Centro Familiar Cristiano has been growing in faith, formation, and numbers over the past year due to God's blessings of a faithful leader and the connectional nature of the PC(USA). The congregation led by Commissioned Lay Pastor Claudia Lopez values discipleship through Bible study for women and men and service to at-risk communities. Recently, a group came alongside of the ministry at Central Presbyterian Church by preparing and serving meals to approximately 80 homeless men.

• We welcomed two new candidates preparing for the ministry, Rebekah Carpenter and Sarah Smith
• We collected an offering of $3142.57 to benefit the missionaries serving overseas who are members of our presbytery
• We heard the results of the evaluation from Holy Cow on our five year strategic plan. The survey responses indicated a vast improvement in all areas of the Presbytery. An amazing report! The next steps are for Council to discern the way forward in energy, vitality and health, building on our progress.
• Giving thanks to God, we lifted up the names of our elders and ministers who have passed into God's glory in 2015.
• We recognized the retirement of Vic Pentz from Peachtree Church
• We lifted up in celebration the ministry of Rehoboth Presbyterian Church, now dissolved as of May 15, 2016
• We welcomed 5 new members into the Presbytery: Greg Allen-Pickett serving at First Atlanta, Hamilton Barnes serving as a chaplain at Piedmont Hospital, Mark Brewer serving as the interim pastor of Roswell Church, Jong Hyeon Kim serving as the pastor of Canaan Korean Church and John H. Park, serving as a contract associate at Korean Community Church
• We commissioned our Triennium Youth participants and leaders
• We commissioned our General Assembly Commissioner

Next meeting will be on Saturday August 20 at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church. We will gather from 9am-noon, and hold workshops following the meeting. Our theme will be justice. Click here to listen to the sermon and find available presentation resources from the meeting. 

Smyrna Presbyterian Church, founded in 1827, began their yearly revival meetings under a wooden arbor before this tabernacle was constructed in 1891. The cabins surrounding the property were first built by families in the church and were updated by different churches in the Atlanta Presbytery when the youth conference center conducted camps and services here. Later sold back to the church, the cabins are leased to families who return to the yearly Campmeeting for weeklong worship and fellowship in this beautiful structure on these God blessed grounds.

Explaining Campmeeting even to close friends is difficult because the week evokes deep and abiding feelings that just can't be put into words. Can you imagine bringing your family to a weeklong revival when you had to bring the chickens for food and the cow for milk? That feeling of worship and fellowship that moved our ancestors to worship in this place, exists in the hearts of all those who have come after them--for over 185 years. "Glory through the Ages," the motto on the plaque, defines the core of this divine property.

You must come visit and experience a part of Campmeeting for yourself. Have dinner at the dinning hall and then join us for singing and services under the tabernacle. You will be blessed beyond measure as you sing the old hymns and you will be surprised that you remember the words to most of the verses. Singing glory to God under this incredible beam and peg structure will place a memory in your heart and a smile from God on your face. 

After 77 years of faithful service, the Rehoboth Presbyterian Church will be dissolved after their final celebration, Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 p.m. The contents of their property will be available to our New Worshiping Communities and congregations in the presbytery on Saturday, June 4, from 9-12pm. The church is located at 2729 Lawrenceville Hwy, Decatur, GA 30033. All items will be given on a first come, first serve basis. For a summarized list of Rehoboth's inventory, click here.