Caring, Empowering and Celebrating 

the churches in Foothills Presbytery

 

Newsletter

January 19, 2017

In This Issue
102nd Stated Meeting
Youth Leaders
Sr High Retreat
Skye Jethani - EPC
Amy Jill Levine
Next Church Gathering
2017 FP Directory updates needed
CAQ 2016
Big Ten 2017
2018 PW Gathering
Employment Opportunities
Resource Center
Upcoming Dates
A Pastory's Theology of Risk Retreat
Next Stated Presbytery Meeting
The next
FOOTHILLS PRESBYTERY
Stated Meeting #102 
Tuesday, 
February 21, 2017
at 
First Presbyterian Church
393 East Main Street, Spartanburg

Quick Links
  
  
  
   pdq





Foothills Presbytery Office Hours
9:00am - 4:30pm
Monday - Thursday
Office Closed
on Friday.

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ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING OFFERING 
"SHARING BRINGS JOY. TO OTHERS. TO GOD, AND TO US"
Through abundant and generous gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing, Presbyterians have for many years faithfully heeded God's call to serve people seeking to reclaim and restore their lives.
   
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thornwell

Thornwell Home for Children
  
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SOUTH CAROLINA INN AT MONTREAT

Keep the South Carolina Inn in mind when you start making your summer plans. If you plan to attend a conference at Montreat or just want some time away in the beautiful mountains, you can find room in the South Carolina Inn or the Kirk Apartments. Give Chuck a call to inquire about options and to make reservations - 828-669-7460 or cell phone 828-230-5171.

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world

Stewardship of Creation Enabler Connections  


What's New:
102nd Stated Meeting 
  • We will vote on the General Assembly Amendments passed last Summer.  GA no longer prepares paper Amendment booklets, but rather gives us the website.  As this is a 40 plus page document, we are not going to print them either, except by special request.  Below you will see the link and see the analysis that was done by the Association of Stated Clerks.  Please make sure your Commissioners have read these prior to the meeting.
  • Rev. Tom Hay, the General Assembly Associated Clerk for General Assembly Operations will be with us.  Rev. Dr. Charles E. Raynal, III and Rev. Dr. Frank Colcough will be with us to talk about our Reformed and Presbyterian Heritage in South Carolina, and Rev. Dr. Richard Ray from the Montreat Heritage Society will be with us to talk about the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.  Below you will find the link to the recently published fourth volume of The History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina by Charles Raynal and Nancy Griffith. If you would like to get a copy for 50% for yourself or for your Church Library, please let Leanne White know by February 26th. 
Youth Groups Gather for Concert!
Youth Groups Gather for Sunday Night Concert

By Dana Waters 
(Associate for Youth and Mission Fort Hill Church)

One cold and snowy Sunday afternoon, three youth groups from Foothills Presbytery (Anderson/Pickens Region) came together for a concert. Youth from Fort Hill and First Presbyterian traveled to Central Presbyterian in Anderson to see Sam Burchfield perform. Sam, as many of you may know, is a child of this presbytery and of Fort Hill Church. He has been the music leader for our presbytery's Middle School Conference in Bonclarken and the Montreat Youth Conference.   Click here to see full article

Small(er) Churches
The SMALLER CHURCH GATHERING
on Tuesday, January 24
at Covenant Presbyterian Church
has been postponed. 
 
We will communicate the 
rescheduled date and time ASAP.  Thank you!
Rev. Dr. Brian Blount at WPC Greenville
Westminste Presbyterian Church
Greenville, SC
The Heritage Lecture Series 

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Brian K. Blount on Sunday, January 29th, as our featured speaker in the Heritage Lecture Series. 

In addition to leading both worship services, he will speak to a combined Adult Sunday School Class at 10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Dr. Blount is President and Professor of New Testament at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA, and Charlotte, NC. He was called to this position in 2007, after serving for 15 years as the Richard Dearborn Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Princeton Theological Seminary. 
2017 Summer College Internship Ministry
2017 Summer College Internship Ministry

Summer College Internship Ministry Deadline Approaches!   
 
Do you know a college student who may be looking for a unique summer opportunity to gain professional experience and reflect upon their interests and vocation?  This distinctive project is being funded in part due to a grant from the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) for vocation discernment for college students.  This ministry will be called "Listening to the Sacred Voice of Vocation and Call" and will be coordinated by Foothills Retirement Community in partnership with the Shared Ministries Team of Foothills Presbytery. Read More
 
The Intern  application deadline is February 1, 2017.
 
Please see the attached brochure for additional information. 
Thank you for prayerfully considering this worthwhile ministry.
 Youth Leaders Round Table
Join us!
Youth Ministry Leader's 
ROUNDTABLE
Tuesday, February 7
  
Youth Directors/Ministers are  invited to "talk shop"
12:00 noon 
at  the Presbytery Office
   2242 Woodruff Rd,  Simpsonville, SC 29681 
(864) 288-5774
 
** We will provide Chick-fil-A sandwich & fries 
but we   need to know you are coming!!  
Please reply to this email or email LeAnne
 at 
lwhite@foothillspresbytery.org **   

Sr High Retreat!
Deadline is Feb. 9 at noon!
  
  
Skye Jethani at Easley PC


Amy Jill Levine in Anderson
Amy Jill Levine Lectures
March 12, 2017
  
Phil Silverstein Lectures
  
Lectures:
2:30  "How Jews & Christians Read Scripture Differently"
and 
4:30 "Hearing Jesus' Parables: Of Pearls and Prodigals"
Boulevard Baptist Church
700 Boulevard, Anderson, SC 29621
  
For more information please visit:  http://astlonline.org/
Next Church Gathering 2017
NEXT CHURCH NATIONAL GATHERING 2017

Kansas City, Missouri ~ March 13-15, 2017

"Wells & Walls: Well-Being in a Thirsty World." Our guiding scripture is John 4:1-42 - the Samaritan woman at the well.  Click here to read more
2017 Foothills Presbytery Directory
Please make sure you and/or your church office confirms your contact information listed in the Foothills Presbytery Directory.  Changes may be emailed to  LeAnne White here.  

We will upload the 2017 Foothills Presbytery Directory to our website (under Resources) by mid February.  This document is always current and password protected.  

Contact the Foothills Presbytery office at 864-288-5774 for the password.  (It is always the same) Thank you!
Statistical Reporting

 

Please click here to access the workbook for completing the Session Annual Statistical Report


 

All clerks should have received their church ID and password last week.  


 

The Statistical Report can be completed at:  http://oga.pcusa.org/section/churchwide-ministries/stats/

 

We urge you to complete your report by the END of JANUARY  to avoid long waiting times when you log on.
 
THE ABSOLUTE DEADLINE FOR ENTERING STATISTICS IS FEBRUARY 10, 2017.
   
Thank you so much for working through this report and getting it completed on time.
Big Tent 2017
 
PCUSA 'BIG TENT' 2017

The PCUSA's  Big Tent is meeting in  St. Louis, July 6-8, 2017. Mark your calendar and join us for worship, workshops, and the opportunity to engage and connect with other Presbyterians.  More information coming soon!
 
2018 PW Gathering!
Save the date for the 2018 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women!


Employment Opportunities
New Positions Available!  
 
New in the Resource Center!
Foothills Presbytery  RESOURCE CENTER

Please take a minute 
and visit the new items list 
on the  Resource Center website here!
Coming Up....
Mark your Calendars 
            Dates to Remember

January 19 Examinations meeting
January 24 Small(er) Church Gathering
January 26 Committee on Preparation meeting
January 31 7% Lunch Group and Finance & Stewardship meeting
February 2 Committee on Ministry meeting
February 7 Youth Leaders Roundtable
February 8 Youth Coaching Cohort meeting
February 10 Deadline for churches to enter Statistical Reporting data
February 16 Christian Educators meeting and Examinations meeting

RETREAT: "A Pastor's Theology of Risk"
 
This January retreat will challenge pastors and other church leaders to expand their capacity for taking the boldest risks, maximizing creativity and recognizing the difference between a call and a gamble.  Participants will explore their personal fears and barriers to taking risks as a first step to envisioning a theology of risk. This retreat is about releasing the greatest potential for the most creative and spiritually balanced leadership. All ministry leadership involves some degree of risk, but it's one thing to admire those who take heroic, holy risks and it's quite another to be the one called to take the risks.
 
Monday, January 30, and Tuesday, January 31, 2017
St. Francis Springs Prayer Center
477 Grogan Road
Stoneville, NC 27048

**Limited to the first 18 people. Cost is $350,
which includes registration, lodging, meals and snacks. 
NOTE: If a member of the Western North Carolina Conference - UMC, pricing is $175* thanks to a leadership grant sponsored by the Western North Carolina Conference.