Midweek Musings Newsletter

April 3, 2008

 

Midweek Musings by Jackie Taylor, Associate Executive Presbyter  

 

Consider the bird feeder.

 

During my study leave I stayed at a retreat house that had a bird feeder visible from the sun room.  I enjoyed it.  I watched cardinals and sparrows and morning doves.  I watched squirrels scamper underneath to grab some of the fallen seeds.  I even observed some bold squirrels trying to climb up.

 

After an hour or so I realized that the bird feeder, though providing birds with food, was really designed for humans.  I began to wonder if these birds had become so accustomed to the seeds that they had forgotten how to do, you know, “bird things”.  Do they still dig for worms or fish bugs out of trees or fly in groups to congregate in a corn field?  The cardinals at this feeder did nothing but guard it for most of the day.  They would try to chase off other birds and eventually started chasing off their own kind.

 

Consider the church.

 

I worry sometimes if we have not become like these cardinals at a congregational bird feeder.  Church is important and necessary, go early and often!  But many of us guard the church with our beliefs and traditions (for better of for worse) so that other “birds” cannot get in for a bite.  When that gets old, we then turn on each other.

 

Do we remember to do, you know, “Christian things” like digging through the scriptures for fresh insight or fishing for people to share the gospel or flying outside the walls for fellowship and learning?

 

Do we remember?

 

- Jackie

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Highlights From 795th Stated Meeting of New Castle Presbytery

Church of the Covenant, Wilmington, DE

March 29, 2008

 

• Kathi Busch, Pastor of Church of the Covenant, was installed as Moderator for 2008.  Congratulations!

 

Rev Kathi Busch, Moderator

 

• Rev. Kathie Pownall preached and the Praise Team and Chancel Choir of Church of the Covenant led worship.

 

• Paul Seefeldt was elevated to candidate status.  Paul is a member of the Elkton Presbyterian Church and is currently doing his internship at New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Middletown, DE.

 

• Rev. Bob Shelton, Director of Funds Development at the Synod of the Rocky Mountains, presented “Creating a Church Culture of Grattude and Giving:  Annual Campaigns That Really Work.”

 

• John Wray from CFCS (Church Financial Campaign Service) and Catherine Lynch from SOAR (Stewardship of Accumulated Resources) gave brief presentations about their organizations.

 

• Rev. Carl Mazza thanked NCP for their support of his bid as Moderator of the General Assembly, and invited the Presbytery to two events:  1) "Grill Carl Mazza" - Thursday, April 17 at 4:00pm at Liimestone PC.  Refreshments will be served; 2)  "Meet and Greet" the NJ Moderator

  Friday, April 25, 2008 7-9pm

  Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville

  2688 Main Street - (US Route 206)

  Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

   

  Dowload more info here:

  Lawrenceville Moderator Candidate Meet and Greet.pdf 

  Lville Moderator Event Info.pdf 

 

• Speer Trust presented its 2007 Annual Report:

 

Speer, There and Everywhere!

2007 Annual Report from National Ministries

Download file here: Speer Trust 2007 GA1 Annual Report.pdf 

 

2007 Annual Report from World Ministries

Download file here:  Speer World Ministries AR 2007.pdf

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Funding letters for 2008 Mission Development Unit Grant Requests

 

Mission Unit funding response letters have been sent out via email to the email address listed on the grant application by the church or organization.  From responses that we've received, it is clear that some folks read the email message but maybe others have not.  Please check your email for news about the 2008 grants.  Thank you.

 

 The Olivet Singers

 

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Board of Pensions Creates New Member Advocate Post

REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE  NEWSLETTER

March 2008 Supplement Report

 

The Central Area Records Review will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newark from 9:30 am to 11:30 am.  All clerks will be notified by personal email or church email they need to be looking for the contact.

 

Nora Andresen

Records Clerk

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Volunteers Needed

 

Pencader Hundred Community Center is a mission supported by New Castle Presbytery. We are currently working in Sparrow Run in Bear, DE, to improve the lives of residents of this economically fragile neighborhood especially at-risk youth. We are in need of several volunteers: 1. a person who would be willing to learn how to teach ESL classes. 10 hour training. 4 classes 21/2 hours each. No previous Spanish-speaking skills needed. 2. Referees, time-keepers, and coaches for basketball league Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-7:30P.M. in Sparrow Run starting June 16th and ending August 18.  If you are able to volunteer for any of these positions please call Rev. Beth Doty at 302-365-6211.  Thank you.

 

Beth Doty

Executive Director

Pencader Hundred Community Center

5 Teal Circle

Sparrow Run

Newark, DE 19702

phone (302) 365-6211

Fax (302) 365-6213

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Great Bible Teacher Coming to Wilmington

 

Dr. Charles "Buz" Myers of Gettysburg College at Men's Communion Breakfast 

The Rev. Dr. Charles “Buz” Myers is one of the best preachers and Bible teachers in the USA..  For the past twenty years he has been an inspiring religion professor at Gettysburg College during the week and serving in churches on the weekends as a teacher and preacher. He has won the top teaching prize at Gettysburg awarded by the students. Years ago he spoke at Limestone and other churches in our Presbytery when his wife Anne was a pastor in New Castle Presbytery.  He is an ordained Presbyterian minister who lives in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two daughters.  Summer 2006 Dr. Myers was the most popular speaker for lay people and pastors at Massanetta Springs Bible Conference according to the conference evaluations. Summer 2007 Buz was in Africa with a Presbyterian Church (USA) delegation to explore ways we can further support the church's educational work there.  Spring 2007 he was a workshop leader for a national Presbyterian conference at Duke University on caregiving at the end of life. His talks are filled with biblical insights, humor and faith. 

All men in New Castle Presbytery congregations are invited to the April 5, 2008 - Sixth Annual Communion Breakfast by the Limestone Presbyterian Men.

This is the only New Castle County Presbytery-wide annual Men's Ministry event. The cost is $20.00.  Tickets cover the breakfast, program and lunch.  For more information contact Ron Crick at (302) 239-9319 or email at RonCrick@aol.com.   Thank you.

 

While at Gettysburg College Prof. Myers has been honored three times with the Student Senate's "Faculty Appreciation Award" for excellence in teaching (1988, 1990, 2001) and was awarded the Edwin T. and Cynthia Shearer Johnson Distinguished Teaching Chair in the Humanities, which he held from 2002 through 2005. Dr. Myers teaches introductory courses and upper-level seminars on topics related to the New Testament and its interpretation along with courses on the Hebrew Scriptures and Modern Moral Issues. He also offers a First Year Seminar entitled, "Death and the Meaning of Life."  For ten years Dr. Myers was Recording Secretary for the Revised Standard Version Bible Committee whose work culminated in the publication of the New Revised Standard Version Bible in 1989. His published work appears in scholarly journals and in the Anchor Bible Dictionary, a multi-volume reference work. Prof. Myers is also co-editor of and contributor to Biblical Theology: Problems and Prospects (Atlanta: Abingdon, 1995).  Dr. Myers is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and is active in the work of the Presbytery of Carlisle, in the Synod of the Trinity, and in the General Assembly of the PCUSA.  He is married to the Rev. Anne Kimrey Myers, Associate Pastor of the Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, PA. He and Anne have two daughters. Annabelle attends Gettysburg College, while Charlotte is a student at Davidson College.

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The 2008 Massanetta Springs Middle School Conference

 

Leaps and Bounds

 

Still has openings for all 4 weeks.

Week 1 and Week 3 are big- but not closed!

Weeks 2 and 4 have a lot of buzz as well!

 

(Thank-you to all who have registered!)

 

Registration information is on the web at:

www.massanettasprings.org

 

Call us if you have any questions!

888-627-7774

 

Early Bird Deadline is

April 21^st, 2008

 

With Joy,

Laura

Laura Holbrook

Director of Conference Ministries

Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center

712 Massanetta Springs Road

Harrisonburg, VA  22801

888-627-7774

www.massanettasprings.org

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POAMN Conference

(Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry Network)

 

April 22-25, 2008

Leaving a Living Legacy

Marriott St. Louis West

St. Louis, MO

 

Download Detailed Information Here: new pdf poamn 2008.pdf

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2008 Trail Triple Crown!

 

Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10K & 5K

Saturday, April 26, 2008

White Clay Creek State Park, Newark, DE

 

Download the flyer here: TC08_reg.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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