Thanks from Dave and Joan Dawson

Words would not express our deep appreciation and gratitude to all of you for our time together this past Friday evening.  You were exceptionally kind to us, but even more you demonstrated what makes this Presbytery…its churches, pastors, elders and members…such special disciples of Jesus.  My friend and colleague, Gary Angleberger from Beaver Butler Presbytery, put it beautifully:

The planning committee did a thoughtful and creative work.  I remarked to Judy as we drove home . . .  “We have just witnessed an outstanding display of the essentials of Western PA Presbyterianism — abiding commitment to international mission, relationship with a mission partner,  faith displayed in personal moral standards (ala your son’s testimony), foundation in the Scriptures (ala the testimony of your former parishioner and chair of pulpit committee), sustaining family cohesion, and an experience of the church as a place where one is known, nurtured and directed to a sense of call by a fellowship resembling the natural family.”

It was all there last night and we are blessed to have been part of it.

Gary has said very well why we are so thankful for God’s grace to us in having a part of this wonderful community of believers.  As Fuad Bahnan has said, “Your name is constantly in our thoughts, on our lips and in our hearts.”  Philippians 1:3 – 6

(My new email is  david.dawson1947@outlook.com   Attached are the two documents which were distributed at the Presbytery meeting last week.)

• EP Report 14-02-25
• Letter to Shenango Presbytery on Retirement

Read the latest newsletter from Nancy McGaughey, the only missionary serving in South Sudan.

Nancy McGaughey Newsletter Feb 2014

Pulpit Supply

Bud Green is now mobile with his cane and available for preaching.  You can reach him at 724-654-1513.

Income Tax Information from the Board of Pensions

The Board’s web resources for the current tax season, Tax Tips for Members and Churches – Tax Year 2013, is available now at Board University athttps://pensions.adobeconnect.com/_a701962636/taxtips2013.  Other links are also found there.

Refund Available to Virtually Every Church

For the fourth and final year since the Small Employer Healthcare Tax Credit was offered in its current form to small tax-exempt employers —  including churches with fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees —  the Board of Pensions is once again providing resources at http://www.pensions.org/AvailableResources/FeaturedArticles/Pages/Significant-Tax-Savings-Possible-for-Small-Employers-through-Healthcare-Tax-Credit.aspx  to help PC(USA) churches and other employing organizations claim this credit.

Former Steeler at Westminster College

Former Pittsburgh Steeler and current KDKA TV Color Analyst, Edmund C. Nelson will be speaking on Thursday, February 27th at 7:30 PM in the Wallace Memorial Chapel, Westminster College.  He will share his faith journey and his stories from his time playing football.  Mr. Nelson was a coveted Guy Toph Award winner, and a Cliff Hare Award winner.  He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1982 in the 7th round and played professional football for the next seven years, also playing for the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns.

News from the Churches

Indoor Yard Sale

The Presbyterian Women of Unity Presbyterian Church, 1857 Mercer W. Middlesex Road, (Rt. 318) will hold an Indoor Yard Sale on Friday, February 28, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM , and Saturday, March 1, from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM.  Lunch will be available.  Proceeds will support mission projects.

Organist Wanted

New Wilmington Presbyterian Church is seeking a part-time organist.  Interested parties should send a resume c/o Organ Committee, New Wilmington Presbyterian Church, 229 S. Market Street, New Wilmington, PA  16142.

Organ Available

There is a small organ available FREE.  Contact Anne Dayton at 724-458-9245 for details.

Correction on Times for Don Stanley’s Mother

Visitation will be on Friday (2-4 and 6-8 pm) at Beinhauer Funeral Home, 2838 Washington Road, McMurray.  Memorial service will be at 11 am at Mt. Lebanon U.P. Church, 255 Washington Road, Pittsburgh.

Annual Reports

The deadline has now passed for completing your online statistical report to General Assembly.  If you were not able to complete your report in time, please get the information to the Presbytery Office or Rev. Mahaffey ASAP…we have a very small window to enter remaining reports.  Per Capita figures are based on the membership number retrieved from the GA database of these reports…if your membership decreased last year, and you do not want to pay Per Capita based on a higher total, it is very important that you complete this report.

Pastor Retreat Deadline Extended

We have extended the deadline to register for the Spring Pastor Retreat.  You now have until next Friday, February 28th to register.  You can register online or via the form in the Presbytery packet on Tuesday evening.  Read more about the retreat and our guest speaker, Dr. Jannie Swart on the Presbytery website.

 

The next stated meeting of Shenango Presbytery will be held on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at Grove City College.

The Presbytery meeting will take place in the Morledge Great Room of Rathburn Hall directly behind Harbison Chapel.

Important Items Before Presbytery Include:

• Presentation of a candidate for ordination examination
• Request for dismissal of 1 congregation
• Report by the EP Nominating Committee

Get the Docket and Council Minutes!

Note: Temperatures in the new facility are still being adjusted.  You may want to bring a sweater.

Upcoming Events:

February 18- 9:30 AM Steering Committee, Presbytery Office
11:00 AM Budget and Finance Committee, Presbytery Office
7:00 PM Committee on Ministry, Presbytery Office
February 19- 10:00 AM Missional Experimentation Event, Calvin Church in Zelienople
February 20- 10:00 AM EP Nominating Committee, Presbytery Office
February 21- 12:30 PM Preparation for Ministry, Presbytery Office
February 25- 6:30 PM Presbytery Meeting, Grove City College – Watch for a special eLink tomorrow!

Prayers

• Don Stanley’s mother, Elizabeth D. Stanley, died at age 90.  Visitation will be on Friday (2-3 and 7-9 pm) at Beinhauer Funeral Home, 2838 Washington Road, McMurray.  Memorial service will be at 11 am at Mt. Lebanon U.P. Church, 255 Washington Road, Pittsburgh.
• Ken Bailey will be having back surgery on Thursday.

Dr. Bailey Lecture Cancelled This Week

Due to an unforeseen conflict, the Ken Bailey lecture for this Thursday has been cancelled.  We will instead meet earlier, at 9:00 AM, next Thursday for a longer period to make up the time.  Thank you, and sorry for any inconvenience.

Annual Reports – DUE TOMORROW!

The deadline to complete GA Online Statistical Reports is TOMORROW, February 19th at midnight.  Check the box in the lower right-hand corner of our homepage http://www.shenango.org for more information on annual reports.  Presbytery reports were due at the end of January.  If you haven’t submitted your annual report forms or Terms of Call forms yet, please do so…necrology forms are needed ASAP in order to be included in the worship service at Presbytery on the 28th.

Income Tax Information from the Board of Pensions

The Board’s web resources for the current tax season, Tax Tips for Members and Churches – Tax Year 2013, is available now at Board University athttps://pensions.adobeconnect.com/_a701962636/taxtips2013.  Other links are also found there.

Former Steeler at Westminster College

Former Pittsburgh Steeler and current KDKA TV Color Analyst, Edmund C. Nelson will be speaking on Thursday, February 27th at 7:30 PM in the Wallace Memorial Chapel, Westminster College.  He will share his faith journey and his stories from his time playing football.  Mr. Nelson was a coveted Guy Toph Award winner, and a Cliff Hare Award winner.  He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1982 in the 7th round and played professional football for the next seven years, also playing for the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns.

News from the Churches

Indoor Yard Sale

The Presbyterian Women of Unity Presbyterian Church, 1857 Mercer W. Middlesex Road, (Rt. 318) will hold an Indoor Yard Sale on Friday, February 28, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM , and Saturday, March 1, from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM.  Lunch will be available.  Proceeds will support mission projects.

Organist Wanted

New Wilmington Presbyterian Church is seeking a part-time organist.  Interested parties should send a resume c/o Organ Committee, New Wilmington Presbyterian Church, 229 S. Market Street, New Wilmington, PA  16142.

Register NOW for the Spring 2014 Pastor Retreat!

We are now accepting online registrations for the Spring Pastor Retreat, March 10-11, 2014 at Villa Maria Conference Center.  The special guest speaker will be Janni Swart, Associate Professor of World Mission and Evangelism at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  Many of you will know Janni from his work with our Presbytery in the Missional Church process over the last several years.  Register now by clicking here! (REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED)  The deadline to register will be Friday, February 21st.

THE PASTOR AS CULTIVATOR:  FROM HERDING TO GARDENING

 Dr. Jannie Swart

Jannie has been a wonderful friend, mentor and encourager of pastors and churches in Shenango Presbytery for almost 10 years.  He is from South Africa where he studied at the University of Stellenbosch where he started a congregation among students.  He was a leader in the anti-apartheid movement.  He led a 5,000 member congregation focused on transformation within the multi- cultural and multi-lingual context of post-apartheid South African society.  From there he came to Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN where he completed a PhD in congregational mission and leadership and worked with Church Innovations (through which we got to know him).  He served Second Presbyterian Church in Oil City and was called last summer as the Don McClure Professor of Mission and evangelism at Pittsburgh Seminary.

Every pastor in Shenango Presbytery would be blessed by time with Jannie as you reflect on leadership in your church in times like these.  Worship and fellowship add to the rich time together as pastors in Shenango Presbytery.

Dr. Bailey to Lecture at Trinity

Rev. Dr. Ken Bailey has graciously offered to teach two sessions on material that pastors might find helpful for Lent.  The topic will be “Jesus Interprets His Own Cross” and will take place at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Mercer on February 20th and 27th at 10 AM.  Please contact Sean Hall at revseanhall@hillsidepresby.com or 724-588-4920 if you are interested in attending so we will know how many people for which to prepare.

Register NOW for the Spring 2014 Pastor Retreat!

We are now accepting online registrations for the Spring Pastor Retreat, March 10-11, 2014 at Villa Maria Conference Center.  The special guest speaker will be Janni Swart, Associate Professor of World Mission and Evangelism at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  Many of you will know Janni from his work with our Presbytery in the Missional Church process over the last several years.  Register now by clicking here!  The deadline to register will be Friday, February 21st.

Day of Prayer for Sudan and South Sudan

Prayer has been a vital part of our partnership with friends in the Sudan and South Sudan.  At every Presbytery meeting Jim Leuenberger leads us in a small-group prayer time.  This Sunday, February 16, many denominations in the US are calling for a Day of Prayer for Sudan and South Sudan.  Resources are provided here:   http://www.pcusa.org/news/2014/2/3/presbyterian-leaders-call-day-prayer-south-sudan/   Please be sure to include our sisters and brothers there in your worship this Sunday.

Upcoming Events:

February 13- 10-11:30 AM EP Nominating Committee, Presbytery Office
1:30 PM Evangelism Committee, Presbytery Office
February 17- 4:00 PM Leadership Development Team, Presbytery Office
February 18- 9:30 AM Steering Committee, Presbytery Office
11:00 AM Budget and Finance Committee, Presbytery Office
7:00 PM Committee on Ministry, Presbytery Office

Correction

• Sean and Amanda Brubaker (Student Pastor at Calvin) welcomed a new daughter last week.

Annual Reports

The deadline to complete GA Online Statistical Reports is February 19th at midnight.  Check the box in the lower right-hand corner of our homepage http://www.shenango.org for more information on annual reports.  Presbytery reports were due at the end of January.  If you haven’t submitted your annual report forms or Terms of Call forms yet, please do so…necrology forms are needed ASAP in order to be included in the worship service at Presbytery on the 28th.

Income Tax Information from the Board of Pensions

The Board’s web resources for the current tax season, Tax Tips for Members and Churches – Tax Year 2013, is available now at Board University athttps://pensions.adobeconnect.com/_a701962636/taxtips2013.  Other links are also found there.

Ingrid Reneau Serving in Ghana

Ingrid Reneau left last week for her new location of missionary service in Ghana.  Ingrid will serve with her husband Andrew Walls at the Akrofi-Christaller Institute http://www.acighana.org/site/  They will both be back in Shenango Presbytery this summer for the New Wilmington Mission Conference.

South Sudan Missionaries to Visit in April

Shelvis and Nancy Smith-Mather, missionaries working in the South Sudan, will be visiting Shenango Presbytery with baby Jordan for the first time April 5-10.  You can learn about them here http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/smith-mather-shelvis-nancy/  They were interviewed about their work in Sudan on CNN last week http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/24/americans-plead-for-south-sudan/?iref=allsearch

Former Steeler at Westminster College

Former Pittsburgh Steeler and current KDKA TV Color Analyst, Edmund C. Nelson will be speaking on Thursday, February 27th at 7:30 PM in the Wallace Memorial Chapel, Westminster College.  He will share his faith journey and his stories from his time playing football.  Mr. Nelson was a coveted Guy Toph Award winner, and a Cliff Hare Award winner.  He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1982 in the 7th round and played professional football for the next seven years, also playing for the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns.

Dr. Bailey to Lecture at Hillside

Rev. Dr. Ken Bailey has graciously offered to teach two sessions on material that pastors might find helpful for Lent.  The topic will be “Jesus Interprets His Own Cross” and will take place at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Mercer on February 20th and 27th at 10 AM.  Please contact Sean Hall at revseanhall@hillsidepresby.com or 724-588-4920 if you are interested in attending so we will know how many people for which to prepare.

News from the Churches

Marriage Builder’s Weekend

Word Centered Fellowship’s 1st Annual “Marriage Builder’s Weekend” will take place Saturday, February 15th from 10 AM – 2 PM and Sunday, February 16th in the morning with the theme “Mission Impossible…Can Two Walk as One?”  Pastors George & Sharlene Hawkins of High Calling Ministries, Fort Washington, MD will be the featured speakers.  Continental breakfast and lunch will be served.

Indoor Yard Sale

The Presbyterian Women of Unity Presbyterian Church, 1857 Mercer W. Middlesex Road, (Rt. 318) will hold an Indoor Yard Sale on Friday, February 28, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM , and Saturday, March 1, from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM.  Lunch will be available.  Proceeds will support mission projects.