Presbytery of Wabash Valley
Office Hours: 8 - 4 Monday - Friday
 
February 5, 2014
God Calls

!st Week Geneva Center Summer Campers
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Passage to Ponder  Romans 8:18-25

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the gory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from it bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.  For in hope we were saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
                         
                                                                                          (from the Rev. Justin Schlesinger-Devlin)

In the Midst of the Cold Winds of Loss
Remember the Good News of the Resurrection 
by Rev. Justin Schlesinger-Devlin, Memorial Presbyterian Church Dayton

On the first Sunday of January, the elders and I made the
decision to cancel Sunday worship due to the snow and bitter cold arctic winds. I had never experienced what it was like to cancel worship, and discovered sleeping in on a Sunday morning was quite an unusual feeling!

Several weeks later, while attending the Confirmation Retreat with our youth at the Geneva Center in Rochester, there was another significant snow fall. Since I was so far from home, I touched base with several other pastors at the retreat and called  several elders from our church about whether we should be considering canceling worship again. Each group of Hoosiers gave me a similar answer which in essence was, "No. This is normal Indiana snow." Basically what I was told is,  "This is the way it is around here." The temperature drops and the wind blows, the snow falls and roads become precarious to traverse, but this is all really just par for the course.

Embracing the way it is, concerning the cold hard facts of the weather in Indiana, is understandable. We accept and adapt and move on.  Period.  End of story.  But embracing the cold hard facts of life, and death, is not.

As I sit here writing the February Pastor's Epistle, yet another arctic blast is bearing down upon us, but it isn't the weather that I'm thinking about this morning, but rather the sheer volume of death and loss I have recently heard of and have myself experienced. Within a mere handful of weeks there has been a significant rise in just how many members of our congregation have experienced the passing of beloved family members, close friends, and trusted and treasured colleagues and co-workers. I myself recently learned of the passing of my hometown pastor's wife, and then heard again more news from home about the  death of a friend of mine who was a captain I worked many hours with, who was a kind of father figure to me.

There is a saying I was introduced to a number of years ago,
which depending on the situation, can be quite apropos or ill fitting. The saying is, "It is what it is." When talking about the weather, the saying is apropos; when talking about the inevitability of death, it is ill fitting and incorrect.

When someone we love passes away, what we need to remember is that death is neither the "way it is", nor is something to accept because "it is what it is". While it's unfortunately sad but true that we suffer the loss of those we know and love, it is also true that death is not the final word concerning life. In fact, this "bondage to decay" as Paul describes it, is a suffering we experience only in the present, but doesn't compare to the redemption of our bodies, of our very lives, which is the eternal glory of being set free to be the children of God that we were created to be. But that is later, and this is now. And as Paul reminds us, it is in the present that creation itself is "groaning" as it patiently waits for this all to come to pass.

It is in the present that we experience the cold winds of loss that sometimes seem to blow us away from remembering
the good news of the resurrection. Therefore I want to remind you, and myself, that while we may not be able to see the future of the hope of which we await, we do indeed know and trust that it is a future that is coming.  As sure as spring is around the corner, so is our eternal lives with the Lord.

My beloved speaks and Dogwoodsays to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come"  
Song of Solomon 2: 1-12
In This Issue
In the Midst of the Cold Winds of Loss
Prayers of the Presbytery
Celebration of Ordination
McDonald Memorial Service Arrangements
Reminder to Clerks of Sessions
An Alban Special Event for Small Churches
Order Eco-Palms for Holy Week
Hudson to Celebrate 30 Years in Ministry
Save the Dates

2014 COUNCIL
POSTPONED - January 21
to Tuesday, February 11
March 25
April 29
June 24
July 15
August 26
October 21
December 9

2014 ASSEMBLY
February 25
May 20 (Wabash Ave. PC, Crawfordsville)
September 12-13
November 18

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Evangelism and Church Growth conference (ECG2014) -
Go. Disciple. Live
.  
August 11-14, 2014
 TradeWinds Resort
St. Pete Beach, Florida.



Ministry Quick Links


BoP Board Connections
Updated Tax Tools Are Available

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Congregational Leadership Awards

Awards of $1000 granted to congregations doing innovative ministry ~ Applications are due by February 15, 2014

Click for More Information


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Stewardship Kaleidoscope for elders, pastors, presbytery staff, & volunteers.
March 17-19, 2014
St. Louis, MO
Registration Information


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Center for Congregations  

 Center for Congregations
helping congregations find and use resources

Funding Your Ministry Projects: Strategy and Action for Congregations

Grants and Initiatives
The Center has two types of grants programs - the Resource Grants Program and the Major Grants Initiative.
Learn More...



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ALBAN WEEKLY
  
by Adam Walker Cleaveland      

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Prayers of the Presbytery

 

God of all creation, help us to be patient with ourselves, that we each allow ourselves to be present in each moment. Teach us patience in such a way that all our worries and fears be not hindrances, but opportunities to trust you more.     

 
Please pray healing for Sarah Hambright, daughter of Rev. William Hambright, Salem Center Presbyterian Church Hudson, as she recovers from many broken and fractured bone sustained in a serious automobile accident in Florida on January 25.

May we continue to hold Rev. Carol McDonald, Synod of Lincoln Trails Executive and Minister Member of Presbytery of Wabash Valley, in prayer.

 

Please remember all those who have who are cold and hungry and lonely.

 

May your loving guidance continue to be with Flora Presbyterian Church as they continually and faithfully serve their community and you since May 28, 1906. 

 

It is in Your precious and holy name we pray, saying, Amen.

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Celebration of Ordination
Thank you for your ministry and your service...
  • February 10, 1990 - Rev. Mary Ann Banning, Minister Member at Large
  • February 11, 1990 - Rev. Pat Kuhs, Honorably Retired

If you have been omitted or your information in incorrect please accept my apology. Help to update your records by sending your current information to vicki@ourpresbytery.org.  

Memorial Service Planned for Rev. Dr. David McDonald

A memorial service to celebrate the life of
the Reverend Dr. David List McDonald
will be held on Saturday, February 15 at 11:00 am

at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, IN.     

Note from Stated Clerk:

 

Thanks to the 20 congregations of the presbytery who have responded to the Clerk's Annual Questionnaire and submitted the Session's statistical information.  Only 65 more congregations to go!  Remember, the last day to enter your data online is Thursday, February 20, 2014.  If you miss that date, the last day Gladys will be able to enter statistics for you is Friday, March 7, 2014.  Link for page on which to enter your data and to find help is http://oga.pcusa.org/section/churchwide-ministries/stats/

If you haven't done so already, please forward updated congregational information and contact information of your Session and Deacon leaders to vicki@ourpresbytery.org  for the 2014 PWV Directory and to be included in the communications from the presbytery office including God Calls.

 

 

  Alban Weekly Logo

 
Adventures in Vitality: An Alban Special Event for Small Churches   
Congregations with Fewer than 150 in Worship
May 13-15, 2014
Registration Information 

Location: Doubletree Hotel Downtown, Omaha, NE 

Choose your own lodging: Use the Doubletree's special event rate or make other arrangements.
 

 Eco-Palms for Holy Week

graphic-fern-blue.gif To celebrate Palm Sunday, the Presbyterian Hunger Program partners with Eco-Palms to bring you branches truly worthy of celebration.  Your church's purchase of Eco-Palms for Palm Sunday ensures fair wages, environmental protection training and development assistance for harvesting communities throughout the rainforests of Guatemala and Mexico.  Palms are harvested sustainably and processed in the harvesting communities, ensuring more of the benefit goes to the workers and towns where the palms are grown.  Last year, almost 1,000 PC(USA) congregations purchased Eco-Palms for Palm Sunday.  Help more harvesters and their families by ordering Eco-Palms this year.  To order Eco-Palms, learn more about the harvesting communities, and download congregational materials visit www.pcusa.org/palms.
 
RESCHEDULED
30th Ordination Celebration
for
The Rev. William L. Hudson
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2014
Beginning at 5:00 pm (CT)
Celebration Service
Dinner Reception to follow by calling the church for reservations 219-736-0707

First Presbyterian Church -7898 Taft St - Merrillville, IN  
                                           

Rev Frank Feb 2013


Where is your General Presbyter
 Rev. Frank Vardeman

Thursday, February 6
- Commission on Ministry (Go-to-meeting)
Sunday, February 9
- First Presbyterian Church Hammond
- Rev. Hudson 30th Ordination Anniversary Celebration
Tuesday, February 11
- Presbytery Office
- Council

 

To inquire or invite Rev. Frank Vardeman, General Presbyter, to visit your church, please feel free to contact Gladys - 574-223-5678 or gladys@ourpresbytery.org.

 

Upcoming Events and Meetings

 

Severe Weather Policy

The PWV office follows the Rochester Community School Corporation's weather delay and/or cancellation decision. Voice mail at the office will include the status of meetings scheduled.  

To confirm meeting status don't hesitate to call 574-223-5678.

 

  
Thursday, February 6
10 am - Commission on Ministry (Go-to-meeting)

Sunday, February 9
4 pm (ET)/5 pm (CT) - Rev. Bill Hudson 30 Anniversary of Ordination Celebration First PC Merrillville  (RSVP Required) (map)   RESCHEDULED

Tuesday, February 11
10 am - Council

Wednesday, February 12

Noon (CT)/1 pm (ET) - Northwest Church Professionals Gathering- First Presbyterian Church Valparaiso (map)

Tuesday, February 18
10 am - Commission on Preparation for Ministry

Thursday, February 20
10 am - Commission on Ministry Leaders
11 am - Joshua Journey 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 regarding meetings and events or call 574-223-5678.

Presbytery of Wabash Valley & Geneva Center Contact Information

Board of Pensions Liaison ~ Rev. John Ritchie ~ 260-356-8680
General Presbyter ~ Rev. Frank Vardeman ~ 574-223-5678 ext 101
Stated Clerk ~ Elder Linda Long ~ 219-926-7098
Office Manager ~ Gladys Sargent ~ 574-223-5678 ext 102
Financial Consultant ~ Eric Herzog ~ 574-223-5678 ext 105
Church Relations Coordinator ~ Elder Vicki Dreibelbis ~ 574-223-5678 ext 100
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
Nourished by the living waters of Jesus Christ,

we awaken, enliven and enhance worshiping communities

to courageously extend their branches  

and bear new fruit in the Spirit.

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