A prayer responding to war in Israel and Gaza
BY TERI MCDOWELL OTT
(Presbyterian Outlook)
Eternal God,
You know our history of complicated conflicts, tense polarization, and situations so politicized that we are afraid to say or pray anything. Yet we know you grieve the violence of war and condemn acts of terrorism. We know you grieve the historical suffering of Jews and Palestinians. May our prayers for peace be uttered out loud for all to hear, our prayers for diplomacy, and for difficult, yet faithful conversation to resume.
God, we groan in grief over the news of this war in Israel and Gaza. Pave a path toward peace in this age-old, tragic conflict. Protect the innocent wherever bombs of destruction fall. Be with those who are captured and the families of those who are captured. Offer a way out for those who are trapped. Awaken us to our common humanity, our common human needs no matter the walls we build.
Amen.
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The next Foothills Presbytery Meeting is
November 14, 2023
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
at First Church, Anderson
The theme for our gathering is Abundance and Gratitude. The Worship Committee is partnering with the Stewardship Task Force and Committee on Shared Ministry to weave the topic of Abundance and Gratitude throughout the day.
- Worship will include celebrating the Saints of the Church who have joined the Church Triumphant during the last year.
- Before lunch, there will be an opportunity to discuss how God’s abundance emerges in our lives and communities. We will hear a report from the Stewardship Task Force celebrating churches who have generously supported the work of the presbytery and highlighting their work.
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In keeping with our theme, we invite you to bring donations of grains (oatmeal, grits, cereals) to the November Presbytery Meeting as a sign of God's abundance and provision to those who need it most. The donations will go to Hope Missions of the Upstate.
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Honoring All Saints
Foothills Presbytery has a tradition of recognizing and celebrating the lives of Ruling Elders and Ministers (and their spouses), who have entered the Church Triumphant in the last year. We rely on you, our church leaders, to let us know the names of your saints who have faithfully served your congregation and God's beloved community.
Please send the names of those Elders and Ministers (and their spouses) who have died since November 2022 through the present. We will honor and recognize them during worship at our November Stated Meeting of Presbytery.
Please send names to Warren Templeton, [email protected] by Thursday, November 2.
Thank you!
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CRE Cohort
Next meeting is
Tuesday, October 24
at 12:30
at the Presbytery office
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Youth Leaders Roundtable
Next Gathering is
November 2
12 noon at First, Greer
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Music Ministry Leaders
Gathering
Wednesday, November 8
9:00 am by ZOOM
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Christian Educators Gathering
Monday, November 20
12 noon at Easley
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Resources we have found challenging
& inspirational:
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The Sterling Stories Project (Abbreviated Edition) The Sterling Stories Project is a collaborative partnership between the Sterling Community and Fourth Presbyterian Church to preserve and amplify the stories, histories, experiences, contributions, and dreams of Sterling community members past and present, and to generate calls to action to support current goals of the Sterling Community.
Click on each video below.
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Please join the
Westminster (Saxon) Presbyterian Church Family
680 Saxon Avenue, Spartanburg, SC
for an afternoon of worship and fellowship
to celebrate our
Family and Friends Day/141st Church Anniversary
on October 29th
at 2:30 p.m
Rev. Chris Alexander, Salem Presbyterian Church in Anderson will be our guest preacher.
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Presbyterian Women’s Church-wide Gathering
August 8-11, 2024 in St Louis, MO
Are you making plans to attend?
Want to know what happens at such a gathering?
Watch the Video Below:
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Thornwell’s LushAcres Farm Fall Festival and Corn Maze
October 7 - 28
Every Saturday 10 to 5 pm
$10 per person gate fee
Children 2 years old and under are FREE Only at LushAcres Farm
1875 W Maple St. Extension Clinton, SC 29325
As you are traveling up I-26 on Saturdays in October, take some time out to visit the Thornwell Farm (Lush Acres Farm) in Clinton! Experience fun for the whole family, plus every ticket purchased, you are directly helping children and families supported by Thornwell’s Continuum of Care. For more information on the Fall Festival go here
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Registration is now available online and we encourage you to do it now before the November 30 early bird registration deadline.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at all!
Foothills Presbytery Office
864-288-5774
[email protected]
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Charleston Atlantic Presbytery BUS transportation to St. Louis!
Transportation—Kelly Tours:
• Trip to St. Louis, MO takes 12 hours & 37 minutes. Bus will depart August 7, 2024
• Bus seats 56 passengers, to be comfortable we are looking for 40 ladies to commit. Last time we picked up ladies in Columbia & Spartanburg.
• There will be a Relay Driver and regular driver due to regulations.
Read More Here
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The Mattoon Presbyterian Church family cordially invites you to join us as we celebrate our 145th Church Anniversary this November.
Our theme for this anniversary program is “We Have Come This Far by Faith.”
Our two-day celebration will include the following:
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Saturday, November 11: The grand unveiling of Mattoon’s historic marker in the Hampton Pinckney neighborhood, beginning at 3:00 pm.
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Sunday, November 12: Afternoon Worship Service at 3:00 pm with our guest speaker, the Reverend Larry T. Crudup, Ph.D., Senior Pastor, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church of Spartanburg, Inc., Spartanburg, SC.
We look forward to what God will say through him as we reflect on this theme as well as on all that God has done and continues to do through our ministry. We anticipate a joyous time as we celebrate this occasion.
More Information & SOUVENIR BOOKLET AD PURCHASE FORM
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Save the Date!
COM,
CPM,
PJC, PDA
Retreat
will be
February 23 & 24
2024
Forest Lake Church
Columbia, SC
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Regarding Ruling Elders: A Monthly Series for Serving Faithfully
Studying Scripture and the Issues of Christian Faith and Life
Baptism is a life-defining event that emphasizes a commitment from God to God’s family and from us to God’s creation. It is not a checkbox occurrence, but a lifetime process that is complete only in death. Therefore, it is important for the leadership of the church to keep the commitment of baptism always present as it gets involved in Christ’s mission by “studying Scripture and the issues of Christian faith and life.”
Most baptismal services in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) include liturgies that echo the Book of Common Worship and ask the congregation two questions:
“Do you, as members of the church of Jesus Christ, promise to guide and nurture this person by word and deed, with love and prayer? Will you encourage her/him/them to know and follow Christ and to be faithful members of his church?” READ MORE
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Bethesda Presbyterian Church
to offer Computer/Media Literacy training.
If you don't have a Facebook page or an email account, or if you want to learn how to use Canva to produce flyers and such, there's an app for that: Me. Bring a charged laptop or tablet, or your mobile phone. (First Saturday of every month at 11)
Bethesda Presbyterian Church, USA, will offer basic computer and media literacy training workshops on the first Saturday of every month, beginning in April. This workshop is for people wanting basic knowledge about such popular programs as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and working with Google docs.
READ MORE
Contact: Kim Smith Ph.D., [email protected], 704-953-3290
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Click here to see additional
Available Jobs
on our website.
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Oct 12, 2023
By Garrett Johnson
In my preparations to develop a newsletter article concerning the events of the Ferncliff Presbytery Mission trip, I found myself at a “loss of adjectives.” After some difficult mental grappling, I recalled the docent of the Museum of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, which gained notoriety in the struggle for our civil rights mentioned and defined the word “Liminal Space.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary in my library, the definition of “liminal” is as follows: “of or at the limen or threshold; of the first stage.”
I realized that I was in a “liminal space” in that I had never been a participant in a church/faith-based mission trip. To be sure, being a military retiree has presented me with ample opportunities to live, work, and enjoy many different nations, states, and communities. This undertaking was clearly outside of my comfort zone as I arrived at the parking lot of Westminster Presbyterian Church which is a wonderful community located about an hour and a half due southwest of Spartanburg, SC. This was also going to be my first trip away from my beloved wife Becky since I retired from the Army career in 2020. I am not ashamed to disclose that I have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of my combat service in the military, and as such, I could feel the effects of this malady in my nervousness and ‘hyper alertness.” READ MORE
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Mark your Calendars for these Upcoming Events | |
2023
October
23 Antiracism Team meeting
24 CRE Cohort meeting
26 Finance & Stewardship Committee meeting, Stewardship Task Force meeting, and Committee on Preparation for Ministry meeting
27-28 Fall School of Theology
Foothills Presbytery Calendar
2023 Foothills Presbytery Stated Meetings
November 14, 2023
10:00 am - 2:30 pm Foothills Presbytery Stated Meeting #124
at First, Anderson
2024 Foothills Presbytery Stated Meetings
February 20, 2024, at Fountain Inn
May 18, 2024, at Limestone
August 3, 2024 (Virtual)
November 12, 2024
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