Church history

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History of Presbyterian and Reformed church governance, congregations, ministers, and theology. See the following related collections: Presbyterian General Assemblies; Church buildings; Protestant Reformation; and Sermons. Featured image: Synod of Catawba clergy and lay commissioners.

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Title:
Presbyterian Gay Caucus and Presbyterians for Gay Concerns brochures and pamphlets.
Description:
Includes Presbyterian Gay Caucus "Statement of Purpose, 1975" and "'Definitive Guidance' Revisited or An Alternative View: The Law of the Church" by David B. Sindt (1979).
Creator:
Sindt, David, 1940-1986. (author)
Subject names:
Carter, Ralph C. (Ralph Campbell)--Archives., Sindt, David, 1940-1986., Presbyterian Gay Caucus., Presbyterians for Gay Concerns.
Topics:
Gay clergy--United States., Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Ordination of gays--Presbyterians., Ordination of lesbians--Presbyterians.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:346581
Title:
Dan Smith memorial service, 2023.
Description:
Dan Smith was a Presbyterian and Congregationalist minister, longtime pastor of West Hollywood United Church of Christ. He was born 2 February 1953 in Buffalo, N.Y., and educated at SUNY Fredonia and Princeton Theological Seminary. He was a conscientious objector during the American war in Vietnam. He was ordained in 1978 and spent six years installed at First Presbyterian Church (Geneva, N.Y.) before moving to Los Angeles. He took the pastorate of West Hollywood Presbyterian Church (Los Angeles, Calif.) in 1984, becoming the first openly gay minister installed in a PC(USA) congregation. During his tenure the congregation would spearhead AIDS ministry in West Hollywood, and build the Lazarus Project, dedicated to reconciling the church with its LGBTQ community. Smith retired in 2020. He died 12 June 2023.
Creator:
Smith, Daniel Edmund, 1953-2023. (dedicatee), West Hollywood United Church of Christ (Los Angeles, Calif.) (creator)
Subject names:
West Hollywood Presbyterian Church (Los Angeles, Calif.), Smith, Daniel Edmund, 1953-2023.
Topics:
LGBTQ+ Presbyterians., Gay clergy.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:345470
Title:
Holly and KC Clark-Porter oral history, 2023.
Description:
Reverend Holly Clark-Porter and Reverend KC Clark-Porter discuss growing up in Texas; attendance of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary; their joint ordination service at First & Central Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware (Newcastle Presbytery); the pastoral capacities in which they've served the Church; and the barriers they faced during their ordinations and ministerial work. They reflect on the fight for marriage and ordination rights of LGBTQIA+ Presbyterians within the Church. Additionally, KC reflects on coming out as trans and life as a transgender man.
Creator:
Clark-Porter, Holly. (interviewee), Clark-Porter, KC. (interviewee), Shilstut, Natalie. (interviewer)
Subject names:
Clark-Porter, Holly., Clark-Porter, KC., Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary., Presbyterian Welcome (Organization), First & Central Presbyterian Church (Wilmington, Del.)
Topics:
Ordination of gays--Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Ordination of lesbians--Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Homophobia., Same-sex marriage--Religious aspects--Presbyterians., Transgender men.
Geographic subjects:
El Paso (Tex.), Wilmington (Del.), Fredonia (N.Y.)
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:345294
Title:
Interview of Dean H. Lewis by R. Douglas Brackenridge, Tape 2, Side 1.
Description:
Cassette tape 2, side 1 of an interview recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from March 11 to 12, 1988. Dean Lewis discusses the functions of the Advisory Council on Church and Society and the processes of establishing task forces. Part of a 5 cassette tape set.
Creator:
Lewis, Dean, 1926-2021. (interviewee), Brackenridge, R. Douglas. (interviewer)
Subject names:
United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Advisory Council on Church and Society., Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Advisory Council on Church and Society., United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Task Force to Study Homosexuality.
Topics:
Church and the world., Social policy., Church polity.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:344680
Title:
Babs Miller oral history, 2023.
Description:
Oral history with Babs Miller, parish associate at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Austin, Tex.), on her career in ministry, including with Metropolitan Community Church (Austin, Tex.) during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, and as an evangelist with That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) in the 2000s. Babs Miller is a Presbyterian minister, ordained by Mission Presbytery in 2014. Born in Victoria, Texas in 1942, she attended the Presbyterian School for Christian Education (Richmond, Va.) in the 1960s, and worked as a Christian educator, a social worker, and a high school teacher in Texas. She went to Austin Theological Seminary from 1987 to 1990, came out as a lesbian, and began work with Metropolitan Community Church (Austin, Tex.). From about 2004 to 2012 she was an evangelist with That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS). She has served as parish associate at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Austin, Tex.) since 2014, and continues advocacy for GLBTQ+ rights, in particular protection of trans youth and their families threatened by Texas state law codifying trans health therapies as child abuse. Starting in 2015, Miller was part of the group at St. Andrew's, as part of the Austin Sanctuary Network, declaring public sanctuary for migrants, and helped a mother and child, Hilda and Ivan, seek asylum.
Creator:
Miller, Babs Ann, 1942- (interviewee), Staniunas, David. (interviewer)
Subject names:
Metropolitan Community Church (Austin, Tex.), That All May Freely Serve (Association), St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Austin, Tex.)
Topics:
Ordination of lesbians--Presbyterians., Sanctuary movement., Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterians., Church work with immigrants.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:344175
Title:
The 190th General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.
Description:
Interpretive video of the 190th General Assembly of the UPCUSA. Includes footage of Sandra Brawders (14:03) speaking on the plenary floor and advocating for inclusive ordination rights for gay and lesbian Presbyterians and Virginia Davidson (22:09), chairperson of the UPCUSA Task Force to Study Homosexuality, making a statement on the Task Force's work.
Creator:
Eaton, Charles. (producer), Smith, Devore. (producer)
Subject names:
United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. General Assembly (190th : 1978 : San Diego, Calif.), United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Task Force to Study Homosexuality., Davidson, Virginia West, 1916-2009., Brawders, Sandra., More Light Presbyterians--Archives.
Topics:
Ordination of gays--Presbyterians., Ordination of lesbians--Presbyterians., Homosexuality--Religious aspects--United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:314694
Title:
The 58 LGBTQIA+ youth who attended the initial kin-dom camp in Texas went home blessed, as did their leaders.
Description:
Video of 1001 New Worshipping Communities ministry kin-dom community's inaugural edition of kin-dom camp, a week-long summer camp for youth ages 13 to 17 in the Synod of the Sun who identify as LGBTQIA+. Camp leaders and participants talk about how the camp came to be and the impact it has had on all participants. Video originally featured in a Presbyterian News Service article, "'I'm happier and it's crazy how that happens'" (published August 25, 2022).
Creator:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Presbyterian Mission Agency (creator)
Subject names:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Synod of the Sun., Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Presbyterian Mission Agency.
Topics:
LGBTQ+ youth., Church work with youth.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:288241
Title:
Preliminary Report from the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church to the 216th General Assembly (2004) with Discussion Guide.
Creator:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church. (creator)
Subject names:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church., Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). General Assembly (216th : 2004 : Richmond, Va.), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church--Archives.
Topics:
Discernment (Christian theology)
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:288220
Title:
Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church pamphlet.
Description:
Pamphlet describing the mandate, goals, and mission statement of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church. Includes meeting information, covenant of the task force, and membership listing.
Creator:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church. (creator)
Subject names:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church., Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). General Assembly (213th : 2001 : Louisville, Ky.), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church--Archives.
Topics:
Discernment (Christian theology)
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:288198
Title:
Chris Glaser oral history, 2022.
Description:
Chris Glaser was raised as an American Baptist in North Hollywood, California. He joined the Presbyterian Church in 1970 while in college at California State University, Northridge. He was an ordained elder at First Presbyterian Church of Van Nuys. From 1976 to 1978, he served as the only openly gay member of the UPCUSA Task Force to Study Homosexuality. From 1977 to 1987, he served as the founding director of the Lazarus Project, a ministry of reconciliation between the church and the LGBTQ community in Los Angeles, located at West Hollywood Presbyterian Church. He also served as the second national coordinator and treasurer of Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC) and as editor of its newsletters (More Light). Interview covers the 1978 General Assembly, the UPCUSA Task Force to Study Homosexuality, the Lazarus Project, and Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC).
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:288002
Title:
Chris Glaser oral history transcript, 2022.
Description:
Transcript of oral history interview with Chris Glaser. He was raised as an American Baptist in North Hollywood, California. He joined the Presbyterian Church in 1970 while in college at California State University, Northridge. He was an ordained elder at First Presbyterian Church of Van Nuys. From 1976 to 1978, he served as the only openly gay member of the UPCUSA Task Force to Study Homosexuality. From 1977 to 1987, he served as the founding director of the Lazarus Project, a ministry of reconciliation between the church and the LGBTQ community in Los Angeles, located at West Hollywood Presbyterian Church. He also served as the second national coordinator and treasurer of Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC) and as editor of its newsletters (More Light). Interview covers the 1978 General Assembly, the UPCUSA Task Force to Study Homosexuality, the Lazarus Project, and Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC). Transcript was extensively revised for clarity purposes by interviewee, Chris Glaser.
Creator:
Skaggs, Nicholas A. (interviewer), Glaser, Chris. (interviewee)
Subject names:
United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Task Force to Study Homosexuality., United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. General Assembly (190th : 1978 : San Diego, Calif.), Lazarus Project., Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns., West Hollywood Presbyterian Church (Los Angeles, Calif.), Glaser, Chris.
Topics:
Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Ordination of gays., Ordination of lesbians.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:287989
Title:
Overture Advocates' Presentation to the Committee on Ordination Standards, 213th General Assembly, June 2001.
Description:
Overture Advocates' presentation against G-6.0106b ("Amendment B").
Creator:
Hart-Andersen, Timothy. (onscreen presenter), Covenant Network of Presbyterians. (film distributor), Nave, Doug. (onscreen presenter), Andrews, Susan. (onscreen presenter)
Subject names:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). General Assembly (213th : 2001 : Louisville, Ky.), Hart-Andersen, Timothy--Archives.
Topics:
Ordination of gays--Presbyterian Church., Ordination of lesbians--Presbyterian Church., Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:287984
Title:
Chris Glaser oral history, 2022.
Description:
Chris Glaser was raised as an American Baptist in North Hollywood, California. He joined the Presbyterian Church in 1970 while in college at California State University, Northridge. He was an ordained elder at First Presbyterian Church of Van Nuys. From 1976 to 1978, he served as the only openly gay member of the UPCUSA Task Force to Study Homosexuality. From 1977 to 1987, he served as the founding director of the Lazarus Project, a ministry of reconciliation between the church and the LGBTQ community in Los Angeles, located at West Hollywood Presbyterian Church. He also served as the second national coordinator and treasurer of Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC) and as editor of its newsletters (More Light). Interview covers the 1978 General Assembly, the UPCUSA Task Force to Study Homosexuality, the Lazarus Project, and Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC).
Creator:
Glaser, Chris. (interviewee), Skaggs, Nicholas A. (interviewer)
Subject names:
United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Task Force to Study Homosexuality., United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. General Assembly (190th : 1978 : San Diego, Calif.), Lazarus Project., Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns., West Hollywood Presbyterian Church (Los Angeles, Calif.), Glaser, Chris.
Topics:
Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Ordination of gays., Ordination of lesbians.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:287983
Title:
Joanna Adams oral history, 2017.
Description:
Joanna Moseley Adams, Presbyterian minister, was born October 17, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia. She attended Columbia Theological Seminary and was ordained in 1979. She served Central Presbyterian Church (Atlanta, Ga.), North Decatur Presbyterian Church (Decatur, Ga.), and Trinity Presbyterian Church (Atlanta, Ga.), before spending two years as co-pastor alongside John Buchanan at Fourth Presbyterian Church (Chicago, Ill.). From 1996 on she was an organizer for and moderator of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians. She retired in 2010.
Creator:
Hessel, Beth Shalom. (interviewer), Adams, Joanna. (interviewee)
Subject names:
Adams, Joanna., Covenant Network of Presbyterians., Trinity Presbyterian Church (Atlanta, Ga.), North Decatur Presbyterian Church (Decatur, Ga.), Central Presbyterian Church (Atlanta, Ga.)
Topics:
Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Ordination of gays., Ordination of lesbians., Presbyterian women., Ecumenical movement., Social justice--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Interfaith worship.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:286239
Title:
Annanda Barclay oral history, 2021.
Description:
Annanda Barclay is an advocate for intersectional justice in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She has worked for LGBTQIA+ rights and served as Co-Moderator of More Light Presbyterians, a board member of the Spahr Reconciliation Initiative, and has helped plan pastoral candidate retreats with Parity (formerly Presbyterian Welcome). Barclay graduated with her M.Div. from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2014. She is currently working as a pastor at Mission Bay Community Church (San Francisco, CA) and as interim chaplain at the University of the Redlands, while pursuing a full-time career in chaplaincy.
Creator:
Barclay, Annanda. (interviewee), Wittrig, Elizabeth L. (interviewer)
Subject names:
More Light Presbyterians., Presbyterian Welcome (Organization), Barclay, Annanda.
Topics:
Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Ordination of gays., Ordination of lesbians., African American Presbyterians., Presbyterian women.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:286179
Title:
Ray Bagnuolo oral history, 2021.
Description:
Raymond Bagnuolo was born in November of 1951 and grew up in a Roman Catholic family in the Bronx, New York. Ray spent seventeen years teaching K-12 in the Ossining Public Schools in Ossining, New York. In 1995, he was introduced to That All May Freely Serve and began attending South Presbyterian Church in Dobbs Ferry, New York. In 2005, he was ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA), as an openly gay man. Ray accepted a leadership role at That All May Freely Serve in 2013 and spent several years traveling the country and advocating for a fully inclusive church.
Creator:
Bagnuolo, Raymond. (interviewee), Wittrig, Elizabeth L. (interviewer)
Subject names:
That All May Freely Serve (Association), Bagnuolo, Raymond., Spahr, Jane Adams.
Topics:
Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Catholic Church., Ordination of lesbians., Ordination of gays.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:286178
Title:
Michael Adee oral history, 2021.
Description:
Michael Adee was a member and ordained Elder of Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church (Cincinnati, Ohio). He also served as the first Field Organizer (later called Executive Director) for More Light Presbyterians from 1999 to 2013.
Creator:
Adee, Michael. (interviewee), Wittrig, Elizabeth L. (interviewer)
Subject names:
More Light Presbyterians., That All May Freely Serve (Association), Spahr, Jane Adams., Adee, Michael.
Topics:
Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Ordination of gays., Ordination of lesbians.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:286177
Title:
Bertram Johnson oral history, 2019.
Description:
Bertram Johnson became the first openly gay African American to be ordained as a pastor in the PC(USA) in 2014. He grew up Baptist, attended Mt. Baker Park Presbyterian Church (Seattle, Washington), and was ordained at Madrona Grace Presbyterian Church (Seattle, Washington) as a Teaching Elder in 2014.
Creator:
Johnson, Bertram. (interviewee), Wittrig, Elizabeth L. (interviewer), Prescott, Sonia. (interviewer)
Subject names:
Madrona Grace Presbyterian Church (Seattle, Wash.), Presbyterian Welcome (Organization), Johnson, Bertram.
Topics:
Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church., Ordination of gays., Ordination of lesbians., African American Presbyterians.
Geographic subjects:
Seattle (Wash.)
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:281973
Title:
Pearl Rugless O'Meally and Mary Ludlow Bookout oral history, 2019.
Description:
Pearl Rugless O'Meally and Mary Ludlow were on the nominating committee that called Janie Spahr to serve as pastor of Downtown United Presbyterian Church and early members of That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS). TAMFS began in 1993 after Rev. Jane Adams Spahr, a lesbian minister, was banned by the Permanent Judicial Commission from accepting a call to serve as a pastor of Downtown United Presbyterian Church (Rochester, NY). Downtown Church formed TAMFS ministry in response, electing Spahr to serve as a "lesbian evangelist" to the PC(USA), and advocating for the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ Presbyterians.
Creator:
Rugless O'Meally, Pearl. (interviewee), Ludlow, Mary. (interviewee), Wittrig, Elizabeth L. (interviewer)
Subject names:
That All May Freely Serve (Association), Downtown United Presbyterian Church (Rochester, N.Y.), Rugless O'Meally, Pearl., Ludlow, Mary., Spahr, Jane Adams.
Topics:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)--Homosexuality--Religious aspects., Ordination of lesbians., Presbyterian women.
Geographic subjects:
Rochester (N.Y.)
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:177400
Title:
John Hobbs oral history, 2019.
Description:
John Hobbs served as co-moderator of That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) Chicago and was also a board member of TAMFS at the national level.
Creator:
Hobbs, John. (interviewee), Wittrig, Elizabeth L. (interviewer)
Subject names:
That All May Freely Serve (Association), Hobbs, John.
Topics:
Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Presbyterian Church--20th century., Ordination of gays., Ordination of lesbians.
URL:
https://digital.history.pcusa.org/islandora/object/islandora:177192

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