From the Presbytery's Disaster Response Team:

 

DISASTER  PREPAREDNESS FOR OUR PRESBYTERY

 

It's Springtime in our section of the country and the threat of swift-striking storms is ever on the horizon!!!

 

Presbytery is prepared to put into action a system of responses to "Screen Simultaneous Walk-on Volunteers" and guide people to safety and help in case of a disaster. Here's how it will work:

                   

1)  Judd Shaw, General Presbyter, on receiving notice of need from the Red Cross, will put one of at least 4 "Screening Teams" into action.

                   

2)  Volunteers will be directed to the designated screening place (usually a church near the disaster site).

                   

3)  Volunteers will then be registered, screened by members of the training team at that site and told what to do, where to go, and dispatched to their duty assignment.

 

PLEASE WATCH FOR ALERTS AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS WHEN GIVEN.

          

August 1-3 in Louisville KY

    

Under one roof, the 2013 Big Tent will combine 10 national Presbyterian conferences and a single theme: "Placing God's First Things First" (Matt. 6:33-34). It will take place August 1-3 at the Kentucky International Convention Center and nearby hotels in downtown Louisville.

  

All are welcome! This event is for those who are new to Presbyterian conferences and organizations, as well as for members and previous attendees of one or more of the ten partner conferences and organizations.

• Compassion, Peace, and Justice Conference
• Evangelism and Church Growth Conference
• Healthy Ministry Conference
• National Elders Conference
• National Multicultural Church Conference
• Presbyterian Communicators Network Conference
• Racial Ethnic and Immigrant Ministries Convocation
• Seminary Support Network Conference
• Theology, Worship, and Education Conference
• World Mission Conference

And those who don't just want to affiliate with one conference will have the opportunity to choose activities from any of the conferences to, in effect, create your own conference!

 
Registration and information

Connie Umbach, our volunteer Resource Center Director, has been collecting information from churches about their VBS plans in the hope that ideas and resources might be shared.  Here is a summary of responses so far.  To add your church's information, please contact Connie at resourcePET@gmail.com. 

Walking in the Light

   

This is the theme of the Presbyterian Women of the Synod of Living Waters Triennial Gathering.

 

"The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night."  Exodus 13:21

 

Meeting will be held June 5-8th at First Presbyterian Church, Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

 

There shall be workshops of all types.  Speakers will include the Moderator of Presbyterian Women National level, Mary Jorgenson, and Jan Catron, the author of a future Horizons Bible Study on migration.  Homemade crafts are being asked for as donations to the Oasis Gift Shop, as profit will go to an offering for Living Water for the World.

 

If you want to attend, here is the registration form.  For more information, or have a report given after the meeting, you may contact Gail Hardy, PWPET Moderator (tghardy@bellsouth.net) or Loretta Teter, PWPET Leadership/Resources Representative (dteter9181@aol.com).

Church Leader Support Groups

We want to encourage all leaders in our Presbytery to meet regularly in a support group.  Our mission team believes this is so important that we are willing to provide grants to help facilitate growth in our leadership.  We will be providing grants of up to $250 for Teaching Elders, Christian Educators and Commissioned Ruling Elders.  If you already have a support group, fill out the application form.  If you don't have a support group, all you need is three others to form one in order to apply for the grant.  The Team will review requests at our quarterly meetings, which are usually 6-8 weeks prior to presbytery meetings (our next meeting is July 17, 2013).  Those of you who are ruling elders, please encourage a teaching elder, commissioned ruling elder or Christian educator to be part of a church leader support group.


The Support Mission Team of the Presbytery is encouraging churches and ministries in the Presbytery of East Tennessee to pray for one another during the season of Easter, ending May 18. Please share the weekly schedule with church leadership, prayer groups, PW, individuals, etc. Please copy and paste the list in your bulletins and newsletters.

Eusebia Famous Breakfast - Sunday, May 5, 9am.   

Blood Drive - Monday, May 6 MEDIC will be at Eusebia, 2-6pm, to again accept that most personal of donations....free food after.

Homecoming/Decoration Day - Sunday, May 19. Join us for worship at 10:45am and potluck lunch. Tour the cemetery. Plots available.

 

Strawberry Jam at Fourth United - May 19

 

On Sunday, May 19, 12-3pm, Fourth United Presbyterian Church (1323 Broadway, Knoxville) will once again open our doors to the neighborhood, offering free food and great music to all who come by.  Come hear our diverse musical offerings,and bring a friend!  Also, bring your own musical instrument or voice and join in with the jam!  There will be hot dogs and fixins, and strawberry short cake while it lasts. Artists will include Maggie Longmire, Tim Hughes, and members of the Carpetbag Theater. Hope to see you there!
"Like" our Folk@Fourth Facebook page for more info on concerts coming up. (We have one each month this year!)

 

BuechnerFest at Montreat Conference Center 

 

The Buechner Institute would like to invite you to our second annual BuechnerFest at the Montreat Conference Center, May 30 - June 2.

 

Founded at King College in 2008, The Buechner Institute is a place to engage in conversations of faith and culture.  Inspired by the works of award-winning author and ordained Presbyterian minister Frederick Buechner, the Institute encourages thoughtful examination of life and learning.

 

Each spring the Institute hosts a conference to examine the works of Buechner and invite people from around the country to participate in the conversation.  Whether you are a long-time fan or someone who has only just heard of this "Beek-ner" guy, the symposium offers a chance to come read and enjoy good words in the beautiful setting of the North Carolina mountains. This year's conference will include presentations from Marilyn McEntyre, John McCutcheon, Thomas Long, Anthony Abbott and many more.

 

For more information and to register, please visit us at www.buechnerinstitute.org.

The Maryville College Summer Youth Get-A-Way, June 16-21, is an exciting five day retreat that fuses discovering a potential for leadership with exploring the values of Christian faith in a complex world. Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students will spend the week contemplating how their gifts might answer the needs of the world. Students will both get away from their current busy lives and also get a way to live out their personal calling.

  

Team building activities such as a low ropes course and a climb up the Mountain Challenge Alpine Tower will help to sharpen leadership skills and foster a sense of community. Small discussion groups on issues of faith, leadership, and vocation help to broaden perspectives and promote learning.

 
Worship services led by MC Campus Minister Rev. Anne McKee, a guest musician, and the student campers will feed the spirit, and a hike in the Smoky Mountains will evoke the beauty of God's creation. A group service project will help to turn faith outward as campers begin to live out their calling to serve the world.

 

For more information: maryvillecollege.edu/events/syga/

Summer Activities for Kids - Hosted by 2nd, Knoxville  

 

KIDSHINE Performing Arts Camp 

June 10-14  9am - 3pm 

For Rising 3rd through Rising 8th Graders

2nd Presbyterian Church, 2829 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 

http://kidshineonline.org 

Cost: $150   

Register Online 

 

Camp KidJAM 

July 3rd-6th 

Rising 3rd through Rising 6th 

Fort Bluff Sports Camp, Dayton, TN 

Cost: $250 

Register Online 

Our Camp theme for 2013: Living Inside Out. Jesus said, "everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man." Jesus told many amazing stories and there's so much we can learn from them. This summer, we're going to discover the principles of those stories and then put them into practice in our everyday lives. It's time we started Living Inside Out!

 

For more information, contact Mia Hannahs at 2nd Presbyterian Church - 865-216-6100 or  mia@2ndpres.org 

We invite you to share your news with us.  All articles and news items must be submitted by the 20th of the month prior to publication.  Send your information to Dana Hendrix, dana@presbyteryeasttn.org.