Presbytery News
Beaver-Butler
Invitation to Join Mission Trip
Old Union Presbyterian Church in Mars, PA, invites church members in Beaver-Butler Presbytery to join them on their annual mission trip. This year’s trip is Aug. 10-16 to western North Carolina to assist with hurricane rebuilding efforts. People ages 16-116 and of all skill levels are welcome.
If you would like sign-up or would like more information, contact Pastor Peter de Vries at 724-538-8672 or oldunionchurch@gmail.com.
If you can’t go on the trip but would like to support it, send your donation to Old Union Church, 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046, marked “Mission Trip.”
Carlisle
Communion Training for Ruling Elders
In accordance with G-2.1001 and W-2.0303 in the Book of Order, the Presbytery of Carlisle is providing training April 26 from from 9 a.m. to noon at Paxton Presbyterian Church for a ruling elder to preside at the Lord’s Supper within their own congregation. Because this is at the invitation and authorization of the session, either the clerk or the session moderator can register their ruling elders by reaching out to Kristal Smith. Registration for this event is capped at 20 participants. The Commission on Ministry has found this to be a good way to equip churches without regular pastoral leadership as well as encourage deeper theological understanding and broader flexibility in administering the Sacrament.
Lackawanna
- A Clearer Look at Today’s Church
- Giving & Spending Dynamics
- Facilities: Blessings & Burdens
- Structured Decision-making
- March 6, 2025 @ Faith Emmaus, 3002 N. 2nd St.
- April 3, 2025 @ FPC Montrose, 367 Church St.
- May 1, 2025 @ FPC Stroudsburg, 575 Main St.
Church Economics Series
This four-month series of in-person educational programs will address topics of congregational financial sustainability, property issues and models of organized governance discernment. Four gatherings will be offered, each focusing on different topics. This event will take a clear look at today’s church while providing an opportunity to network with other church leaders. Pastors, clerks of session, treasurers and active members are strongly encouraged to attend. There will be time at each session to discuss successful common practices in church ministry.
All programs begin at noon with a light lunch provided. Remaining dates include:
Questions? Contact Hannah at: office@lackawannapresbytery.org or office@lehighpresbytery.org.
Click here to register.
Clergy & Commissioned Ruling Elder Gathering
The Merger Team for Lackawanna and Lehigh Presbyteries will host a Clergy & Commissioned Ruling Elder Gathering on Monday, June 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kirby Episcopal House in Mountain Top, PA. The gathering is for all minister members and commissioned ruling elders of Lackawanna and Lehigh Presbyteries.
Come and meet colleagues in ministry in both presbyteries, dream of ways Mountain Laurel Presbytery can by supportive and enjoy a time apart at this beautiful retreat center.
Registration and more details will be available closer to the event.
Lackawanna Presbytery Calendar
Click here for upcoming events around Lackawanna Presbytery.
Lake Erie
- May 1 – Lunch or Dinner
- May 2 – Lunch or Dinner
- May 3 – Brunch
Rev. Josh Heikkila to visit
The Rev. Josh Heikkila will visit the Presbytery of Lake Erie and people are invited to connect with him while he is here. Josh was one of the vast majority of PCUSA mission co-workers whose positions were eliminated at the end of March. He served in Ghana for 16 years and also as the West Africa Regional Liaison. Josh was instrumental in helping the Presbytery of Lake Erie initiate and establish its partnership with the Upper Northern Presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana. It has been with Josh’s continued support, encouragement and guidance that the Ghana Partnership has thrived for more than 12 years.
Josh will have some informal gatherings where the presbytery can share its appreciation, to hear from him and to have conversations about what might be next for him and possibilities for continuing the presbytery’s relationship with him in mission and ministry.
Contact Donna Cammarata at 814-873-4860 or donna.camm@gmailcom if you would like to have Josh visit your area or if you would like to join in a meal on any of these dates (places TBD):
Josh will be preaching at Wayside Presbyterian Church in Erie on May 4.
Pastor’s Retreat
The 2025 Presbytery of Lake Erie Pastor’s Retreat will be held May 7-9 at Chautauqua Institute. The theme is “The Gift of One’s Self: Identity, Belonging, and Purpose.” Guest Rev. Dr. Glen Bell, senior vice president of Development for the Presbytery Foundation.
More information will be available closer to the event.
Lehigh
- A Clearer Look at Today’s Church
- Giving & Spending Dynamics
- Facilities: Blessings & Burdens
- Structured Decision-making
- March 6, 2025 @ Faith Emmaus, 3002 N. 2nd St.
- April 3, 2025 @ FPC Montrose, 367 Church St.
- May 1, 2025 @ FPC Stroudsburg, 575 Main St.
Church Economics Series
This four-month series of in-person educational programs will address topics of congregational financial sustainability, property issues and models of organized governance discernment. Four gatherings will be offered, each focusing on different topics. This event will take a clear look at today’s church while providing an opportunity to network with other church leaders. Pastors, clerks of session, treasurers and active members are strongly encouraged to attend. There will be time at each session to discuss successful common practices in church ministry.
All programs begin at noon with a light lunch provided. Remaining dates include:
Questions? Contact Hannah at: office@lackawannapresbytery.org or office@lehighpresbytery.org.
Click here to register.
Clergy & Commissioned Ruling Elder Gathering
The Merger Team for Lackawanna and Lehigh Presbyteries will host a Clergy & Commissioned Ruling Elder Gathering on Monday, June 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kirby Episcopal House in Mountain Top, PA. The gathering is for all minister members and commissioned ruling elders of Lackawanna and Lehigh Presbyteries.
Come and meet colleagues in ministry in both presbyteries, dream of ways Mountain Laurel Presbytery can by supportive and enjoy a time apart at this beautiful retreat center.
Registration and more details will be available closer to the event.
Presbytery of Lehigh Calendar
Click here for upcoming events around the Presbytery of Lehigh.
Philadelphia
Policy & Boundaries Training
The Presbytery of Philadelphia will hold training on anti-racism, anti-harassment and holistic boundaries on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Oxford Presbyterian Church.
As per presbytery policies, this training is mandatory for all ministers, elders serving on sessions and individuals serving on the commissions and committees of the presbytery.
Lunch for this event costs $10. Register for Boundaries Training first before paying online. Paying for lunch alone does not count as registration. You can pay for lunch by clicking here or on the day of the event.
To register, click here.
Financial Equipping Event
A financial equipping event for churches in the Presbytery of Philadelphia and other surrounding congregations will be held Saturday, May 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wayne Presbyterian Church. The event will focus on “Leveraging Assets into Investments for Mission and Ministry.”
The gathering will be hosted by the Presbytery of Philadelphia with presenters from the Presbyterian Foundation and New Covenant Trust Company. Among the topics that will be discussed include “Wrestling with our aging buildings,” “Best Financial Practices” and “Ensuring the Future of Healthy Ministries.”
For more information and to register, click here.
Presbytery of Philadelphia Calendar
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Pastoral Care Conference
Registration is now open for the 25th annual Pittsburgh Pastoral Care Conference, “Making the Impossible Possible,” featuring keynote speaker Bill Strickland, the founder of Manchester Bidwell Corporation. The conference takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m on Friday, May 2, at Saints John & Paul Roman Catholic Church, St. Luke the Evangelist Parish, 2586 Wexford Bayne Road in Sewickley.
The day concludes with a Bible study exploring stories of miracles led by a panel of diverse local leaders, including Pittsburgh Presbytery’s own General Minister, the Rev. Jessica McClure Archer.
For more information, click here.
Fred Rogers Institute Even
The Fred Rogers Institute will host two events this spring of interest to clergy and educators. The first, a symposium titled “The Theology of Fred Rogers,” takes place Wednesday, May 14, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom. There is no cost to register.
The second event is a two-day conference, “The Work of Fred Rogers: A Cross-Context Conference on Fred’s Legacy in Action Today.” This in-person event takes place at the institute’s headquarters in Latrobe, PA, from June 20-21.
For more information, click here.
Pittsburgh Presbytery Calendar
Redstone
Pastor Getaway Retreat
The Presbytery of Redstone will hold a Pastor Getaway Retreat at Pine Springs Camp on Tuesday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It will be a day of rest, renewal and fellowship in the beautiful setting of the presbytery’s camp facility. It is a great opportunity to be together as pastors and colleagues in this ministry that God has called us in this region of God’s Church. Whether joining together in fun activities or seeking the solace of a walk in the woods, this is an opportunity for each of us to refocus and relax.
The presbytery’s pastors will be enjoying a picnic lunch together provided by the camp, so let the presbytery know that you are planning on being there and if you have any special dietary needs.
Call (724.837.637) or email secretary@redstonepresbytery.org to let the presbytery know you are coming.
Redstone Presbytery Calendar
Shenango
Spring Pastor Retreat
Shenango Presbytery’s Spring Pastor Retreat featuring Liddy Barlow of Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania will be held May 19-20 at Villa Maria Conference Center.
Click here for a preview video. (Note: This retreat was rescheduled from last fall, so Liddy’s video references that original scheduling.)
West Virginia
Commissioned Pastor/Authorized Lay Preacher Retreat
The Presbytery of West Virginia will hold its 2025 Commissioned Pastor/Authorized Lay Preacher Retreat at Jackson’s Mill near Weston, WV, on Friday, Aug. 1, and Saturday, Aug. 2. The theme this year is “Worship for Such a Time as This.” This event will begin with dinner on Friday evening and end with worship on Saturday afternoon. Workshops will focus on the PCUSA Confessional Standards of the 20th century, preaching, and liturgy for leading worship in times of turmoil, chaos, uncertainty, and disorder.\
Complete information and registration will be available in mid-May.