December 17, 2024

Information for ministers, educators, church administrators, clerks, and congregations

Invitations Wanted!

A Message from Your Temp GP

Greetings POJ, and Happy New Year!

Too early? Well, just so you know, as 2025 begins for all of us, your Temp GP would like to ask for invitations.

As I collaborate with the Mission Council and others to navigate our new reality, I am hopeful that I may be invited to attend worship with you, and yes, even attend a session meeting with you as well. Now, that would be 198 separate invitations, so we will need to be thoughtful in the asking and accepting.

If invited, I envision being welcomed by your pastor, asked to participate in Sunday worship, and spending time with the congregation before and after the service. To be honest and upfront, since there are so few Sundays in our year, I believe being a “supply pastor” only would not enable me to accomplish what I’ve been asked to achieve in this role; I want to maximize/optimize/make the most of the time I have with you.

Now, session meetings may present more options. My hope here is to spend some time with more of the leaders within this presbytery, to be able to know names AND faces, and to share reflections, hopes, and dreams. And, Spirit willing, be able to enhance connections with the Presbytery and congregations–and far more importantly, to enhance connections between congregations as I share stories of what is happening in and around the Presbytery.

You have my email; you have my cell phone (804-514-3358). Know that I have your back.

Let us make this work for all of us.

Blessings,

Temp GP Kerry

PS: I do not mind the temp part of my title, it keeps me aware that there are things we must do together, soon!

Dear Sessions, Clerks, and Pastors of the POJ,

We have good news for you. Ruling elders have been asking for training to preside over the Lord’s Supper and we are in the final stages of preparation for this training. Upon completion of this training and approval by the Commission on Ministry, Elders will be authorized to serve communion within their congregation.

We will hold training by Zoom and in-person and we need your help to make final plans. If you are interested in participating, please fill out this survey by January 15, 2025. We want to make this as accessible to you as possible. If you know someone who would be interested in Communion Training for Elders, please pass this information along to them. We strongly encourage multiple elders to participate from your Session and offer a discount if you send more than one person.

Please note the following:

The anticipated fee for this training will be $75 per person. We encourage sessions to cover the fees of those being trained. If two or more members attend from one congregation, the fee is reduced to $50 per person.

Location, dates, and times will be determined by interest. It is our desire to have in-person training in locations convenient to those who are interested. This is why you should fill out this survey by January 15th, so that we can include YOU in our planning.

We are also looking for host churches around the Presbytery. If your congregation would like to host training, please reach out to com@presbyteryofthejames.org.

This training promises to be a wonderful place to build connections within the Presbytery, find spiritual enrichment, learn a lot about our Presbyterian tradition, be equipped for something our churches REALLY need, and hopefully have some fun and laughter together. We would love for your Elders to be a part of it. So fill out this survey!

All the best,

The Communion Training for Elders Team of the COM

Rosalind Banbury, Joseph Taber, Shelly Barrick Parsons, Sarah Marsh Schutte

Complete Survey

Orange Presbyterian Church

If the holidays are emotionally difficult for you, we understand.

Our Blue Christmas worship service is open to all, whether you're part of a faith tradition or not.

This contemplative service delivers a message of solace and hope. Come hear the Good News in a new way.

Learn More

Three Chopt Presbyterian Church

Fresh Expressions

Missional Entrepreneurship Training

What if the best way to connect with people in a diverse and rapidly changing world is not with another church program or better preaching?

Churches just like yours are opening missional businesses, such as workout studios, produce markets, surf shops, indoor play areas, ice cream fountains, game cafes, coffee shops, and more—not just as income-producing businesses but also to connect and build meaningful relationships in an increasingly disconnected world.

Churches just like yours are repurposing their properties to leverage them not just for monetization, but also for greater mission impact in the community with a vision for new forms of faith community to emerge. From tiny home villages to art studios to daycare centers, to nonprofit hubs, and more…your church can shift from a one-day-a-week gathering place for a few church members to a hub of relational connections and new faith communities.

Participate in an immersion experience at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Northern Virginia. Enjoy coffee and conversation in their coffee shop, Ridgetop Coffee and Tea, and experience for yourself what can happen when a facility becomes a community hub. Learn from leaders who have navigated this shift in their congregations, and dive into deep discussions with peers captivated by this possibility. Take advantage of breakout sessions around the practicalities of this entrepreneurial approach to ministry. Explore Biblical foundations for the mission and engage in whole-hearted worship to reconnect with God’s purpose for your life, your leadership, and your church.

Learn More about Fresh Expressions

PPNK Declaration Calling for the Resignation of

Suk-Yeol’s Administration and

the Prompt Transition of Power

Excerpts from PPNK letter to PC(USA) leadership:

PPNK [Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea] is a mission network, and its primary mission is to advocate for peace on the Korean peninsula. Therefore, hearing the news about President Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law decree and the following process deeply concerned us because it threatened peace. Thankfully, the eruption of violence has been averted by God’s grace. Still, our siblings in Korea are living amid very fragile peace.

As a network of people of faith who proclaim Jesus as the Prince of Peace, PPNK has, therefore, written a statement for peace in solidarity with peace-loving siblings in Korea, and it has been sent to our partners in South Korea.

We respectfully ask that you share this information and Declaration with your presbytery members and ask them to join us in prayer for a nonviolent resolution to this crisis and for peace in the Korean peninsula.

Thank you for your leadership.

Rev. In Yang and Elder Linda Russell, co-conveners

Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea

A Mission Network of PCUSA

View PPNK Declaration in Korean and English

Presbytery Events

119th Stated Meeting

February 15, 9:30 a.m.

View full Presbytery calendar

Church & Community Events

Blue Christmas Service

December 18, 7 p.m.

Orange Presbyterian Church

Bon Air Community Blue Christmas Service

December 19, 7 p.m.

Bon Air Presbyterian Church

Winter Camp

December 28-30

Camp Hanover

Lessons and Carols

December 29, 10 a.m.

Three Chopt Presbyterian Church

THE SHALOM ACADEMY RETREAT Release to the Captives: Restorative Justice, Abolition, and Ministry with Incarcerated Persons

January 6-8

Eastern Mennonite Seminary

Day for All People

January 15

Centenary United Methodist Church

Digital Power and Play Training: Social Media's Impact on Adolescents' Spiritual Development and Identity

January 23, 10 a.m-1 p.m.

The Hermitage

Missional Entrepreneurship Training: For Pioneers at the Intersection of the Marketplace and God’s Mission

January 29-31

Riverside Presbyterian Church, Sterling, VA

Confirmation Retreat

January 31-February 2 Massanetta Springs

Randoph-Macon College Bailey Scholars / Pre-Ministerial Program Applications Due

February 1

Handbell Retreat

February 14-16

Massanetta Springs

View Church and Community Event Details

Employment Opportunities

Full-time Director of Christian Education River Road Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA
Full-time Children’s Ministry Director - Central Presbyterian Church, Anderson, SC
Part-time Director of Youth, College, and UKIRK Ministries - Williamsburg Presbyterian Church