The "Ecosystem" of the PC(USA)

My PC(USA) colleague, Marcia Myers, uses the analogy "ecosystem" to describe the interrelatedness of congregations, seminaries, schools, governing bodies, mission partners and other parts of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Others use the analogy of family, or fabric. One way we see this play out is in how people come into the staff of the General Assembly Council from congregations, governing bodies and mission partners, and return to various places in the church - knitting us together and strengthening the fabric as they do. Dan Rift, formerly a leader in some of our relief and development ministries, is now executive pastor at Preston Hollow Church in Dallas. Corey Nelson, formerly on our world mission staff is mission pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Lake Forest, IL. Tony Aja, also formerly in our world mission, is interim pastor of Bardstown Presbyterian Church in Louisville -- to name just a few who are providing leadership in congregations. Will Browne, who served for many years as a mission worker and leader in World Mission, has recently assumed an important role as executive director of the Medical Benevolence Foundation, one of our validated mission support organizations and a key mission partner. MBF describes its mission with these words, "Working with our partners, MBF supports healing ministries in more than 100 hospitals and clinics throughout the world."  In what I think speaks volumes about the quality of our Theology and Worship staff, five former members are now professors in PC(USA) seminaries - John Burgess (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary), Glaucia Vasconcelos-Wilkey (University of Seattle School of Theology), Martha Moore-Keish (Columbia Theological Seminary), Paul Galbreath (Union Theological Seminary-PSCE), and Kimberly Bracken Long (Columbia Theological Seminary).What a joy it is to work with people like this, and to know that they continue to contribute their considerable talents to the work of the "ecosystem" of the church.