A Call to Renewal was issued by 73 renewal-minded ministers and elders of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in the spring of 1988. The meeting in Dallas, Texas, was convened by the Rev. Dr. B. Clayton Bell, the Rev. Dr. John A. Huffman, Jr., and the Rev. Dr. J. Murray Marshall. At that time few envisioned the possible birth of a new organization to promote renewal within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

That “Call to Renewal” led to “A Gathering of Presbyterians” the following year. Over a thousand people representing every synod and almost every presbytery gathered from across the Church to meet in St. Louis in April 1989. The Rev. Dr. Paul Watermulder chaired the Conference Steering Committee, and the Rev. Kathleen Goodrich served as Conference Director.

“A Gathering of Presbyterians” listened to the call for renewal from several important voices in the church,including Dr. Samuel Moffett, Emeritus of Princeton Theological Seminary; Dr. Maria Santa-Maria, St. Petersburg, Florida; Dr. Virgil Cruz, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary; the Rev. Dr. C. Kenneth Hall, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); and the Rev. Dr. James Andrews, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly.

The conference was specifically designed to create Presbyterians for Renewal, a new broad-based renewal organization. It is, in part, the heir of two former rewewal movements within the Presbyterian Church: Presbyterians United for Biblical Concern (PUBC) and Covenant Fellowship of Presbyterians (CFP). A board of 60 persons was elected by the conference attendees: 12 people from each of 5 regions of the country. A balance of clergy and lay persons, men and women, and racial ethnic persons was sought to be represented on the Board of Directors. The first officers elected were:

PRESIDENT The Rev. Dr. J. Murray Marshall, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Seattle, Washington;

VICE PRESIDENT The Rev. Dr. Virgil Cruz, New Testament Professor, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky;

CORPORATE SECRETARY Mrs. Linda Baker, Business Woman, Edmond, Oklahoma;

TREASURER James Hargrove, Esq., Houston, Texas;

REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES The Rev. Linda Jaberg, Altoona, Pennsylvania (East); Myers Hicks, M.D., Florence, South Carolina (Southeast); The Rev. Dr. Robert Hunter, Indianapolis, Indiana (Midwest); Gary R. Terrell, Lubbock, Texas, (Southwest); and Janice Speery, Sierra Madre, California, (West).

At the final meeting of the conference, the attendees were given the opportunity to sign a Covenant of Renewal which highlighted a deep commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Christ's unique mission of salvation to the world, a call to repentance and personal faith in Christ, a call to understand the Scriptures as the authority for faith, and the imperative of seeking to lead a holy life. All committed themselves to prayer for renewal and support of the denomination, underscoring their willingness to serve in the committees and courts of the Church. A continued commitment to social justice and righteousness and to the combating of racism and sexism was underlined.

Making this conference unique were the broad inclusion of evangelical moderates; its holistic Biblical agenda; the visible involvement of those who are known in the structures of the church as committed church-persons; and the willingness of the two former existing renewal structures to participate enthusiastically in the birth of Presbyterians for Renewal.

The moderator of the General Assembly called this a moment of grace for the Church. The prayer of those attending was that this might be so.

Few could imagine the phenomenal growth in service and participation that would take place in the next few years. The vision and purpose of Presbyterians for Renewal has struck a responsive chord in thousands of Presbyterians across the Church.

Today, with an active board and a dedicated staff, PFR continues to serve the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and to provide leadership in multiple facets of ministry. A strong emphasis is placed on equipping the laity for the work of their ministry in the church and the world.