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| PET Calendar |
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2009 Presbytery Meetings:
Saturday, February 7 @ 10:00am - Farragut Presbyterian Church, Farragut, TN (Packet deadline: Jan. 16)
Tuesday, May 5 @ 10:00am - Location to be announced
(Packet deadline: Apr. 14)
Saturday, August 22 @ 10:00am - Location to be announced. (Packet deadline: July 31)
Tuesday, November 10 @ 10:00am -Rivermont Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, TN (Packet deadline: Oct. 20)
January Mission Team/Committee Meetings:
JKC Task Force - 1/6, 6:30pm @ First, Sweetwater Equip Mission Team - 1/8, 10:00am @ Mars Hill
Connect Mission Team - 1/12, 10:00am video conference
Peacemaking Committee - 1/12, 5:30pm @ West Emory
Committee on Ministry - 1/13, 11:00am @ Mars Hill
Older Adult Ministry - 1/14, 9:30am @ Mars Hill
Property/Presbytery Office Operations - 1/14, time and location TBA
Finance & Stewardship - 1/15, 2:00pm @ PET Office
Small Church Ministry - 1/15, 10:00am @ First, Sweetwater
Coordinating Council - 1/20, 10:00am @ TBA
Youth Committee - 1/20, 10:30am @ Farragut
Committee on Preparation for Ministry - 1/22, 12:00 noon @ First, Harriman
Outdoor Ministry Team Retreat - 1/23-24 @ John Knox Center
Youth Council Retreat - 1/23-24, Eagle Rock, Maryville
Events at John Knox Center:
Information on events and activities at John Knox are available on the JKC website.
For the latest meeting and events information, go to the presbytery website: www.presbyteryeasttn.org
and click on the Calendar of Events link.
Church Info-Pak Deadlines for 2009:
Jan. 16
Apr. 3
July 10
Oct. 9
These Info-Paks include information for pastors and sessions, notices of churchwide events, resources for church educators, and the presbytery calendar. Info-Paks are mailed to all churches, affiliated colleges and agencies, at-large and retired ministers, and current members of PET mission teams and committees. |
| News from John Knox Center |
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"Sew and Reap" Sewing Retreat - Jan. 16-18, 2009
Enjoy a fun weekend with "the girls" chatting, sewing, and exchanging ideas. Spend as much time as you like sewing, bring a book and relax, or catch up with old friends. Our relaxed schedule allows you to enjoy the get-away as you like. All sewing and continental breakfasts take place in Abel Lodge with meals by the fire in our cozy Dining Hall. For more information, click here.
2009 Events at John Knox Center
For a PDF file of the 2009 John Knox Center Calendar of Events, click here. |
| Board of Pensions News |
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Helen Locklear, our regional BOP representative, sends out monthly e-newsletters. The latest newsletter features the following articles:
**2009 Dues Schedule
**New features added to BenefitsConnect and Pensions.org
To read the newsletter, click here. |
| Interim Pastor Training |
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Jan. 12-16 2009
The Calvin Center in Hampton, GA is sponsoring Interim Pastor Training Level I and Level II, Jan. 12-16, 2009. For more information, click here. |
| PC(USA) News |
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From the Office of Vocation
Emotional Intelligence is important for healthy and effective ministry. Roy Oswald, Executive Director of the Center for EQ-HR Skills and Senior Consultant with the Alban Institute for 31 years, presents a series of educational events on this topic. For more information, click here.
National Stewardship Conference
Stewardship Kaleidoscope, a Presbyterian Stewardship Conference for elders, pastors, presbytery staff and volunteers, will be held March 9-11, 2009 in Kansas City. For more information, click here. |
| PCUSA Young Adult Ministry Conference |
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Austin Presbyterian Seminary, May 27-30, 2009
The Young Adult Ministry Jam Conference will be held at Austin Presbyterian Seminary, May 27-30, 2009. GA Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow and Carol Howard Merit, author of Tribal Church, will be featured speakers. The goal will be to connect with other ministries and to share ideas and strategies in order that the whole denomination's young adult ministry will be strengthened.
For more information, click here. |
| We Want Your News! |
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The purpose of this newsletter is to provide you with the information and support you need to keep in touch and connected with your fellow Presbyterians in East Tennessee. This monthly publication features news and events from around the presbytery, resources to assist you in your ministry, and devotionals authored by our members.
We invite you to share your news with us! All articles and news items must be submitted by the 20th of the month prior to publication. Send your information to Dana Hendrix, preferably in electronic format. Her e-mail address is Dana@presbyteryeasttn.org. |
| Spread the News! |
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| Don't keep the good news of our presbytery to yourself! You can easily forward this newsletter to others (friends, family, church members, etc.) by using the convenient "Forward email" link at the bottom of this newsletter. To help them get on the list to receive our newsletter directly every month, you can tell them to go to our website -- www.presbyteryeasttn.org -- where we have a sign up button right in the middle of our home page. We appreciate your help! | |
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| Connecting! |
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By Carl Schlich, Interim Executive Presbyter
The last week in December, the Connect Mission Team completed the installation of equipment to enhance the Presbytery's ability to connect. From centers located at the Presbytery office in Knoxville, at Mars Hill Presbyterian Church in Athens and at Rivermont Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga, as well as wherever a couple of specially equipped laptops are located, we can now meet for video conferences that are almost like being together in person. The expected advantages include less travel time for those attending and because of the convenience of location without time spent in travel, opportunity for more frequent meetings if needed. We can also dream of connecting with meetings and continuing education events outside the presbytery. We are limited only by our imaginations. Another technological addition to the arsenal of assets for ministry in PET is our subscription to the services of MissionInsite. This demographic service is available for all churches in the Presbytery without cost. With MissionInsite, leaders in congregations can determine much information regarding the population surrounding the church's location, or even beyond. To read more, click here. |
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PET Meeting at Farragut, February 7 |
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 The next Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of East Tennessee will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at Farragut Presbyterian Church. The packet for the meeting will be available on Friday, January 23. |
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From the Stated Clerk |
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By James McTyre
Session Minutes and Registers At the November 15, 2008, Presbytery meeting at Coker Creek Village, we tried a new thing! And, despite several challenges -- traveling distance, inclement weather, a noisy dining hall for reading space, to name a few -- 34 readers came and read the minutes and registers of 51 churches. Thank you for a job well done!
Necrology Reports
The necrology report forms were mailed on December 15, 2008. Please return by January 16, 2009.
2008 Year-End Church Statistical Reports Watch your mailbox for a large white envelope. They were mailed to the Clerk of Session of each church on Monday, December 29, 2008.
Volunteers for Presentation of Amendments at Presbytery Meeting
At the February 7 meeting of Presbytery, we will have approximately two hours devoted to discussion of the proposed Amendments to the Book of Order and Ecumenical Statements. We'd like your help in moderating this discussion time. The Presbytery is asking for volunteers with skills in discussion leadership to pick one or more of the Amendments or Statements. Please consider serving the Presbytery as a discussion leader. The Presbytery will use the process below for a 2-hour introduction and discussion time of the proposed Amendments to the Book of Order and Ecumenical Statements. Goals: To discern together, to listen to the Holy Spirit, and to study together. This is not a debate, but rather it is a time to listen to each other as we study and discuss the merits or problems with each of the proposed Amendments and Ecumenical Statements. To learn more about the process and how you can volunteer, click here.
Copies of the proposed amendments and ecumenical statements were distributed at the November Presbytery meeting. Copies are available at the Presbytery office or you may access an electronic copy through the PC(USA) website by clicking here. |
| Hunger Action! |
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 Cents-Ability, Peacemaking Committee, and Church Sessions Give $11,592 to East Tennessee Food Pantries in 2008
Roane County Cooperative Ministries - $1,000 from Cents-Ability FISH Hospitality Pantries, Knoxville - $1,000 from Cents-Ability
Scott County Emergency Food Assistance - $1,000 from Cents-Ability
Marcella Center's food pantry in Sweetwater - $1,000 from Cents-Ability
Sunset Gap's food pantry in Cosby- $500 from Cents-Ability and $500 from Peacemaking
Good Shepherd Center, Madisonville - $742 from Cents-Ability and $350 from Peacemaking
Morgan-Scott Project Food Pantry - $475 from Cents-Ability and $525 from Peacemaking
Chattanooga Community Kitchen - $750 from Cents-Ability and $250 from Peacemaking
Good Samaritan Center, Lenoir City - $1,000 from Cents-Ability
Food/Life Services of Campbell County - $1,000 from Cents-Ability
Fountain City Ministry Center - $500 from Cents-Ability
Claiborne Hunger Ministry, New Tazewell - $300 from Peacemaking and $700 from three church sessions that responded to the August Hunger Alert
Thank you Peacemaking Committee for raising the level of giving to five food pantries to $1,000 from our Presbytery! Thank you members of all our churches who not only participate in the Cents-Ability Offering, but also fight hunger in East Tennessee and around the world in various, faithful ways.
Deborah Phillips, Hunger Action Enabler
deborah@presbyteryeasttn.org |
| Check Out MissionInsite |
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By Lina Hart, Associate Presbyter
Anyone in our presbytery is now able to log in on MissionInsite, a user-friendly, comprehensive demographic service. MissionInsite is FREE for churches in our presbytery to use because of a contract the presbytery set up in conjunction with MissionInsite and our Synod of Living Waters. There are some MissionInsite services that churches can pay for if interested - like setting up a Congregational Plot ($75) of your membership (including visitors and other designees) or a yearly contract (about $500) for receiving monthly Mailing Labels of newcomers in your area.
To learn how to start exploring MissionInsite, click here.
In Atlanta, Feb 26 & 27, 2009, MissionInsite is offering a training course for those interested in learning more. Anyone from our presbytery may attend - there's no cost for registering, but lodging (at Simpsonwood), meals and mileage are not covered. The New Vision Committee (ref. - Mike Chamberlain <mcdc@tds.net>) is providing some limited scholarship money for a few participants who wish to attend.
Enjoy getting acquainted with Mission Insite. Keep us posted of what you think of it, what you're interested in determining and how best we can use this powerful resource. |
| Youth News |
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Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry:
Sharing not only the Gospel...but also our lives
April 27-30, 2009
Exploring the perils and possibilities of relational youth ministry
For conference details and registration, click here.
Our own Emily Anderson, pastor of New Providence in Maryville, is the Conference Preacher! She is coauthor of Can We Talk? Conversations for Faith, a confirmation curriculum. PC(USA) and YouthWorks have partnered together to bring summer mission trips to Louisville, KY for your youth group!
Serve alongside other Presbyterian youth and youth leaders at organizations that work with the homeless, children and the elderly. Evenings are designed to give participants insight into the lives of local residents and the culture of the area. Your group will also spend time at the national headquarters of the PC(USA) learning how missions is done locally, nationally and globally.
Limited Space Available - Sign Up Today! For more information, click here.
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| News and Events Around the Presbytery |
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When God Appears: In the Beginning...and Now
 The Son in Winter Speaker Series
Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church
January 11-12, 2009Old Testament scholar and Genesis expert Dr. Bill T. Arnold speaks on God's self-revelation to Israel's ancestors and what it means for today's Christian believers. For more information, click here.
Concord Presbyterian Church Receives Awards
 Concord Presbyterian Church recently received two awards. The first was given by the Knoxville Heritage Board of Directors in recognition of "Excellence in Continuing Maintenance." Concord was one of two churches honored with such an award for 2008. Concord was also the recipient of the "2008 Best of Knoxville Award" in the Places of Worship category by the U.S. Local Business Association. The "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes businesses (and churches!) that "enhance the positive image of small business through service to their community."
Challenge Accepted Launches to Unite Disabled
 Two local Knoxville residents, who also happen to be Presbyterian, are spearheading a new organization to provide a place where individuals can come together to support each other. Group discussions among the disabled will be encouraged, so that real solutions to life's problems can be shared, explored, and attempted with support.
The first meeting will be on Thursday, January 22, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the West Knoxville Branch of the Public Library. In case of snow, the meeting will be moved to February 5th at the same location. There is no cost for the meeting.
If you know of anyone who might be interested in attending a Challenge Accepted meeting, please encourage him or her to contact Gary Harmon or Tim Crais at www.ChallengeAccepted.org.
Tusculum College Lecture Series
Ecumenical (And? Or?) Evangelical?, a sometimes divisive issue for the church, will be explored during the 2009 Theologian-in-Residence lecture series. Dr. Marian McClure, who directed the Worldwide Ministries of the Presbyterian Church (USA) for a decade, will lead the annual series, co-sponsored by Tusculum College and the Holston Presbytery. The lecture series takes place Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Feb. 17 and Feb. 24 on the Tusculum College campus in Greeneville, TN. For more information, click here.
UT Medical Center Speakers Bureau
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| Quick Links |
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Mission Team Blogs:
The Tool Box - Equip
Resources for ministry, conference announcements, grant application forms, etc.
Care Cafe - Support
Special events for clergy and their families, area clergy lunches, conference info, link to BOP, etc.
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