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Quickly go to the articles listed by clicking on the title below.
(Mobile users, you must hit "Click here for easier viewing" above to go to a webpage in order to use this feature.)
Use the QUICK LINKS at the bottom of this column to be directed to additional news.
Email Presbytery staff using the directory below.
When's the last time
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Ed Thompson
General Presbyter
Maureen Wright
Stated Clerk, Associate for
Congregational Support
Rocky Poole
Financial Administration/Treasurer
Barbara Chalfant
Associate Presbyter for Mission
Susan Sharp Campbell
Associate for Educational Ministry
Nellie Howard
Resource Center Director
Mark Miller
Bluestone Facilities Director
Sarah Specht
Bluestone Program Director
Amy Robinson
Office Administrator/Communications
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Prayer List for Churches
Lakeview Presbyterian Church, Lakebottom
Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, Hillsboro
In Kenya: Giaichamwenge (GAY-shah-MWEN'gay) Presbyterian Church
Week 9 - March 4
Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
First Presbyterian Church, Ripley
Richwood Presbyterian Church
In Kenya:
Githunguri (Gay-thoh-GOH'REE) New
Church Development
Week 10 - March 11
Teays Valley Presbyterian, Scott Depot
First Presbyterian Church, Welch
Edgewood Presbyterian Church
In Kenya: Kagwathi (Kah-GOWAH'thee) Presbyterian Church
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Nurturing Faith Ideas
Feb. 25, March 4 & 11
Nurturing Faith Ideas are weekly suggestions and activities from the Presbytery's Nurture Committee to link worship and home and to nurture faith development in the family. They are intended for all ages and family types. Add one to your bulletin each week or put them in your monthly newsletter. They could also be sent via email or added to a Facebook page.
Ideas for the entire year can be found here.
As you proceed through the Lenten season, share with others what Jesus' sacrifice means to you and what you do to remember that gift throughout the year. If you don't want to share with another, write it down to review throughout the year.
March 4
Psalm 19:1 reads, "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork." Are you able to find the North Star or the Big Dipper in our night sky? How about Orion's Belt to the Dog Constellation? If not, find out where these or other constellations may be found, then go outside at night. Look up at the wonder that is God's firmament. Try to count the stars. Think about the power of God the Creator. If it's cloudy, remember all the many secrets of God that we won't know about God until God reveals God's glory to us.
March 11
Read John 3:14-21: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." Who do you love? List them on a piece of paper with friends or family and share your lists. Is your list long? Think about God listing everyone God loves. Every creature of the world would be on God's list for God loves the world and all God's creatures. God asks us to love as God loves. Think about your list again and who you may need to add so your list includes all that God loves.
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Ed Thompson
Prayers That Sing & Stir the Heart is a collection of prayers by W. Sibley Towner, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Interpretation at Union Presbyterian Seminary. The seminary is sending out excerpts from his book every Monday and Wednesday during Lent. Sib Towner was one of my professors, and while I could have told you that he offered a prayer at the beginning of every class, to be honest I don't remember his prayers being all that great. Apparently, I should have been paying better attention.
The prayer that was sent the other day really caught my eye. It begins, "O God, the elector, who chooses aged women and ruddy faced shepherd boys to enact great chapters in the history of our salvation and who decided upon a peasant girl of Nazareth to be the Mother of God, we praise you for your choices....O God, choose us, too - unlikely as we may be."
Somehow, we are a part of God's plan. To me, that is...Click here to read more
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Let Jerry Can teach your congregation's children about natural disasters and what they can do to help
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This is part of a series highlighting PWV's Authorized
Lay Preacher/Commissioned Ruling Elder Program. In September, we begin a new set of Presby Prep courses, which are prerequisites for this program. Click here f
or more information about Presby Prep. Is God tugging at your heart to participate? Presby Prep is a great way to learn more. 
I took the ALP/CRE classes from 2004 to 2006. I was hesitant to take the classes and commit the time that would be involved. I was working at the post office around 50 hours a week, filling in as a temporary pastor at Westminster Presbyterian in Vienna and still had my youngest two sons in school. I didn't see how I had time to handle all of that. At my wife's urging, I entered the program. I cannot tell you how happy I am that I did.
The classes were interesting and fulfilling. The two years flew by. The friendships that I made were wonderful. Click here to read more
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Bluestone Summer Camp News
Summer camp scholarships available
Scholarships (registration fee assistance grants) are available for Bluestone summer campers, thanks to support from the Molly Grant Scholarship Fund. Candidates must apply through their local church; find applications
here. Funds will be distributed at the discretion of the Presbytery's Bluestone Committee.
Weeks available:
6/10-6/16, 6/17-6/23, 6/24-6/30, 7/1-7/7
Bluestone is seeking individuals who would like to help out for a week of camp. Volunteer opportunities include camp nurse (1 per week), key leaders (3 per week, to lead curriculum studies), craft leaders (3 per week) and general support staff (drivers, kitchen help, grounds and maintenance help, photo/media techs and extra counselor support). If interested, contact Sarah Specht at 304-690-6667 or [email protected].
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What has PDA given back to WV?
 Funding
2016 West Virginia - $78,000 (Presbytery of West Virginia)
June 2016 - 44 of 51 counties severe flood event
November 2016 - Greater Greenbrier Valley Long-Term Recovery support (June flood)
2017 West Virginia - $99,590 (Presbytery of West Virginia)
January 2017 - Summersville, volunteer work team host site (June 2016 flooding) -
Long-Term Recovery - West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy & Workcamps
September 2017 - Long-Term Recovery - WV VOAD Bridge Project
Support
In 2016 and 2017, PDA sent 14 National Volunteers, who walked flood zones, prayed with homeowners, made contacts, did assessments, made suggestions, shared resources and supported our recovery process.
They also sent a team of two national members to lead three respite retreats for long-term flood response workers and volunteers.
They have attended daily and weekly state-wide calls as scheduled, updating the progress on flood response and recovery.
They send one National team member to attend WVVOAD quarterly meetings and walk alongside WVVOAD director Jenny Gannaway, to travel with her and assist in organizational strategies.
Most recently, Forrest Palmer has been trained and commissioned to be one of our PDA National Volunteers, committing to spend at least four weeks a year serving the church in this vital capacity.
Remember every time you give to One Great Hour of Sharing or directly to PDA, you are making a different in the world and in our own state.
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We invite you to print and include this newsletter in your bulletins, give it to your congregation and distribute widely. We hope it is helpful for your congregation and community.
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On Saturday, March 10, the Presbytery will host a free workshop at the Presbytery office on how to create and manage a church website, led by former PWV minister Frank Cunningham, representing Union Presbyterian Seminary. The workshop will teach participants how to use Wordpress to set up and manage a free website for their church or organization. It will begin at 10 a.m. and last approximately four hours.
Please contact Amy Robinson at 304-744-7634 or [email protected] by Monday, February 26 if anyone from your church plans to attend.
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 On Friday, March 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Ray Jones, the Acting Director of Theology, Formation and Evangelism for the PC(USA), will lead this course
designed to help people live into the fullest expression of the gospel. It is for pastors, Commissioned Ruling Elders, Authorized Lay Preachers, Christian Educators and Evangelism Committee chairs to explore their own faith stories and what it means to join God in what God is doing in their communities, to consider who they are as "sent" people, and to get to know their neighborhoods.
Cost per person is $75. Participants are encouraged to read "Engage the Gospel, the Participant's Book" which can be ordered
here
.
For more information and to register, click here.
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Sarah Specht looking to continue Bluestone Camp's 'sense of community'
By Mike Givler, Synod of the Trinity
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Sarah Specht, lower right, with Bluestone counselors after a community trash pickup. |
Sarah Specht knows the struggles teenagers are facing these days. A substance abuse epidemic is plaguing communities everywhere, and the new program director at
Bluestone Camp and Retreat
in Hinton, WV, is making it her goal to provide a space where kids can thrive without the everyday pressures they are encountering.
"There's a lot of heroin here right now," Sarah said of her hometown of Huntington, WV. "It's heartbreaking how many kids we see from divorced families, being raised by a grandparent or just overly stressed for being a teenager. It just feels like it's my goal to give them these safe places to just be a kid again."
Sarah began her new role at Bluestone Camp on Jan. 8, but she is no stranger to the facility.
Click here to read more
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Beth Stone had surgery for breast cancer on Tuesday, February 13. Her recovery is going well, and we are grateful for that. She shared with us a blog post
she wrote about her cancer experience, and we share it in the hope that it might be helpful to someone else.
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A great idea has come to us via James Potts, Director of Family Ministries at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, FL. He has networked with churches across the nation to begin a Children's Letter Writing Campaign to the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
If you would like to have your children or youth ministries participate, please begin the campaign as soon as you can, gather the letters and send them to the Presbytery of Tropical Florida, Attn: Sandra Figueredo, 1919 SE 5th St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
, without envelopes (one envelope for all is fine).
Rev. Willy Figueredo will hand deliver them to a guidance counselor at the school. There is no time frame for this project in frequency or duration; however immediate response will be beneficial for the students as they are currently in shock and in grief.
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Sympathies
Frank Blankinship, husband of former Ministry Committee member Jackie Blankinship of Fayetteville Presbyterian Church, passed away on February 17. At the church, Frank was an elder for many years and also sang in the choir and served as treasurer.
Click here for his obituary. Service details are unavailable at this time. Donations in Frank's memory can be made
to Hospice of Southern WV, P.O. Box 1472, Beckley, WV 25802-1472; Fayetteville Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 338, Fayetteville, WV 25840; or the charity of your choice. Please keep Jackie and her family in your prayers.
Ethel Price, mother of Smithers Presbyterian Church pastor Jim Dempsey, passed away following a recent illness. She had been living with Jim and his wife, Patty. Please keep them in your prayers.
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March 19 at the Presbytery office
The next Educators' Gathering will be Monday, March 19, at the presbytery office, beginning at 10 a.m. This is an opportunity for anyone involved in leadership in the educational ministry of their church, whether as paid staff or a volunteer, to share ideas, resources, concerns and support. We will end at approximately 1:30 p.m., following lunch together at a nearby restaurant for those who can stay. For more information, contact Susan Sharp Campbell at
[email protected] or 304-645-4568.
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April 7. Early bird registration through March 12.
This year's Festival of Faith, a day of learning opportunities, fellowship and worship, will be held Saturday, April 7 at First Presbyterian Church, Charleston. Registration will begin at 9 a.m., and things kick off at 9:30 a.m. with worship and a keynote by Jan Edmiston, Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly of the PC(USA), who will speak on "The State of the PC(USA): The Good, the Bad, the Ugly," giving us an update on what's happening within our denomination.
There will also be a wide variety of workshops to choose from, several of our mission/ministry partners to hear from, a bookstore and fair trade coffee and other items for sale. Some of the workshops include an Introduction to the 2018-2019 Horizos Bible Study, a Church Treasurer's Roundtable, The Joy of Inclusion and Our Pastor Left? What's Next?
Click here for complete information and registration, which is also on the website and has been sent to church leaders. If you or someone you know would like to receive a copy by snail mail, please let the presbytery office know.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
and
PLAN TO BE PRESENT for this EXCITING EVENT!
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April 17. Register by March 19.
On Tuesday, April 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the presbytery office, Kathy Dale McNair will lead the second 2018 Expanding Your Ministry Toolbox Course, about mental health concerns and how they affect individuals, their families and your congregations. Experience a new model for adult education that links faith and hope to loss, loneliness, anxiety, depression and grief. Kathy serves in the Presbytery of Chicago, specializing in mental health ministries.
This workshop is designed for pastors, Commissioned Ruling Elders, Authorized Lay Preachers, Christian Educators and others who would like to know more about mental health issues that affect those we love and with whom we live and serve. For more information and a registration form, click here.
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