Grace and peace to the saints of the Presbytery of East Tennessee,

Two years ago, the Coordinating Council appointed a Task Force to discuss and study the location of the Presbytery office, which is located in North Knoxville at 609 Cedar Lane. The present conversation of the Task Force has centered on the possibility of a "virtual office," which might be better understood as a "mobile office." This would mean the selling of the facility on Cedar Lane and having the staff work out of their homes and/or various locations throughout the presbytery.

The Synod of Living Waters and the Transylvania Presbytery (Eastern Kentucky) have experimented and moved to this "mobile office" concept. They have equipped their staffs with the technical resources to communicate with one another and be accessible and connected to members. Our staff has met with the Transylvania staff and has begun to research the feasibility of the Presbytery of East Tennessee moving to the "mobile office."

One aspect of the mobile office concept is to take advantage of greater opportunities to connect and build relationships with the pastors and members of our congregations. We have already begun to practice this by having monthly staff meetings at various locations in the presbytery. We have met at John Knox Center, the First Presbyterian Church in Lenoir City, and the First Presbyterian Church in Cleveland. Our schedule over the next two months will take us to New Providence Presbyterian Church in Maryville and Center Presbyterian Church in Tellico Plains. We would be happy to receive invitations to meet at any of our other churches in the future.

We seek your input as we continue to explore the mobile office concept. Please feel free to share with me or any of the staff your suggestions, questions, or concerns regarding this potential change in the way we serve the Church in East Tennessee.

Faithfully,
Judd Shaw
General Presbyter

Rice and Beans (Goal: 10,000 pounds by Christmas)

2,780 lbs. of Rice & Beans have been delivered to the Claiborne Hunger Ministry, South Knoxville FISH Pantry, Sunset Gap, Food Life Services of Campbell County, Blount County Food Bank, First Presbyterian's Food Pantry (Knoxville), and the Community Kitchen in Chattanooga.

Every donation of $20 allows me to purchase wholesale 45 lbs. of rice and beans (a 25 lbs. bag of rice and a 20 lbs. bag of pinto beans) for food pantries in East Tennessee. Please send contributions to The Presbytery of East Tennessee, P.O. Box 5436, Knoxville, TN 37928-0436. Memo section: Rice and Beans.

Points of Interest:

� This can also be a great hands-on repackaging project for groups within churches if desired
� Donations may be designated to particular pantries if indicated on an attached note
� A low-cost, complete protein that is hoped for by many hungry families in our region
� Please consider helping to expand (see goal above) this important direct food relief project!

Cents-Ability Offering At Work

This mission offering is making an important impact on hunger... thank you PET congregations!

Roane County Cooperative Ministries' Garden Program ($1,000 grant)

Morgan Scott Project's Good Earth Garden Project ($1,000 grant)

Claiborne Hunger Ministries ($500 grant)

Fountain City Ministry Center ($500 grant)

Good Samaritan Center of Loudon County ($500 grant)

Sunset Gap's Food Pantry ($500)

Chattanooga Food Bank's Sack Pack Program for children ($500)

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Church World Service ($155 grant each)

New Grant: FISH Hospitality Pantries ($500 grant)

And Jesus said, "You give them something to eat." Mark 6:37

Deborah Phillips
Hunger Action Enabler
Presbytery of East Tennessee
Deborah@presbyteryeasttn.org
Office: 865-688-5581
Cell: 865-335-0342

Follow your summer campers during their time away! Keep up with the campers from your church while they are enjoying the week of camp by following our new blog. Photos, videos, and stories from staff are updated daily on the blog, so you get to feel like you are a part of the action!

Simply go to www.johnknoxcenter.wordpress.com  or visit the JKC homepage and follow the link! See what's happening today!

Session Minutes Reading and Clerks of Session Training

Clerks of Session should attend one of these meetings and bring their church's session minutes and church registers for a round-robin reading time. Bring your minutes from 2010 and from 2009 if they haven't yet been approved by presbytery. This meeting will fulfill the Book of Order requirement that each church's session minutes are read and approved by presbytery on an annual basis.

There will also be shared discussion and training materials about how best to fulfill the ministry of Clerk of Session.

Sunday, September 25
Lake Hills Presbyterian Church
3805 Maloney Road, Knoxville
3:00pm - 5:00pm

Sunday, September 18
Northminster Presbyterian Church
4791 Hal Drive, Chattanooga, TN
3:00pm - 5:00pm

Sexual Misconduct Prevention Seminars

The Presbytery is providing seminars on Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Risk Management for all clergy and educators.  Clergy attendance is required.

 

Monday, September 19, 2011

Lake Hills Presbyterian Church

3805 Maloney Road, Knoxville

8:30am-12:00pm 

 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Chattanooga - Location to be announced  

Call if your church would like to host.  

8:30am-12:00pm 

 

These seminars will be led by presbytery representatives and by risk management experts from our presbytery's insurance carrier.

 

Cost: Free

 

Questions? Contact James McTyre, Stated Clerk at james@presbyteryeasttn.org or 865-268-9628.

By Laura Tappan, Resource Center Administrator

What's new in the Resource Center? Books! Books! Books! New books have been arriving at the Resource Center! We have books for use with study groups, both large and small; new devotional resources; and books to help further your knowledge of theology and Presbyterianism. Education - God's Abundant Table by Cynthia Campbell. The Eucharist is far more than a reenactment of the meal in the upper room. For personal reflection or congregational study. Includes a 6 session study guide. Evangelism and Church Development - Don't Invite Them to Church: Moving From a Come and See to a Go and Be Church by Karen Wilk. Practical, real-life guides for living your faith in your own backyard. Theology - To Be Reformed: Living the Tradition by Joseph D. Small. Explores the ongoing relevance of Reformed perspectives on Christian faith and life. Brings an appreciation of what it means to confess the faith in our contemporary world. More Presbyterian Questions, More Presbyterian Answers by Donald K. McKim. This study-friendly guide articulates the basic tenets of the faith and answers some of the most frequently asked questions about being Presbyterian. Genesis From Scratch: The Old Testament for Beginners by Donald Griggs and Eugene March. Includes leaders guide and participant section. This book offers lay readers an opportunity to build on Biblical Foundation. Find these and more in the What's New Newsletter.

Your Presbytery of East Tennessee Resource Center is located in the presbytery offices at 609 Cedar Lane, Knoxville. The Resource Center is a lending library of resources to help you in your church ministry.We have a treasure trove of books, videos, DVD's and Sunday School curriculum ideas -all at your disposal. I am ready to help you find what you need for your next Sunday School lesson, or officer training class. We can get resources to you where ever you are! Even if you're in Chattanooga, the information highway travels down I-75, and we can get the resources to you!

Call or email Laura Tappan, resource center administrator, for more information: 865-688-5581, 800-542-4246, laura@presbyteryeasttn.org. Or, you can look it up on the web! Visit us on the website: www.presbyteryeasttn.org, under Resources heading, click on Resource Center, and click on 'websearch' to look for resources.

Being Presbyterian: Back to the Basics

It was recently brought to the Equip Mission Team's attention that many Presbyterians are not as familiar with their presbytery and church histories as we think they are. Committee acronyms and other terminology have made some feel left out of conversations or confused about church topics. Whether you are a born-Presbyterian, or have recently joined our ranks, there may be terms with which you are unfamiliar. Maureen O'Rourke, Media Resource Center Director of Presbytery of the Cascades, wrote "Presbyterianisms" to help explain some church terminology. The following excerpt is used with her permission.

What is the Lectionary?

The Lectionary is a collection of scripture readings suggested for Christian worship on any given day. Typically, it will go through the scriptures in a logical pattern, and also include selections which were chosen by the religious community for their appropriateness to particular occasions. The lectionary includes a reading from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a reading from the New Testament and a reading from the Gospels.

The use of pre-assigned, scheduled readings from the scriptures can be traced back to the early church. Not all of the Christian Church used the same one, and throughout history, many varying lectionaries have been used in different parts of the Christian world.

In antiquity the Jews first read Scriptural selections randomly, but by the medieval era they had standardized a schedule of scripture readings to be read in the synagogue. Jesus probably read a "random" reading when he read from Isaiah 61: 1-2, when he inaugurated his public ministry. The early Christians adopted the Jewish custom of reading extracts from the Old Testament on the Sabbath. They soon added extracts from the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists.

Rembrandt's mother reading the Lectionary.

Presbyterians use the 3 year cycle: the years are designated A, B, or C. Each yearly cycle begins on the first Sunday of Advent (the last Sunday of November or first Sunday of December). Year B follows year A, year C follows year B, then back again to A.

John Calvin (a Presbyterian founder) did not follow a lectionary when preaching but preached through books of the Bible. This is called a lectio continuo as it follows a book of the Bible verse by verse until the entire book has been covered. And Presbyterians in large numbers did not follow a liturgical calendar until fairly recently. Today, many pastors use this resource and find it very helpful.

By Lina Hart, Associate Presbyter

Judd Shaw brought to my attention the other day that Hardin Valley is a booming growth community in Knoxville. So out of curiosity I checked out what MissionInsite, the demographic service to which our presbytery subscribes, had to say about this area. According to the latest demographics, it seems like this community is booming with Boomers. The MissionInsite MOSAIC description of those populating this region calls these dwellers Second City Homebodies. An overview of the characteristics of each demographic group is available in MissionInsite's MOSAIC Descriptions Reference Guide - page 30 has a description of the Second City Homebodies.

If you were to look on MissionInsite's website (www.missioninsite.com), you can see where our churches are in or near this area. Signing in to MissionInsite is simple enough - just call me or Laura Tappan in the Presbytery's office so we can give you the agency number asked for in the Registration process. Once signed in you can get FREE reports in most any configuration you would like in our presbytery bounds. It is highly encouraged for any new registrant (or as a refresher for returnees) to go through the Getting Started videos and download those tools they suggest.

One of the reports of the Hardin Valley community I created is called an Impressions Report, which gives 10 Indicators of the Community's Mood and Values on things like Family, Faith, Activities, etc. This Impressions Report also gives 10 Indicators of the area's Inclinations - such as on Outlooks, Sociability and Spending. I also created a QuickInsite Report, which highlights population trends and projections of the area.

Our presbytery has this in-depth, up-to-date, user-friendly tool available to us for a fraction of what it costs due to a special rate we get through our synod. As more churches and groups in our presbytery use this tool in their planning and research, there is increased likelihood that we will continue to subscribe to this valuable service. Please check out this helpful information. If you have any questions or observations, let me Lina@presbyteryeasttn.org 865-388-2381, 423-521-LINA or Laura in the office Laura@presbyteryeasttn.org know.

Princeton Theological Seminary

The Institute of Theology (July 18-22)

Are you looking for a better way to connect Sunday's faith to your work during the week?

The Institute of Theology (July 18-22) will explore and apply the many facets of "vocation." Morning programs include "The Calling God, the Called Church, and Callings to Ministry" with Joseph D. Small, recently retired as Director of the Office of Theology, Worship and Education Ministries of the PC(USA) and "Discover Your Call: Vocation in a Congregational Context" with Sally Peters of Luther Seminary.

The Institute of Worship (July 24-28)

Are you looking to better integrate worship and music?

Participate in the Institute of Worship and Kemp Church Music Symposium (July 24-28) - a program co-sponsored by Princeton Theological Seminary and Rider University's Westminster Choir College. Preachers, worship leaders, musicians and choirs are invited to attend.

Institute for Pastoral Leadership (Oct. 3-7)

Join us for institutes that will inspire and equip you in your ongoing pastoral formation and renewal.

Media-Savvy Pastor
This seminar will offer pastors a theological framework and practical tips for using various media in their ministry.

Pastoral Communication Beyond the Pulpit
Participants will engage in self-assessment and learn communication behaviors that positively influence their working with others.

Pastor as Steward: Wisely Leading Those Who Follow
This seminar will assist pastors in inspiring, leading and training other great leaders.

Finance for Church Leaders
Theological and practical examination of stewardship, budgets, and financial better practices.

Women Clergy
This seminar is for women who serve in pastoral roles.

The What and How of Mission
Cultivating a theological and biblical practice of mission in your congregation.

Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations: Leadership Skills for Congregational Life (August 22-26)

Looking for a great conference/ continuing ed experience? Consider attending the Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations: Leadership Skills for Congregational Life, being presented through Louisville Seminary's Office of Lifelong Learning.

The EQ-HR workshop is an intensive 5-day session for seminarians, clergy and religious leaders, designed to enable participants to learn about, build, and practice emotional intelligence skills in a small group setting. A team of skilled facilitators, led by Roy Oswald and David Sawyer, provide tools and feedback to enable participants to learn about themselves and to immediately practice emerging skills. As group life unfolds, participants give and receive feedback regarding the impact they have on others in the group. Participants will learn both inter-personal and intra-group communication skills. The content of the workshop revolves around the five areas of emotional intelligence listed below as keys to improving leadership effectiveness for faith based leaders. (From the EQ-HR brochure)

For more information visit the event page or contact Sharon Carter at 385-5003.

2012 Mission Yearbook

 

Order by July 29 for Bulk Discount

 

The Presbytery Office is now collecting orders for the 2012 Mission Yearbook. The price is $12.65 each. (The regular price from PDS is $14.95, plus a minimum shipping charge of $5.25.) The order form and payment must be received by the Presbytery Office by July 29 to be included in the bulk order.

 

2012 Mission Yearbook Order Form 

 

Please note: The books will be delivered to the Presbytery Office in Knoxville and must be picked up there.

 

Would you prefer to receive the daily readings from the Mission Yearbook of Prayer and Study delivered to your email box, free of charge?

 

Click here to subscribe 

 

Book of Order 2011-13

Order by July 15 for Bulk Discount

The Presbytery Office is collecting orders for the Book of Order 2011-13, which includes the new Form of Government. By combining many smaller orders, we can offer a reduced bulk rate of $8.80 per book as opposed to the regular price of $10.00 each plus shipping from Presbyterian Distribution Service. Please click on the link to the order form below and mail it to the Presbytery office with payment. Order forms must be in the Presbytery office by Friday, July 15 to be included in the bulk order.

Book of Order 2011-13 order form

The books will be delivered to the Presbytery office sometime in late July or early August and MUST BE PICKED UP THERE. If you would prefer to order directly from PDS and have them delivered to you, you can place your order at http://store.pcusa.org or (800) 524-2612 and ask for item #OGA-11-001.

If you have any questions, please contact Dana Hendrix in the Presbytery office, 865-688-5581 / 800-542-4246 (TN only) / dana@presbyteryeasttn.org  

 

Tour Scotland in May, 2012 - A Companion Tour with the Maryville College Concert Choir

Tour website with itinerary and registration details.

Registration date extended through fall.

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, dana@presbyteryeasttn.org.