MIDDLE GOVERNING BODY COMMISSION PLANS TO BE TRANSPARENT: The Middle Governing Body Commission, created through the 219th General Assembly, plans to conduct its business in a transparent manner and one of those ways involves the use of social media. For those curious about the commission, or even middle governing bodies, The Presbyterian Outlook magazine published an article on the commission earlier this month. It was reprinted by the Presbyterian News Service and can be found at "MGB Commission." Activities of the commission and other discussions pertaining to the commission are being "tweeted" on Twitter, a social networking site. If you have a Twitter account, the commission can be found at #mgbcomm. From time to time, the Synod of Lakes and Prairies will include links to stories and other information pertinent to the commission in its Facebook group. Those who are not Facebook users will need to join Facebook to access the synod's group. The group currently has 199 members.

CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING IS ALMOST 70-YEAR TRADITION: A Presbyterian tradition for almost 70 years, the Christmas Joy Offering is one of the four special offerings designated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to provide congregations direct ways of supporting specific causes that help those in need. The offering helps students at racial ethnic schools and colleges develop their gifts and find their calling to serve God through serving their community. At the same time, the offering helps families of both active and retired church workers to meet unexpected needs. Additional information about the offering can be found at "Christmas Joy."

CATHOLICS, PRESBYTERIANS AGREE ON MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF BAPTISM: The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - along with three other Reformed churches - and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have reached agreement on mutual recognition of each other's baptisms. The historic "Common Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Baptism," approved by the USCCB this month, marks the first formal ecumenical agreement the U.S. Catholics have entered with any other church. The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Baptism."

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ECONOMIC CRISIS STATEMENT IS ONLINE: The Rev. Gradye Parsons, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has announced the availability of the report, "Living Through Economic Crisis: The Church's Witness in Troubled Times." The report, written by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, was approved by the 219th General Assembly. The report can be found at "Economic Crisis."

PLANS PROCEED FOR SECOND 'BIG TENT' EVENT: The second Big Tent event will follow much the same format as 2009's inaugural gathering, but will include some new conferences. At the first Big Tent, held in Atlanta in June 2009, 10 conferences of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) met concurrently, allowing participants to attend workshops and meet people from different areas of the denomination. The 2011 event, planned June 30-July 2 in Indianapolis, will do the same. The complete Presbyterian News Service story is at "Big Tent."

RACIAL ETHNIC SEMINARIANS CONFERENCE CREATES NEW COMMUNITY: As tears flowed, peals of laughter rang out, and the cadences of different tongues, just as at Pentecost, filled the Marywood Retreat Center in St. Johns, Fla. The common idiom of faith and the power of the Holy Spirit forged a new and united community from a diverse group of aspiring Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ministers. Gathered in this peaceful, riverside setting Nov. 4-7 for the 33rd Annual Racial Ethnic Seminarians Conference. The complete press release from the Office of Vocation can be found at "New Community."

AFRICAN AMERICAN BECOMES UNIVERSITY CHAPLAIN, TAKES LEADERSHIP ROLE: The Rev. Nancy Benson-Nicol, left, is a trailblazer and a prophet. Called in 2006 to campus ministry at the University of the Ozarks - a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-related school located in Clarksville, Ark. - Benson-Nicol immediately understood that she might be isolated here from a pastor's traditional communities of support. Since being ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in 2001, her previous ministry experience was in the parish. And because she is African-American - the only clergywoman of color in the Presbytery of Arkansas and one of only two professional African-American staff people at the small, private university and its sole chaplain - she also knew that she might have to be more proactive in seeking out her own networking opportunities. The complete press release from the Office of Racial Ethnic and Women's Ministries/Presbyterian Women can be found at "Trailblazer and Prophet." (Photo by Lea Holden.)

CIW, TOMATO GROWERS AGREE ON WAGES, WORKING CONDITIONS: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leaders here are praising an historic agreement signed Nov. 17 between the Coalition of Immokalee Workers  and the growers of more than 90 percent of Florida's winter tomato crop that will boost Florida farmworkers' wages and working conditions. The landmark deal caps more than a decade of attempts by the CIW to reach agreement with the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange on a comprehensive labor pact in Florida's fields. The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Historic Agreement."

EVANGELISM, CHURCH GROWTH OFFER ADVENT REFLECTION ON WELCOMING: The Office of Evangelism and Church Growth in the General Assembly Mission Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has released an advent reflection, "Welcome the Stranger," by the Rev. Eric Hoey, the office's director. The piece is based on the text in Luke 2:6-7. The reflection opens, "As I reflect upon this text, I am struck by the lack of hospitality the innkeeper demonstrated toward a weary pregnant traveler; granted the census was being taken, and there were travelers in every corner of the city. All the inns were probably booked solid." The complete piece can be found at "Welcome the Stranger."

FORGIVENESS, RECONCILIATION URGED TO OVERCOME ORDINATION ISSUES: Preaching at the Covenant Network of Presbyterians conference in Houston Nov. 4-6, the Rev. Katie Morrison encouraged the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to let the "scales fall from your eyes" in the area of its ordination standards. Morrison, a lifelong Presbyterian and open lesbian, left the PC(USA) five years ago to be ordained by the United Church of Christ. She could not be ordained by the PC(USA) because of its constitutional requirement that ordained officers practice "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness" (G-6.0106b). Founded in 1997 following the passage of G-6.0106b, the Covenant Network is a national group "working for a church that is simultaneously faithful, just, and whole," according to its website. It especially works for the removal of the "fidelity and chastity" provision from The Book of Order. The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Covenant Network."

PRESBYTERIANS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ENDING HUNGER IN U.S.: Many Presbyterians are working hard to fight hunger and - even with poverty spreading - are optimistic about ending hunger in this country. They are not so optimistic, however, about ending hunger in other countries. These are findings from the February 2010 Presbyterian Panel survey on hunger, peacemaking, and Sabbath-keeping. About half of members (47 percent) and elders (50 percent), and three in five pastors (60 percent) and non-parish ministers (63 percent) "strongly agree" or "agree" that the problem of widespread hunger in the United States can be solved in the next 25 years. The complete press release from the Office of Research Services can be found at "Ending Hunger."

'HOUSE OF MANNA' BECOMES 'HOUSE OF HIP-HOP' FOR OUTREACH: House of Manna, a new church development in Homewood, in Pittsburgh's east end, sponsored a hip-hop concert on Nov. 12 as an outreach to the unchurched in urban and suburban communities. Billed as "Day of Discipleship featuring UNASHAMED TOUR 2010: The Movement," the concert, featured some of the biggest names in Christian hip-hop. "The religious community in Pittsburgh is not known for coming together," said the Rev. Eugene Blackwell, organizing pastor for House of Manna. The complete press release from the Office of Evangelism and Church Growth can be found at "House of Hip-Hop."

RESEARCH SERVICES PROVIDES PERSPECTIVE ON 'MOST IMPORTANT' MISSION RATINGS: Jack Marcum, coordinator of research services in the General Assembly Mission Council, writes a column called "Go Figure" in Presbyterians Today magazine. Back in May, Marcum wrote about mission priorities of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In that article he wrote, "The major finding is the lack of consensus on the most important mission activities." He took another look at mission activities in the September issue. He wrote, "Recently (May 2010) I presented rankings of 14 possible General Assembly Mission Council activities, based on responses of members, elders and pastors, who were asked which two they considered the "most important." For a different perspective, let's examine importance ratings of these activities." The complete column can be found at "Mission Priorities: Take 2."

AND SOMETIMES: Well, not all church humor makes one laugh out loud. In fact, there are times when it produces a groan rather than a smile. There are a few groaners, and perhaps a few smiles, at "Humorous Church Stories."