|
|
|
|
Passage to Ponder - 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people --for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. |
|
|
 The Presbytery of Wabash Valley creates, connects and nurtures congregations and other ministries to fulfill Christ's mission. |
|
God Calls
Presbytery of Wabash Valley PWV Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4 pm January 9, 2013 |
|
|
|
|
Prayer... | |
by Rev. Chuck Compton, Flora Presbyterian Church
 | |
Rev. Chuck Compton |
I grew up with an understanding of prayer that
classified it as spiritual work that you did most often when there was nothing else to do. Needless to say, most of the time for me it was reserved for emergencies.
When Myra and I became part of a group that was starting in our church that focused on midweek worship, prayer, and study, I was challenged to rethink my understanding of prayer and worship. The challenge came from seeing people of all ages participating in lengthy, deep conversations with God. Several people who came to the group commented that they did not know Presbyterians ever spent so much time in prayer. At this same time the renewal movement in the Roman Catholic Church was blossoming in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area, especially in the local parish where we lived. Some of the leaders from the renewal wave shared with me that the movement grew from the activity of a group of students and teachers from a Roman Catholic High School near Mille Lacs Lake in north-central Minnesota. As the teachers were leading the students in a study of the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit, the students decided they did not want to just study about prayer and the Holy Spirit, but to experience it firsthand. In cooperation with the teachers they scheduled extended times of prayer asking for God's Spirit to come in power and waiting on the Lord, determined that they were going to experience God's power first hand. Some at the school were incredulous about the amount of time some of the teachers and students were spending in prayer, but most all of them were in awe of God's response to the prayers of those who wanted to know more of Him and His power for their lives and for their school. God didn't stop with the school, His response blossomed into renewal movement in all of central Minnesota and, when I first arrived in Flora, the Roman Catholic Church in Delphi was soliciting prayers for the renewal wave to touch their church.
We may not know what Jesus' total answer will be to our prayers, but there are some principles of which scripture assures us. First, don't let your sin deter you from spending time in conversation (prayer) with God. Sometimes we let our knowledge of God's anger with sin or our sin driven guilt to become a barrier between us and God. Jesus has already erased this barrier and placed a call to a new relationship upon our forgiven lives.
"God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you." 2 Corinthians 5:19-20
Second, don't forget that Jesus is interceding on our behalf. Nothing in all of the rest of the world can separate you from the love of Jesus Christ, so don't let what is inside you separate you from the love of Jesus!
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also interceded for us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-34 & 39-39 |
|
 |
|
SAVE THE DATES |
2013 COUNCIL
January 22, 2013
March 19, 2013
April 23, 2013
June 25, 2013
July 23, 2013
August 27, 2013
October 22, 2013
December 10, 2013
2013 ASSEMBLY
February 26, 2013
May 21, 2013
September 13-14, 2013
November 19, 2013 |
|
Quick Links | |
Find New Funding for 1001
New mission-program grant-funding opportunities available for new worshiping communities.
Apply for seed grants now. Read more
******
Call to Worship
Call to Worship: Liturgy, Music, Preaching, and the Arts offers insight and inspiration for pastors, church musicians, artists and other worship leaders. This quarterly journal is published by the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Learn how to subscribe.
Call to Worship subscribers: the Lectionary Aids for 2012-2013 (Year C) are now online.
******
Generosity for Every Generation
March 11-13 - St. Louis, Missouri
For elders, pastors, presbytery staff and volunteers
For more information click
Stewardship Kaleidoscope
******
The Daily Prayer App is Here!
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) launches first smart phone application.
Download the Daily Prayer App.
Read more
******
Resource Center
In Partnership with PWV
Congregational Resource Center
******
ALBAN WEEKLY
Simple Congregations: Restructuring Into Simplicity
by Bob Sitze
******
Know someone who doesn't receive
God Calls but would like to?
They can go to http://www.ourpresbytery.org/
and sign-up under
"Join our eNewsletter List"
enter their email address...click GO and follow the instructions.
It's that easy.
View God Calls Weekly eNews
Past Issues
|
|
|
|
|
|
Prayers of the Presbytery | |
Merciful God, your unending care reaches as far as the heavens with love that extends to the depths of the sea. You sent Jesus that we may have abundant life. We thank you for our community of prayer. May we be mindful to include in our prayers the needs of our neighbors that we may look after their cares. May we treat all that is given us as a gift in communion with Christ, in whose name we pray.
Prayers are requested for Jill Kitowski, The Presbyterian Church LaPorte and PWV Property Committee Moderator, for continued recovery from pancreatitis.
Please continue to hold Harold Gray, Center Presbyterian Church Royal Center and past Presbytery of Wabash Valley Treasurer, as he continues to recover from surgery along with a bleeding ulcer.
We ask healing prayers for Rev. Chuck and wife Myra Compton, Flora Presbyterian Church, as they continue to recover from three weeks of illness and infection.
May we hold in our prayers Rev. Susan Birch, on the passing of the Rev. William G. Birch December 25, 2012. A service will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 19, at Trinity Presbyterian Church 1140 Lake Avenue, Fort Wayne IN, visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the church Friday, January 18.
We give you thanks and praise O God for FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WALKERTON as they faithfully serve your church sharing the good news and reaching out to those in need. Amen. |
|
Celebration of Ordination | |
Thank you for your ministry and your service...
- January 10, 2010 - Rev. Jonathan Cornell, The Presbyterian Church Wabash
- January 11, 1998 - Rev. Kelly Sime (Furlong), Minister Member at Large
If you have been omitted or your information is incorrect please accept my apology. Help to update your records by sending your current information to vicki@ourpresbytery.org. |
 | |
Leaders Seeking One Million People Committed to Pray January 11-13 to End Slavery & Trafficking
Christian leaders are seeking to organize a million people who will commit to pray for an end to modern-day slavery during this Weekend of Prayer to End Slavery and Trafficking. The initiative is scheduled for this Friday, January 11 through Sunday, January 13, 2013, coinciding with the Congressional designation of January 11 as "Human Trafficking Awareness Day."
Human trafficking, both for labor and sex, is among the largest and fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world. Labor trafficking dominates much of the world economy, and accounts for upwards of two-thirds of the estimated 27 million people enslaved today. Sex trafficking, the more common form in the United States, depends on the willingness of men to pay for sex, and all too often from minors. The average age at which a girl is forced into prostitution in America is 11-13, and it is the most vulnerable among us who are being abused.
Trafficking exists in every state in our nation, in every major city and, in many cases, even in smaller communities. In the last ten years, efforts to eliminate or reduce trafficking have intensified on both a federal and state level yet trafficking continues to increase. It is morally intolerable that slavery still exists in America in the twenty-first century.
The undersigned (and the groups we represent) believe that we can best fight this scourge of evil through prayer and wisdom from God. It is fitting that people of faith exercise leadership in taking a stand against human trafficking, which we believe is the greatest human rights issue in the world today. Religious leaders in the 18th and 19th centuries (including William Wilberforce, John Wesley, Arthur Tappen, Theodore Weld, Harriet Tubman, Josephine Butler, Katherine Bushnell and Frederick Douglass) led the fight to end slavery in their times, just as religious leaders have historically led the fight for civil rights in this country. We are calling YOU-in your role as leader-to consider for yourself the question posed in the Book of Esther:
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for [those oppressed] will arise from another place,
but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to
[your position of leadership] for such a time as this?"
Please commit to joining the National Weekend of Prayer, January 11-13, 2013.
The following page outlines our plans for the Weekend of Prayer to End Slavery and Trafficking. We hope that you will commit to joining us for these activities, and will also initiate your own local prayer efforts, as you feel called to do.
We are asking clergy and congregations in every community in our nation to join together in this nation-wide prayer initiative. We hope you will be led to participate, to put the power of prayer in action to help free modern day slaves and even to offer redemption to the traffickers. The easiest way to sign up is on-line on our website: www.WeekendofPrayer.net Or you can complete the form below and fax it to us at 407-540-0510, or simply email us the information.
More Information |
|
Geneva Center Accepting Applications for
2013 Summer Camp Staff |
Join us this summer for...  
Applications are open for Geneva Center 2013 Summer Camp staff. We are looking for young people to serve as Counselors and Certified Lifeguards who are self motivated, responsible, love kids and the outdoors. For more information call Cathy Adley at 574-223-6915 or email Cathy@genevacenter.org. Application is available at, http://www.genevacenter.org/Employment.html
|
|
CALENDAR OF EVENTS | |
Severe Weather Policy
The PWV office abides by the Rochester Community School Corporation's weather delay and/or cancellation decision. Voicemail at the office will include the status of meetings scheduled. To confirm meeting status don't hesitate to call 574-223-5678.
Thursday, January 10
10 am - Commission on Ministry
10 am - Nominating Committee
1 pm - 3rd Wave Coaches Conference Call
Saturday, January 12
12:30 pm - Geneva Center Ministry Team
Tuesday, January 15
10 am - Commission on Preparation for Ministry
Thursday, January 17
10 am - Commission on Ministry Leadership Team
10 am - Transformation Ministry Team
5:30 pm - University Church Board Meeting - West Lafayette (map)
Friday, January 18
10 am - Visioning Ministry Team
Tuesday, January 22
10 am - Council
Thursday, January 24
2 pm - Property Ministry Team (Go-to-meeting)
All meetings posted on the PWV Calendar are eastern time (ET) unless noted otherwise. Please visit http://www.ourpresbytery.org/calendar.htm for more information or call 574-223-5678 with questions or comments. |
|
PWV Staff Contact Information
Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 to 4:00 pm
Financial Consultant ~ Elder Eric Herzog ~ 574-223-5678 ext 105 IT Consultant ~ Bonnie Kern ~ 574-223-5678 ext 109 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
