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 Keeping Up With
Savannah Presbytery
"REACHING BEYOND OURSELVES"
APRIL 15, 2010
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UPCOMING EVENTS & DEADLINESSavannah Presbytery Earth SundaySunday, April 18 CANCELLED - Clergy/Educator RetreatApril 19-21 Presbytery Staff MeetingTuesday, April 20, 10:00 AM, Presbytery Office Laity Day in Savannah PresbyterySunday, April 25 Coordinating Council MeetingTuesday, April 27, 9:30 AM, Presbytery Office Spring Curriculum Review & Church School Teacher RoundtableSaturday, May 1, 10:00 AM, White Bluff PC in Savannah ( RSVPby April 26) Monthly Pastor LunchThursday, May 6, 12:00 PM, Jesup PC Hispanic Ministry Kick-Off WeekendMay 8-9, Swainsboro PC Presbytery Staff MeetingTuesday, May 11, 10:00 AM, Presbytery Office Committee on Ministry MeetingTuesday, May 11, 1:00 PM, Presbytery Office Click Here to see the Savannah Presbytery calendar online. |
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GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR PRESBYTERY
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GET CONNECTED TO YOUR DENOMINATION
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WHERE IS THE GP?
Ken's Comings & Goings
Ken McKenzie can usually be found in the office Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. When he's not there, he will be...
April 18
Visiting Brunswick Second PC
April 21-22
Board of Pensions Regional Conference in Tampa, FL
April 25
Preaching at First PC in Eastman
May 1-6
PDA National Response Team Meeting, San Francisco
May 8-9
Swainsboro Hispanic Ministry Kick-Off Weekend
May 16-20
Executive Training, Louisville
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SEMINARS & CONFERENCES AROUND THE DENOMINATION11th Annual National Multicultural Church Conference, May 27-30 at the Marriott O'Hare in Chicago. Following
the theme "H2O:
Deepening Our Faith, Widening Our Culture", this conference will look
at "growing the church deep and wide" in an increasingly diverse
world. Early bird registration deadline is April 30. Get information or
register by calling 1-888-728-7228 x5344, or CLICK HERE. Proclaiming the Text, May 31-June 4, 2010 at Montreat Conference CenterFor pastors, lay leaders,
seminary students, and all who seek the tools and inspiration needed for
proclaiming the Good News. CLICK HEREChristian Education, May 31-June 4, 2010 at Montreat Conference CenterFor Christian educators,
pastors, and lay leaders involved in the ministry of Christian education. CLICK HERE |
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Need to Contact Us? Contact information for the Savannah Presbytery Office & Staff is listed at the bottom of this e-newsletter.
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DON'T FORGET: LAITY DAY IS APRIL 25TH!
Promote the School of the Laity in your church.
 Each year in April , the Savannah Presbytery celebrates Laity Day, a day to promote lay education through our groundbreaking J. Richard Bass School of the Laity. This year's Laity Day will be celebrated on April 25.
We are asking each church to do a Minute for Mission at their April 25 worship to help promote this wonderful program. Packets were mailed out to churches last week which contain registration brochures and a copy ready bulletin insert. If you have not received your packet, please contact the presbytery office and we can email you the bulletin insert and get more brochures in the mail right away.
For more information, or to download a brochure, visit the SOL Page on our website, or contact Lynn Garis at the Presbytery Office.
(Please note, the previous e-newsletter said Laity Day is May 25. The correct date is April 25.)
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ATTEND THE SPRING CURRICULUM REVIEW & CHURCH TEACHER ROUNDTABLE ON MAY 1
Savannah Presbytery's Education and Training Team has a new opportunity to review curriculum and prepare church school teachers for the fall.
The We Believe curriculum has undergone some changes and added a new adult study. Join us to review the new and updated materials and share your successes and challenges with others.
This event will be held at White Bluff PC in Savannah and begins at 10 AM. The event is free and lunch will be on your own, but you must RSVP by April 26 with Lou Ellen Hartley at the Presbytery Office.
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 FREE WEBINAR: UNDERSTANDING GENERATIONS IN PARISH MINISTRY
Hosted by the Alban Institue
On Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 2:00 pm, you can attend a
free webinar facilitated by Dominic Perri, who introduces a way of understanding the multiple
generations who are active in parishes and other ministry settings. You
will learn how each of the four generations in the U.S.
(Traditionalists, Boomers, Generation X and Millennials) are unique and
what each is looking for in faith communities.
CLICK HERE for more information and registration link.
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Interesting facts and information for churches.
Fraud in Churches
In the United States,
churches repeatedly fall victim to financial fraud. Money that belongs to the church is stolen
and used by the person or persons responsible for the accounting of it. The primary reason for this widespread
problem is that churches usually do not have proper internal controls in place
to prevent theft. Churches tend to
simply trust the person responsible for the money, which can lead to disastrous
consequences.
According to the Christian
Security Network, the average loss from an internal theft or embezzlement
within a church is $300,000. The
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), in its annual Report to the Nation for 2008, gives the
following statistics:
-- 38.2% of fraud
victims are organizations with less than 100 employees
-- 14.3% of fraud
victims are non-profit organizations, with an average loss of $109,000
-- 4.3% of fraud
victims are religious organizations, with an average loss of $106,000
-- The average length of fraud before it is detected is 24 months or more
-- In the
majority of these cases, only one person was involved
Instituting appropriate
internal controls of a church's finances is a big step towards reducing
internal theft. ACFE notes that in
organizations with internal controls, there is a measurable reduction in the
frequency and amount of internal theft compared to those without the
controls.
Starting the conversation about implementing new financial procedures can be a touchy subject, since it may imply suspicion of your current financial person. Putting in a strong system of
checks and balances is not telling your financial person that you don't trust
him or her. Good financial controls help
prevent mistakes, protect individuals from false allegations or mistrust,
prevents future cases of fraud, and helps the congregation be better stewards
of its money.
For articles and
information on church fraud and safeguarding against it, visit the following
links:
"Did You Know" provides helpful information and facts regarding everyday church issues. To suggest a topic for this column, please contact Tavia Harrison.
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NEWS FROM AROUND SAVANNAH PRESBYTERY
Savannah Presbytery Featured in Earth Day Article in Savannah Morning News. In a recent Savannah Morning News article, Faith PC, First PC Savannah, Wilmington Island PC, and MKP Grant Committee Coordinator Lynn Garis were featured in an article concerning "green" efforts at Savannah area churches. Read the article HERE.
All are Invited to Attend Kick-Off of New Hispanic Ministry in Savannah Presbytery. A new Hispanic congregation will be based at Swainsboro PC, and will have a "kick-off" weekend May 8-9. Saturday
will be a celebration with games, food, information, and more. Sunday,
Mother's Day, they will hold their first worship. This new congregation will be led by the Rev. Ozeas Fernandez. Your prayers and support are asked for as this
ministry gets off the ground. For more information, contact Ken
McKenzie at the Presbytery Office.
Still Looking: Summer Camp Volunteers. The Education & Training Ministry Team is busy finding adults to serve as camp counselors this summer. Camp is the week of June 21; there are four camps ranging in ages of 6 years through high school grads. If you are interested in serving, or want to know more about it, please contact Lou Ellen Hartley at the Presbytery Office.
OGA Still Looking for Clerk Questionnaires. The denomination is still looking for Clerks of Session to complete the Annual Questionnaire. This important document helps the Office of the General Assembly compile obtain a lot of useful information, as well as compile annual congregational statistics. If you haven't filled it out, please do so right away by CLICKING HERE. You'll need a PIN and Password, which you can get by calling the Presbytery Office.
Prayer Concerns. Please keep the
following people and churches in your prayers:
-- The Savannah Presbytery, its teams, leaders, and staff, as they learn and work into the new structure.
-- Victims of recent flooding in the Northeastern United States, and those working to aid in their relief, recovery, and reconstruction.
-- The new Hispanic Ministry currently being organized in Swainsboro, its leaders and new congregants
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CONTACT US
Savannah Presbytery
3590 Darien Highway, Suite 8, Brunswick, GA 31525
Office: 912-264-1997 Fax: 912-262-6815
home@savannahpresbytery.org
www.savannahpresbytery.org
Ken McKenzie, General Presbyter
kmckenzie@savannahpresbytery.org
Russell Gladding, Stated Clerk/Treasurer
rgladding@savannahpresbytery.org
Lynn Garis, Associate Presbyter for Laity & Coordinator for the M.K. Pentecost Ecology Fund Committee
lgaris@savannahpresbytery.org
Lou Ellen Hartley, Associate Presbyter for Christian Education lehartley@savannahpresbytery.org
Tavia Harrison, Communications & Presbytery Support Coordinator
tharrison@savannahpresbytery.org
Liz Richardson, Business Manager
lrichardson@savannahpresbytery.org
Savannah Presbytery and the Resource Center are open Monday - Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM, and Friday 9 AM - 1 PM.
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