Presbytery News
Beaver-Butler
Understanding Self to Understand Others
Cranberry Community United Presbyterian Church will host an Understanding Self to Understand Others event June 24-28. This five-day event is designed to equip church leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to deal effectively with interpersonal, congregational and other forms of group conflict. It also includes a component on congregational mediation and consultation, placed within the context of family systems theory. Although focused primarily on the church setting, the skills learned are directly transferable to other settings, including the business and academic worlds.
The gathering will be presented by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center.
For more information, click here. A downloadable brochure is available by clicking here.
Carlisle
“Bible and Race:” A Presbytery-wide Bible study
The Presbytery of Carlisle will hold a Bible study on “Bible and Race” on Tuesday evenings from Jan. 16 until March 19. This Zoom gathering from 6:30-7:30 p.m. will discuss various topics around the intersection of the Christian faith and issues of race.
Come for one, a few or all – you are welcome! Click here to learn more and contact Kristal Smith to register and receive the Zoom link.
Ruling Elder Communion Training
The Presbytery of Carlisle will hold its Ruling Elder Communion Training on Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to noon at Highland United Presbyterian Church. Training is held so that ruling elders may be authorized by their sessions to preside at the Lord’s Supper. The training must be completed every three years and is intended to give ruling elders a biblical, historical and theological understanding of the Lord’s Supper as well as practice in celebrating Communion.
Anyone is welcome to attend the training and then you may be authorized and invited by your Session to preside at this special meal. This training will be limited to 20 participants. To register, contact Kristal Smith with your name, church name and contact information.
Donegal
Civil Rights Pilgrimage Bus Tour
The Presbytery of Donegal is sponsoring a Civil Rights Pilgrimage Bus Tour to Virginia, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee from Oct. 19-26. The package includes eight days and seven nights of lodging, breakfast, transportation, museum tour fees and speakers.
The cost is $1,625 per person for double occupancy and single occupancy is $2,175 per person (may be less depending on participants). Lunch and dinner are NOT included in the price. A limited number of single rooms are available.
More information is available by clicking here.
Click here for a detailed trip itinerary.
Huntingdon
Boundaries Training for Pastors and Lay Pastors
Huntingdon Presbytery will hold Boundaries Training for Pastors and Lay Pastors on Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom
To register, click here.
Lackawanna
Hearts and Hands for Camp Lackawanna
Camp Lackawanna in Tunkhannock, PA, will hold a spring cleanup the weekend of April 12-14. The “Hearts and Hands for Camp Lackawanna” event is for the entire weekend or just one day.
Be sure to wear work clothes, sturdy shoes and bring gloves. They will be staining picnic tables, the gaga pit and other buildings. They will need to spread chips in the gaga pit, do some deep cleaning and load a dumpster with discarded materials and junk. There are also other jobs depending on skills. The camp will have snacks and lunch for everyone.
Smyrl Lodge has been reserved for the weekend for any who can come in on Friday or stay through Sunday. There is no charge, just bring a sleeping bag!
Contact jim@batesemail.net, 248-320-3692 or suzanne@batesemail.net, 248-320-6095 with questions. Please RSVP the approximate numbers by Monday, April 8. The next weekend is May 17-19.
Lackawanna Presbytery Calendar
Click here for upcoming events around Lackawanna Presbytery.
Lehigh
Presbytery of Lehigh Calendar
Click here for upcoming events around the Presbytery of Lehigh.
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Animating Anti-Racist Ways of Being
The Anti-Racism Transformation Team of Pittsburgh Presbytery is sponsoring a workshop on “Animating Anti-Racist Ways of Being” on April 10-11 via Zoom. The online gathering, presented by Crossroads Anti-Racism Organizing and Training, will be held both days from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Through the workshop, participants will begin exploring how systemic racism, regardless of intent, provides advantages to white people and harms People of Color. This gathering will build a shared understanding of how inherited systemic racism operates within institutions, including Pittsburgh Presbytery. Participants will work towards identifying the impact of systemic racism and begin to provide tools for imagining solutions.
To register, click here.
For further information or questions, contact arttpittsburgh@gmail.com.
Pittsburgh Presbytery Calendar
Redstone
Mission Trip to Charleston, WV
The Presbytery of Redstone Mission Team is planning a spring trip to Charleston, WV, the week of April 28-May 4. Work will include flood relief or general repairs for those in need. Cost is $300 with the volunteer paying $150 and the balance coming out of the Mission Team Fund. If interested, e-mail Phyllis Frye at pfrye1234@windstream.net or call 724-468-3740.
Redstone Presbytery Calendar
Washington
Craig Kephart Retirement Celebration
A retirement celebration for Washington Presbytery Executive Presbyter Craig Kephart will be held Saturday, March 23, at 5 p.m. at the Church of the Covenant in Washington, PA. All are welcome to join in the dinner and evening’s festivities. Because of the higher than previously planned-for attendance, the presbytery is respectfully asking that all who are able to consider making a voluntary contribution of $20 per person upon your arrival to help defray the costs of the event.
An invitation is available by clicking here. RSVP requested by March 18 by clicking here.
West Virginia
Festival of Faith
The Presbytery of West Virginia will hold its 2024 Festival of Faith on Saturday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Charleston.
Rev. Dr. Shannon Craigo-Snell, professor of Theology at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary who grew up in the Teays Valley Presbyterian Church, will be the keynote presenter, speaking on “Understanding the Roots of Racism.” How can we live out our Christian commitments to love and justice in the current context of racial tensions? One important step is to remember how we got here. This address will recount the history of race and racism in the United States, creating space for new ways forward.
In addition to her keynote, Shannon will be leading a workshop on “Christian Understandings of Evil,” which will provide a framework of how different Christian communities have addressed the question of making sense of the reality of evil and our faith in a loving God and an opportunity to wrestle with it today.
There will also be more than a dozen other workshops on a variety of topics, plus mission displays and times for fellowship, food and worship. More information and registration forms are available at by clicking here.
Communion Training for Ruling Elders
All sessions, particularly those whose churches do not have pastoral leadership, are invited to send ruling elders (they don’t have to be on the session currently) to this Communion Training event on April 28 from 3-5 p.m. Participants must be approved by the session of their church of membership to be authorized. Note that there is an advance assignment that includes reading sections of the 2023-2025 Book of Order.
There is no cost to participate. The registration deadline is Friday, April 19. Register by submitting your name, church, email, phone number, and date of session approval to attend this training to susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com. If you have any questions, you may contact Susan at this email address or 304-667-9428.
More information is available by clicking here.