In the midst of major demographic, economic and social changes taking place in our metropolitan areas and cities, we want to lift up the work of many Presbyterians who are faithfully working for justice and peace, seeking the welfare of the city, and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
The 221st General Assembly in Detroit, June 2014, approved the policy paper, The Gospel from Detroit: Renewing the Church’s Urban Vision, developed by The Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy. The paper stated in its first recommendation:
“Commend the efforts of Presbyterians in city congregations and presbyteries that embody an urban Christian vision; who see the urban poor as clearly as the glittering skyscrapers; who seek to understand urban trends theologically and ethically; and who unite ministries of mercy and justice with evangelism, education, and cultural outreach, recalling our heritage of urban mission leadership and working to renew or build new worship communities grounded in a creative Reforming spirit.”
Urban Ministry Spotlight
Love your neighbor: Presbyterians in Kansas City help immigrants | Kansas City, KS
Churches band together in the face of ongoing decline | Rochester, NY
The church has ‘sold’ the building | South Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY
Volunteer Sites
(These volunteer sites are not hosted, sponsored, or related to the Presbyterian Mission Agency.)
St. Louis Urban Mission Camp | First Presbyterian Church of Ferguson, MO
Mission Immersion Camp | Lexington, KY
The Center: Where Compassion Meets Justice | Baltimore, MD
Memphis Youth Mission | Memphis, TN
Grants
Please see the specific scope and requirements for each grant, and use contact information that is provided by the entity offering the grant.
- Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People grants for low-income community groups
- Mission Program Grants – seed, investment, and growth grants (and related health insurance grants)
- Congregational-based community organizing grants for organizations, and scholarships for training
- Racial Ethnic/Women’s Ministries grants
Learn more
- Educate a Child – the ministry of many urban churches connects with the major foci of this initiative: strengthening early childhood education and reducing the dropout rate of adolescents.
- City Churches: Convictions, Conversations, and Call to Action – urban policy resolution approved by the 222nd General Assembly (2016)
- Seven Samples of Urban Ministry – report on National Capital Presbytery’s 2015 Urban Visioning Network Dialogues (download – 73 pages)
- Creating Pathways for New Life in Urban Congregations – stories, testimonies, conversations, and observations of how 12 congregations handled change and opportunity in their urban ministry journeys. Free (plus shipping) on the Church Store.
- Exposure and Risk: The Great Coming Church: A Half Century of Urban Ministry, by George Todd and Trey Hammond, 2016.
- Theology from the Trenches: Reflections on Urban Ministry, by Roger Gench. WJK Press, 2014. Ebook also available.
- The Church has Left the Building – Ebook by Rev. Deborah Fae Swift, pastor of South Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY.
- Urban Ministry Reconsidered: Contexts and Approaches by Smith, Boddie, and Peters. Nook and Kindle also available.
Training sources
- Urban Institute’s mission is to open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions through economic and social policy research.
- New York Theological Seminary, a diverse community grounded in biblical witness and with a historic urban focus, prepares adults for faith-based ministries in the city and throughout the world.
- Pittsburgh Metro Urban Institute prepares Christian leaders for the challenges of urban contextual ministry.
Banner photos on this page L-R courtesy of: Union Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, CA; Chineta Goodjoin, New Hope Presbyterian Church, Orange, CA; Union Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, CA; Third Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, MO
