Presbytery of Wabash Valley
Office Hours: 8 - 4 Monday - Friday
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September 3, 2014
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God
Calls
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Passage to Ponder... 1 Peter 4:8
Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.
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COOKIES & KAIROS MINISTRY ENCOURAGE FORGIVENESS
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from Rev. Louis Sandos, Honorably Retired
The first thing I want to say is a big THANK YOU to the Rossville Presbyterian Church Mission Committee and to all the members who help support Kairos Ministry at Westville Correctional Facility.
The Mission Committee set aside April 21st for making 100 dozen chocolate chip cookies for me to take to the prison. The goal for this week-end event was 4,000 dozen. What good will that do, you might ask, aside from giving prisoners a sugar-high? We have various uses for these cookies, aside from giving people a treat such as they may not have had since entering the prison.
One of the major ways for using cookies is as a forgiveness incentive. While we are encouraging men in the Kairos program to strengthen their friendship with God, we spend one evening working on forgiveness. Believing that we are forgiven by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as a reality, is balanced with
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We taught our guests two "mantras", if you will:
1) BE A FRIEND! MAKE A FRIEND! BRING A FRIEND TO CHRIST!
2) WHO IS THE CHURCH? WE ARE THE CHURCH!
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the necessity of forgiving others. After our last session on Saturday evening, in which we thoroughly examined this concept, we sent them back to their dorms with a dozen cookies (two packages) with the instructions that they are to give these to a person or persons with whom they have had the rockiest relationship and say, "I want you to forgive me!"
One of the gentlemen in my group reported the next morning how hard that was. First of all, the person with whom he hoped to share his cookies didn't want to let him approach. He said he spent some time that evening praying for God to help him complete
this mission. Finally, he was able to find his enemy-soon-to-be-friend in his room.
"I just tossed the cookies on his lap and said something like,' I brought these especially for you!'"
In just a little while the recipient of the cookies sought him out. "Tears streaming down his face, he came to me, and we had the first friendly conversation that we have ever had! It worked!"
Some of these victories seem small, friends, and it is difficult for us to know how far reaching they might become. I worked with a gentleman on this team for three straight years before I knew something that he shared with the prisoners this week-end:
"I spent my younger years in and out of prison," he said. "In fact I have been behind bars here in Westville three times, and I wasn't about to change my ways until I went through a KAIROS week-end like this one. My life has been changed forever! I accepted Christ as my Savior for the first time while I was still in prison, and I have lived for Him ever since!"
We taught our guests two "mantras", if you will:
1) BE A FRIEND! MAKE A FRIEND! BRING A FRIEND TO CHRIST! 2) WHO IS THE CHURCH? WE ARE THE CHURCH!
I find the challenge of taking Christ's mission to prisoners to be very much blessed by God!
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PRAYERS of the PRESBYTERY
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God of all races, nations, and religions, You know that we cannot change others, nor can we change the past. But we can change ourselves. We can join You in changing our only and common future where you 'reign' the same over all. Help us not to say, "Lord, Lord" to any tribal gods, but to hear the One God of all the earth, and to do God's good thing for this One World.
Please lift those listed below in prayer:
- Rev. Marcia Smith-Wood, Spiritual Director
- All of our mission co-workers
We pray for and with First Presbyterian Church of Walkerton who has faithfully served their community and followed you O' Lord.
We pray this in the name of Christ the Savior. Amen.
Prayer by Richard Rohr
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Save the Dates
2014 COUNCIL
October 21
December 9
2014 ASSEMBLY
September 12-13 Retreat
November 18
2014 RECORDS REVIEW
Saturday, September 6 - Lafayette Elston PC
Friday, September 12- Geneva Center
Boundaries and Ethics Training
10 am to 3 pm - Thursday, October 2, 2014
10 am to 3 pm - Saturday, October 4, 2014
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CONGREGATIONAL EVENTS & OFFERINGS
Crown Point First Presbyterian
Mission Emphasis Weekend
September 20 - 21, 2014
Guest Speakers will be
Mission Co-Workers with
Presbyterian Border Ministry,
Rev. Mark Adams
and
Miriam Maldonado Escobar
More Info Contact the church at 219-663-2255
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Flora Presbyterian Church has about 75 hymnals Hymns for the Living Church, published by Hope Publishing Company in 1974, available to donate to any congregation that would like to have them. Please call Rev. Mary Ann Banning at 513-504-0539 to inquire.
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Thank you for your ministry and your service...
- September 1, 1981 - Rev. Bill Hambright, Hudson, Salem Presbyterian Church
- September 1, 1968 - Rev. Stanley Kessler, Honorably Retired
- September 8, 1991 - Rev. Jordy Truman, Kendallville, First 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 vicki@ourpresbytery.org.
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You are Cordially Invited
to
Celebrate the 35th Ordination Anniversary of
Rev. Marcia Smith-Wood
Sunday, September 21st, at 2:00 p.m. (Central)
at
First Presbyterian Church
220 N Cullen St.
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A great big THANK YOU goes to the generous contributor who is funding the cleaning of the pond at Geneva Center.
 | Geneva Center's Clean Pond
Photo Provided by Carrie Munson, Deer Creek Presbyterian Church
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Wabash Valley 221st GA Commissioners' Presentation & Conversation
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Join the Carroll County Presbyterian Churches as they host a General Assembly Commissioners' Presentation & Conversation.
This hour long program will provide an opportunity to learn more about what occurred at the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) this summer in Detroit, Michigan. There will be a brief presentation by the commissioners from the Presbytery of Wabash Valley followed by a question & answer conversation.
Here are the specifics:
What: GA Commissioners' Presentation & Conversation
When: Wednesday, 9/10/14 from 7:00-8:00pm EDT
Where: Burrows Presbyterian Church; Burrows, Indiana (map)
I hope you and members of your congregation can join us for this conversation. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact:
Rev. William "Bill" McLean, II
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
213 S. Indiana Street
Delphi, IN 46923
765-564-2371 (church)
pastor@delphipres.org
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Introducing new store and customer service number
Congregational Ministries Publishing (CMP) and Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC) are collaborating to provide joint distribution of all resources. The new website, pcusastore.com, will provide easy navigation and the opportunity for customers to manage their accounts and track orders, while still allowing PC(USA) churches the convenience of billing to their current church PIN.
Those wishing to order by phone may call 800-533-4371. Representatives are standing by to answer customer inquiries in English, Spanish, and Korean. Questions regarding the change in distribution and the new website may be directed to curriculum@pcusa.org.
Read full article, introducing this collaboration.
Free shipping on CMP curriculum
Congregational Ministries Publishing is offering free shipping for CMP curriculum orders of $25 or more that are placed through pcusastore.com. This offer runs through October 31, 2014.
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Have Americans made God in their image?
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An interview with Matthew Paul Turner
Religion News Service
Jonathan Merritt
If you play a word association game with "God," Americans might respond with "unchanging," "eternal," or "forever." But what if America's perception of God is always changing with their whims and wishes and cultural proclivities?
Matthew Paul Turner, popular blogger and author, is raising this question in his new book, Our Great Big American God: A Short History of Our Ever-Growing Deity. He argues that we have made God "like a naked paper doll, one that free individuals could and would dress up into whatever Americanized deity they liked."
Here, we discuss this concept, who he believes has shaped it, and why he predicts God will "grow" in America.
RNS: What is the "American God," and how is it uniquely American?
MPT: The American God is God as perceived by Americans. Which means America's God comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and doctrines and his Americanized traits vary according to individuals, groups, denominations, sects, even geographies. This isn't a new trend, rather our historical narrative suggests it is something we've been doing since the very beginning. Americans' habit of affecting, re-imagining, shaping, and changing God's story started with the Puritans. And it has evolved according to the needs and events happening among America's people.
Continue Reading
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Where is your General Presbyter
Rev. Frank Vardeman
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Thursday, September 4
- Presbytery Office
- Commission on Ministry
Tuesday, September 9
- Presbytery Office
Thursday, September 11
- Presbytery Office
- Stewardship Ministry Team (Go-To-Meeting)
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.
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Upcoming Events and Meetings
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Thursday, September 4
10 am - Commission on Ministry
Saturday, September 6
9 am - Records Review - Elston Presbyterian Church Lafayette (map)Wednesday, September 107 pm - GA Commissioners Conversation at Burrows Presbyterian Church (map)Thursday, September 1110 am - Stewardship Ministry Team (Go-To-Meeting) Friday, September 122 pm - Clerk's Workshop & Records Review 5 pm - Assembly Retreat Saturday, September 138 am - Assembly Retreat
All meetings & events 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.
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Presbytery of Wabash Valley & Geneva Center Contact InformationFinancial Consultant ~ Eric Herzog ~ 574-223-5678 ext 105 Geneva Center Manager ~ Cathy Adley ~ 574-223-6915 ext 200 Geneva Center Maintenance Director ~ Jeff Winegardener ~ 574-223-6915 ext 204
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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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