eLink News

This Week:

• September 12- 1:00 PM Christian Education Committee, Presbytery Office
• September 13- 1:30 PM Evangelism Committee, Presbytery Office
  1:30 PM Sudan Team, New Wilmington PC
• September 18- 7:00 PM Committee on Ministry, Neshannock, NW

Right Here / Right Now

It’s happening…get on board!  This special local mission program for churches in Lawrence and Mercer counties will begin in October 2012.  The mission experiment will focus on training members of partner churches to build relationships with people outside churches, and form various types of Christian communities (i.e. studies, discussions, prayer groups, and maybe even a worshipping community).  All pastors, mission teams, elders and church members who are interested in participating in this mission, or in finding out more, are invited to a meeting at the Penn State Shenango (147 Shenango Avenue, Sharon) Student Center, Sunday, September 30, 5:00-6:00 PM.  Contact Rev. Nathan Loudon (revn8loudon@yahoo.com) or Rev. Dr. Glenn Hink (pastor@1stpcs.org) for more information.

News from Gereif Bible School

The Sudan Partnership Leadership Team is happy to report that when we talked in July by phone with Daniel Hamad, the principal of Gereif Bible School,  he surprised us with the news that the school was planning to begin this year’s term on August 15th.  The school sustained significant damage to much equipment and some buildings, and monies stored in safes was stolen.  By far the most significant loss was to books and other resources in the library which is estimated at about a quarter of a million dollars.  Our contacts at the school have given us estimates that the other losses mentioned above amount to about $20,000.  We are hoping to raise a significant part of this with the Celebrate Sudan 2012 offering.  We are pleased that the work of Gereif Bible School is going forward in spite of the hardships brought about through the attack this spring.  The training done at Gereif and Komo Bible Schools is so important.  Bill Anderson, long time missionary in Sudan with his wife Lois, has said that the evangelists trained in these schools has been the key element in SPECs growth.

Celebrate Sudan 2012 – World Communion Sunday

This year’s Celebrate Sudan event will take place on the evening of World Communion Sunday (October 7^th) at East Main Presbyterian Church in Grove City.   Sessions need to vote to authorize the Celebrate Sudan offering which we hope can be received at our churches’ World Communion services the morning of October 7th.  You may want to make sure that steps along these lines are being taken at your church.  Information and promotional materials about the Celebrate Sudan event will be mailed to churches in early in September.   We hope many people from our churches will attend this informative and exciting event.

Join the “Sudan Celebration Choir”

Calling all who like to sing to be part of the “Sudan Celebration Choir” which will sing at the Celebration at 7:00 PM on Sunday, October 7th.  Practices will be: Sunday evening, September 30th – 7 PM at the Unity Presbyterian Church, 1857 Mercer West Middlesex Road.  There will be a practice before the program on Sunday, October 7th at East Main Presbyterian Church at 5:30 PM.  The anthem is based on an African folk song and is entitled “He Is Mine”.  Those interested in singing should come to one or both of these rehearsals so that we might make a beautiful sound of praise together.  For more information, contact Jane Bartholomew at 724-981-2377 or jraysing@verizon.net.

Wee Kirk NE

Now is the time to register for “Wee Kirk NE” — which will be October 15-16-17 at the Laurelville Conference Center near Mt. Pleasant, PA.  This is a great time of inspiration and refreshment.  ALL people from small churches are invited to attend.  Cost is $75 a couple or $50 for single.  Flyers are available.  This is a ministry of Presbyterians for Renewal.

ENGAGE Workshop Coming Soon – Register Now!

Saturday, October 6, 2012 at Leesburg Presbyterian Church from 9 AM to 4:30 PM, join the Evangelism Committee for a special workshop with Ray Jones returning from the Office of Evangelism and Church Growth in Louisville.  This workshop will focus on the newly revised Engage Resource.  Topics to be addressed include Engage the Gospel, Engage Discipleship, Engage Mission, How to Use the Engage Resource, Walking Through a Gathering, and Next Steps.  There is no registration fee.  Lunch will be provided as will copies of the new Engage resource for each participant.  To register, please call or email the Presbytery Office with the number attending from your congregation – office@shenango.org or 724-528-1610.  SHENANGO ENGAGE WORKSHOP 2 fLYER – 2

Continuing Education Opportunity – BROADCAST SEMINAR at Westminster College

From Malachi to Matthew – James E. Davison, Director of Continuing Education, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  By the time Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the world of Old Testament times had changed drastically. In this series of classes, we will examine “the time between the Testaments,” looking at key developments in Jewish life in Palestine. Understanding major events like the coming of the Roman legions, the rise of synagogues, and the emergence of the Pharisees, Essenes, and other groups will enable us not only to understand better the world that Jesus experienced in 30 A.D., but also to appreciate the Gospels more fully.  Wednesday evenings, Oct. 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2012  from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. at Westminster College, Old Main 210.  The course is FREE to all Pastors and church members of the Presbytery of Shenango.  All others the cost is $50.00.  Registration deadline is Friday, September 14, 2012 by contacting the Office of Faith and Spirituality at Westminster College (724) 946-7117 or via e-mail at gabriedl@westminster.edu.

Spiritual Emphasis Week at Westminster College (September 19-23)

Local Churches and Community are invited to the following events:  

Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 9:30 PM  –  Berlin Lounge   JASON SANTOS, Associate Pastor, New Wilmington Presbyterian Church.  Jason is the author of A Community Called Taizé: A Story of Prayer, Worship and Reconciliation (IVP, 2008).  

Thursday, September 20, 2012, 8:00 PM  –  Wallace Memorial Chapel,            LOUIS LIPPS, Former Pittsburgh Steeler.  Louis Lipps is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  He currently works for Steel City Mortgage Services in Pittsburgh and is the co-host of a weekly Steelers-themed radio broadcast on ESPN radio 1250 AM.

Sunday, September 23, 2012, 7:00 PM  –  Wallace Memorial Chapel  OPEN DOOR WORSHIP,  Guest Speaker:  BOB GOFF.  Bob Goff is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Restore International, a non-profit organization which was established to address the atrocities and injustices committed against children.

News from the Churches