Meetings and Events This Week:
April 1- 9:30 AM Council, Calvin Church
7:30 PM Leadership Development Team, Presbytery Office
April 2- 9:30 AM Church & Community Committee, Presbytery Office
April 8- 12:00 PM Missional Pastors Lunch, Presbytery Office
Registrations Due This Friday, April 4th for the Pastor’s Retreat
If you haven’t registered yet for the Pastor’s Retreat, May 5-6 with Bill Carl of Pittsburgh Seminary, you only until next Friday to do so. You can either mail in the form, or e-mail your name and whether you will be commuting or staying overnight to Autumn at office@shenango.org. (Commuting $30, Staying Overnight $50)
Youth Event Registrations Due April 18th
The Presbytery-Wide Youth Event on April 26th at Westminster Highlands is only a month away. Registrations are due on the 18th, but we would appreciate any that are turned in early. The director of Westminster Highlands would like to meet with any youth leaders that will be bringing a group to the camp to go over some preliminary projects and tools that may be needed. We will set the date for this meeting based on the schedules of the early registrations that we receive. You can register using the form in the packet that was mailed to each youth leader in the Presbytery, or by calling Autumn or Debbie at 724-528-1610.
A Note From Ingrid
“I’m here in Adol (Dinka [large tribe of the south Sudan] Land) for about 2 ½ weeks for an Adult Literacy Teacher Training, then onto Juba [capital of south Sudan] for NGO [non-governmental organizations] meetings and networking, then possibly back to Nairobi [Kenya] or maybe to Boma for a teacher training.”
You can see a picture of Ingrid’s tukul [house] on the Presbytery web http://www.shenango.org/sudan/ingrid.htm.
What Does a Synod Do with Your Money?
Our churches are part of the Synod of the Trinity, 1200 Presbyterian Churches in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and parts of Ohio. Your session’s support of the General Mission budget helps do important work carries out through the Synod. For example:
□ Subsidies for the Missional Church projects
□ Support for Word Centered Fellowship
□ Mission travel grants (our churches get a large share of these)
For more information, see the brochure: http://www.syntrinity.org/about/financial_information/documents/NB_2008.pdf which you can order in bulk for your church by calling 1-800-242-0534.
Support for Pastors
Eight presbyteries in western Pennsylvania are working together through their Committees on Ministry to offer a series of overnight retreats and 2-hour evening events designed to support pastors in some very basic dimensions of ministry. These are designed for first-call pastors, but all pastors and CLPs are welcome. The first retreat (April 3-4) has been postponed to a later date. The program will begin with the September 25 – 26 retreat. The cost is $40 (study leave money would be appropriate) and it will be held at Crestfield Camp & Conference Center in Slippery Rock. For more information, contact the Presbytery Office or check the web site’s News & Events page. (An updated brochure will be available on the Presbytery web site soon.)
Church and State in 2008
Grove City College will hold a conference on April 10-11 on church-state issues. You can read an interview of Earl Tilford by Paul Kengor about this at http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=1D4E5717-DA76-4C85-BE91-BF140DC38B99. More details on the conference at http://www.grovecityconference.com/church_and_state/.
Reducing the Risk Training for Mercer County Churches
Sheakleyville Presbyterian is having a 2-hour training for Elders and teachers with AWARE (Crisis Shelter) on reducing the risk for child sexual abuse in the church. The training is Wednesday, April 23rd, from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the church and is open to other churches. An RSVP to Nancy Varner at 724-253-4230 would be appreciated.
Grant Available for Smaller Churches (150 or less in worship)
The Synod of the Trinity (1200 Presbyterian Churches in PA, WV, and parts of OH) has received from the Frank E. Clark Foundation funds to provide to each Presbytery $5,000 for a grant(s) to one or more churches. The church needs to match the grant requested. Deadline is June 8. Please click here for a copy of the grant application.
The 21st Annual Wayne H. Christy Memorial Lecture
Rob Prestowitz, Executive Director of Urban Promise will be the featured speaker for the 21st Annual Christy Lecture at Westminster College on April 13, 2008 at 7:00 PM in Wallace Memorial Chapel. Urban Promise is a ministry to children and youth living in the inner-city neighborhoods of Wilmington, Delaware. The mission of Urban Promise is to teach children and young adults the skills necessary for spiritual growth, academic achievement, life management and Christian leadership. The theme of Prestowitz’s talk will be “God’s Relentless Love: Here I Am, Send Me.” This event is free and open to the public.
Continuing Education Event at Westminster College
On April 14th from 9 AM – !2 NOON, Rev. Kang Na will speak on “What Makes Worship Reformed” in the Witherspoon Rooms of McKelvey Campus Center. There is a $5.00 registration fee (includes lunch) which is payable at the door. Reservations are due 1 week prior to the event by calling 724-946-7117 or e-mailing Diane Gabriel at gabriedl@westmisnter.edu.
Katrina Table Project
The Katrina Table Project had an organizational meeting last week with more than 70 persons in attendance. Sufficient contributions have been received to pay for the materials to make 100 tables. For more information or to join the work, contact Jim Moose at moosewoodfurn@peoplepc.com.
Indoor Garage Sale at Unity
The Presbyterian Women of Unity Presbyterian Church are sponsoring an Indoor Garage Sale on Saturday, April 5, 2008 from 8 AM to 5 PM in Fellowship Hall at 1857 Mercer West Middlesex Road (Rt. 318) Mercer, PA 16137. Lunch will be available. Don’t miss out on all the good bargains.
Full-Time Position Opening
Director of Youth & Family Ministries at First Presbyterian Church of New Castle, PA; if interested, please see their web-site for details and inquiries: http://www..firstpresby-newcastle.org.
Shenango Senior Care Needs Volunteers
Shenango Senior Care is looking for volunteers to serve as Hostesses at the main desk. It just required a little time and a friendly face. The hours are Saturday and Sunday afternoons (three hours). There are already volunteers and this would strengthen the list. Please contact Betty Jones at 724-946-2028 or bjones@shenangopsc.org, if interested.
The Presbytery of Shenango 