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Here is our December 2016 Electronic Newsletter. Enjoy
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GRACE CHAPEL IN SAN ANGELO CONTINUES WORKING, SERVING AND GROWING.
La Capilla de la Gracia en San Ángelo continúa trabajando, sirviendo y creciendo.
Bitsy Stone, member of Grace Chapel in San Angelo
In October Grace Presbyterian Chapel in San Angelo hosted the dinner before the Presbytery meeting. The dinner was at David and Leanne Byrd's home. It was a beautiful evening and we all had a great time! Thanks to all who attended.
Grace Presbyterian Chapel continues to have guest preachers lead us in worship. However, we feel it is now time for us to hire a part time minister. Wow! This is pretty exciting for us!
We would ask that you pray for us as we continue this search to find just the right minister for GPC. We would welcome any suggestions.
As we continue in the Advent Season we wish each of you a meaningful year in 2017.
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REFLECTIONS FROM AN HONORABLY RETIRED PASTOR
Reflexiones de un pastor honorablemente retirado
By Rev. Dick McFarlin (HR)
HR really stands for "Honorably Re-wired." I have come to view my baptism as an ordination, if you will, an opportunity to participate in a community of faith in a variety of ways. I sing in the choir, sit in on a men's Bible study as well as an adult Sunday School Class. Members and friends of Grace Presbyterian Church, Midland and across Presbytery are kept up to date on Marion Medical Mission which has installed over 27,500 shallow wells in remote villages in Africa providing over 4 million people with safe drinking water.
One of the tasks of retirement is to discern God's call to me as a disciple at this stage of my life. How do I balance opportunities to serve in the church and the world with my responsibility to my wife? (We celebrated our fiftieth wedding anniversary earlier this year.) When I remarked to a friend that Judy had put two preaching stoles in frames under glass, he winked at me and said that I needed to put a small decal on the glass which says "In case of emergency, break glass!"
At age 73, Judy and I are each learning to accept the process of aging-part of which includes coming to terms with one's own mortality. When we go to estate sales (primarily for entertainment) we ask each other: "What are we (or our kids) going to do with our 'stuff'?" Time to let go....
Looking back over fifty years of marriage, the birth of three children, and grandchildren, the death of an adult child, the death of a grandchild with special needs, the loss of both of our parents, I am coming to understand the meaning of my life story. I am also learning to redeem experiences of suffering, remembering that I live in the "force field of the resurrection!"
A life-long learner, I read widely and continue to journal, a practice I started in 1972. A guiding principle in my life has been and continues to be this: Christ's cross stands at the heart of all my relationships and responsibilities. God's love has determined the worth of every person I encounter by sending Jesus Christ to give his life as "a ransom for many." I am called to relate to each person in the light of that love - for the rest of my life.
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AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA - THE NEW DIRECTORY OF WORSHIP
Enmiendas a la Constitución de la Iglesia Presbiteriana EUA - El Directorio de Adoracion
By Rev. Jerry Van Marter - Taken from the Presbyterian News Services with quotes from Kay Long, Tres Rios Stated Clerk
The Presbytery of Tres Rios will be voting on all of the amendments at the February 24th stated meeting. One of the Amendments we have to voted is Amendment 16-H. Directory for Worship. On Replacing the Current Directory for Worship (Item 14-04)
Brief Description
Amendment proposes to replace the current Directory for Worship with a new Directory for Worship. The proposed new Directory for Worship is reprinted in its entirety in the Proposed Amendments to the Constitution booklet (pages 15 - 40). Discussion in committee focused on Holy Communion and baptism. See Amendment 16-G.
During the last General Assembly in Potland Oregon, Rev. Jerry Van Marter, former Director of Communication of PMA published an Article on Presbyterian News Services explaining the new changes and wording. Here is what he wrote:
A slimmer, less restrictive Directory for Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was overwhelming approved Wednesday by the 222nd General Assembly (2016).
The directory, which is part of The Book of Order, now goes to the denomination's 171 presbyteries, a majority of which must ratify it to be adopted.
The new directory has been 10 years in development. Kristin Saldine, a consultant to the writing team, likened the directory to a compass. This is not a book of rules and regulations," she told the assembly, "but gives us bearings and direction, pointing to the primary purpose of worship - to give glory to God - and navigating between form and freedom and encouraging a variety of styles."
David Gambrell, associate for worship for the Presbyterian Mission Agency, earlier told the Theological Issues and Institutions Committee, which recommended approval, that seven principles guided the directory's development:
Uphold essentials of Reformed faith, life and worship.
Respond to changing contexts and congregations.
Provide for more flexibility and more diverse expressions.
Use "we" vs. "they" language for the people of God.
Streamline contents and make organization more user-friendly.
Simplify language and make style more accessible.
Eliminate redundancy and reduce length.
Enhance the directory's usefulness as a teaching document.
The Directory for Worship was last revised in 1989, after Presbyterian reunion. Saldine said it was too long, organized in too complicated a fashion - for instance, sections on the theology and practice of Reformed worship appeared in two different parts - and needed more flexibility, in keeping with the new Form of Government. Gambrell noted that the new directory has just 25 mandatory directions, as opposed to more than 120.
Moreover, Saldine said, the new directory encourages a variety of styles of worship - a reflection of the explosion of new worshiping communities, immigrant fellowships and racial-ethnic congregations in recent years. In addition, the new directory reflects "ecumenical convergence" that has taken place since the last revision.
The new directory contains five chapters, versus seven, and comes in at 18,000 words - one-third shorter than the old directory."
A link to a downloadable PDF booklet containing the full description may be found on the presbytery's website at
www.tresrios.org and also on the PCUSA website at
www.pc-biz.org/. Booklets will be mailed out to all commissioners in January with the meeting packet for the stated meeting.
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GRACE MIDLAND MISSION TRIP TO EL PASO AND CIUDAD JUAREZ
Viaje de Misión a El Paso y Ciudad Juárez
By Kevin Miller, member of Grace Midland
A group from Grace Presbyterian Church travelled to El Paso for a trip to learn about area Presbyterian mission work. The group included four members of Grace, Pastor Rev. Cheryl Homsher and the executive director of St. Andrew Mission, Maggie Salgado, and Mario Salgado. Visits were set up with The Opportunity Center for the Homeless, Pasos de Fe in Juarez, MX and Project Vida. The group also learned about University Presbyterian Church's work in housing transitional asylum seekers entering legally into the US.
The first visit was with the Opportunity Center for the Homeless. We met with Ray and Lily Tullius and learned of their incredible journey into homelessness that began with coffee and showers in 1994 to now where there are multiple homes and shelters that serve the homeless of all types and ages. The purpose of this center is to help those that can move forward and for those who can't, to protect them. The center is dedicated to assisting the homeless in transitioning out of the shelter setting and obtaining stable permanent or transitional housing in the community. Amazingly funding comes almost entirely from private donations with some funding by HUD. The center runs so well with so few employees as responsible members of the homeless are chosen to oversee the other homeless.
The next morning, we went into Juarez, MX to visit a Presbyterian Border Ministry, Pasos de Fe. We met with four representatives from the ministry. Through translation by Amanda Craft and Omar Chan Giron we learned of work to improve life in a very impoverished neighborhood. Following a period of disruption due to drug cartel activity in Juarez, Pasos de Fe once again serves as a community center that provides a place for community gathering and meetings, church services and provides services such as haircuts, massages and monthly medical services. The leaders are passionate about serving the at risk youth providing them a safe place and to teach life skills such as plumbing and electrical work to pay for school.
The last visit was to Project Vida. This ministry began in 1991 and utilizes community involvement to guide its direction.
We met with Bill Schlesinger who guided us through Project Vida's history, organization, operation and programs. Project Vida is a multi-faceted organization that provides health care, health education, homeless prevention, housing, economic development and youth leadership activities to the underserved areas of El Paso.
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ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF "SAN ANGELO LIVING TOGETHER"
Celebración Anual de la organización "San Angelo Conviviendo Juntos"
By Rev. Tm Davenport-Herbst, pastor of St. Paul church in San Angelo.
On the first Sunday in Advent each year, representatives of diverse congregations gather at St. Paul in San Angelo. Begun 25 years ago when the session saw a need to bridge racial gaps in our community, San Angelo Living Together (SALT) is a time of worship and fellowship that embodies reconciliation and peace. A dozen different congregations participated this year -- and over the past quarter century, at least three dozen have been represented. Nazareth, St. Mark, and St. Paul all represented the PC(USA) this year. We were joined by National Baptists, Southern Baptists, the president of the Jewish Synagogue, the Catholic Bishop, Methodists, Pentecostals, and more. Liturgical dance, singing, Bible readings, and reflections are shared. One person said it was "a talent show for all the churches" and it feels like that in a good way. About 140 people gathered together to show what the Kingdom of God looks like -- with multiple languages, skin colors, denominations, and perspectives. We showed that civility, love, and unity through God are possible in a broken and sinful world.
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Louisiana Flood Relief
Ayuda a las inundaciones en Louisiana.
By Rev. Zach Sasser, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in LaFayette, LA - Taken from the Synod of the Sun
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:22-23
Thanks be to God for the connectional nature of the church and the generosity of the Synod of the Sun! The 2016 Louisiana Flood was a bonafide disaster that dumped 7.1 trillion gallons into southern Louisiana. This Storm With No Name stranded 1,000 motorists on the highway for 2 days, devastated over 140,000 homes in 22 parishes (counties) and left over 200,000 men, women and children homeless. It meandered down 10 rivers, filling homes with up to 10 feet of water for days after the rain had stopped. Our small, aging congregation shook their heads. What can we do? Then the opportunity came through the PSL and the PDA to bring in volunteers. We had the space. St Charles Ave. chipped in to help us get some air mattresses, but we had no shower. Thanks to the Synod, we were able to convert a bathroom into a shower room, and we are currently addressing lighting and security issues to make our space safe and secure. Thanks to the Synod, we've been ready for about a month. Our first crews arrive in January, and the need is still tremendous. The LA Department of Community Development has said that this is the fourth costliest disaster in US history, estimating recovery costs at 2.7 billion. Thanks to the Synod of the Sun, we will be in this for the long haul! Follow our progress at
www.pslfloodrecovery.com/
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