In this soft launch, the aim of Preachbnb is to share a vision of using what we have (vacant pulpit/manses) to fulfill what we need (proclamation.) The hope is to register Teaching Elders and Ruling Elders commissioned by the Presbyterian Church USA across the nation and the globe to live into the call of proclamation in the rural Western United States. Currently, there are five rural churches in the Presbytery of Utah in need of preachers looking for vacation, study leave, or adventure and in exchange for a sermon and leading worship on The Lord’s Day - the church will host five nights of housing in a vacant manse or host home.
Visit preachbnb.org and all five churches from the Presbytery of Utah are highlighted with geography, surrounding recreation, and in the near future - will have a calendar with highlighted dates of availability to sign up to be hosted for the week in one of these five places: (Preach on Sunday, housing for 6 days)
Visit preachbnb.org and register on the home page. Registration is open for ordained officers of the Presbyterian Church (USA). In registration, all ordained officers must commit to being in good standing with presbytery of membership, committed to the values of the Matthew 25 vision of the PCUSA in proclamation, and up to date on sexual misconduct and boundary training. By registering, each member of preachbnb will receive updates to the final launch and app version of this initiative which will include calendars to book pulpit supply in the Presbytery of Utah online or through the app from the App Store for cell phone.
For the remaining months of 2024, the Presbytery of Utah is the only participating local body for Preachbnb. Through the last quarter of 2024, the goal is to finish the digital infrastructure not only for Utah but to open the registration for any PCUSA church across the nation to join the initiative. This allows local jurisdiction (presbytery) of rural churches in need of proclamation to live into the vision of what it means for us to share in a new way the story of good news.
A preacher once proclaimed: Hope is scandalous. Our world often reduces collective hope and pulpit is central to the good news of Jesus Christ going into all the world. Through Word, the body of Christ encounters what mercy, grace, hope, and love means to a world overwhelmed by grave violence and injustice. The opportunity for PCUSA preachers across the globe to experience cultural exchange, connection with fellow Presbyterians, sharing in hospitality through a unified faith in Jesus Christ - a new pilgrimage of how to live into resurrection as a global church through the scandal of hope is before us.