December 11, 2024 | Volume IX, Number 50

First Presbyterian High Point

Westminster Presbyterian Greensboro

St. Paul Presbyterian High Point

A Letter to Presbyterian Women from Jan Albert

Dear Presbyterian Woman,

I am Jan Albert, your representative to the Search Committee for the Board of Directors of Presbyterian Women.

I was elected to this position in August 2024 and will serve until the Business Meeting in 2027. I have been given the opportunity to reach out to all PC(USA) women in the Synods of the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic and Living Waters. As your representative, I am available to answer questions about the process of finding women who feel called to serve Presbyterian Women (PW) at the national level. I am available to answer your questions (317-679-5040 or jtalbertky@gmail.com) about the various positions available and the process related to searching for the dedicated women who want to serve. I will be reaching out directly to the leadership teams within your synod and presbytery. I hope to have the opportunity to meet you in the future.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you or someone you know is interested in serving at the national level.

--

Grace and Peace,

Jan

Advent in western North Carolina: Waiting With Deep Hope

Click on the image below to read a timely and poignant article written by author, singer, and songwriter David Lamotte.

Black Caucus to Meet

We are excited to announce our hybrid meeting of the Black Caucus. Our gracious hosts will be members of Mebane First PC. The church is located at 855 W. Holt Street, Mebane, NC. The meeting is scheduled from 10am-12pm. If you are unable to attend in person, the information to log-on virtually is below.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82621175944?pwd=bkQx2P1KJLkGvSRx2BgNRjJ3tXb4Tb.1

Meeting ID: 826 2117 5944

Passcode: 339743

Dial by your location

• +1 309 205 3325

• +1 312 626 6799

Sign Up for Peace & Justice Newsletter

The Peace and Justice Task Force invites you to sign up for their monthly newsletter addressing Peace and Justice issues and events. Click the link below to sign up.

Position Opening at New Hope Presbyterian Church - Lexington

New Hope Presbyterian Church in Lexington, NC is seeking a full-time solo Pastor. For more information, please contact one of our PNC members: Phil Styers styers@rtmc.net, Janet Edwards shreersaph1952@hotmail.com, or Elizabeth Shull shullelizabeth@hotmail.com. You can also find us in the PCUSA Church Leadership Connection (CLC), MDP ID 11773.

Position Opening at Bethel Presbyterian Church - McLeansville

Bethel Presbyterian Church is seeking a Transitional Minister or CRE.  Click HERE for more information.

Position Opening at New Creation Community Church - Greensboro

New Creation Community Church is seeking a part-time Pastor/CRE. Click HERE for more information and a job description

Blue Christmas Service - Shallowford

Are you or is someone you know having a hard time this holiday season? Join Shallowford Presbyterian Church for our Blue Christmas Service on Sunday, Dec. 15. Being surrounded by holiday lights and laughter can bring up feelings of sadness, loneliness, grief, and longing. The Blue Christmas service is all about making space to acknowledge our tougher emotions, to honor loved ones we’ve lost, and to embrace the hope of Jesus. We hope you’ll join us Sunday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m., Shallowford Presbyterian Church, 1200 Lewisville-Clemmons Rd., Lewisville

Event Announcements from Bread for the World

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for you and fellow Bread for the World members and friends across North Carolina. I thank God for your commitment to loving and serving your neighbors, and for the ways in which you have partnered with Bread for the World in advocacy this year. This time of the year is particularly exciting in North Carolina, as we are preparing for our 2025 North Carolina State Convention!

On January 25, Bread members from across the state will gather at Highland United Methodist Church in Raleigh, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., to learn, to fellowship, and to challenge lawmakers to support Bread's Nourish our Future Platform, and to attend the launch on February 4th. Register today by clicking below:

Below my signature, I am sharing a Thanksgiving and Advent message from Bread’s president and CEO, Rev. Eugene Cho, in case you missed it. I hope you find his words inspiring and encouraging, and as you celebrate Thanksgiving, I pray that you are also grateful for what you have helped Bread accomplish!

But our work is far from finished. Right now, Bread for the World is preparing to launch the Nourish Our Future campaign on February 4, calling on the new Congress to take meaningful steps to end child hunger. We’ve been building this campaign over the past year, with direct input from more than 1,400 people in listening sessions across the country, including many of you! We have now identified the policy priorities for which we will advocate; these priorities can be found in the petition below.

Before you sit down with family and friends for Thanksgiving, will you do two things?

1. Register for the January 25th State Convention! Be sure to invite others at your church or in your networks to register as well!

2 Sign the Nourish Our Future petition urging your senators and representative to end child hunger in the U.S. and around the world. (You can read more about Nourish Our Future on the petition page.) Then, share the petition with friends and family!

If you have any questions about the Nourish Our Future petition or the launch, or if you would like to help with Convention planning and turnout for North Carolina, let me know!

Thank you so much for your partnership, and I hope you'll join me as we nourish our future together.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jason Blanton

State Organizer for North Carolina

Email: jblanton@bread.org 

Direct Number: (202) 759-9798 • Cell: (704) 649-7465

From Rev. Eugene Cho:

Thanksgiving is a time for people in America to pause, give thanks, and spend time with loved ones.

For many reasons, this can be challenging. But connection is what we long for. As we head into Thanksgiving and Advent, we have prepared some resources to help guide you to connect with God’s peace.

We also find hope in the connection we have with each other. Because we are connected in the work to end hunger, Bread advocacy for Disaster-SNAP has helped ensure people in the U.S. have access to nutrition assistance during times of crisis. Bread advocacy for the Global Food Security Act has helped developing countries become more resilient so that there is more food available locally when war breaks out. Bread advocacy for food aid funding and programmatic efficiency ensures that there is food available in hunger hot spots such as Gaza and Sudan.

Fewer people experience hunger because of our connection with each other and God.

We now have a new Administration and Congress. Bread advocacy will not falter, and we will work with our elected leaders on both sides of the aisle to advocate for the anti-hunger policies and programs that we know will make a difference.

As we pray for our nation and our neighbors, as we pray for peace and for those working for peace, let us remember Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

I hope you will read more (and download our Advent devotional) on our blog.

In Christ,

Rev. Eugene Cho

President and CEO

Massanetta Springs News and Events!

Massanetta Springs Middle School Conference 2025 is open! Advocate applications and group registrations are live. Learn more about leadership, dates, and more at https://massanettasprings.org/programs/msc

Confirmation Retreat at Massanetta Springs: Whether your congregation has one confirmand or a large group, we can all learn something from each other’s

church experience and faith journey! $165 per person, scholarships available. Learn more and register at https://massanettasprings.org/programs/confirmation

Ordination Anniversaries

Please pass along congratulations to the following who are celebrating anniversaries of their ordinations:

• Timothy Bates ordained December 11, 2011
• Emily Wilson ordained December 16, 2006
• Lee Ellenwood ordained December 19, 1976