Salem Matters News of What Matters This Week
in Salem Presbytery
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August 30, 2023 | Volume IX, Number 35
Presbyterian Church of the Cross - Greensboro
Bethany Presbyterian - Statesville
Salem Presbytery as it prepares for its Stated Meeting on September 9th
Pre-Registration for Saturday, September 9, 2023 meeting

Pre-registration is required for the Saturday, September 9, 2023 (9:00am) meeting of Salem Presbytery. You will find the link to register below. 

Note to clergy and all serving churches, and to clerks of Session: please forward this email to the ruling elder commissioner(s) elected by your Session as commissioner(s) for this meeting. Only those elected elders should register as "Elder Commissioner Elected by Session for this Meeting." Any other ordained Ruling Elder (who have not been elected as a commissioner for this meeting) should register as a visitor.
Pre-registration will close on Thursday, August 31 at 5:00pm. 

(On-site registration at Burlington will be available, but lunch can only be guaranteed to pre-registrants.)
Grant Opportunity for Overdose Response in Faith Communities

Partners in Health and Wholeness is delighted to offer mini-grants to North Carolina faith communities interested in working around the overdose crisis. We believe that faith communities play a crucial role in addressing the overdose crisis, and by coming together, we can have a significant impact in our communities. Apply now through November 30 and take the first step towards a healthier, safer future. The first step to apply for a mini-grant is to Join the PHW Collaborative.

For those seeking inspiration and insights, register for the upcoming webinar, "Faith and the Overdose Crisis" in the link below. Your community has the power to make a difference – join us in this crucial work.
Employer Agreements Now Available—A message from the Board of Pensions

Employer Agreements are now available for church employers to review and submit by logging on to the Benefits Connect website through Friday, October 6. This is the annual opportunity to review, select, and change benefits offerings for the upcoming year.

Offering benefits that support well-being in four key areas—spiritual, health, financial, and vocational—enables church and presbytery staff members to bring their best gifts to their ministry and service. Explore the options available by reaching out to your Church Consultant or visiting the Board of Pensions website.
Money Basics: Let's Build a Plan

Looking for a way to feel more confident about your personal finances? Mark your calendar for Thursday, September 14, 2023, from 2-3:30 p.m. ET, for Money Basics: Let’s Build a Plan. Presenters William K. Wesley, JD, MBA, and the Reverend Reginald Tuggle will explain how to build and implement a plan to feel more self-assured about personal money matters. The session will focus on the following four key areas:
  • controlling spending
  • managing debt
  • prioritizing saving
  • maintaining excellent credit 
Open to members participating in the Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), their spouses, and surviving spouses, this webinar is one of the lifelong learning programs offered by the Board of Pensions through Board University. Registration opens Thursday, August 17. For more information, visit pensions.org/boarduniversity.
General Presbyter Search Committee Update 

Dear Friends in Salem Presbytery,

Your General Presbyter Search Committee wanted to bring you another update on where we are in our process of discerning God’s will for our next Presbyter. Our committee work has continued well, in spite of tricky summer schedules of our members. We are currently conducting first round interviews with some incredible candidates who God has called our direction. We are very much enjoying our time in these interviews and look forward to narrowing our field in the coming weeks with next step candidate meetings. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we work on your behalf, as we look forward to presenting a candidate for the position. Please note that our co-chairs have also adjusted for the time being due to Paul Sink’s sabbatical leave. Elder, Donna Hines is joined by Rev. Stephen Fearing of the committee to carry the mantle of guiding our committee’s search process.
May the peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you all!

In Christ,
Your Salem Search Committee
SESSION MINUTES REVIEWS:

At long last, we will gather to review Session minutes (2019-2023) in accordance with the schedule below. It's ideal for the Clerk of Session to bring the minutes for review, but if the clerk is not available, send your minutes by an elder colleague. These gatherings usually conclude within one hour.

  • 9/9 following adjournment of Pby meeting: Burlington First PC
  • 9/17 at 2pm: Westminster PC, Greensboro (Note date change)

Questions? Email David Vaughan!<[email protected]>
General Assembly Commissioner Nominations

Nomination forms for the PCUSA General Assembly to be held in 2024 in Salt Lake City are now available on the presbytery website. Forms are available for Minister Commissioners, Ruling Elder Commissioners, Young Adult Advisory Delegates, as well as a GA Fact Sheet. Click the link below to access all these forms in info.
Overture: From Idea to General Assembly

Click the link below for information about how Overtures end up on the floor of General Assembly. Does your Session want to submit an Overture? Here's how that can happen.
From Hunger Committee:

The Fall Domestic Account for Pennies for Hunger is looking a little depleted. If your church is yet to send in any outstanding Pennies for Hunger amounts, if they could get them to Renee Carter this week, the Salem Hunger Committee would be grateful! The committee meets on Wednesday, August 30th. This will ensure that our Fall Grant Applicants receive the maximum amount of distribution possible to fund grants in our communities and abate local hunger.
First Presbyterian Salisbury Job Openings

First Presbyterian in Salisbury currently has three job openings and are seeking qualified applicants. Follow the links below for job descriptions and instructions on how to apply.
Planting Faith Growing Faith Workshop

  • On Thursday, November 2, 2023 the Commission on Ministry and the CCD will offer a course on Pastoral Care at Laurel Ridge. This may be especially helpful for staff members in congregations.  Register here
  • Dates: November 2, 2022 (beginning with registration and lunch on Thursday and ending with breakfast on Friday) or you can pair this workshop with Seminary in the South led by Rev. Dr. Riddick Weber about worship creation and writing liturgies, prayers and hymns) More Info Here: https://laurelridge.org/seminary-in-the-south-everyone-welcome/
  • Description: This course will offer tools and tips for pastoral care in congregational settings. As leaders in your congregations you encounter people who are in need of particular support, prayers and presence. This course will help you to build capacity around the practice of pastoral care and equip you with tools to help you feel more confident to care for your congregation.
  • Instructor: Emily Viverette, Director FaithHealth Education. Emily is a minister affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Emily is a graduate of Elon University (B.S.) and Vanderbilt Divinity School (M.Div.). Prior to seminary, Emily taught high school math. Emily served as the Director of CPE at Alamance Regional Medical Center before joining the faculty in 2009. Emily is Director of the Department of FaithHealth Education. She is married to Michael, and they have two children, Jack and Lily.
  • Lodging: We will be staying in Higgins Lodge at Laurel Ridge Camp and Conference Center. You can pay the lodging fees directly to Laurel Ridge by contacting Karen Eagle at [email protected]. If you would like to share a room please coordinate with your roommate and Karen for the adjusted costs.
  • Cost: $183.75 per participant for lodging and meals at Laurel Ridge
  • Hybrid Option: Please indicate if you would like to participate in a Hybrid option, if we can get a critical mass 4 or more for this we will make it happen.
  • Registration deadline: Monday, October 23, 2022
Upcoming Ordination Anniversaries!

Please Pass along congratulations to the following who are celebrating anniversaries of their ordinations:
 
Parish Matters
Parish B Engagement Pastor Frank Dew shares the following news from Parish B:

We recently had our Parish B lunch on the third Tuesday of each month at noon. We met August 22 at Westminster Presbyterian and Greensboro. Sam Perkins gave us an update on cooperative youth ministry and cooperative young adult ministry. Our next lunch will be on September 19 at noon. Anyone wishing to host please let me know. Also, churches are asked to send in their Pennies for Hunger money to Renee Carter, as soon as possible, in order to help fund fall, grant proposals.

Blessings
Frank Dew
Parish B Beloved
Prayer Matters
September Prayers for:
 Presbyterian Women
Presbytery Youth Leadership Team
Please Hold the Following in Your Prayers
  • The community of Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina, and especially the family and loved ones of the professor who was tragically killed on August 28th.
  • To Stacey Steck and his family at the passing of his mother, Dixie Steck.
  • All those who have been effected by the devastating fires in Hawaii.
  • All those who are suffering the effects of flooding and extreme heat in our country

We will list these prayer requests for two weeks unless we are notified that they are to be continued. You may submit prayer requests through the link below.
PCUSA Matters
PCUSA Job Opportunities
The latest in Job Opportunities with the PCUSA, as of July 4, 2023
Board of Pensions Call to Health
Click the link below to join the Board of Pensions Call to Health.
PCUSA News and Announcements
Click below for the latest news and announcements from the PCUSA.


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