Presbytery of Wabash Valley
Office Hours: 8 - 4 Monday - Friday
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November 26, 2014
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Rossville Presbyterian Church
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Passage to Ponder... John 21:15-16 (NRSV)Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep."
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imperfect people
living in an imperfect world
joined in an imperfect church
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Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There's a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.
I was reminded of these stanzas by Leonard Cohen while reading the ninth book in Louise Penny's wonderful Three Pines mysteries (a series that should be read in Presbyterian fashion -- decently and in order). As we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas, I think Cohen's lines speak to us.
We are imperfect people, living in an imperfect world, joined in an imperfect church. Our holidays, however we may spend them, will be imperfect. Our families, however they are constituted, are imperfect. And yet, at Christmas we celebrate the coming of the perfect light of God's love, revealed in Jesus Christ.
We have this treasure in earthen vessels, the Apostle Paul says. We are all cracked pots, if not downright crackpots. Our hearts have been broken; our dreams of perfection have been shattered. We are sadly aware of the ways that others -- and we ourselves, if we are honest -- have failed to live up to our hopes and expectations.
And yet it is often the very cracks in our armor, the broken places in our hearts, that let in the light of God's love. If we focus not on the absence of perfection, but on the presence of the light, our experience changes. We can rejoice in the love and promise of new life that Christ brings.
These holidays, let us indeed ring the bells that still can ring. Let us celebrate that, however these holidays find us, we can enjoy the loving embrace of our church family, and receive anew the hope of the incarnation. Let us open ourselves to the light of Christ, shining the darkness that cannot overcome it - even if that light enters through our own broken places.
Steve Braden, Transitional Pastor,
First Presbyterian Church of Mishawaka
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PRAYERS of the PRESBYTERY
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 A thankful heart, filled with praise is the most precious gift we can offer our Lord. May his love and wisdom always help to guide us on our way. May we be full of joy as we remember the blessings we've so richly received.
Please lift those listed below in prayer: - All of our Mission workers
- Those of unspoken need
We pray for and with Rossville Presbyterian Church who has faithfully served their community and followed you Lord since 1834. Amen.
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The Presbytery of Wabash Valley
and
First Presbyterian Church
Cordially Invites You to the
Installation Service
of
Rev. Rebecca Kuiken
&
Rev. Sarah Sanderson-Doughty
Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 4:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
200 E Beardsley Ave.
Elkhart, IN 46514
(map)
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Save the Dates
2014 COUNCIL
December 9
2015 ASSEMBLY
February 24
May 15
September 18-19
November 17
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Ministry Quick Links
Helping Indiana Congregations find and use resources
Upcoming Workshops
Congregations and Community Engagement: Finding the Right Fit
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Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo
November Update
Click Here to Read
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The Seven-Year Itch by Dave Odom |
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"The real thing creates its own poetry."Rev. Amy Cornell, Chaplain at White's Residential & Family Services of Wabash
As I was ordained in White's Chapel
A few months ago, I had high hopes of what the day would be like: members of the Greater Indiana Church Community and our students locking arms and singing 'Kumbuyah.'
As the day approached, my anxiety started to rise. There were ratios to worry about, and dress codes, and kids coming back from home passes, and melding worship styles, and, and, and....
Last Wednesday, I said to my husband, "Why did you let me think that joining White's kids and a bunch of Presbyterians was going to be a good idea?"
"It's going to be great," he chuckled. I wasn't so sure.
Once Sunday afternoon arrived, I was in a full panic. Five young ladies were supposed to sing "Amazing Grace" as an ensemble. We had practiced it over Sunday morning, and they were on point.
But one girl backed out twenty minutes before service started. Two members of the group threatened to punch her for 'disrespecting Miss Amy on her special day.' I had to remind the ladies that punching someone out for deciding not to sing "Amazing Grace" was not very gracious.
They backed down. At the very last minute, the group got it together.
As the service started, the Holy Spirit showed up.
The Praise Team got up and showed the Presbyterians how it's done. The 'Frozen Chosen' were clapping along with all our students. The air was thick with Love and Unity that only comes through Jesus Christ.
One tough student from Cottage 6 told a campus supervisor he never sang in chapel before, but on Sunday he "sang his heart out."
As I knelt before our students to be anointed for ministry, I looked out into the crowd. Our students were sobbing. I was sobbing: ugly cry sobbing. It was a holy moment.
My brother David called me this evening, reflecting on the ordination. He said, "What I loved about the night was that it wasn't stiff and perfect. It was messy and beautiful. It was exactly what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about."
So today, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you.
Thank you for letting me come along side you in living out this messy Gospel.
A Gospel that isn't scripted.
A Gospel that loves kids right where they are.
A Gospel that isn't afraid of failures and dysfunction.
A Gospel that is brave enough to say: "No matter what you've done, no matter where you've been: I love you with everything that I am and
NOTHING... NOTHING... NOTHING ... will ever change my love for you."
Isaiah 42:5-7 (NIV): This is what God the Lord says - the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and the a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."
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Six Members of First PC Crown Point Spend a Week Rehabbing Homes in New Orleans
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Rev. David Wood, First Presbyterian Church ,Crown Point
How appropriate that the Lectionary text is from Matthew 25 and it concerns the Final Judgment after a week rehabbing homes in New Orleans. The areas of the Lower Ninth Ward and in East New Orleans were t he hardest hit, but also where her poorest citizens (and predominantly black) lived. It wasn't Hurricane Katrina that caused most of the damage but in the days following when the rivers became so swollen that the levees eventually broke. Over 220,000 homes were flooded. Now, eight years after Katrina, one in five homes in the area is still blighted and it holds the highest rate of abandoned homes in the country. There is so much work to be done in New Orleans and it will be decades before it will return to any kind of normalcy, if ever.
This was why six of us went down there - to connect with Project Homecoming, build new relationships, and offer whatever help we could. Project Homecoming was originally begun by a Presbyterian minister with the help of Presbyterian Disaster Relief. In the eight years since its founding, over 11,000 volunteers have contributed over 380,000 hours of their donated time, labor, and resources to bring relief to the inhabitants of that city. We spent the week working on a home belonging to a woman named Valerie where we installed flooring tile and painted. She suffers from Autism, and where many persons with this condition
don't effect much emotion, she was overwhelmed by the work we were doing on her home. An interesting side-note was that one of the foremen on the job was from my area in New Jersey and it turned out that his mother not only grew up in the same town I did but graduated from the same high school, although I did have a few years on her. A group of Presbyterians from Kansas were working on another house and this was their SIXTH time down there; they're already planning ANOTHER return trip next year.
Should we choose to return next year, my hope is that others will decide to go with us and experience the same joy and satisfaction we felt throughout that week. You just might hear a faint whisper, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me in, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me."
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Religion News Service
Kimberly Winston
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Court rejects atheists' demand to end tax break for clergy housing
A federal court of appeals rejected a case brought by an atheist organization that would have declared tax-exempt clergy housing allowances-often a large chunk of a pastor's compensation-unconstitutional. Learn More>>
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EVANGELISM and CHURCH GROWTH
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Go. Disciple. Live.
 If you believe the church of Jesus Christ is dying, then STOP. We see the church of Jesus Christ alive. Find out how our work in Evangelism and Church Growth ministries supports this belief.
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Sing Glory to God This Christmas!
The Advent and Christmas seasons are both times of increased congregational song. People come to worship specifically to hear the choir sing special music, and to add their voices on much-beloved hymns. It is, thus, a perfect time to introduce a few new pieces amidst the feast of favorites. The Christmas section in Glory to God expanded from previous hymnals.
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Click Here to Download a Sampling of Public Domain Christmas Hymns for Use in your Church This Season!
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Where is your General Presbyter
Rev. Frank Vardeman
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Monday, December 1
- Presbytery Office
Thursday, December 4
- Presbytery Office
- Commission on Ministry
Friday & Saturday, December 5 & 6
- Synod Collegium Chicago
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Upcoming Events and Meetings
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 Thursday & Friday, November 27 & 28
Presbytery Office Closed - Happy Thanksgiving
Tuesday, December 2
10 am - Geneva Center Ministry Team
CANCELLED - Commission on Preparation for Ministry
Thursday, December 4
10 am - Commission on Ministry
Sunday, December 7
4 pm - Sarah Sanderson-Doughty & Rebecca Kuiken Installation at Elkhart First Presbyterian Church (map)
Tuesday, December 9
10 am - Council
Thursday, December 11
10 am - Stewardship Ministry Team (Go-to-Meeting)
Thursday, December 18
10 am - Commission on Ministry (Go-to-Meeting)
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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Every week, we publish this eNewsletter to hundreds of Wabash Valley and PC(USA) members and also post online! The Church Relations Coordinator accepts articles for entry and is actively seeking new and original content sharing how your congregation is engaged in ministry. We would especially like to share photo's and stories of your confirmands, new members, VBS, miaaion trips and other special ministries that are occurring in your congregation and community. Please forward your stories and photos to vicki@ourpresbytery.org, due each Friday. |
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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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