The John C. and Queen Miller Scholarship Application is now open!

Applicants should be of African American/Black descent AND a member of one of the churches in Providence Presbytery.

 The Committee on Racial and Religious Reconciliation invites high school seniors who meet the criteria to apply.

 The application can be found on Providence Presbytery’s website under the Forms category or by visiting bit.ly/providencescholarship

The John C. and Queen Miller Scholarship is a one-time award of $1,500. This scholarship is awarded annually and may be divided among multiple recipients.

It is managed by Providence Presbytery's Committee on Racial and Religious Reconciliation.

If you have high school graduating Seniors in your church, please encourage them to apply before August 31st.

Juneteenth 2026 takes place on Friday, June 19, 2026 (the presbytery office will be closed). It is an official U.S. federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, specifically marking the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom.

Juneteenth is a combination of the words June and nineteenth. It commemorates the day more than two months after the end of the Civil War – and more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation – when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their freedom.

Thank you to Linda Kennedy, moderator for the Committee on Racial and Religious Reconciliation (CRRR), for the following list of Juneteenth Events in Lancaster, Chester and York Counties:

Rock Hill

• Juneteenth Celebration (June 19–21): This is the flagship three-day weekend festival for the tri-county area.
• Friday, June 19: The celebration kicks off with community food truck gatherings, live opening musical acts, and local entertainment.
• Saturday, June 20: The main Freedom Fest takes place, featuring cultural programming, extensive local arts and black-owned business vendors, and family activities designed to honor regional civil rights milestones.
• Sunday, June 21: The weekend wraps up with a community fellowship and unity worship service hosted at Mt. Prospect Baptist Church. 
• Live musical acts include MelloGroove, E Dub, and 1K, alongside food trucks and retail vendors. 

City of York

• Liberation Lane: A Juneteenth Celebration (June 20): Downtown York (North Congress Street) hosts its annual celebration from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
• Activities: Features a panel discussion at The Sylvia Theater (1:00 PM – 2:00 PM) on the importance of Black history, followed by live musical performances by MelloGroove, E Dub, and 1K. Visitors can also enjoy local vendors, food and arts
• 25th Ohio Volunteers will highlight the Federal soldiers who enforced emancipation in York County at the end of the Civil War, along with specialized site tours like “The Hope of Emancipation”.
• Amenities & Attractions: The festival includes a local marketplace bazaar with over 30 craft and business vendors, food trucks, and a dedicated Kid Zone on Dunlap Street packed with inflatables, amusement rides, and a mechanical bull. Adults 21+ can also purchase beer and wine to carry within the designated festival walking zone. 

Chester County

• Virtual Juneteenth Presentation (June 19): Because the county's large in-person block party took place on Friday, June 5, the programming for this specific weekend moves online. A digital commemorative stream featuring local historical discussions and community presentations will air on the Juneteenth Celebration — Chester Facebook Page.

News From Bethelwoods

Dear Friends,

I’m reaching out on behalf of Bethelwoods Camp to invite you to partner with us for this upcoming camp season. 

We are seeking pastors who would be willing to volunteer their time to lead our morning watch and/or evening worship for our campers. Your presence and guidance would have a meaningful impact on the spiritual growth of the youth we serve.

If you are available and interested, please let us know what dates might work best for your schedule. Housing will be provided for the days that you are able to help out. We would be grateful for any time you can offer.

For questions about time commitment please reach out to EJ Hart camp Program Director at Elson@bethelwoods.org or call at 704-352-7771 he can give you all the details!

My thought for this year has been to have not just worship leaders but partners so that two people share the responsibilities of the week. Not to say we wouldn’t love to have all to our campers for the week. We want it to be a fun enjoyable experience for you as well as the campers and if sharing the load helps we are all in!

Thank you for your continued support of our community and its young people. We look forward to hearing from you.

Summer Camp Weeks (Click here to view current availability and sign up)

• June 14-19
• June 21-26
• June 28-July 3
• July 5-10
• July 12-17
• July 19-24
• July 26-31

Please consider donating some of your time this summer to make an impact that lasts a lifetime!

Peace,

Hope Moore

Chair, Bethelwoods Board of Trustees

From the Synod of South Atlantic

Employment Opportunities

You can view employment opportunities within the Presbytery, Synod and ministry partners surrounding Providence anytime by clicking here.

• Co-Director of Children’s Ministries -- Covenant Pres. Church, Charlotte, NC
• Youth & Family Director -- Philadelphia Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC
• Pilot Mountain, NC Ministry Opportunity

2026 Providence Presbytery Stated Meetings

• August 16, 2026 | Virtual | 1:30 p.m.
• November 8, 2026 | Riverview Presbyterian, Fort Mill, SC | 2:30 p.m.

Providence Presbytery Staff Members

Executive Presbyter: Rev. Dr. Steve Lindsley

Stated Clerk: Rev. Dr. David Bender

Business Administrator: Rose Lemmons-Berry

Mission Consultant: Eric Robinson

Technology & Communications Coordinator: Katie Rutland

Newsletter Submissions

Do you have content or announcements for the Presbytery Newsletter? It will be published every other Tuesday. Please send items to be included to Katie no later than the Friday before publication.

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