Guided by the Holy Spirit, our mission is to equip, support, and connect our congregations as they faithfully serve Jesus Christ in a changing world.
June 29, 2009 Volume 5, Number 25
“Man is wise and constantly in quest of more wisdom; but the ultimate wisdom, which deals with beginnings, remains locked in a seed. There it lies, the simplest fact of the universe and at the same time the one which calls forth faith rather than reason.”
Hal Borland “The Certainty – April 5,” Sundial of the Seasons (1964)
Email Difficulties
Due to problems with our email server, presbytery staff cannot receive emails at this time. Rose is working to correct this problem. However, if you have an immediate need, please don’t hesitate to call the presbytery office at 803-328-6269. Thanks for your patience.
Attention CLPs! This Conference is for YOU!
Join other CLPS for a time of renewal and refreshment as you build your skills and knowledge in the area of prayer and worship at a continuing education event at Montreat just for CLPs. “The Place of Prayer in Reformed Worship” will be help Oct 21-23 at Montreat Conference Center. More info: http://montreat.org/current/2009-continuing-education-for-commissioned-lay-pastors-preachers
Remember that Providence Presbytery has scholarship money available for lay people and church staff to attend continuing education events that will benefit your ministry in the local church. Application: http://www.providencepres.org/Communications/forms/leadership%20scholarship.pdf.
New Youth Ministry Opportunity Starting at Bethelwoods
Help the youth at your church become involved in a new youth ministry that several Providence Presbytery churches in York County along with Bethelwoods are working to create. We are working on a once a month gathering on the first Sunday evening of the month beginning in October. This would be an opportunity to reach out to youth in the York County community who may or may not have a church home. A planning meeting will be held Tuesday, July 14th at 5 pm at Bethelwoods. Please contact Sam McGregor at mcgregorsk@comporium.net or 803-366-1302 if you have further questions or if you are interested but can’t make the meeting on the 14th.
Can you help ACPC with curriculum?
Allison Creek Presbyterian is looking for an Advent Rotation curriculum to use for four weeks with their elementary aged workshop rotation Sunday School. If you have a rotation curriculum you would be willing to loan, please contact Kathryn McGregor at kmcgregor@providencepres.org or 800-922-1609, ext. 6. Allison Creek has several PowerXpress Rotation units they would be willing to loan other churches as well.
Scholarship Money Available
Please remember the Education and Equipping Ministry Team has scholarship money available for anyone wishing to attend a conference or workshop that would help with work you do for your church, whether paid or volunteer. The ministry team requests that all scholarship recipients share the information they learn with the presbytery in some way. You may choose to write an article, create a power point, teach a class, or share the information in another way. Apply for the scholarship online.
Carmel and Uriel announce Joint Service to Celebrate Calvin
Carmel Presbyterian and Uriel Presbyterian, both of Chester, are planning a joint worship service on Sunday, July 12 at 10AM at Carmel Presbyterian to celebrate the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth. Pastor Fred Powell, III will be the guest speaker. Join us for this exciting event!
Apply Now for the Leadership Initiative
Clergy and lay persons who are interested in becoming transformational, missional leaders in their congregations should apply for the Leadership Initiative. Offered by Mark Tidsworth, leader of our recent Providence Leadership Seminars, the 9-month-long program will provide 1 group coaching session per month, 1 one-on-one coaching session each month, and reading targeted to the LI goals. LI runs from September 2009-May 2010. Read more about the program online.
Access Original Art, Music, Studies Online Free
The Vancouver Project sponsors By/For.org to connect Christ’s church across all kinds of borders. Providing a space for artists to share their faith based creations with communities of faith throughout the world. Visit www.byfor.org to see original artwork, music, and Bible studies. All art is licensed under Creative Commons and is available for free use in worship.
Don’t Miss these Great Educational Opportunities!
THEOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS, a PACE course, is being offered in July and August. Deadline to register is June 25. Attached is a registration flyer with all the needed info. Learn with Dr. Bryan Bibb, who is an assistant professor in the religion department at Furman and a member of John Knox Presbyterian Church. Please make note of the reading assignment prior to the first day of class.
Mary Mikhael Leads August PW Bible Study Training Course
Columbia Seminary offers a three-day Presbyterian Women’s Bible study training course with the author, Mary Mikhael, in early August. See the attached brochure (with a link for online registration). PW Moderators and Circle Leaders will not want to miss this great opportunity!
Mediation Skills Training Institute
How much of your time is invested in dealing with conflict in your churches? Do you have a judicatory level mediation team – people who are equipped to facilitate healing and reconciliation? The South Carolina United Methodist Conference has invited you to attend Lombard Mennonite Peace Center’s Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders on August 17-21, 2009, in Columbia, South Carolina at Fair Lawn United Methodist Church (see attached registration brochure for details). This would be a valuable leadership training event for clergy and lay leaders.
Spiritual Foundations for Fruitful Churches Workshop
Mark your calendar and join Providence Presbytery churches for the Spiritual Foundations for Fruitful Churches September 26 from 9:30AM-1PM for an exciting event. Joan Gray, author of Spiritual Leadership for Church Officers and moderator for the 217th General Assembly, will lead this important workshop for our churches. Pastors, Elders and other church leaders are encouraged to attend. The workshop will be held at Grace Presbyterian in Lancaster and will include lunch. Cost is $5 per participant. Registration will be available online in August.
PC(USA) Events
The Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women will be held July 11-15, in Louisville, Kentucky. Featured events include workshops in English, Spanish and Korean, as well as tours centered on mission, leadership, personal spiritual growth and much more.
The Office of Hispanic-Latino/a Congregational Support is co-sponsoring a pastoral development seminar in San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 29-August 3. The theme of the seminar is “The legacy of John Calvin: Proposals for action in the Church of the 21st Century.”
The National Black Presbyterian Caucus will hold its 40th convention at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, July 30-August 2. The convention is centered on Ephesians 4:11-12 and will focus on the African American Church Growth Strategy. Find out more.
Around the Presbytery:
- First Presbyterian Church of Union welcomes the Reverend Clay Fouse on June 28th and the Reverend John O’Kain on July 5th to lead worship while the Reverend Robert Alexander and his family visit his sister and her family in Brazil. Robert’s sister (Julie) and brother-in-law (John) are serving for three years with Mennonite Central Committee in Monteiro, Brazil. Please keep them in your prayers.
- Worship for YOUth: Mark your calendars NOW to bring the youth from your church to Providence Presbytery’s Youth events during the 2009-2010 school year. We will kick off the year with our annual Youth Rally, which will feature our brand new worship 4 YOUth at Bethelwoods. Three more youth worship services will be held on Sunday nights throughout the year. We will join other youth from across the presbytery in some hands on mission work at our second annual Youth Mission Retreat to be held March 26-27, 2010 at Bethelwoods. Contact Kathryn McGregor or Kat Ward for more info.
Check out the events below on the Presbytery Calendar–for event details, click on the event!
This Week in Providence Presbytery
6/28 Sunday Swim for all members of presbytery congregations—2-4PM (Bethelwoods)
6/28 Hunger Action Team Meeting-6:30PM (Presbytery Office)
7/3 Presbytery Office Closed
7/4 Independence Day (Celebrate Your Freedom!)
Next Week
7/5 Sunday Swim for all members of presbytery congregations—2-4PM (Bethelwoods)
Mark your Calendar!
7/11-15 Presbyterian Women Churchwide Gathering (Louisville)
7/12 Carmel and Uriel Joint Worship to Celebrate the 500th Anniversary of Calvin’s Birth -10AM (Carmel)
7/13 Bethelwoods Ministry Team-6PM (Bethelwoods)
7/30 Second Harvest Partners Mobile Food Pantry (Unity Presbyterian, Fort Mill)
8/25 Second Harvest Partners Mobile Food Pantry (Oakdale Presbyterian, Clover)
9/27 Youth Rally and first Youth Worship Event (Bethelwoods)
Please submit articles for In the Know to Jill Wilson by Friday at 5 PM for the following Monday’s issue. Submit articles to jill@providencepres.org with In the Know and the date you would like your article to run in the subject line.
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