Two Presbyterian Churches have called upon Christians to engage in a "season of prayer" focused on the uncertainty found in the rising tension between North Korea and South Korea.

At a consultation meeting held last week, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Presbyterian Church in Korea (PCK) issued a joint statement calling for a seasonal time of prayer that would take place during the summertime, from June 25 until August 15.

"For the people of the PCK, this season of prayer will be a time to remember the suffering of separated families on the Korean Peninsula; and to acknowledge that, since the partition of the peninsula, the Christian commitment to reconciliation has been compromised by the trauma of a fratricidal war; discipleship compromised by bitterness; and faithfulness compromised by fear and hostility," reads the joint statement in part. more >>

An Oklahoma congregation affiliated with Presbyterian Church (USA) has voted to leave the denomination and join the more conservative Evangelical Covenant Order.

Members of First Presbyterian Church of Edmond voted Sunday to continue the process of dismissal from the Indian Nations Presbytery of PC(USA). According to the Edmond Sun, of those present, 815 voted in favor of dismissal while 55 voted against. Voting members had to be in good standing and present for the proceedings.

"I think this vote, a huge landslide vote, is a vindication of the direction that the leadership felt God was calling this congregation to move toward," said Mateen Elass, senior pastor of First Presbyterian, in an interview with the Edmond Sun. more >>

A growing evangelical church in Arizona has purchased its third campus, a sanctuary constructed in 1927 and formerly owned by a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

City of Grace, which already has campuses in Mesa and Scottsdale, bought the Historic First Presbyterian Church of Phoenix property earlier this year and is presently renovating the facility.

Terry Crist, senior pastor at City of Grace, told The Christian Post that the purchase of the Phoenix-based property was years in the making. more >>

The highest commission of Presbyterian Church (USA) has cleared a clergywoman of charges that she violated church law when she opted to marry her partner in 2009.

Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly of PC(USA) made its decision regarding an appeal against the Rev. Laurie McNeill in Louisville, Ky. on Sunday.

"The facts of this case do not support disciplinary action under…the Book of Order. Nothing in this decision modifies standards and norms of the church's understanding of marriage," reads the decision in part. more >>

A Presbyterian clergywoman who married her partner will soon have to go before the highest ranked Commission of Presbyterian Church (USA).

An appeal was brought before the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly of PC(USA) regarding Rev. Laurie McNeill, who married her partner back in 2009.

Filed by Whitman Brisky Esq. of Mauck & Baker, LLC in September, the case will be argued before the PJC GA on Oct. 26 in Louisville, Kent. more >>

According to a recently released survey, support for same-sex marriage among Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members and pastors has considerably increased since 2005.

In research conducted by Presbyterian Research Services and published in October, the number of PC(USA) members and pastors supporting the denomination redefining marriage grew. In 2005, 23 percent of PC(USA) members supported same-sex marriage; in 2012, the number had increased to 34 percent. Among pastors, support for same-sex marriage in 2005 was at 35 percent; in 2012, it is at 49 percent.

Jack Marcum, coordinator of Research Services at Presbyterian Mission Agency and author of the published findings, framed the issue regarding a recent vote by PC(USA)'s General Assembly to keep their traditional marriage definition in the denomination's constitution. more >>