Welcome to the Being Presbyterian blog. The purpose of this little corner of the web is to offer my readers a glimpse into The Presbyterian Church in Canada and all of the work it does across the country and around the world.
When I was appointed Associate Secretary, Communications earlier this month I thought I had a fairly good understanding of the Presbyterian experience in Canada. I was raised by two Presbyterian elders and have been an elder myself for a few years. I had even been to the national office several times to consult on matters where my expertise in web development was useful. I knew my church. Or so I thought.
As it turns out, I know very little about the work of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. One of the best primers on the Presbyterian Church in Canada is John Congram’s “This Presbyterian Church of Ours” published in the mid-nineties. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how the PCC has developed over the centuries and what makes it unique in the Canadian Christian landscape. Early on in the book, Congram makes reference to the Presbyterian stereotype of being rather cold and drawing the metaphor of an iceberg.
During just the first week of my appointment, I have discovered that the PCC is indeed an iceberg not because it is cold but because you only ever see just the very tip. The vast majority of the life and work of the PCC sits just below the surface – in appropriately Presbyterian modesty.
My job now is to help that Presbyterian iceberg float a little higher in the water and expose more of the wonderful work that is going on under the surface.
The Being Presbyterian blog will be your insider’s look at the PCC as I spend the next several weeks, months, and years learning about every nook and cranny of this Presbyterian church of ours.
This site is one of 90 on the