Newsletter The wave

 

Publication of The Presbytery of Tres Rios Like us on Facebook             March  2015
In This Issue

Just a Thought

By Rev. Jose Luis Casal

           General Missioner            

      
"Experiencing what it means to be outside...  

"There was a time not so long ago when you were on the outs with God. But then the Jews slammed the door on him and things opened up for you. Now they are on the outs. But with the door held wide open for you, they have a way back in. In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in." Romans 11:32 (The Message) 

  

The message of this text is those who are in favor of justice and are advocates of justice. Even with all the risks that may represent, it's easy to speak about the outcast, those who are discriminated and rejected than to experience the rejection and discrimination in our own skin. The text says "God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside."

Are we willing to go through this experience? Do we really want to have the same painful experience of those who are rejected by the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their political views, their religious views or biblical interpretation, their nationality, their social position or their financial status?

To be outside is to be in nobody's ground, is like to be literally in the middle of nowhere. "Outside" is a place that nobody recognizes and nobody has a good definition. The definition of outsider may vary depending if you are talking about nationality, politic, religion or other subject, but always is someone who is not member or not welcome to our circle, group or area. For these reasons is easier to fight in favor of the outsiders than to be an outsider. But the message of the Bible is radical; you have to experience what it means to be outside. That's the only way we can appreciate the whole meaning of God's action opening the door to everybody. Most of the people that close the doors to others never were outsiders. Most of these people belong to privilege or closed groups and many times they do not recognize the privileges they have. But there are also others who were outsiders and found a way to enter in the selected circle and now don't want to open the door to others.

Jesus did not opened doors for a selected people with privileges.  The only requirement is to commit ourselves to open doors to others. He opened the doors FOR ALL so we can enter in a place that is ruled by the most sacred rule of God: Unlimited Love.

Yes we need to experience what it means to be outside so we may help Jesus to open the doors for all his children.

Upcoming Activities 

 April - May

2015

   

April 13 - (Monday) - 5:30 PM - at St. Mark Church - Administrative Commission for First San Angelo remmant 

 

April 14 - (Tuesday) - noon - Missional Networking Team - Presbytery Office

 

April 16 - Thursday) - 2 PM - Nominating and Representation Team - Conference 

 

April 16 - Holocaust Remembrance Day

 

April 17-19 - (Friday - Sunday) - Ecumenical Advocacy Days - Washington, DC

 

April 22 - Earth Day

 

April 22-23 - (Wednesday-Thursday) - Western Regional Consultation of the Board of Pensions - San Diego, CA

 

April 24 - (Friday) - Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day

 

April 30 - May 3 - (Thursday - Sunday) - Drug Policy Reform Task Force of the General Assembly - El Paso. TX

 

May 1 (Friday) - International Day of Work

 

May 11 (Monday) - 11 AM - Missional Outreach Team meeting at Presbytery Office

 

May 12 (Tuesday) - 6:30 PM - Missional Ministries Team meeting at Presbytery Office

 

May 14 (Thursday) - Ascension of The Lord

 

May 15 (Friday) - noon - Missional Nurturing Team at Presbytery Office

 

May 20 (Wednesday) - noon - Missional Resoursing Team at Presbytery Office

 

May 24 - Sunday of Pentecost - collection of Pentecost Offering

 

May 26 - 27 (Tuesday- Wednesday) - noon-noon - Synod Leadership Convocation - Irving Texas

 

March 27 - 28 (Wednesday - Thursday) - noon-noon - Synod Executive Presbyters Forum

 

March 31 - Sunday of Multicultural Church

 

The Wave of Prayer

     
Thanksgiving Prayers for:
 
Rev. Walter Thompson & Mayra Arevalo for the birth of their new daughter Roselle Waunita Thompson on March 24  

Intercession Prayers for:      

 

Rev.Larisa Kwong Abazia, 221 General Assembly Vice-Moderator who was diagnosed with breast cancer

 

 Lawson Allen Member of First Fort Davis who continued in rehab after a leg surgery 

  

Cameron Maedgen, son of Karen Bartholomeo - St. Paul San Angelo
 
 

Pray for racial justice and reconciliation in our country


 
Pray for a just immigration legislation and for the families affected by our actual policies   
 

 Pray for Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt, especially for the Christian community.

 

Pray for peace & justice for Jews and Palestines in Middle East

 

Pray for Cuba-USA Conversations to re-stablish diplomatic and comercial relations and for a better future for the Cuban people 


 Pray for those who will be affected and beneficiated by the new immigration executive action
 

 Pray for our Presbyterian Church (USA). For our Tres Rios Presbytery's pastors, elders and congregations, especially those struggling with decisions about their future. 

My Prayer Time - Instrumental Prayer & Worship Music
My Prayer Time - Instrumental Prayer & Worship Music
Christian Songs for the Broken Hearted
Christian Songs for the Broken Hearted

Quick Links...

Presbytery

Synod
Mo-Ranch - www.moranch.com 

Texas Presbyterian Foundation - www.tpf.org   
Presbyterian Children Homes - www.pchas.org  

National
PC(USA) - www.pcusa.org
Assoc. of Presbyterian Administrators www.pcusa-apa.org  
Ecumenical

 Dpt. of Ecumenical Relations -

http://www.eif-pcusa.org/Contact/index.html  

World Council of Reformed Churches - www.wcrc.ch   
National Council of Churches - www.ncccusa.org  

Resources Available

just click the links... 

Overcome (2008) 

Overcome (2008) (Full Movie)
 Full Christian Movie 1:24:37
In the Bible, Saul persecuted Christ's church and its followers. "Overcome" parallels this story. Set in modern day, a young man in high school mistreats anyone good around him, until he has a fateful accident which changes his life. Starring: Jaycee Lynn, Aaron Brown, Samuel Potter


You are receiving "The Wave" for March 2015. This is the electronic newsletter of Tres Rios Presbytery in the Synod of the Sun of the Presbyterian Church (USA). You are invited to read the articles of Holy Week celebrations in several of our churches. The visit of the children of First El Paso to Project Vida is a fresh expression of love and solidarity as well as the traditional Fish Fry of Fort Stockton. A signal of hope are the reports of the remnant group of First San Angelo and Westminster church. God is doing new things and we are in his hands.  Finally Ballinger and University churches shared their experiences during this significant season in the life of the church. I especially recommended the meditation of Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia, our 221 vice-moderator who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her meditation "Morning by Morning" is a reaffirmation of our Christians values and faith.  Please, let us know your opinions, comments and suggestions, and forward The Wave to those who may be interested in the work of our Presbytery.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN EL PASO PRESENTED AN EASTER CHILDREN PROGRAM AT PROJECT VIDA. 

La Primera Iglesia Presbiteriana de El Paso present? un Programa Infantil de Resurrecci?n en Project Vida   

By Yoke Wan Gunstream - Director of Children's Ministry at First El Paso

 

First Presbyterian Church of El Paso Texas had the pleasure of attending an Easter Program at Project Vida of El Paso on Wednesday, April 1th,2015. The Children at Project Vida performed several upbeat and familiar songs; "Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun", "Spring Time" and "He's got the whole world in His hands". And it was so fun to watch and follow along as well. They were so adorable and charming wearing their handmade head dress costumes. We thoroughly enjoyed their performances. After an echoed prayer by the children, First Presbyterian children joined with Project Vida children presented a skit lead by me. We presented the Resurrection Story by using the Resurrection Eggs tool. Everyone was so mesmerized and they listened with great anticipation as each child opened one egg at a time to reveal what was in each egg. One of my favorite surprise hidden in the eggs is the one that has the praying hands.....which represented Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane. And when the last egg was opened and revealed "Empty". Everyone was so surprise that there was nothing in the last egg. That's when I ended the story by telling them that it represents the empty tomb that Jesus was buried in. There is no body in the tomb just like there is nothing in the last egg. Jesus is Risen! He is Alive!

Mrs. Christina Mayne helped handed out 51 Easter Bags to The Project Vida's Children. Seeing their smiley and cheerful faces was worth all the effort we put in to join them for their program. Afterward we shared a pot luck meal together and have a great time of fellowship with everyone present there at Project Vida. 

ANNUAL INTERDENOMINATIONAL WEDNESDAY LENTEN LUNCH AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CURCH IN BALLINGER

Almuezo Anual Inter-denominacional de Cuaresma en la Primera Iglesia Presbiteriana de Ballinger 

By Rev. Wilma Harris, pastor of First Ballinger    

First Presbyterian Church of Ballinger is a small but mighty force in the Ballinger community.  The church has been active in the local ministerial alliance over the years.  One of the activities the church held dear was participation in the annual Wednesday Lenten lunch event.  Member churches in the alliance sponsor one of the lunches each week during Lent. The community is invited and no charge is levied for the meal.  Often the response is quite a large lunch crowd of 100 or more. Everyone considers this an Easter blessing. As the First Presbyterian membership has grown smaller and more elderly over the years, the church had to face the fact that they just were not able to handle this activity any longer.  Rev. Wilma Harris took this concern to the ministerial alliance in 2014 and found a co-sponsor for the lunch in Rev. Myron Halford and the Glory Road Cowboy Church.  Glory Road is located out of town, an inconvenient location for a community gathering, but their church wanted to be able to participate.  So, the deal was a win-win.  The lunch was held at First Presbyterian in town and the members of both churches provided food and served the meal.  In 2015 both churches elected do this again and the turn out was an astonishing 110 people.  Members of First Presbyterian and Glory Road both expressed how much they enjoyed providing lunch for the community and how grateful they were for the interdenominational cooperation.
UNIVERSITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN EL PASO CELEBRATED THE "SEDER MEAL" ON MAUNDY THURSDAY 

La Iglesa Universitaria en El Paso celebr? el "Seder" en el Jueves Santo 

By Tim Gray, pastor intern at University church.

There is something especially theological about the gathered community--especially around food; so much so it seems rather cliche to point it out here. There is theology in our worship, in our weekly events, in lunch meetings, moments alone and moments along with others. There is theology everywhere because God is everywhere.

It is instead more meaningful to point out the theology of moments when things are different--in which theology challenges us; places of dissonance.

Such moments can be found during the meal of Seder.

The zeroah, the prepared lamb shankbone can be a delicious cut of meat. It is a reminder of the sacrificed lamb, the animal that was used to atone for the sins of the people. And yet also in the story of the Exodus, the lamb's blood is what is used to indicate to God to passover an Israelite home. For those who were not Israelites, God's presence in that story brings about the silence of a host of first born children and the cries of so many mothers. The bone that juts from the meat reminds us of the death inherent in passover.

The baytsah, the maror, the charoset, the karpas, the matzah... All of these symbols bring us along in a story, their meanings are not just merely food. And as Christians, we add even more meaning.

University Presbyterian celebrated the Seder meal on Maundy Thursday. Even as we smiled around tables, enjoying good food, enjoying the people who gathered, we could not escape what was coming. Jesus, at a similar meal with his disciples explained his coming death and the sacrifice he would be making. Happy and Sad - the meal itself is conflicted, serving to move us closer to Jesus's execution and then resurrection. But perhaps that is the point of Holy Week--moments in which we don't just simply get to say "Christ is Risen!" Moments in which we must stay in dissonance, unable to resolve the conflicting emotions ourselves, waiting for God to fulfill God's covenant.  

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH FIRST SAN ANGELO PC(USA) REMNANT?   

?Qu? est? sucediendo con el remanente PC(USA) de la Primera de San Angelo? 

By Bitsy Stone, miembro   

Let me take a minute to tell you about the exciting happenings of the remnants of First Presbyterian Church San Angelo. In November, 2014, our church voted to leave PCUSA. However, there was a small group of us that wished to stay in PCUSA and we all decided that we would like to worship together but we weren't sure how to do it. Well, we had a call from First Christian Church offering us their chapel for worship! Since our first worship service on January 25th our number has grown from 21 to 47. The support of Presbytery, St. Paul Presbyterian Church, and First Christian Church has been incredible! God definitely has had his hand in this!! Each Sunday we have a different preacher and they have all been wonderful! We have also had a potluck supper and have chosen and started supporting three areas of mission work - Presbyterian Children's Home, House of Faith, and Presbytery. God's presence is so strong at each service that we all leave with hearts full of love and joy. We are so thankful for God's blessing in our worshipping community and look forward to whatever God has planned for us.

Synod of the Sun Leadership Convocation

WESTMINSTER PRSBYTERIAN CHURCH IN ODESSA IS MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE

La Iglesia Presbiteriana Westminster en Odessa se mueve hacia el futuro

By Annette McDermett, clerk of the Session

Greetings from Westminster Presbyterian Church in Odessa! As many of you are aware, our church is currently without a pastor; however, we are already in the process of searching for an Interim pastor. Although we know this can take a while, we fully believe God is calling a wonderful servant to lead us. Our hearts are full with blessings of kindness, love and faithfulness! We have had so many people come forward to serve as elder and deacon and new ideas are abundant!

Our attendance has risen steadily over the last 2 months and on Palm Sunday, we had 128! The enthusiasm is contagious and we feel it in every worship service with the inspirational sermons each week. We know that we have a long way to go and continued prayers are needed and appreciated. We believe that we will come out on the other side stronger, more committed and more faithful. After all, when God is for us, who can be against us? Yes, indeed, God is good!

FISH FRY NIGHT AT FIRST FORT STOCKTON, MORE THAN 25 YEARS SHARING WITH THE COMMUNITY  

La Noche del Pescado Frito en la Primera Iglesia de Fort Stockton, m?s de 25 a?os compartiendo con la comunidad 
By Rev. Jose Luis Casal 

First Fort Stockton has a Holy Week tradition that began  more than 25 years ago called Fish Fry Wednesday night and I have been attending for the last 8 years. They have organized the community to offer a free fish and schrimp meal to everybody who show up. Several families of the town join efforts with First church to cover the cost of the meal and also to cook the food. A big industrial kitchen is installed in the ally on the back of the church and an enthusiastic group of men are the volunteer chefs to fry the fish and the schrimps. There is no message, no worship service just the announce of the activities of the churches and an open invitation to everybody to attend their churches and if they don't have any church the invitation is to find a place where they can worship God. The goal of this activity is to provide fellowship and relations.  In a time when we see so many divisions, discussions and awful controversies, this event of fellowship is a blessings for this community. Thanks be to God for this testimony of First Presbyterian Church in Fort Stockton. 

 

MORNING BY MORNING.

D?a tras D?a

By Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia, 221 Vice-Moderator of the General Assembly - This is a reflection of our Vice-Moderator after was diagnosed with breast cancer

"Certainly the faithful love of the LORD has not ended; certainly God's compassion isn't through! They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3: 22-23)

I've always been moved by the chorus of the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," where we are reminded of the gift of each new day, "Morning by morning, new mercies I see. ..." I have always found myself wondering if that's truly possible; if I am actually capable of seeing each day full of newness unfolding right before my eyes. What a blessing! What a joy! What a divinely challenging way to see Creation around us! 

I am struck even more so by these verses and hymn as I face my diagnosis with breast cancer. The prognosis is good and I have already started chemotherapy as the first measure in this healing process. There is also surgery and treatments to face in the future as well. But I find myself taking things one step at a time, getting more attune to the needs of my body and the surprises that each new day may bring.

It is my hope that this series will be a way to share the stories that become a part of this journey and the gifts that come with the rising of every morning sun. I'll try to write as regularly as I can, post photos, and welcome the comments/prayers that you may add. The most powerful part of the experience thus far has been the outpouring of thoughts and prayers from people all across the country. Thank you for lifting me up.

If you need more information about the newsletter or the activities of The Presbytery of Tres Rios, please contact

Rev. Jose Luis Casal - General Missioner

jlcasal@tresrios.org  -  Ph. 432-682-5297 - office

cell - 432-638-3564