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Just Click the pictures to hear the hymn
Trust and Obey
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Kari Jobe - I am not Alone
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Here is the new electronic newsletter of Tres Rios Presbytery for May 2015. You are invited to read the articles that feature the life of our Presbyterian churches in this area
Please, let us know your opinions, comments and suggestions, and forward the newsletter to all who may be interested in the work of our Presbytery.
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| PROJECT VIDA'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CELEBRATED THE SECOND YEAR OF ITS EXPANSION INTO EL PASO COUNTY El Programa de Desarrollo Econ?mico de "Project Vida" celebra su segundo a?o de expansi?n en el condado El Paso. By Joyce Davidoff
In the picture - (left to right) - Anita Werner, WestStar Bank, Bill Schlesinger, Project Vida (partially hidden), Christine Gallegos, Wells Fargo Bank, Crystal Long, Government Employees Federal Credit Union (GECU), Eddie Gutierrez, El Paso Electric Co., Dave Wade, BBVA Compass Bank. (Not pictured: Representatives from University Presbyterian Church, Guerra Investment Advisors, and Tropicana Homes) Project Vida's economic development program celebrated the second year of its expansion into El Paso County by honoring donors who made the expansion possible. The event on May 6 celebrated $49,500 in donations to Project Vida's Microenterprise Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) County Expansion in FY 2015. Major donors to the program are El Paso Electric, $10,000; GECU, $10,000; BBVA Compass Bank, $8,500; Wells Fargo Bank, $5,000; Guerra Investment Advisors, $5,000; WestStar Bank, $2,500; Tropicana Homes, $2,500; and University Presbyterian Church, $6,000.
Also attended the celebration El Paso County Commissioner Vincent Perez, Socorro City Council members, and State Senator Jos? Rodriguez's representative . Project Vida's MTAP program encourages economic growth in the El Paso area by providing no-cost business assistance to microenterprises with five or fewer employees, including the owner, who are low-income. MTAP's business literacy training includes promotora-style outreach to microenterprise owners; consultation; counseling; workshops on licensing and permitting; basic accounting and record keeping; business plan development; marketing; and more. MTAP also partners with Lift Fund (formerly Accion: Texas) to provide access to low-cost loans for micro-business development, as appropriate, to encourage growth toward small business status and entry into the mainstream economy. With funding from the City of El Paso's Community Development Block Grant program, Project Vida's MTAP has had a significant economic impact on microenterprises within the City limits for 11 years: In FY2014, 54 jobs were created and 94 jobs retained with an estimated economic impact of $2.2 million. MTAP County Expansion extends that success to microenterprises in El Paso County areas outside the City limits. |
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FIRST BIG SPRING YOUTH AND CHILDREN PEFORMED THE PLAY "IT'S COOL IN THE FURNACE"
El grupo de j?venes y ni?os de la Primera Iglesia Presbiteriana de Big Spring present? la obra musical "El horno est? fresco" By Susan Dawes  First Presbyterian Church, Big Spring, Texas, presented the performance of the classic Buryl Red musical, "It's Cool In The Furnace," on Sunday, May 17, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of the church. The combined children and youth singers were accompanied by ten instrumentalists as they told the story of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The singers explained how the boys are forced to make choices to follow God's laws until they finally end up in the fiery furnace. Musical numbers were accompanied by piano, organ, guitar, alto recorder, Orff instruments, trumpet, handbells and other percussion instruments. It was a joyful experience finishing with the joyful conclusion with the chorus, "Let the People Praise." |
| POEM - TRIMMING GOD Poema - Dios Podador By Rev. Magdalena Garcia - Teaching Elder of the Presbytery of Chicago
 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. He removes any of my branches that don't produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already trimmed because of the word I have spoken to you." - John 15:1-3 (CEB)
Trimming God, we offer up
our arid, thorny, sterile lives.
Trim away
the dryness of callous responses,
the parchedness of ongoing neglect,
the brittleness of shallow answers.
Trim away
the sharpness of unfair accusations,
the incisiveness of misguided narratives,
the sting of false allies.
Trim away
the barrenness of social isolation,
the fruitlessness of class separation,
the desolation of racial segregation.
Trimming God, hover over
our arid, thorny, sterile lives.
Spruce us with your Word
and sow in us the vision and the will
to cultivate productive, peaceful, prosperous communities
where all your children can thrive.
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EXPERIENCES OF OUR CANDIDATE AT PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Experiencias de nuestra Candidata en el Seminario Teol?gico de Princeton
By Candidate Lauren Heare Morris
Three years ago dug up my well planted roots in San Angelo, TX and transplanted my life 1,800 miles away in the fertile soil of Princeton New Jersey. The past three years have been full to the bursting point, and it has been a wonderful journey. My first semester of classes was overwhelming and at the same time revolutionizing. My favorite class that year was Old Testament with Dr. Sakenfeld, a woman who trail blazed in theological education for women in ministry, and who taught us not only to know the Old Testament but to love it. Her famous line that semester has stuck with me as I have traveled through this journey, "Grace precedes the law." The summer after my first year I married my husband, Hunter Morris. The week after I started summer language classes where I became immersed in ancient Greek. In august, Hunter started Law School at Drexel School of Law in Philadelphia. That first year of marriage was wonderful and difficult. With both of us in grad school, we were very busy. Thankfully, we lived in the married housing apartments with all the other married seminarians: a ready-made community. Princeton Seminary is a residential school, which means that almost all students live on campus along with many members of the faculty. We worship together, study together, celebrate together and grieve together as one body. It will be very difficult to leave this place where we have created a life, and forged many friendships. For many seminarians, Princeton Seminary is a haven, and for some a challenge. The community is intentionally diverse both physically and theologically. My education here has been theological as well as practical. I feel prepared for ministry, and its challenges and I look forward to how our student relationships will turn in to co-working relationships in the coming years. I have been amazed by the way my community has interacted in social change and justice work and am proud to be a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary. As wonderful as Princeton has been, there is no way I would have made it to this point without the constant support of the churches and loved ones who have supported me in my call. First Presbyterian Church and St. Paul Church of San Angelo have been such a comfort and source of help and encouragement. Last week I received a card congratulating me on my Graduation, which had been signed by all of the deacons at FPC, seeing those familiar names reminded me of the community that sent me here, and the church that raised me to know and love Jesus. For the love, support, and prayers from all of you, I am immensely grateful. The truth is, Seminary is not a solitary journey, but a path walked alongside many supporters. I have never once felt alone, or unknown. I hope that in my life and ministry I can multiply the many blessings I have received and the mercies I have been shown. In love and peace I thank you all. |
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| BI-NATIONAL MISSION CONFERENCE WITH THE CHURH IN COLOMBIA IN EL PASO ON SEPTEMBER 23-27, 2015
Conferencia Bi-Nacional de Misi?n con la Iglesia en Colombia en Septiembre 23-27, 2015 en El Paso.
By Rev. Craig Meyers, chair of the planning team
On September 23-27 in El Paso, leaders from the Colombian Presbyterian Community and folks from Tres Rios will hold a conference. Three of the five days will be spent in planning, strategizing, and deepening the relationships between Tres Rios, the Colombians and Miami Presbytery.
Tres Rios has had a long and fruitful relationship with our Colombian sisters and brothers. We have sent mission trips over the last number of years, helped with projects in their local churches, advocated for their interests here in the U.S. and learned from them about courageous Christianity in a very difficult situation. The Presbyterians in Colombia are a very small minority. However, they serve in ways that are far greater than their numbers. They have been a living model of quality education that is available to even the most economically distressed children. They have been the most persistent and courageous voice on behalf of the displaced people from 60 years of civil war and oppression from both the large economic interests and the guerillas during this conflict. Tres Rios has advocated for our own country to recognize the needs of the poor and victims of violence, even though our country has supported a government that participates in their exploitation. We have sent "Accompaniers" who walk with those who have been threatened because of their advocacy activities. We have provided "asylum" for the Mejia family. Milton, the father, was the general secretary of their Presbytery, and his life was threatened. For a year the family was housed through St. Paul Church in San Angelo before Milton continued his education at McCormick Seminary. When they returned, we advocated for special concern for their safety with the American Consulate in Bogota. This will be a chance for interested leaders to sit in on the planning discussions. More importantly, the times in which the Colombian leaders will spread out and itinerate throughout the Presbytery will allow many of our church members to hear them preach and teach and tell their stories. Already St. Mark and Nazareth of San Angelo are in a sister church relationship with the congregation in Pital. Plan on participating, either in El Paso, or your own community. Mark your calendar.
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| THE TASK FORCE ON DRUG POLICY REFORM OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MET AT GRACE CHURCH IN EL PASO El Grupo de Estudio para la Reforma de las Pol?ticas sobre Drogas se reuni? en la Iglesia Grace de El Paso By Rev. Jessica Vaughan Lower, pastor  On May 2, 2015, the Task Force on Drug Policy Reform chose El Paso as their second city out of four, using Grace Presbyterian Church, El Paso as the location for their hearings and discussions with leaders on both sides of the border. Below is an excerpt of an article titled, "Seek Ye First the Rat Park," published by J. Barrett Lee, a member on the Task Force, as he shares some of his progressing thoughts on the work of the Task Force so far. Read the article in it's entirety at: http://justiceunbound.org/carousel/seek-ye-first-the-rat-park/ . "When our task force gathered to begin our research, our members already agreed that the War on Drugs had failed. All of us had read the data and seen the destructive effects of the Drug War firsthand. We agreed that a new approach was necessary. The question before us at that point was: What form should a new American drug policy take?
We have heard testimony from judges, pastors, lawyers, doctors, activists, DEA agents, counselors, professors, elected officials, and displaced victims of violence on both sides of the border between Mexico and the United States. What took the task force by surprise was the moment when we began to pick up on a common thread running through these various testimonies: Drug abuse should be treated primarily as a public health issue, rather than a criminal justice issue. Addiction is not simply caused by genetics, poor decision-making, or the potency of the chemicals themselves. Strong community bonding, on the other hand, is a significant 'protective factor' that tends to reduce the engagement in unhealthy or addictive behaviors. Effective prevention and treatment strategies depend less on scare tactics or the threat of punishment and more on investment in building healthy individuals, families, and communities." |
| ANDREWS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IS REFLECTING ON CHURCH'S CHANGES La Iglesia Presbiteriana de Andrews reflexiona sobre los cambios en la iglesia By Rev. Tracy Spencer Brown, pastor
For several weeks, folks at Andrews Presbyterian Church have been hearing scripture from Romans as the preaching text. On Sunday, May 17, during the time for the sermon, Tracy Spencer-Brown gave a brief homily, and then the members of the congregation split into small groups to discuss the text, and our understanding of sin. All present were excited by this process, and we will continue to do this on occasion. On Pentecost, after the Call to Worship from Acts 2, the Pentecost flame was lit from the Christ candle. It burned through most of worship, which featured a sermon on one of the most familiar passages from Romans, Chapter 8, verses 18-39. The sermon reflected on the power of flame and wind to effect changes in the landscape, and how much has changed in the last one hundred years in demographics, science and technology, etc. We reflected on the changes in the church in the United States that were described in the Pew Report released a few weeks ago, and the understanding of sociologists that history moves in 500 year cycles. Phyllis Tickle has observed that the church is in the midst of a change, the likes of which haven't happened since the Reformation. Reflecting on those changes, we remembered Paul's assurances in Romans 8 that though the world (and the church) groan in labor pains, we are to wait patiently for God. In the meantime, the Spirit prays for us, and we are reminded that in all things God works for good for those who love him, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, not even change!
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