February 7-8, 2014
Sponsored by the Equip Mission Team

• Does your church have only a few young people ready for Confirmation?
• Would you welcome the idea of other leaders in our presbytery helping you lead Confirmation?
• Want to have an event where many inquiring youth can learn from their peers as well as other pastors and teachers to supplement their faith development?

If your answer is YES to any of these questions, make plans to attend the Confirmation Retreat at John Knox Center, February 7-8.

Cost: $45 per person
Registration Deadline: January 24, 2014

Retreat flyer
Registration and release form

 

Youth Summit will be here before you know it; and  yes, we are having Youth Summit this year!    All youth in the 8th grade through  high school seniors are invited to attend. The Rev. Shawn Thomas Smith, our keynote speaker promised to be engaging, funny and thought provoking as we learn how to "Reconnect, Recharge, and Recreate."  Music will be provided by Jason Graffis and a few other musicians from his band, First Light.  Jason is the music coordinator for First Light Worship at New Providence Presbyterian Church.

 

Here are links to an individual participant registration form, a church registration form, and an information sheet about Youth Summit.  Registration forms must be postmarked by Jan. 20, 2014. The cost is $100 per person.  Late registration forms will be accepted until Jan. 31, but the price increases to $120 per person.   This year's event includes dinner on Saturday evening, as well as breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday.

 

We would love to see all of your youth at Youth Summit!  The Youth Summit Committee has been hard at work making sure that Youth Summit not only happens, but also that it is a great event. We need your youth to make that happen!  Please join us for a wonderful weekend of fun, fellowship and spiritual growth!

 

Blessings!

Cheryl Child

email: cherylchild@gmail.com 

phone:  865 577 8510

Disaster Response Volunteer Orientation 

 

WHO:         Presbytery of East Tennessee (PET) Members

 

WHAT:       "Processing Volunteers to Serve in Large Scale Disasters:

                    A Role for PET Churches"

 

WHEN:       Sunday, January 26, 2014

                  1:30-3:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

 

WHERE:     Erin Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall  

                  200 Lockett Road, Knoxville Tennessee

                  http://www.erinpresbyterian.org/  

 

COST:        None

 

CONTACT: Charles R. (Bud) Yard, 865-850-8265  

When local or national disasters occur, there is an immediate need for volunteers, along with a strong desire among community members to help.

 

For efficient processing of new event-based volunteers (EBV), Red Cross is setting up volunteer intake centers (VIC). These new EBVs may even gain Red Cross training and certification(s) at the VIC, enabling them to assist in the operation of emergency shelters, food distribution centers, and other Red Cross support functions (see the following web site for more complete information http://www.redcross.org/tn/knoxville/volunteer).

 

On Sunday, January 26, at 1:30 PM EST, American Red Cross staff will provide orientation to PET members on setting up and operating a VIC. The meeting will be held at Erin Presbyterian Church, currently designated as a Red Cross/PET VIC. Instruction on the issues involved, the tasks to be accomplished and the additional detailed systems training needed by a core church team to manage a church-based VIC will be covered. VIC centers only operate during disaster situations in which they are called by the Red Cross to assist in relief efforts.

 

The January 26th orientation (including pizza lunch) will begin at 1:30 and end at 3pm. Please RSVP to Bud Yard at 865-850-8265 by Friday, January 26th. Pizza will be ordered for those who request it. Those who do not RSVP are welcome to attend the orientation, but lunch will not be provided.

 

We hope to see you (or a representative of your church) at the upcoming Red Cross/PET orientation.  

 

Orientation flyer with additional information 

7th Annual MLK Community Conversation

Moving Forward: Civil Rights, Then and Now 

Friday, January 17, 2014
 

Beck Cultural Exchange Center
1927 Dandridge Ave., Knoxville  

 

The promise of equal rights for all has never been fully realized. Originally granted to white, male landowners, the promise has been expanding ever since. To some, it seems to be happening too fast; to those who have been denied rights, one more day is too many. Fifty years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, we will look back to understand the meaning of that historic legislation. And we will look at the ongoing struggles for equal rights that continue to this day in Knoxville, each effort building on the past, across the social spectrum. Join us for memories, music, challenges and stimulating discussion.   

 

Event Flyer 

   

6:30pm * light refreshments || program * 7:00 - 8:30pm
For more information: 865-776-5050  

   

Martin Luther King Day Parade

Monday, Jan. 20

 

Knoxville area Presbyterians, come join our PET contingent in the Martin Luther King Day Parade, Monday, Jan. 20! (Young people especially invited on this school holiday.)  

             

Rendezvous point & time: Knoxville First Presbyterian Church, 620 State St., 9:00 a.m. on the dot.  First and Fountain City churches will provide vans and drivers to take us to our line-up location.

               

Or meet us, ready to march, outside Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2137 MLK Blvd., at 9:30 sharp, ready to step off at 10.  Look for the giant puppets with huge heads of MLK, Mandela, Gandhi, Rosa Parks, etc.  Our PET banner will say, "Presbyterians for Peace and Justice."             

We'll end our march at Greater Warner Tabernacle AME-Zion Church, 3800 MLK Blvd. The vans will return us to First Presbyterian Church.     

  

Questions about our parade?  Contact Ann Brunger brunger@mindspring.com or Dwyn Mounger dwynmounger@gmail.com.

Educators in the Presbytery of East Tennessee are warmly invited to a Winter Banquet on Tuesday, February 18th 11:00-2:00 pm at Mars Hills Presbyterian Church, 205 North Jackson St., Athens. 

 

The Support Mission Team generously granted a scholarship for a special Presbytery Educator Gathering to explore PC(USA) curriculum with the Coordinator of Educational Ministries Candace Hill.  She supports educators in presbyteries regularly and understands what we are doing.  She coordinates Presbyterians Organized in Nurture & Teaching (POINT) in the Congregational Ministries Publishing (CMP) division.  During our winter banquet she will provide resources and tools from CMP through her introductory curriculum workshop, teach us how to make the most of what's being offered, and offer tips to enrich our Christian Education ministry.  Denominational materials will be on hand to see and explore!  Please let us know if you plan to attend.  This is a free catered meal, so your RSVP by January 28 is essential: Mark Lampley - MLampley@SequoyahChurch.org or (865) 522-9804 

Greetings from the Hope House. We've undergone some significant changes in the last two months. The Reverend Bob Hill has accepted a new calling as pastor at a local congregation in Louisville, KY. He will be joined by his wife Stephanie who will be ministering to patient needs at a regional hospital. We will miss Bob at the House for his time and dedication to the students and Stephanie for her work at Second Presbyterian. We wish them both good luck in their new adventures.

 

The House board has elected to make Terry Paris the interim Director of Student Affairs for the near future. Terry has been a long time member of the board and is well known to the students. Her duties will include providing a welcoming environment for the students, supervising meal preparations, maintaining the coffee house, and providing a secure presence at the House. She is a very dedicated board member and we are lucky to have her services.

 

For the spiritual needs of our students, we are reaching out to local churches to provide ordained ministers who can lead bible studies and worship services. We feel that this will more fully engage our supporting churches without burdening any one group with complete responsibility. Several pastors have already agreed to help until we have identified a full time pastor. The board is grateful for their involvement along with Terry.

 

Other board members will contribute their time and energies to outside activities such as hikes, community projects, and fund raisers. Along with an active student membership we look forward to a very positive spring semester at the House. If you are in the Chattanooga area next year, please stop by and enjoy our hospitality.

 

In faith with our brothers and sisters,

 

Peter L. Steyn, Board Moderator 

Maryville College provides generous scholarship & award opportunities to deserving students. Scholarships are awarded based on academic information, student interest, student leadership and/or talent. In instances where a candidate qualifies for more than one scholarship, s/he will receive the largest scholarship for which s/he is eligible. Applications may be submitted through mail, in person, or fax to the Maryville College Office of Admissions. If students want to be considered for Competitive Fellowships, including Church-Related leadership fellowships, they must submit their application before January 15.  Read more

  

Presbyterians for Just Immigration

 

Presbyterians for Just Immigration will be holding two trainings in early 2014 to help Presbyterians gain skills and resources to help address the suffering created by our country's broken immigration system. This training will cover a history of Presbyterian action on immigration, worship and workshops on developing a theological understanding of migration; community organizing skills, and information sharing on how to address immigration in a local context. See details below and learn more here.

 

February 21-23 FREE event at Stony Point, NY. Participants are expected to raise funds for or pay for their own travel/transportation costs only. 

 

March 6-9 Austin Seminary Austin, Texas. Nominal fee of $100 (approximately) to cover meals and lodging and travel/transportation costs. Participants can pay for or raise these funds. 

For more information contact Teresa Waggener at teresa.waggener@pcusa.org  or 502-569-5372. 

 

VITA at the CAC L.T. Ross Building
2247 Western Avenue, Knoxville, TN
865-546-3500

January 22, 2014 - April 15, 2014
Mondays and Wednesdays: 4pm - 7pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 10am - 3pm
Saturdays (February only): 9am - 1pm
Extended Hours:
January 27 through January 30: 10am-7pm

Special Tax Days with Sign Language Interpretation Available
February 28 and March 14
Call (865) 622-2349 VP for reservations

VITA is a free and confidential service offered on a first-come, first-served basis and is open to low-income and moderate-income individuals and families.  VITA volunteers are IRS certified and will prepare basic tax forms such as the 1040, however, there are some forms that cannot be prepared by VITA.  VITA will file back taxes from 2010 to present.  VITA will also provide assistance with amended returns during the month of March. Read more

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.