Presbytery News
Lackawanna
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
Fall Fest
The Presbytery of Philadelphia will hold its eighth annual Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Doylestown Presbyterian Church.
Enjoy engaging workshops covering various topics such as faith formation, church insurance and caring for God’s creation. Participate in meaningful conversations, and connect with others in ministry.
The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Jerry L. Cannon, vice president of Ministry Innovation at the Board of Pensions, PCUSA.
To register, click here.
Preaching Symposium
The Presbytery of Philadelphia’s 2025 Preaching Symposium is being presented by the presbytery’s Expanding the Pulpit initiative on the campus of United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is open to clergy and laity of all traditions. (The event will not be livestreamed, but recordings of selected portions may be available after the event.)
The Rev. Dr. Shively T.J. Smith will be serving as the keynote speaker, addressing the theme: “Between Seeing and Saying: The Biblical Imagination of Religious Leaders.” Dr. Smith serves as an associate professor of New Testament at Boston University School of Theology. The time together includes lunch and engaging afternoon workshops.
For more information and to register, click here.
Presbytery of Philadelphia Calendar
Pittsburgh
Boundary Training
Pittsburgh Presbytery is offering two boundary training opportunities. The first will be Thursday, Oct. 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., led by the Rev. Dr. Graham Standish. The second will be Soulshop for Youth Leaders on Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Register for the October event here, and the November event here.
Pittsburgh Presbytery Calendar
Redstone
Upper Ohio Valley
Trip to Ohio’s Amish Country
Upper Ohio Valley Presbytery is be offering a day of fun and fellowship with a bus trip to Ohio’s Amish Country in Holmes County on Nov. 5. The bus will leave from First Westminster Presbyterian Church at 8 a.m. and return at 5 p.m. The cost is $45 per person, which includes travel expenses and entrance into Behalt, the Mennonite and Amish Heritage Center and Der Dutchman buffet in Walnut Creek. There will also be an opportunity to shop in Berlin and possibly Sugar Creek.
If you are interested in being part of the trip, the fee must be paid to the presbytery office by Oct. 21.
Washington
Resurrection Power Pickleball Tournament
A pickleball tournament benefiting Resurrection Power will be held Saturday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Thomas Presbyterian Church in Eighty Four, PA.
All proceeds benefit Resurrection Power, which aims to walk alongside recovering addicts in the Washington, PA, area as they go through the 12 steps of recovery. Cost is $50/person. Download the event flyer, or contact Shelley at skubincanek@rezpowerpa.org for more information.
Elder and Deacon Workshop
An Elder and Deacon Workshop will be held Saturday, Nov. 22, at Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church. This opportunity is open to all deacons and elders in Washington Presbytery. Registration and light breakfast is from 8:30-9:15 a.m., with workshops running from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Register by calling Pastor Gary Gibson at 724-223-5694.
West Virginia
- September 18 and 20
- October 23 and 25
- November 20 and 22
- January 15 and 17
- February 5 and 7
- March 12 and 14
- April 9 and 11
- May 7 and 9
Officer Training
Officer training for elders and deacons in the Presbytery of West Virginia will be offered on Zoom on Nov. 9 and Nov. 16 from 3-6 p.m. on both Sundays. This two-session training will cover the doctrine, form of government, church discipline, the duties of elders and deacons, and the constitutional questions asked at ordination and installation, in accordance with the PCUSA Constitution.
There is no cost, but registration is required so that participants can receive the advance assignment and Zoom link. Complete information, including how to register, can be found by clicking here. The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 24. The advance assignment will be sent on Monday, Oct. 27. For more information, contact Susan Sharp Campbell.
Presby Prep
Presby Prep is eight months of courses designed to help Presbyterians understand more about what it means to be Presbyterian as we worship, read scripture, reflect on what we believe, engage in mission and stewardship, nurture others in faith, and consider how we live together and how we got here – that is, to help us understand the sea we swim in or the air we breathe as Presbyterians, often without thinking anything about it. You’ll explore the eight course topics – biblical interpretation, Reformed theology, church history, Presbyterian polity, worship, Christian education, stewardship, and mission – with others under the leadership of a pastor in the presbytery; it’s a great way to connect with others. Because of the nature of the courses, eight people need to register for Presby Prep by Aug. 11; more are always welcome.
All classes are held on Zoom. Participants attend eight three-hour courses on either Thursday evening or Saturday morning. Though the registration form asks participants to make a choice, they may move between the two times as desired. There are assignments to be read in advance that form the basis of conversation and discussion. The cost is $50 for all courses, plus the cost of books, but if you only are interested in a few courses, you can sign up for those for $10 each.
Courses are scheduled for September 2025-May 2026 as follows:
While Presby Prep provides an opportunity to learn more about what it means to be Presbyterian and how we do things, it can also lead to more. It is the first year in the presbytery’s Authorized Lay Preacher/Commissioned Pastor Preparation Program, which prepares people to serve as pulpit supply and pastors. As the financial situation of many of our churches is changing, in part due to lower membership, more and more churches are seeking commissioned ruling elders to serve as their pastors. There is a growing need for more commissioned pastors in our presbytery. While most of our commissioned pastors serve a congregation other than that where they are a member, several are serving in their churches of membership; both are possibilities. For those who may not feel called to serve a particular church, there continues to be a need for pulpit supply as an Authorized Lay Preacher.
Could God be calling you to Presby Prep? If you are interested in Presby Prep, you will find more information and a registration form here. If you have questions or want more information, please feel free to contact Susan Sharp Campbell, Associate for Educational Ministry for the presbytery, at 304-667-9428 or susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com.
Preaching the Bible for Our Times
The Presbytery of West Virginia will hold its final Expanding Your Ministry Toolbox course for 2025 on Saturday, Oct. 18, from from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Village Chapel Presbyterian Church and on Zoom. The focus will be “Preaching the Bible for Our Times.” Led by Karoline Lewis, preaching professor at Luther Seminary and a contributing writer for Working Preacher, this course will explore what it means to preach biblically and faithfully and how our interwoven contexts make for a sermon to be an encounter with the risen Christ. You can listen to podcasts including Karoline Lewis by clicking here.
The cost per person is $40, which does not include lunch. Participants may either bring their lunch or go to a local eating place. Participants may register and pay online here, or they may download the registration form and send it along with a check to: Presbytery of WV, P.O. Box 11720, Charleston, WV 25339. Registration deadline is Thursday, Oct. 9.
Questions? Contact Susan Sharp Campbell at susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com or 304-667-9428.