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Category: Church Planting

Called to Preach, Called to Lead—Ministering For Such a Time as This

Posted on March 27, 2026 by ptsblog
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The Rev. Dr. Patrice Fowler-Searcy ’13/’24 is the first Black woman to chair Pittsburgh Theological Seminary’s Board of Directors. Prior to assuming this role, Patrice served the Board for 12 years in a number of capacities, including vice chair during Sandy Lamb’s leadership, chair of the governance committee, and member of the Executive and Student…

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Sourcing and Sustaining Lay Leadership

Posted on July 28, 2025July 29, 2025 by ptsblog
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Since graduating from seminary in 2011, one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as the pastor of a small, rural congregation is recruiting, retaining, and replacing leaders within the church. At Nixon United Methodist Church, we have a practice of rotating new leaders out of leadership after three years. This policy has been challenging to…

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Who Is My Neighbor? The Rev. Kathryn Lester-Bacon on Neighbor, Change, and Mutual Responsibility

Posted on March 10, 2025March 6, 2025 by ptsblog
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Above: V prays with a finger labyrinth in a “Praying with Your Senses” group. At Pittsburgh Seminary, we seek to participate in God’s ongoing mission in the world by seeing and getting to know people as our neighbors. Challenged by Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan and inspired by Mr. Fred Rogers ’62, who sang,…

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Founded in 1794, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is a graduate theological school of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), offering master's and doctor of ministry degrees as well as certificate programs. Participating in God's ongoing mission in the world, Pittsburgh Seminary is a community of Christ joining in the Spirit's work of forming and equipping people for ministries familiar and yet to unfold and communities present and yet to be gathered.

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