March 10, 2005 Issue #11 |
- National News!
- Mission Info
- News Issues from Presbytery
- Missional Church Corner
- One Good Idea
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MARCH PRESBYTERY |
March Presbytery meeting is on next Tuesday March 15th at Chestnut Level at 9:30am. |
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Mr John Detterick and Rev Helen Locklear present! |
Mr. John Detterick, Executive Director of General Assembly Council and Rev. Helen Locklear, Deputy Director of the GAC will be with us at the Presbytery meeting! |
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CONTACT |
Presbytery of Donegal
P.O. Box 10054
1861 Charter Lane
Lancaster, PA 17605-0054
717.392.4035 (phone)
717.392.8922 (fax)
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Go see what's new at our constantly changing webpage!
http://www.donegalpby.com |
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NATIONAL NEWS FROM PCUSA NEWS SERVICE! |
Taco Bell Boycott is over! A nearly four-year-long national consumer boycott of fast-food giant Taco Bell came to a successful end Tuesday when officials of Taco Bell's parent company, Yum! Brands, Inc., met with representatives of Florida tomato pickers and reached a deal that both sides called a victory for human rights.
Leaders - of the PC(USA), the United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church (USA) - urged all people of conscience to join them in opposing the President's 2006 budget plan. The church leaders said: "Like many Americans, we read our daily newspaper through the lens of faith, and when we see injustice, it is our duty to say so. The 2006 Federal Budget that President Bush has sent to Capitol Hill is unjust. It has much for the rich man and little for Lazarus."
Board of Pensions sets the 2005 experience apportionment at 3 percent. This action answers the question of how great an increase pension plan members will receive in their retirement and survivor benefits beginning July 1st. The boost also applies to pension credits of active, disabled and vested terminated plan members. It also applies to disability benefits. |
MISSION INFORMATION |
Kreutz Creek Presbyterian Church (Rev. Marion Haynes-Weller 717.840.0955) is looking for a couple of junior high youth to join them in their mission to New York finger lakes region on June 18 - 24th. They will be working with other youth leading VBS, sports clinics, tutoring children, working in soup kitchens, reading in nursing homes and doing yard work. It is a very affordable trip and a great opportunity to grow in faith and meet other youth. Call Marion as soon as possible if you're interested.
Honduras Mission Trip. We still have a couple of slots for the Honduras Mission Trip - June 18 - 25, 2005. Sign up today with Charlie Gross - cgross@donegalpby.com or 717.392.4035!
Bolster your MISSION EFFORTS! Rev Jim and Lois Caldwell have graciously agreed to conduct a workshop on Saturday, April 16th from 10:00 - noon at Bellevue Presbyterian Church to help you! Please RSVP by April 11th - Charlie Gross - 717.392.4035, cell 717.468.1568 or cgross@donegalpby.com Learn the secrets of making God's mission come alive in your church! Tell your pastor, your mission chair, your friends and your neighbors about this workshop! Mail in your taxes on Friday night and then come, relax and learn on Saturday!
19 Day CHINA TRIP! Oct 10 - 28, 2005 for only $2790/person! Call Rev Dick Foster, First Presbyterian Lancaster, 717.394.6854 or 717.733.2831 for more info! |
NEWS ISSUES FROM PRESBYTERY! |
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Minute Reviews are scheduled by your OAR Committee and are posted on the website! Go to www.donegalpby.com and look under Latest News for the schedule!
The March Bulletin is coming out and will be emailed in PDF format to about 100 folks. This will save the Presbytery postage costs. Innovative!
Palm Sunday (March 20th 7:00pm) Gathering at Union Presbyterian Church! Hear four choirs - Union, Little Britain, Middle Octorara, and Nottingham present their offering to the Lord and then hear them combine voices! It will be heavenly! There will be scripture, prayers, and an offering for mission.
It's time to promote the Diversity Camp! This year we are expanding the camp to a full week - July 3 - 8, 2005. Start now to promote this to your 7th and 8th graders!
Just Plain Helpers! (Unpaid Servants) are needed at Columbia Presbyterian Church. We need helpers on Wednesday evening from 7pm - 9pm. We need an Adult Bible Teacher for Sunday morning 9:45 - 10:30. We need someone for Children's Church, Sundays at 11 - 12. Children are coming and need attention!
Summer Lay Academy at Lancaster Theological Seminary! June 27-July 1 and July 11-15. Get info at: http://www.lancasterseminary.edu click on Summer Academy 2005! Evening courses available - Use this to build leadership abilities!
Presbyterian Historical Society - 27th Annual Seminar on Local Church History. April 25 - 29, 2005 at Montreat, North Carolina. Contact: 215.627.1852, refdesk@history.pcusa.org for more information on this gathering. |
MISSIONAL CHURCH CORNER |
According to "Shaped by God's Heart, the passion and practices of missional churches," the ninth characteristic is "Place Kingdom Concerns First." The church's mission is its participation in and cooperating with what God is graciously doing redemptively here on earth. The church is to be a sign and a sacrament of the presence of the kingdom in word and deed. It is to be a partial answer to the prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Western churches have often allowed their calendars to be filled with many activities that expend energy of the Body without leading to accomplishment of God's missional purpose. Missional churches practice prayer as a tool of spiritual warfare. The priority of prayer among these churches is evidenced in members' participation in intercessory prayer, extensive time in prayer vigils, prayer walking, spiritual mapping, and prayer journaling! Missional churches cooperate with other believers in pursuit of the interests of the Redeemer's Kingdom. |
ONE GOOD IDEA |
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David Taualofai, student pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in York, PA helped the saints of Westminster discern their ministries and giftedness by studying their roles and passions and then sitting down with a chart and plugging the people into various ministries and needs. He would check with each person on how the label or area looked to them. He would tell them how he saw their gifts being used in serving the kingdom and asked how they viewed it. Mostly they agreed readily. Occasionally they would make some minor adjustments. This helped clarify roles and responsibilities in his mind, as he gets to know the lay ministers in York and it also affirmed those in the various ministries. Perhaps this could be used in other ways as we seek to bring talents and spiritual gifts to bear on the many needs around us.
If you have a good idea, I'd love to share it in this eNews letter. Send it to me via: cgross@donegalpby.com Thank-You Very Much! |
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