The Presbytery of Shenango

“Celebrate Sudan 2010” Event
The Sudan Partnership team is excited to announce the first annual, “Celebrate Sudan” event. It will take place on the evening of World Communion Sunday, October 3rd, 7PM at East Main Presbyterian Church. The purpose of this event will be to celebrate our partnership with the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC) and to raise funds for two special projects that will go beyond our regular giving to the partnership. These projects have been chosen with input from SPEC’s leadership. The first project involves helping the Salaama congregation in Khartoum build 2 kindergarten classrooms and to construct a wall that is needed to keep others from encroaching on their property rights. The Salaama church building was constructed in January, 2006 with funds raised by our presbytery. A team from Shenango helped with the actual construction of the building. The second project is directed at raising much needed funds for Nile Theological College. NTC does an excellent job in training SPEC pastors and church leaders and the partnership committee feels it important this year to supplement Shenango’s normal giving to NTC.

Shenango churches are encouraged to use the month before this event to gather funds to support these projects. We are encouraging churches, in particular, to take up an offering for this year’s “Celebrate Sudan’ projects during the morning worship services on World Communion Sunday, October 3rd. Then, that night, all the churches will gather at East Main church to celebrate our partnership with our Sudanese brothers and sisters and to gather together the gifts from the churches. An exciting event is being planned, including music performed by a combined choir from all our churches and led by Jane Bartholomew, greetings from Ismail Kanani, the General Secretary of SPEC, presentations that hi-light the exciting things that are happening though SPEC and our partnership with them, the announcement of the total amount collected for the projects, and authentic Sudanese food. It’s going to be a great time and everyone from our churches is invited. Let your congregation know about it now!

Information and promotional materials about “Celebrate Sudan 2010” will be sent in the next week to our churches’ pastors, clerks and missionary committee chairpersons.

Owl Patrol at Westminster Highlands

Resource Center News Available

Read the Summer 2010 edition of the Resource Center News to find out what's new and available in the Resource Center.

GA Summary

Read Delegate, Rev. Tom Gomola's summary of the 219th General Assembly by clicking here.

Criteria for Funding Mission Projects

A few congregations have had questions as to how to choose which mission project to fund when there are so many choices out there. East Main Presbyterian Church in Grove City has developed a set of criteria, which work for them and may help you.

East Main criteria for funding projects

The Situation in Darfur

Dear all, warmest greetings.

Two of us visited Darfur during 11-14,March,2009. We visited Fashir, the Capital of Northern Darfur State. Fashir is surrounded by many camps for displaced people. So we went out to visit these camps. The situation is very difficult. People started to move again after the government of Sudan kicked out western Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that meet 60% of the total need of the displaced people in camps in Darfur.

People are looking for the food, water, and shelter. The other NGOs, which are left in Darfur are not able to meet the big need of the displaced. Even these those remaining are not operating because they are afraid of being kicked out. People are suffering in the desert and have nothing to eat or drink. They started to look for the leaves of the trees to eat or dead animals to feed themselves. There are no trees, it's the desert, and no dead animals have been left. It's the disaster of this century. You cannot believe what you see or hear.

One of the displaced people said: "I wish that I could die rather than see my wife and children starving and crying for food and water."

You will see the photos attached that the need is very great and it's above our abilities. Hundreds of thousands of people are dying like animals. It's one of the biggest disaster on earth. What shall we do then? Let's do something for the people of Darfur and be like the child who gave what he has to Jesus and then Jesus blessed that and hand it to the people (John 6:1-13). Let's do something for the needy people in Darfur today and not tomorrow. "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Fur people will arise from another place...and who knows but that you have come to this (position) for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).

Let's join together with the Lord and be the vessels for Him to do all these things through us if we give what we have, even if it's little to Him with happy and joyful heart. We were able to give out food for the people there at the camps. These funds came from the churches of Shenango Presbytery. Many thanks to you because 372 people received food. We are planning to get there again as soon as we receive funds.

Here is what we are going to do if God provides for funds:

(1) 100 sacks of Wheat @ $ 70 = $ 7,000
(2) 100 sacks of dry milk @ $80 = $ 8,000
(3) 100 sacks of beans @ $ 50 = $ 5,000
(4) 100 sacks of Sugar @ $60 = $ 6,000
(5) 2 person's airfare back and forth $ 700
(6) Accommodation & food transport $ 1,300

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Total $ 28,000

God is working in Darfur. We met many believers. The people study the Bible, pray, and worship in their own languages (Fur languages). We selected two strong leaders to be sent to Gereif West Bible School this July, 2009. In the midst of this difficult situation, God is still working and draws people to Him. May God bless you as you are serving Him. Amen.

Darfur mission Committee team [names omitted for security]