Someone said, "Wow!  Joan Stewart hit the nail on the head in her keynote address!"  When?  How?  This was a reaction from a participant in the 2015 Small Church Conference which was held April 18 at the Fayetteville Presbyterian Church.  It was the same person who asked, "Can we have her back next year?"

Community Church in Arthurdale

The 2015 conference was the second annual Small Church Conference.  Presbytery of West Virginia is one of the few presbyteries that host a conference specifically for churches with membership of around 100 or less.  Any size church is welcome.  Of the at least 82 people who participated, all but three were from small churches.  Congregations from Bradley and Waverly-Bethel to Fayetteville and Elk Hills were there.  Excitement reigned as people listened and learned and discovered that small churches are the norm in the Presbytery of West Virginia and across the PCUSA.  Not only that, small churches are valued by God and by the presbytery.  Small churches are the life-blood of the Presbytery of West Virginia.

In one of Joan Stewart's workshops, Jim Sothen and other folks from South Park church in Charleston shared their story.  When they were down to 5 active members, they made a decision to commit all their resources to ministry within their hollow.  If they were going to die, they wanted to go out in faithful service in the name of their Lord, Jesus Christ.  They now have the children they began serving through activities like their children's choir who are bringing their parents to church with them!  A couple of years ago, they had 75 people in worship.  They have been baptizing children and adults.  People from churches like Bradley and Gilbert heard the story and were inspired by it.  They want to hear more and engage their congregations in mission outreach to their neighbors.

It truly was an inspiring day from the opening worship with reflections on small church from Kathryn McCrary and the Lord's Supper celebrated by Greg Stone, pastor of the Fayetteville church, to the closing comments and prayer by Peter Barclay, pastor of the Rome church in Proctorville, OH, and Ron Buckalew, honorably retired member of presbytery.

A planning team is being formed for the 2016 Small Church Conference.  Keep your ears open so you will be ready to attend.

I have been previewing the book that Doug Heidt has written (to be published later this year I believe!), The Love That Will Not Let You Go.  In one of the early chapters he recalls going to Sunday School and singing, "Praise him, praise him, all you little children.  God is Love, God is Love..."  That song also echoes in my childhood experience, living within me still.  From my childhood days, the theological lesson learned was, "God is Love."

In this season of Easter, we celebrate God's Love, made known to us through his Son, Jesus Christ.  The resurrection, new life and the call to be a witness are all wrapped up in God's love....

Read More Here... 

Participants in the Board of Pensions Medical Plan are not eligible to file for Small Employer Healthcare Tax Credit for 2014.  However, it may not be too late to file for this credit for 2010-2013 if an employer has not already done so.  The Board of Pension web site has page dedicated to this topic containing guides, links to other resources in determining eligibility, and information for completing the necessary paperwork.  The link to the Board of Pension web page is below.

The total amount of Cents-ability contribution sent to the Presbytery from our churches in 2014 was $45,556.  Two Thirds of that sum was used for hunger within the bounds of the Presbytery of WV. The other third was sent on to sent to the Office of General Assembly for use around the world.  It is astounding what we can do when we work together!  Good Job!

You may have noticed...  We had several significant storms in West Virginia this spring.  The update in numbers from WV VOAD is...  

From the March 3rd storm:  220 families affected.
 

From the April 3rd storm:  855 families affected.

There are more than 200 bridges on private property (non-state roads, driveways) have significant damage or were destroyed.

Please pray for these families and consider how your congregation maybe called to help.  For more information please contact Barbara Chalfant at [email protected]

Have you registered to go with the Presbytery to on our "Mission to Restore the Shore" June 29-July 3?

Registrations are due by MAY 15!

Read More Here... 

The easiest way to get others to join you in your work, play or worship is to show your passion for what you are doing while you are doing it.

Read More Here...  

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church is in need of a weekly pastor to fill the pulpit on Sunday mornings. Our service is at 11:00 AM. If you are able to do this for us, please notify the Clerk of Session, Elaine Anderson 304-344-5331 or email at [email protected]  Our previous pastor had to resign due to health issues. Ultimately, we desire to find someone for an annual contract to perform the weekly service and emergency visitation. We have wonderful music, a printed bulletin and the Children's Time is covered. 

Are you looking for a new pastor?  Are you a teaching elder looking for a new call?  "Face to Face" is an excellent opportunity to "shop."  Face to Face is a gathering of Teaching Elders and Congregations who are each seeking.  Teaching Elders, you have the opportunity to interview with a wide range of congregations which are looking for pastoral leadership.  Any of our congregations which are looking will also have an opportunity to interview several candidates for the open position at their church.

The Church Leadership Connection (CLC), a ministry of the Office of the General Assembly, will host two Face-to-Face events in 2015. We hope you will consider participating in the event that is most convenient for you. Each event will include call seeker's training, networking opportunities, interviews with search committees, vocational coaching, one-on-one PIF views, and other educational opportunities for call seeker's and calling organizations. All call seekers (teaching elders, candidates, ruling elders, and other church professionals) may participate. Search committees for all position types (i.e. installed and temporary pastors and program staff positions) are encouraged to attend.

June 25-26, 2015, and June 29-30, 2015 (registration is now open)

The Worship and Music Conference, Montreat, North Carolina
July 9-11, 2015 (registration begins April 30th)

Face-to-Face at the Renaissance Hotel, Charlotte, North Carolina

Who Should Attend? 

Search committees, mid council staff, teaching elders, candidates, and other church professionals have an opportunity to move beyond the written words of Personal Information Forms (PIF) and Ministry Information Forms (MIF) to meet and talk directly with one another about the possibility of ministry together.

Why You Should Attend?

Face-to-Face is an opportunity to connect with a number of folks in one place over several days, and an opportunity to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit leading you to places and people you may have never imagined.

To register click here
 

Have you Registered for Big Tent?

Need more information?  Click here!

Just want to see the video?  Click Here!

May 2015                          June 2015

To view each edition please click on the dates above. We are sending you the most recently published issues of the Parish Papers. The Presbytery of WV's purchase of a subscription INCLUDES: 

1.    Permission to provide copies to our staff and to the congregations within our jurisdiction in any of the following ways: E-mail, Postal, newspaper, newsletter, meetings, training events, and our Web site.

2.    Permission for each congregation within our jurisdiction to (a) photocopy or electronically distribute for local use as many copies as it needs, (b) post them on its Web site, and (c) quote sentences and paragraphs.

Congregations within our Presbytery's jurisdiction to which we distribute The Parish Paper do NOT have permission (a) to delete the copyright ownership notice, (b) to re-write, paraphrase, delete, or change the wording of sentences and paragraphs, or (c) to give ANY THIRD PARTY-other than our staff and constituents-permission to photocopy or reprint (in any quantity, no matter how small, whether for free distribution or for sale). 

Does your church have a Facebook page? If so, please let us know! We would love to publicize your page and activities! For more information and news about the Presbytery of WV, please visit and "LIKE" our Facebook page! 

Click here to read the full e-newsletter from the Synod of the Trinity!

March's Winter Assembly Meeting recapped in Rhythm of the Synod 

For Sam Burford, Elder at Saint Andrew, Pinch as he faces surgery and recovery.

For Tracy Spangler, currently in the hospital.  Wife of Davis Stuart Executive director Mark Spangler.

For Leslie Curtis, Office Administrator for the Presbytery Office, who will be having surgery on Friday and will be recovering through the end of May.will be on medical leave through May. 

So often concerns fill our hearts but remain unspoken... please pray for all those needs:  

For congregations in transition, for pastors in stressful places, for elders who feel overwhelmed, for CRE's who stretch to fill the gaps, for people who are ill and are not ready to share, for those impacted by the flooding, for those cares we carry but cannot share.  

Lord hear our prayers.  Amen