structures. PL&W is to collaborate with the Center for Repair of Historic Harms regarding implementation of pilot or facilitated repair processes within their capacity and resources. This study is to design and recommend processes for intra-community truth telling, accountability, healing, and restoration within African American Presbyterian communities.  

This is merely the tip of the iceberg of the business transacted at the General Assembly. There will be more information to come about some of the actions which took place, especially the changes to the Book of Order in the future. Currently, I am waiting for the booklets with the proposed amendments to come out. I will write another article addressing some of the other things the assembly acted on. If there was a specific item of business you are curious about or want more information about, feel free to reach out to me; I would be more than happy to discuss those items with you. I can be reached at revbrinegar@gmail.com

Lastly, I want to thank our commissioners who put in long hours at committee meetings, traveled to Milwaukee, and spent more hours addressing the business of the General Assembly. They are well acquainted with the inside of the Baird Convention Center. Our commissioners were CRE Janet Benson, TE Elizabeth Brinegar, CRE David Clark, and TE Robert Lowry. This is hard, stressful, and tiring work. These individuals need to be commended for their willingness to serve in this capacity.  

What is YouthQuake?

It's a weekend for youth (grades 6-12) that is full of games, worship, camp activities, discussions about faith, songs, and small group time—all at our beloved Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center! 

Youthquake kicks off at 7pm on Friday, September 18th (make sure to eat dinner before you arrive!) and ends after breakfast and worship at 10am on Sunday, September 20th. The weekend will be filled with fellowship, faith, and fun as youth engage in small groups with people their age, large group worships and keynotes, and recreational activities, such as energizers and Silent Disco!

Registration is now open! Register using the button below.

Upcoming Regional Stephen Ministries Learning Event Hosted at Dallas Church Offers Insights for Building a More Caring World 

On Saturday, August 29, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Dallas will be hosting a regional, cross-denominational celebration and learning event by Stephen Ministries, the international Christian educational nonprofit best known for the Stephen Ministry system of lay caregiving. 

The event, part of Stephen Ministries’ 50th anniversary tour, is open to the general public and features presentations on topics such as grief, what Jesus teaches us about empathy, caring for full-time caregivers, cancer ministry, expanding congregational care through Stephen Ministry, and how churches can help combat the mental health crisis. Stephen Ministries’ founder, Dr. Kenneth C. Haugk, and other members of the organization’s teaching faculty will be speaking at the event. 

Stephen Ministries was founded in 1975 by Haugk, a pastor and clinical psychologist. Over the half-century since, the organization’s resources have been used by tens of thousands of congregations worldwide, representing over 190 Christian denominations. Through Stephen Ministry in particular, more than 600,000 people have been trained as lay caregivers, and they in turn have provided care to millions of hurting people. 

To mark fifty years of ministry, Stephen Ministries is conducting a nationwide tour of celebration and learning events. The tour began in St. Louis in August 2025 and will continue throughout 2026 and into 2027, with additional stops planned in Washington, D.C., New Jersey, Atlanta, San Diego, and more. The theme of the tour is “Building a More Caring World,” which reflects Stephen Ministries’ vision to help all people care and relate with greater compassion and excellence. In addition, Stephen Ministries is introducing a new initiative for helping congregations combat the mental health crisis. 

“We’re so excited to welcome Dr. Haugk and the Stephen Ministries team,” says Micah Miller, senior pastor at Prince of Peace. “Our congregation has used and benefited from their resources for years, and we can’t wait for others in our community and region to learn from their staff’s decades of research and experience.” 

The Stephen Ministries 50th Anniversary Celebration and Learning Event hosted by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church will be held on Saturday, August 29, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. On-site check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. The cost is $15 per person, and a box lunch can be purchased for an additional $12. Spots are limited. For additional details or questions, call the Stephen Ministries office at (314) 428-2600. 

World Communion Offering Grant Information

If you are a council of the church (session, presbytery, or synod) doing reconciliation ministry around racial justice, gender justice, peacemaking, global witness or ecumenical/interfaith relations may apply for a grant, even if you don’t receive the World Communion Offering.



Grant Timeline

Applications open: September 7, 2026

Application close: January 15, 2027

Award notification: March 2027

Grant Applications

Applications will use the PC(USA) grant management system and should take about 15 minutes to complete if you have the required documentation. Read the list of required documentation in the FAQs on our website.

You will need to create a username and password to access the PC(USA)’s grant management system to apply. More information about the application process will follow. 

Grant Awards

Grant recipients will be eligible to receive $500-$1000 and will be notified in March 2027. All grant funds, once received, are expected to be used within the next 12 months. 

Where to learn more about the World Communion Offering Grants

Make sure you update your preferences and check the box labeled World Communion Offering grants to receive the most up-to-date information and resources regarding the grants. 

Faith Formation Resource Grants - The first of two 2026 grants are now available from your Presbytery Resource Team! The purpose of these grants are to provide seed money to support Presbytery of Arkansas congregations and ministries in creatively engaging their faith community in practices of faith formation, Christian education, spiritual growth, and discipleship. These grants of up to $500 are to help you create a new Faith Formational program in your church or community that you otherwise would not have been able to afford to do. Look at the needs around you. Is there a need for a Grief-care or Divorce-care program in your community? Maybe you feel your church would rally around a new men's, women's, or intergenerational program or event. Maybe your church doesn't have children, but it has the man-power to sponsor a community VBS.



Pray, dream, then click below and for a Faith Formation Resource Grant by the  September 30th deadline!

From the Office of Christian Formation: Updated Resource Page 

Have you been looking for resources from the Office of Christian Formation? Click the button below to see the newly updated resource page listed by topic.