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The EP's Corner
by Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta
"Passion"
 Our conversations around what it means to
flourish continues to deepen our understanding of what it means to be a Presbytery filled with healthy congregations and innovative leaders who are seeking to serve God and others with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love. I have had the honor of talking to our committees, sessions, congregations, and to our Presbyterian Women about what it means to have passion for God's love for us, our love for God, and having a heart for the world. Thank you for inviting me connect through conversations that are life-giving and transformative.
As we think of the word of
passion, I cannot help but to think of the ways we collectively work together as a denomination to demonstrate our gratitude to God through passionate and compassionate generosity. One way we do that collectively is through our
One Great Hour of Sharing. As some of you may or may not know, I didn't become Presbyterian until my early 20's. I served in youth ministry and I remember seeing these little fish boxes floating around. I thought to myself,
"What is this all about?" One of my staff members, who worked directly with the children, explained that Presbyterians all over the nation have this huge offering to make an impact in hunger, disaster, relief, and socioeconomic development of people who live in the communities where we serve. I remember describing to my youth that this kind of generosity is like a huge wave of compassion to reach those who may have lost sight of the truth that God loves them and that there are communities of caring who surrounds them.
I am thankful for the continued passion around ministries like
One Great Hour of Sharing. It reminds me that passion can be expressed in quiet ways and it can be expressed in ways that are bold and vivid. In this month's newsletter you will find stories of passion around hunger and disaster assistance, just to name a few. Let's keep sharing the stories about how our love for God pours out in tangible ways to transform that world. Here is a link to one man's story in Haiti who's life has been changed through the powerful passion expressed through our huge wave compassion found in
One Great Hour of Sharing.
www.vimeo.com/320337801
As we continue through lent with our faces pointed towards Calvary, may we remember God's relentless love for us, embrace that love in our hearts, and offer it back out to the world.
Blessings,
Aisha
#flourish
#passion
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JOIN US IN REACHING OUR $40,000 FUNDRAISING GOAL FOR HUNGER WALK/RUN 2019!
The Atlanta Community Food Bank also has a new goal - By 2025, everyone in ACFB's 29-county service area will have access to the nutritious meals they need when they need them. Imagine what it would mean for Atlanta to be the first city to close the hunger gap! The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta has the opportunity to make a big impact on this transformative social shift.
Find out more about the PGA's response to hunger through our participation in Hunger Walk/Run here.
As a benefiting partner, we keep 60% of the funds we raise to fund our P.A.T.H. Grant Program (Presbyterians Answer to Hunger). You can find out more about the P.A.T.H. Grant here.
Over the past 5 years, the youth of our Presbytery have raised close to $140,000 for hunger relief, nearly $35,000 last year alone. Our youth have built a powerful grassroots ministry, and it's time for the rest of the presbytery to join with them.
HOW TO BE INVOLVED
- Be a TEAM CAPTAIN and recruit people from your congregation to participate. Re-activate your team or start a new team here.
- JOIN A TEAM. Your church may already have an active team to join. You can search for your church's team under the registration page here.
- RAISE MONEY. There are amazing fundraising tools like the Social Media App that will make fundraising easy. You can download it here.
- Come to the HUNGER WALK/RUN EVENT. Join thousands of people from around Atlanta working to end hunger at The Home Depot Backyard on April 28, 2019. Get event info here.
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Presbytery Mission Trip for Hurricane Relief
by Richard Hill, Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church
 Over Presidents' Day weekend our Presbytery sent 23 mission-servants to Vernon, Florida to help with damage from Hurricane Michael. We stayed and worked at Dogwood Acres Camp, the camp of the Presbytery of Florida that had over 400 trees toppled with sustained winds between 115-130 mph. Our team replaced the roof on one cabin, rebuilt a wall for a barn and cleared acres of debris and roots to prepare the camp to open for the season and to receive other PDA and FEMA work crews. The trip was anchored by a large crew from Decatur Presbyterian along with members from Westminster, North Decatur and Covenant; ages ranging from 12 to 85. What better way to demonstrate that we are a "connectional" church in mission together! If your church is interested if a similar venture is planned in the future, contact Richard Hill ([email protected]).
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Upcoming Stated Meeting of Presbytery on May 4th
by Donna E. Wells, Stated Clerk
 The upcoming Stated Meeting of Presbytery will be held on Saturday, May 4 at North Avenue Presbyterian Church from 9:00-12:45. In keeping with our focus on growing healthy and vital churches and leaders (Passion, Prayer, Priesthood and Purpose), this meeting's focus is on prayer. Join us as we are led in a variety of styles and expressions of prayer, as we join together for a deeper spiritual focus in the midst of our business!
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Youth and Young Adults Grants Available
by Chip Blankinship, Director of Operations
The Grants Committee is now receiving applications for the Youth and Young Adult Grants. These grants
are for creative, innovative approaches to individual and collaborative ministries on behalf of young people. They are designed to enable creative, life-transforming ministries with young people to take hold and begin to spread the fire and passion throughout our Presbytery of Greater Atlanta (PGA), our communities and ultimately, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Funded projects will address the causes of critical issues related to young people in their local context, with an eye towards how their work can have a broad impact on the priorities of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The maximum amount awarded per application will be $5,000. The deadline for application will be midnight on May 15, 2019. The application may be found here. The Grants Committee looks forward to hearing about the exciting ministries by which your churches are engaging the youth and young adults of our presbytery.
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Soul Soup Community
by Armandee Drew, Organizing Pastor of Soul Soup Community
 Maybe it is just me, but a day doesn't go by that I'm not part of a conversation around community and the changing church. It seems to be the Zeitgeist. These dynamic and honest discussions raise important questions about the transition and transformation of what faith-practice looks like, as many crave more intentional connection, loving honesty, and healthy community. In the midst of this quest, wonderful explorations are happening!
Soul Soup Community is a new faith community that exists to encourage this conversation, while holding space for all forms of the churched and the un-churched to come together around a communal table to have deep conversations about life, the soul, and the divine. And it is that vague and open. We ask more questions than we have answers to. We have suspended the need to have any right answers, while we explore and welcome each other where we are, and what our model and map for life is, in the present moment. Our goal is to really know one another, to hear one another, and re-imagine what love looks like in the day-to-day realities of joy and suffering amidst the fragmented and superficially connected world. Learn more here
www.soulsoupcommunity.com.
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Introduction to Boundaries Training Coming on May 8, 2019
by Donna E. Wells, Stated Clerk
Once again we will be offering introductory boundaries training geared towards those in the parish on May 8 at the Presbytery office. Holly Tickle facilitates this training and touches on the topics of: social media, friends in the congregation, self-care, and safety for our children.
You can register by
clicking here. The cost is $30. Please sign up if you have not been to a boundaries training in the last 5 years. For more information, contact Donna Wells at the presbytery office, 404-898-0711 ext. 123.
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Rev. Byeong Han - Chaplain of the Day at the GA House of Representatives
On Tuesday, February 12, Rev. Byeong Han, of Korean Central Presbyterian Church, was invited to be the Chaplain of the Day at the Georgia House of Representatives. Rev. Han was privileged to deliver a short sermon to the House and offer a prayer.
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ECKAM Elects New Cabinet 2019-2020
by Rev. Dr. Hyunsung Cho, Congregational Consultant for ECKAM Churches
 ECKAM has had two official meetings, one in March and another in September. In March, a new cabinet was elected and organized, and in September there were committee meetings and special lectures for training purposes. On Sunday, March 10, ECKAM held its spring official meeting at Grace Korean Presbyterian Church in Roswell.
Rev. Jong Hyeon Kim, senior pastor of Grace Church, was elected as the new ECKAM Chair. The vice chairs are Rev. Young Chul (teaching elder), senior pastor of New Presbyterian Church of GA and Eun Il Choi (ruling elder), elder of Central Korean Church. Rev. Hyunsung Cho, Congregational Consultant of ECKAM, is the Executive Director. Clerk Rev. Myung Jin Chae is the EM pastor of Good News Garden Church, and Treasurer Suk Young Lee is deaconess of Korean Community church.
Rev. Jung Mi Han, the first Korean woman to be ordained Pastor of (PC)USA, preached "Only Jesus" and accompanied her sermon with passage of 2 Corinthians 4:5. The women ministers of ECKAM sang a special song entitled "Shine Like Sunshine" before the sermon.
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Annual Renewal and Reaffirmation of Vows
On Tuesday, April 16 at 11 AM, Executive Presbyter Aisha Brooks-Lytle will be preaching at the Cathedral of St. Philip for their Annul Renewal and Reaffirmation of Vows service in preparation for Easter. An invitation is extended to our own PGA ministers and ministerial leaders as we all prepare for a time of renewal during Holy Week. Red stoles are welcome for this gathering. A light lunch will be provided and registration is requested. Click here to register.
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Coordinator of Pastor to Pastors Pastoral Team Opening
The presbytery's Pastor to Pastors Pastoral Team is seeking a coordinator. The Coordinator is responsible for the Pastoral Team and coordinates meetings and activities and serves as ex-offico on the Committe on Ministry. Click here to view the position description. Resumes can be sent to [email protected].
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Pastor Group
by Chip Blankinship, Director of Operations
 This month, Pastor Group will meet on April 11 at 10:00 a.m. and will cover chapter 8, "Power and Wise Boundaries." Our discussion will be on the topic of staff and management. David Lower of Saint Luke's will join us as our guest facilitator.
We have long believed that the best way to have healthy congregations is for our congregations to have healthy leaders. This season, we are studying together Peter Scazzero's book
The Emotionally Healthy Leader. Each month, we will begin with a brief discussion summarizing a chapter of the book. Then we will have a presentation and discussion around a related topic, given by leaders within our presbytery and beyond.
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April 11 - Pastor Group @ St. Andrews PC
May 4 - Stated Meeting @ North Avenue PC
May 9 - Pastor Group @ St. Andrews PC
Click here for the Calvin Center's programs.
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The next newslett
er
will go out April 30. Articles will be accepted through April 15. The following newsletter will go out May 31. To request space for an article, email your Congregational Consultant or Mark Sauls at
[email protected]
. Click here to view submission guidelines.
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