This Week:
April 6- 1:00 PM Christian Education Committee, Presbytery Office
April 10- 6:00 PM DR Steering Team, Presbytery Office
EP Activity This Month
Our Executive Presbyter, Ralph Hawkins, will be participating with his spouse, Elizabeth, in the presbytery pastors marriage retreat (April 1-3). He will be preaching at Bessemer church (April 10) and at Fredonia church (April 24). He will be meeting with the elders and deacons of Slippery Rock church (April 18). Ralph welcomes opportunities to preach or bring greetings during a worship service, as well as opportunities to visit Session and Deacon meetings. Schedule a Sunday or a meeting time by contacting him at 724-528-1610 or ralph@shenango.org.
Stated Clerk Updates
– TE Grace Basham will be installed as the pastor of two United Church of Christ congregations in Mercer County, at 2:30pm on April 10 at St. Marks UCC in New Hamburg, Pa.
– We welcome back TE Stacie Pitts, Hospice Chaplain at Sharon Regional Health, transferring to Shenango from Kiskiminetas Presbytery. Stacie was a candidate for ministry here in Shenango during her seminary years.
– Rev. Judy Wilson, Evangelical Methodist Church, is serving Oak Grove church on an annual contract. TE Andrew Jillson (Northminster) is serving as Oak Grove’s moderator.
– TE Maxwell Muska was ordained by the presbytery on March 13. Max is serving the Harlansburg and Rich Hill churches on an annual contract.
– Mike Carlin, formerly Student Pastor at First Sharpsville, has been called by that congregation and will ordained and installed as a Teaching Elder by the presbytery on April 10, 4pm, at First Sharpsville church.
– CRE Linda Kellogg will be retiring on April 10 after many years in ministry as a Commissioned Ruling Elder at Coolspring church.
– TE Anthony Kladitis has completed his term as Associate Pastor at Northminster church in New Castle and has been called by the Faith church in Hermitage to serve as their pastor. His first Sunday is May 1; date of installation to be determined.
– TE Beverly Cushman, formerly professor of Christian Education at Westminster College, has begun a 6-month trial period of pastoral ministry in the Church of Scotland.
(TE = Teaching Elder; CRE = Commissioned Ruling Elder)
Marriage Prep Workshop
Rev. Dr. Nathan Brooks led an afternoon workshop last week for Shenango pastors, a refresher course on preparing couples for Christian marriage. New Wilmington Presbyterian Church hosted the event, which was sponsored by our presbytery’s Leadership Development Team.
Pastors Marriage Retreat
Last weekend, our Leadership Development Team sponsored our first pastor-spouse marriage retreat weekend, Friday evening through Sunday lunch at Villa Maria Retreat Center. 9 couples participated and enjoyed the teaching of Rev. Dr. Nathan Brooks (pictured, center, back row). Pictured couples are Angel & Charlene DeLaCruz (Word Centered Fellowship), David & Bonnie Dobi (First ECO, Greenville), Brian & Linda Ennis (Fairfield and Milledgeville), Sean & Andrea Hall (Hillside, Greenville), Anthony & Christen Kladitis (Faith, Hermitage), Amy & Kang Na (Shenango, New Castle / Westminster College), Michael & Christine Spicuzza (member at large), and Ralph & Elizabeth Hawkins (Presbytery of Shenango). Not pictured but present: Adam & Lindsay Rodgers (Stoneboro)
Interfaith Dialogue
Last week at Westminster College, Rev. Jim Mohr, college chaplain and member of the presbytery, hosted a conversation on interfaith dialog featuring representatives of various religions from around our region, including Islam, B’hai, Judaism, and Christianity. Rev. David Dawson, retired executive of our presbytery, was a part of the panel, representing Protestant Christianity. Watch for updates on future similar events.
Summer Camp Resources
Christian camps have made a profound impact that really leads young people to Christ as well as a commitment to those first steps in serving others. Senator John Glenn talks in his biography about attending and working at a summer camp in Ohio when he was growing up in New Concord. It helped him become a more committed Christian and to learn skills in working with people that helped him throughout his life.
Help the youth of your church have the opportunity of Christian camping! Here are two links from youtube to provide a short visual depiction of different things that are included in a week of camping at Westminster Highlands and Camp Lambec. Preview them and find appropriate ways to have youth view them and begin seeing what they might be interested in this summer. Why not email them to youth and their parents with the website to the camps home page so that registration can be simple click away!
There is a printable version of the camp brochures for this summer on the home page of the website too. The color version of the camps brochures can be printed out or order some from the camper manager. Registration forms are available for you to print out too.
Bible in 90 Days materials:
If your church BORROWED some Bible in 90 Days materials in order to view a sample, please return these materials to the presbytery office or to Andrea Hall as soon as possible. These materials have a white sticker on them that say “Spring Hill Presbyterian Church.” They were borrowed from another church and need to be returned. Thank you!
Presbytery Nominations
Our Shenango Presbytery Nominations committee is once again working to nominate Teaching Elders, Ruling Elders, and other leaders from our congregations to serve on the various committees, councils, and teams of our presbytery. These groups help to coordinate the ministry we do together among our churches and are an expression of the wider witness of the church. If you have a suggestion of someone who has the time, talent, and spiritual maturity to serve the wider church in this way, please share that name and some contact information with Elder Carol Christy atdchristy2015@outlook.com (Nominations chair) or EP Ralph Hawkins atralph@shenango.org, or call the presbytery office at 724-528-1610.
Missionary Commitment Forms
In response to the generous financial offerings for missionary support collected throughout 2015 at our stated presbytery meetings, our Mission, Communication and Stewardship committee feels called in 2016 to the goal of 100% of our congregations in supporting a missionary in some way. Furthermore, MCS would like to have more information about the extent of our congregations’ missionary support. As such, we have distributed to the congregations a Missionary Offering Commitment Form. This form will help us determine the level of interest our congregations have in missions. It will also help us inform the Presbyterian Mission Agency of the amount of money they can expect to receive from us to support missionaries. Let’s say your church is planning on giving $1,000 this year to support the mission work of our own Steve and Brenda Stelle in Ethiopia. It is important that the Presbyterian Mission Agency knows that, as that kind of information that could making the difference in keeping the Stelles (or any other missionary) on the mission field for the duration of their term. As of last week, 23 of our 49 congregations have pledged support of some kind. That’s nearly 50% of the presbytery! Please consider completing a Missionary Offering Commitment Form and either sending it to the presbytery office or bring it to the April 26 presbytery meeting at Christ church, Ellwood City.
Synod of the Trinity Regional Gatherings
The Synod will host a series of regional gatherings, which will replace the regular central meetings of the past. The Northwest Region (including the presbyteries of Beaver-Butler, Kiskiminetas, Lake Erie, and Shenango) will gather on Monday, April 25th at Camp Crestfield in Slippery Rock, PA. Three targeted conversation group options will be offered, including Resourcing and Equipping Our Congregation in Meeting Financial Challenges (a workshop for presbytery leadership), Connecting and Resourcing Young Pastors/New Pastors, and Turning the Church Around: One Congregation at a Time. For more information, contact the Presbytery Office.
Shenango Presbytery Scholarships
The Shenango Presbytery Scholarship Fund is supported by gifts from the congregations of the presbytery. The fund is intended to assist students who are members of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Preference will be given to applicants who belong to churches in Shenango Presbytery. Recipients of aid from this fund are eligible for continued assistance in successive years, but they must reapply for aid annually and continue to meet the criteria listed below.
Criteria for Consideration
1. Acceptance as a full-time student at Grove City College or Westminster College by June 1, 2016
2. Demonstrated financial need
3. Academic achievement: if a high school senior, a minimum GPA of 3.3; if a current student at one of the colleges, a minimum GPA of 3.0
4. Evidence in writing of past and present involvement in the life and witness of the Christian community
Click here to download the scholarship application. Note: Application materials must be submitted (or postmarked) by May 2, 2016.
Register for NWMC!
Registration for the 111th annual New Wilmington Mission Conference is now open! The conference will be held July 23-30, 2016 on the campus of Westminster College. Come out and hear about what God is doing all over the world! This year’s Morning Meeting speakers are Nancy and Shelvis Smith-Mathers, PC(USA) mission co-workers in South Sudan who are supported by Shenango Presbytery. Don’t miss this great opportunity to connect with folks from all over the world–right here in our own backyard! For more information or to register, visit www.nwmcmission.org or e-mailoffice@nwmcmission.org.
Leader Wanted
Lawrence County Habitat for Humanity is seeking applicants for a leadership position. Interested applicants can submit resumes to apply.lchfh@gmail.com or by sending to 138 W. Washington St., New Castle, PA 16101. Please submit resumes by March 15, 2016. Questions can be directed to 724-652-3438.
News From the Churches
Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian, Sharon invite you to join us on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 12 Noon for our Spring Luncheon. Our speaker will be Donna Schroyer from Beds for Little Heads. She will tell us about her non-profit organization in Mercer PA. Tickets are $9 and reservations are due by Friday, April 15. Please contact the church office by calling 724-981-2211 ext. 1 (Tuesday-Friday from 9 AM – 3 PM) to make your reservation.
Indoor Yard & Book Sale
The Presbyterian Women of Unity Presbyterian Church, 1857 Mercer W Middlesex Rd., (Rt.318), will hold an Indoor Yard & Book Sale on Friday, April 15, 8:00a.m. – 4:00p.m. and Saturday, April 16, form 8:00a.m. — 1:00p.m. Lunch will be available. Proceeds will support our mission projects.
Summer Ministry Help Needed
Calvin Church will begin its Summer Youth Ministry Program on June 20; it will conclude on August 12. Children will enjoy free recreation, hot lunches, and gospel teaching Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will be hiring a Ministry Coordinator and a Ministry Aide. If you know of someone that God can use for this important ministry, please pass the word along. Candidates do not have to be students, but it is important that they be able to relate their faith well to the children of the neighborhood. We would consider a mature high school student for the Aide position. These positions report directly to the Pastor.
The Summer Ministry Coordinator will work 20-25 hours per week. The coordinator will be expected to demonstrate the unconditional love of Jesus Christ, organize and facilitate daily recreation, lead daily gospel talks, organize at least two outings/field trips, maintain a schedule for volunteers and work in cooperation with the Evangelism and Outreach Committee. The salary for this position is $10/hour.
The Summer Ministry Aide will work 15 hours per week. The aide will be expected to demonstrate the unconditional love of Jesus Christ, assist the Summer Ministry Coordinator and volunteers as needed, coordinate daily meals with the organization providing the food, and work in cooperation with the church’s Evangelism and Outreach Committee. Pay for this position is $1,000 stipend.
Other responsibilities may be included to suit the needs or gifts of a particular applicant for each position.
Please call the church office at 724-758-4258 or email calvinch@verizon.net for applications.
Treasurer Needed
Clen-Moore Presbyterian Church has an opening for a Church Treasurer. If anyone is interested, they can call Rev. Chris Weichman at the church, 724-654-6657.
Piano Platform Available
Third Presbyterian Church in New Castle has a platform for a baby grand piano. It has wheels so that the piano can be moved or repositioned. They will offer it at no charge to any other church that has a use for it. Please contact Janis Pherson at 724-651-8054.
Handbells Wanted
Shenango Presbyterian SeniorCare is organizing a bell choir. If any churches in the area have bells that they no longer want or need, consider donating your set to SPSC. Please contact Sharyn McCaskey, Director of Community Living at SPSC atsmccaskey@srcare.org or 724-946-3408.
FREE Copy Machine
Calvin PC in Ellwood City recently replaced their Savin 4045 monochrome copy machine/printer and would like to offer it free of charge to a church that can use it. It’s about 10 years old, and recently serviced. The speed is 45 pages per minute and has four paper drawers. Typical features include one- or two-sided originals to two-sided output, reduced/enlarged copies, and collated sets. Questions can be directed to the church office at 724-758-4258 or calvinch@verizon.net.
The Presbytery of Shenango 