The 12th Annual PresbyBuild Talent Show in support of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh will be held on Saturday, May 19th at First Presbyterian Church of Montgomery in Montgomery, NY.

An hour of "sweet treats" from 2:00-3:00pm
The show will run approximately from 3-4:30pm.  Download the flyer. 

 

Frontline Report from PW's Mission Service in India

The Rev. Gary Meyers has just returned from India and Nepal.  He's an ambassador for Presbyterian Women's support of communities there through donations of cookstoves, sewing machines and more.  Here's the update he sent.  Donations to support PW's work in India may be sent to Julia Coss, 35 Emerson Ave, New Rochelle, NY 1080.

Hi. I am still recovering. Great time there but grueling trip home I saw several stoves in use might need some more. Some grandmothers have chickens and saw chicks and new gen house. Sewing center was full of activity with 3 borrowed machines. One water tank not in use because the people up there have not fulfilled their end of deal to lay the pipe but other two were really being appreciated. Fish pond is a wait. Their are issues there not the least of which is what repair might really work and who actually controls the pond. Main need I found was a huge need for a well that can supply 16 families and a school. It is badly needed. I found it will take 1500 to 2000 dolltsa to dig it but did find two possible sites that should work. This is not at Mount but is. Singngat village It hurt watching the women and boys and girls carrying water All in all I felt good about the progress. Even saw bees buzzing around the hives. The spirit seemed good around the village.

Presbyterian Pastors are the most educated pastors in Colombia and have a long history of engagement in the search for peace in that troubled country.  Presbyterians from each Presbytery are members of the National Peace Commission.  On Feb 28th, as we were finishing our accompaniament, Presbyterians and World Council of Churches representatives were meeting with Colombian President Santos to recognize accomplishments and commit to further peace efforts.

We were accompanying pastors and churches in the Presbytery of Uraba which stretches north to south about a 6 hour journey by bus or motorcycle in the northwest section of Colombia. [Read more.]  And don't miss this this fun video from their trip, below.

The Stated Clerk of the PC(USA), the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, issued a statement to the church decrying President Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear agreement, citing its strengths and calling on Congress to lead the Administration back on a path of peace.  He concluded his statement saying, "While no international treaty is perfect, interim agreements such as this are essential to guiding the nations of the world toward peace rather than war."  Read the full story.

The task force working on the first revision to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Rules of Discipline has completed its first draft and is seeking comments on it from throughout the church. The six-person group will receive feedback until September 15, 2018, when it will go to work on a second draft.  Read the full PNS Story.

Rehabilitation Through the Arts and the Presbytery Prison Partnership invite you to a rare opportunity to go behind the walls of Fishkill Correctional Facility, for a special performance of the classic play,  Cyrano de Bergerac. 

Prompt entrance at 12:00pm 

Expected departure from facility 3:30pm

 

Performed by RTA members

Seats are VERY limited 

Register by May 15! 

Meet us in St. Louis for Stewardship Kaleidoscope 2018 September 24-26, 2018! With keynotes by Diana Butler Bass and Chick Lane and worship led by Larissa Kwong Abazia, you'll be inspired and equipped for effective and joyful stewardship.  

More information can be found at  www.stewardshipkaleidoscope.org.  Download the flyer to share with your congregation.

The proposed Farm bill would cut the food assistance program by $20 billion and add harsher work requirements and stricter reporting requirements for recipients of food stamps (known as SNAP). Should this version of the bill pass, up to 2 million people may no longer be eligible for SNAP.  

Each year member churches in our presbytery provide cakes to help celebrate the graduations at Sing Sing Correctional Facility.  There are three of them: a high school graduation, a college graduation and a graduate degree graduation.  What makes them really special is that many of those receiving diplomas entered prison without even a high school diploma.  

Would your church consider making a donation of $100 to fund this ministry? Checks may be made out to Hudson River Presbytery and earmarked "Cake Ministry." If 10 churches choose to participate, the celebration can continue.  More importantly, people from your church are invited to come and share the celebration, to break cake together with the graduates and their families.  The graduations take place in the spring, but if your congregation is interested, reach out now with your interest or any questions to Barbara Devir, [email protected].  Download Barbara's full invitation to this ministry and share it with your congregation.

I know some of you out there pre-ordered this one, but for the rest of you, take a moment to check out Biblical Scholar Walter Brueggemann's latest book.  Here's how Westminster/John Knox describes "A Gospel of Hope."  Order here.

Beloved and respected by scholars, preachers, and laity alike, Walter Brueggemann offers penetrating insights on Scripture and prophetic diagnoses of our culture. Instead of maintaining what is safe and routine, A Gospel of Hope encourages readers to embrace the audacity required to live out one's faith. This must-have volume gathers Brueggemann's wisdom on topics ranging from anxiety and abundance to partisanship and the role of faith in public life.

Many congregations have subscribed in order to use resources from The Thoughtful Christian for adult and youth educational programs. 

But did you know The Thoughtful Christian also has free resources?  It's true.  You can check them out here.

Beacon Presbyterian Church has two, silver communion sets that are in excellent condition for donation to a congregation who many need them.  Read more about each set and the pieces it contains.  Interested?  Contact Beacon Presbyterian Church at  (845) 831-5322 or [email protected].

FPC Wappingers Falls recently purchase new software, PowerChurch Plus, to streamline the financial and administrative management of the church.  We currently use it for recording weekly contributions, income, etc., but, now, we need help setting it up for treasurer input/financial statements.

Does anyone out there use PowerChurch Plus?  If so, we'd really like to talk to you!  Please contact our church administrator, June Goldman, at the church office, 845-297-2800 or by email at  [email protected] ; or Clerk of Session, Lucille Holohan by email at   [email protected].

Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale is seeking a fun and energetic part-time youth leader to work with our youth ministry team, under the leadership of our Director of Christian Education. This role will primarily consist of co-planning activities and having direct interaction with our middle school and high school youth groups, seeking to build community and relationships through meaningful conversation and play. Please direct inquiries and/or a resume to [email protected]. A more detailed job description can be found at www.hitchcockpresby.org.

Rural and Migrant Ministry, an HRP partnership and longstanding mission partner, is searching for a Hudson River/Catskills Regional Coordinator and also for a Youth Economic Education Coordinator.  Read more about both of these exciting opportunities.  RMM is also seeking a Graphic Designer.  Learn more here.

Germonds Presbyterian Church seeks a part-time (10-13 hrs/wk) Director to lead our church music program and adult choir. Degree in Music Education, with experience conducting and developing choral and instrumental ensembles required. Candidate should be proficient in teaching and leading adults in church music.   Salary commensurate with education and experience; 4 weeks paid time off. Professional development funds available. Read the full position description.

The congregation welcomes resumes/PIFs from any pastor within the 5 denominations in the Formula of Agreement: RCA, PC-USA, UCC, DoC, and ELCA, and has a long history of hiring Presbyterian pastors.  Read the summary job description and link to the full position posted on the RCA employment site.