As Presbyterians we believe that “the Holy Spirit lives in individuals but works through community.”1 In Birmingham you will come in contact with one of the largest and broadest assemblages of Presbyterians possible. You will have the opportunity to connect personally with sisters and brothers in Christ. You will find many there who share a particular passion, and you will meet others with whom you disagree on particular details of life and faith. How much more powerful, then, are we when we all come together to worship God, the Word and the Truth.

The need for domestic mission has never been more clear than in the wake of the recent natural disasters that have left tens of thousands of U.S. citizens without the basic requirements of life. The theme for vacation Bible school 2006, Around the World in 5 Days: A Visit to the U.S.A., was selected well before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. In age-appropriate ways, however, this VBS will reinforce the understanding that we are all children of God, who carry out God’s work everywhere in the world. On hand to consult with you about the church’s numerous mission projects will be Jon Brown and other members of the office of Mission Education and Promotion.

Parents, educators, pastors, and others using the rotation workshop model as part of their church school program will have the opportunity to meet writers and editors of the new We Believe Workshop and review this new curriculum option. We Believe: God’s Word for God’s People, the denominational curriculum of the PC(USA), has recently released a new curriculum for confirmation as well. The editors of this curriculum, Professing Our Faith, will be in Birmingham to meet church leaders charged with educating our youth about the basics of Presbyterianism and how to live out their faith in the world.

For Your Children: Creating Communities of Faith in Our Families is a new resource for parents who want support as their children’s primary faith educators. Other new resources from the Peacemaking Program Area include the newly revised Presbyterians and Military Service booklet, and an intergenerational study, Peacemaking: The Believer’s Calling. There will be information about the Peacemaking Offering and other special offerings received by the church.

Come join us as we celebrate 300 years of Presbyterianism in North America. Learn about our traditions and find out about some of the tools we have for building the future.

1. Excerpted from What Is a Presbyterian? by Atkins Flegley, Presbyterian Belief Series, Witherspoon Press, 1988.