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Quickly go to the articles listed by clicking on the title below.
Use the QUICK LINKS at the bottom of this column to be easily 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 Camp Director
Amy Robinson
Office Administrator/Communications
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Prayer List For Churches
Week 13 - March 26
Second Presbyterian Church, Huntington
Liberty Presbyterian Church, Green Bank
Mill Creek Presbyterian Church
In Kenya: Wamagana (wha-MAH'gahNAH) Presbyterian Church and Nursery School
Week 14 - April 2
First Presbyterian Church, Oak Hill
Rome Presbyterian Church, Proctorville, Ohio
In Kenya: Gura (GOO'rah) Parish
Week 15 - April 9
First Presbyterian Church, South Charleston
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Charleston
In Kenya:
Gathaith (
Gah-thah-EE'thee) Presbyterian Church
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Nurturing Faith Ideas
March 26 and April 2, 9
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 near the end of the documents page of wvpresbytery.org.
John 11 presents the story of a blind man who can see what Jesus brings and the Pharisees who, although they have sight, are blind to the man in front of them. As you go your way through this week, open your eyes and ears to what is happening around you and see as the blind man saw. Where do you see God's activity in the world around you?
April 2
Read Ezekiel 37:1-14. Focus on a difficult situation this week. As you focus, consider these questions: Where is God in this? How can we, the church, be a part of the solution? How might the church breathe new life into its people through the power of the Holy Spirit?
April 9
Proclaiming "Jesus is Lord!" feels right and good, especially on Sunday when we worship together. "You are our King; we are your servants." But weekdays are harder. The quest for good grades or getting ahead can cause us to do things we know we should not. Friends can influence us to do or say things that are unloving or wrong. Pray using the following or your own prayer: Forgive us, Lord. Help us to remember that you are King of all our lives every day and wherever we go. Help us to be guided by you today.
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A Word from our General Presbyter
Ed Thompson
Recently, a friend of mine posted on Facebook, "I really wish I enjoyed basketball. As much as I love watching my friends' excitement, I'm always sad that much of March is a mystery to me." I can't say that I was appalled. But I was certainly surprised. Who doesn't love March Madness?
I
started to think about how you might convince someone that March Madness was fun, that this was something to pay attention to, that this was something that they might really enjoy.
Then it occurred to me that there are probably more parallels to life in the church than I would like to admit. If you replace "basketball" with "church" and "March" with "what they do on Sunday morning," you end up with the statement, "I really wish I enjoyed church. As much as I love watching my friends' excitement, I'm always sad that much of what they do on Sunday morning is a mystery to me."
Click here to read full piece
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Attention Clerks of Session and Church Treasurers
Clerks of Session are annually invited to participate in one of the Session Record Reviews in order to fulfill the Book of Order requirement as outlined in G-3.0108a. The review sessions are a time to meet other Clerks of Session and share best practices, ideas and questions, as well as enjoy fellowship. Stated Clerk Maureen Wright is available to answer questions and work with Clerks to best serve their church.
This year, church treasurers are also invited to attend! Presbytery Financial Administrator and Treasurer Rocky Poole will join church treasurers for Treasurer Talks. These talks will be a time to share best practices, discuss educational and informational resources available to church treasurers and work through issues with which treasurers may be dealing.
Churches are strongly encouraged to send their Clerk of Session (or another member of Session) and their treasurer in a "two for one deal." The dates and locations of the remaining four events are listed below. (Note: The Festival of Faith review and treasurer offerings are outlined in the registration materials for that event.)
* March 26 at 3 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Vienna
* April 1 at Festival of Faith, First Presbyterian Church, Charleston
* April 23 at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Buckhannon
* April 30 at 3 p.m. at Salem Presbyterian Church, Ronceverte
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Sympathy to the family of Arden D. "Art" Ashley, who passed away March 13 in Candor, N.C. Ashley was a former Ruling Elder and Clerk of Session at First Presbyterian Church, Nitro, as well as a former chair of the Presbytery's Personnel & Administration Committee.
Additionally, he was a former mayor of Nitro and member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, as well as a two-term Kanawha County sheriff. A memorial service for Ashley will be held in the Nitro High School auditorium on Saturday, March 25, with doors opening at 11 a.m.
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News from the Associate for Educational Ministry
Susan Sharp Campbell
Montreat Youth Conference
Spaces still available
Montreat is a special place for youth (those entering 9th grade through graduated seniors) to explore their faith with 1,000 other youth from all over the country. This summer, the presbytery is providing a trip to Montreat Youth Conference IV,
July 15-22.
This is a great way to connect with other youth in the presbytery, particularly if you're in a church that doesn't have many youth; it might also provide an opportunity for children or grandchildren to grow in their faith, even though they may not be overly involved in the church. We will spend time as we travel and arrive to get to know one another.
The cost per person is $350, which includes registration, housing, meals and transportation. The registration deadline is
April 15. Registration information can be found
here. You can find an overview of the conference
here.
Question? Contact Susan Sharp Campbell at 304-667-9428 (cell), 304-645-4568 (work/home)
or [email protected].
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Synod of the Trinity Anniversary Grants
In honor of the Synod of the Trinity's 300th anniversary celebration, two grants have been created that are available to those serving in the region. The first is the Freedom Grant, which is in response to the General Assembly's priority around the plight of the African American male and assists seed projects that relate to this concern. The second is Sowing the Future: Gifts of Abundance Grants, which offer every presbytery in the region the opportunity for a matching grant of $3,000 towards a world mission project or partnership of their choice, as well as an additional $1,000 grant for presbyteries that partner together for world mission projects or undertake a new partnership. Application deadlines are June 30 for the Freedom Grant and Dec. 1 for Sowing the Future. Click
here for more information.
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Clergy Consultation on Substance Use Disorder
Thursday, May 25, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon
This is the program our General Presbyter wrote of in the March 9 newsletter. It will include remarks from Sen. Joe Manchin, as well as regional small groups to discuss what churches can do to address this issue in their area and 12 Practical Steps, which will help participants know what they can do if someone come to them wanting help battling an addiction.
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Elementary students raise food for Eleanor Presbyterian weekend snak-pak program
Putnam County kids in need of supplemental weekend food are benefiting from the efforts of a local church and their own classmates. On Friday, March 24, between 12:30-2:30 p.m., a two-week food drive at George Washington Elementary School will culminate with a food weigh-in to determine which classroom brought in the most food. Nutritionist Katherine Clark will oversee the weigh-in.
Back in 2011, Eleanor Presbyterian Church started a weekend "snak-pak" program, which now serves 40 children in need at GWE. Seeing the efforts of the church inspired the children, who came up with the idea to start a food drive to supplement the church's program. Click here to read more
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NEXT Church 2017 National Conference
Presbytery of West Virginia members (from left) Anna Pinckney Straight, David Bower, Karen Kinney and Peter Vial at the NEXT Church 2017 National Conference, held March 13-15 in Kansas City, MS. On April 1, NEXT Church Director Rev. Jessica Tate will present the keynote address and a workshop at the Festival of Faith, held at First Presbyterian Church in Charleston.
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Good Friday Tenebrae Service
A Tenebrae Service will be held at 7 p.m. Good Friday (April 14) at Riverlawn Presbyterian Church, 2008 Pennsylvania Ave., St. Albans. Tenebrae services are distinctive for their gradual extinguishing of candles while a series of readings and psalms are chanted or recited.
This service is sponsored by Riverlawn, Highlawn and First Presbyterian churches in St. Albans and First Presbyterian Church, Nitro. If you are near the area and are not having a Good Friday service at your church, you are invited to join them for this service.
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Montreat's Assembly Inn Dedicates Room for Dean and Rebecca Thompson
Members of First Presbyterian Church in Charleston and friends recently honored Dean and Rebecca Thompson by dedicating a guest room in their honor at the historic Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center's iconic hotel located in Montreat, NC.
Dean and Rebecca were much loved in Charleston, where they served at First Presbyterian Church from 1996 until 2004.
Friends of Dean and Rebecca, in recognition of their lifelong service to First Presbyterian in Charleston and the church at large, decided to raise the $25,000 to dedicate a room in Montreat Conference Center's recently renovated Assembly Inn. Dean and Rebecca moved to the Montreat area in 2010, where they continued to serve the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in a variety of capacities. Click here to read more
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Resource Center News 
Most of us don't have VCRs anymore, and if you are under 30, you might not even know what a VCR is. Here in the Resource Center, I am phasing out our VHS collection. In some cases, the publisher has upgraded to the DVD format. When that happens with a popular video, I am replacing the VHS with a DVD.
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Stewardship of Creation News
The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is significantly expanding its commitment to environmentally responsible investing by retaining Impax Asset Management Group, a London-based investment manager that specializes in resource efficiency markets.
The Investment Committee of the Board of Directors of the Board of Pensions voted March 10 to commit $100 million to the Impax Leaders Strategy. The Leaders Strategy is a fossil fuel-free portfolio that invests worldwide in resource efficiency and environmental markets.
Click here to read more
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Workshop in Weirton
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Upcoming National Events
Church Growth Leadership Summit
April 24-25 in Lincoln, NE
The Growth Project of the Quad Presbytery Consortium is hosting the 2017 Church Growth Leadership Summit at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, NE as a way for participants to discover practical strategies to grow their churches. Featured speakers are Dr. Susan Forshey, Ross Thompson, Patrice McMahon and Richard Brown. The cost is $90 until April 16, then increases to $110. Learn more and register
here.
Generosity NOW
April 25-27 in Washington, D.C.
This stewardship conference (
formerly the North American Conference on Christian Philanthropy
)
helps participants
increase their knowledge about spiritual principles and best practices relating to faithful stewardship and generous giving through plenary sessions, workshops and worship.
The cost is $299. Learn more and register here
by April 18.
Big Tent 2017
July 6-8 in St. Louis
Big Tent is a biennial gathering for Presbyterians from across the country. The 2017 event will take place at Washington University in St. Louis and have a theme of Race, Reconciliation and Reformation, which will emphasize the hope of the gospel and its power to transform society in our current cultural context marked by anxiety, racial division, political animosity and economic inequality. The cost is $395 (includes accommodations). Read more about Big Tent 2017 and register for it
here.
Stewardship Kaleidoscope
Sept. 25-27 in St. Pete Beach, FL
This stewardship conference at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort on the beach
includes four plenary sessions and your choice of four workshops from a series of more than 30. Keynote speakers are Cynthia Rigby from the Austin Seminary and Adam Copeland from the Luther Seminary, with Shannon Kershner from Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, as the worship leader.
The cost is $250 by Aug. 1 and $275 after. Learn more and register here.
In addition to the conference, there is a free webinar on June 13 with Karl Travis, the pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Fort Worth and a 2016 Stewardship Kaleidoscope keynote speaker. It runs 1-2:30 p.m. Central. Watch it here.
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Free Webinar: Reaching the Millennial Generation
Covenant Bible Study will host the free 45-minute webinar "Reaching the Millennial Generation and a Role for Group Bible Study" at 1 p.m. Eastern/noon Central Wednesday, April 5. Dr. Jaco Hamman, Associate Professor of Religion, Psychology and Culture at Vanderbilt Divinity School, will share his research about Millennials and how to reach them.
Covenant is a comprehensive 24-week, video-based study that helps participants apply the Bible to their personal stories. Click here to register for and watch the webinar.
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Bluestone Summer Camp Scholarships
Scholarships 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.
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Small church folks from throughout the presbytery are invited to
celebrate the goodness of God as small churches full of big-hearted Presbyterian Christians, eager to "blossom 'n bless 'em" in the Lord. The fourth annual Small Church Conference will take place Saturday, September 23, 2017. This will be a time of joyful reunions and learning ways that God empowers our ministries, as well as gaining a renewed and strengthening sense of what it means to be the people of God, growing stronger together as a presbytery ready for an exciting, meaningful and confident future in faith, hope and love. Save the date magnets are available at the Presbytery office and will also be distributed at the May meeting of Presbytery.
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Sign up for The Beech Tree
The Beech Tree, the Friends of Bluestone newsletter, is now electronic. If you wish to receive it, go
here
to sign up!
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*Also on the webpage
You will find located on the Home page of the website (scroll down past the photo) direct links to recent newsletters, Equipping Disciples events, Ministry Toolbox events, the Pray-For church list and Nurturing Faith Ideas for 2017, e-news Archives and more. Please let us know how we can improve the website and whenever you encounter any problem with it. Thank you.
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Editor's Note:
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In order to keep the PWV Newsletter
fresh,
articles sent
for publication will generally run for two consecutive issues.
If you wish for a piece to continue to run, please resubmit.
We encourage you to reword, add a photo (or different photo),
or change the piece in some way so that the news stays
fresh and interesting.
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Presbytery of West Virginia,
520 Second Avenue,
South Charleston, WV 25303
Phone (304) 744-7634, Fax (304) 744-7649,
Office Hours: Monday -Thursday 8:30AM-5:30PM
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