Passage to Ponder -   Philippians 2:24-25 (NRSV)


 LabCross

  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
May 22, 2013
Nine 1st Timers at Assembly...
100 Participating in the Work of the Church
Linda L. Long, Stated Clerk

 

More than 100 ruling elders and teaching elders across our presbytery gathered Tuesday for a beautiful day at Geneva Center to do the collective work of ministry in northern Indiana. Repeatedly praying for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Assembly:

  • Experienced the Word through Rev. David Comstock's, Munster Westminster Presbyterian Rev. David Comstock Preaching  Church, preaching on the Babel story from Genesis and the story of Pentecost in Acts 2, then shared the Lord's Supper
  • Contributed $523 for the Pentecost offering
  • Traveled further along the path of our Joshua Journey by watching The Art of Possibility as described by Ben & Rosamund Zander and talking around tables about how this approach intersects with Jeremiah 29 and invites possibilities for Wabash Valley: "I know the plans I have in mind for you...they are plans for peace...to give you a future filled with hope..." Carol McDonald, Synod Executive and Steve Braden, Honorably Retired, encouraged those gathered to continue being involved in this visioning process through the online survey and participating in remaining retreats.
  • Elected Ruling Elder Jill Kitowski, The Presbyterian Church, LaPorte, as Vice Moderator of Assembly for 2014; Nick Hill, Thorntown Presbyterian Church, as member of COM; and Steve Braden, Honorably Retired, as Vice Moderator of Visioning Ministry Team and member of Council.
  • Approved written criteria proposed by COM for validating non-parish ministries annually.
  • Approved the fiscal year 2013-14 budget for presbytery shared mission and basic operations, noting no increase in the presbytery portion of per capita during this transitional year of re-envisioning the ministry of presbytery.
  • Voted to approve all amendments to the PC(USA) Constitution proposed by the 220th General Assembly, except to vote no on 12-B, intended to amend G-2.0104a on gifts and qualifications for ordination.
  • Recognized those teaching elders recently approved as Honorably Retired,
    PWV Retirees
    Rev. John Gilbert, Rev. Stan Wilson, Andy, Rev. Marge & Rev. Steve Braden 
    with stories about Steve Braden from seminary classmate Gretchen Seidler-Gibbs; about Stan Wilson as told by Stan Kessler; and about John Gilbert, as written by his wife, Sally.
  • Heard liaison John Ritchie, Huntington First PC,  explain three proposed models for allocating costs between congregations and members for medical benefits dues under consideration by the Board of Pensions.
  • Voted to approve terms of agreement to dismiss Faith Presbyterian Church, West Lafayette, to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and expressed gratitude to the Administrative Commission and its moderator Justin Schlesinger-Devlin, Dayton Memorial Presbyterian Church, as it seeks to complete its work.
  • Enjoyed a role play presentation by New Ministry Development Team members Anna Parkinson, Goshen First PC and David Lawrence, Elkhart First PC, as they demonstrated ways to engage in conversation, one-on-one, to invite others into the church community.
  • Welcomed nine Elder Commissioners attending assembly for the first time, and celebrated ordination anniversaries of 23 teaching elders with gifts provided by the Ministerial Excellence Fund.

Celebration of Ordination

Thank you for your ministry and your service... 

  • May 25, 1986 - Rev. David Herron, Honorably Retired
  • May 29, 1983 - Rev. Paul Anderson, Dyer Presbyterian Church

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 [email protected].   

In This Issue
100 Participating in the Work of the Church
Celebration of Ordination
Prayers of the Presbytery
2 Congregations...18 Confirmands
Support our Military Families & Personnel
3b Program
PDA Clean-up Buckets Needed
Where is Frank
PWV Calendar
SAVE THE DATES
2013 COUNCIL
June 25, 2013
July 23, 2013
August 27, 2013
October 22, 2013
December 10, 2013
  
2013 ASSEMBLY
September 13-14, 2013
November 19, 2013

Join Our Mailing List!

Quick Links
Click below on PDA to find out how you can help tornado victims in Oklahoma & others.
PDA
Checks can be made out and sent to the Presbytery of Wabash Valley. Noting in the memo "PDA" will ensure your contribution reaches Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to help those in need.

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Sy
nod of Lincoln Trails
May 22, 2013
 Leadership Update


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Click on the following Graphic to find out more about the Joshua Journey
Joshua Journey Logo

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Congregation Preservation Grant Applications Due October 31, 2013
For more information:
www.history.pcusa.org


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North Central  Wee Kirk

Small Church Conference

Tuesday, October 1 - Thursday, October 3, 2013

Potawatomi Inn

For More Information Contact: Ellen McGormley 734-652-7147 [email protected] or www.pfrenewal.org 

 

 

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                    Seasons of Faith                  

           Covenant Gathering 2013           

June 30 - July 5

Michindoh Conference Center

Hillsdale, Michigan

Find more information at

www.covenantgathering.com  

 

 

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Resource Center

In Partnership with PWV

Congregational Resource Center 

   

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ALBAN WEEKLY

 

SPIDEY SENSE

by Bob Sitze

 

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View God Calls Weekly eNews

Past Issues 

 
 


CONGREGATIONAL EVENTS OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC


DOWN EAST BOYS
In Concert
Wednesday, May 29
7:00 pm (CT)
Deer Creek
 Presbyterian Church
4450 N SR 29
Camden, IN 46917
574-859-3671

 

 

 

 

 

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Prayers of the Presbytery

LabCross

Lord, we thank you for walking with us daily. In our many challenges, please keep us focused on pleasing you. We pray those in Oklahoma know that you are here to comfort them in this time of so much devastation and loss. May our armed forces feel our love and support as we acknowledge their daily courage this Memorial Day weekend.  

 

Lord we hold up The Rev. Dr. Sally Wicks, The Presbyterian Church LaPorte as we honor her accomplishment of graduating from Louisville Seminary with a Doctorate of Ministry degree.

 

Holy God, we ask your comfort & well-being for Rev. Bill Hudson, First Presbyterian Church, Merrillville.

 

Rev. Louis Sandos, Honorably Retired, needs continued prayers as he anticipates a second eye surgery to correct a detached retina.  

  

We continue to hold Rev. Wayne Rhodes, in prayer as he seeks diagnosis at Cleveland Clinic next week for his ongoing medical issues. 

 

We hold Synod of Lincoln Trails Judy Lucas, Executive Assistant in prayer as she undergoes surgery.

Rev. Frank Vardeman, General Presbyter, needs our prayers as he suffers from an intestinal blockage.
 
Lord God, we give you thanks and praise for Westminster Presbyterian Church Munster as they have faithfully served your church since 1962.  

 

We pray in Jesus' holy name. Amen.  

Two Congregations...
              18 Confirmands become new members

       
2013 Confirmation Class of Bethel Presbyterian Church, Union Mills  
  
Union Mills 2013 Confirmands
(Front, L-R) Kyleigh Werner, Cienna Wildfong, Megan Cummings, Morgan Wright (Back, L-R) Pastor John Beehler, Blake Werner, Riley Popplewell, Mikayla Eaton, Wyatt Dittmar, Derek Budka


 

 2013 Confirmation Class of Sunnyside Presbyterian Church, South Bend

 

Sunnyside 2013 Confirmands
(L-R) Pastor Jamie Miller, Leo Romanetz, Kristiin Miller, Joey Varga, Mercy Kimani, Brian Tyler, Caroline Miller, Justin Savage, Andrew Fair, RT Williams.

 

You good and faithful servants! 

Memorial Day is May 27th...
Support Our Military Families and Personnel



Find resources for churches at Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military Personnel (PCCMP) or make a gift to the Presbyterian Mission Agency to support PCCMP's ministry.

God of Surprises

Alice Yacullo, Clerk of Session First Presbyterian Church, Michigan City

 

It was over a year ago when my friend, Lois Miley, had asked me to join her in a ministry called the 3B Program. This body, brains, and belief holistic exercise program originated through Smock Ministries and targets Presbyterian seniors in Indiana.

 

Lois had just completed a three-year term on our Board of Deacons at First Presbyterian Church, Michigan City and I had just completed a one-year term on Presbyter3b Programy's Nominating Committee. The timing was right and I could see Lois and I combining our gifts to lead 3B classes. Being a retired teacher, Lois is a great organizer and laid the ground work to get us started. I have always been attuned to exercise and value both education and spiritual disciplines. This was a good fit for us.

             

We both envisioned this as a gift for the senior members of our church. In our minds it was about them; about their health, their enjoyment, their faith, and their community with one another. The program took off and we have completed three sessions, with people still on the waiting list.

 

It is important to note here that, like many other congregations, life together at FPCMC has not always run smoothly, and past turbulences has left some scars on our relationships with one another. It was a personal hope of mine that 3B would be an instrument of healing and reconciliation "for them." To my astonishment though, 3B turned out to be so much more, as I had underestimated the power of true giving and caring. Yes, 3B had accomplished not only what I had hoped for, but something for which I had not.

 

I was overwhelmed with an unexpected grace that could only come from God. The healing and reconciliation I wanted for "them" had flowed over to where I found myself lifted in a buoyancy of peace. I can only compare this new way of being as one who has been plagued by a nagging pain, only to awaken one day and find it gone. On the threshold of Session #4 of 3B I silently add a fourth B: blessing.  

 

I am reassured by Jesus' words in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

PDA


Urgent need for clean-up buckets

 
More storms require much needed assistance...

 Recently, PDA National Response Team members assembled 500 clean-up buckets as part of their service project during the annual conference.  Those buckets are among the 2,500 Church World Service (CWS) Clean-up Buckets on the way to help families who will return to the daunting task of beginning to clean up what the flood waters and tornadoes have leave behind.
 
CWS has recently sent an urgent appeal for additional clean-up buckets because with the recent shipment to Illinois, the supply of buckets is rapidly diminishing.  Barry Shade, CWS associate director for U.S. disaster response, said that there is an expectation that Illinois will have additional requests - and so will other places in the coming months.  "We hope to be able to respond without delay," says Shade.

Bulletin inserts listing the contents and instructions for filling the buckets can be downloaded from the PDA Web site or you may send an email to [email protected] and we will send you the bulletin inserts you can choose from and print to share with your congregation.
 
The clean-up buckets bear necessary supplies such as sponges and soap, but they are also a reminder of hope and an example of Christian compassion.  See stories from congregations across the country who have creatively participated in this ministry - and share your story, too.
Rev Frank Feb 2013  
Where is your General Presbyter
   Rev. Frank Vardeman
            
 
Wednesday, May 29
Lafayette Pastors Gathering
Pastoral Visit



CALENDAR OF EVENTS & MEETINGS

 

Thursday, May 23

CANCELLED -Transformation Ministry Team  

 

Monday, May 27

MEMORIAL DAY - PRESBYTERY OFFICE CLOSED  

 

Thursday, June 6

10 am - Commission on Ministry

 

Tuesday, June 11

2 pm - Visioning Ministry Team (Go-to-meeting)

 

Thursday, June 13

10 am - Nominating Committee

10 am - Stewardship Ministry Team (Go-to-meeting)  

 

Tuesday, June 18

10 am - Geneva Center Ministry Team 

 

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 regarding meetings and events or call 574-223-5678.

PWV & Geneva Center Staff Contact Information
Presbytery Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 to 4:00 pm

General Presbyter ~ Rev. Frank Vardeman  ~ 574-223-5678 ext 101
Stated Clerk ~ Elder Linda L. Long ~ 219-926-7098
Office Manager ~ Gladys Sargent ~ 574-223-5678 ext 102
Church Relations Coordinator ~ Elder Vicki Dreibelbis ~ 574-223-5678 ext 100
Financial Consultant ~ Elder Eric Herzog ~ 574-223-5678 ext 105
IT Consultant ~ Bonnie Kern ~ 574-223-5678 ext 109
Geneva Center Manager ~ Cathy Adley ~ 574-223-6915 ext 200
Geneva Center Maintenance Director ~ Jeff Winegardener ~ 574-223-6915 ext 204 

Presbytery of Wabash Valley