Today's Presbyterian Board of Lady Managers |
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In keeping with their rich 143 year history, the Board of Lady Managers remains very active today, as the Greater Baltimore Presbyterian community continues its tradition to support the medical advances and specialized care provided by GBMC. Examples of BOLM's continued assistance include:
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Helping those afflicted with vision, hearing, or speech conditions. There is a much greater patient need for specialized devices that are now available to many who cannot afford them or are not covered by insurance.
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Additional support has been given for work with cochlear implants helping little children to hear for the first time or the elderly to be able to communicate with family and friends.
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Supporting GBMC’s remarkable cleft palate program which provides specialized bottles and medical tape.
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Enabling the hospital’s recent return to Baltimore City to the original site of the Presbyterian Charity Hospital. There, GBMC has established a full-service clinic at the Helping Up Mission to serve mission residents, their families and neighbors living in East Baltimore.
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The eager commitment and energy generated over one hundred years ago by dedicated Presbyterians is now in our hands. Although locally under-represented, both BOLM and its counterpart, the Board of Governors continue this proud tradition. Many parishioners living in the northern Baltimore region welcome the medical services provided by GBMC, and should be proud to know that, as a community hospital, it was awarded the coveted 2020 Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, becoming the only healthcare system in Maryland to be so recognized.
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The Board of Lady Managers hopes to continue to support such vital medical services and is always looking for new members from all Presbyterian faiths that would like to be part of making a difference in the community to join them.
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News from Susquehanna Parish |
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As churches across our Presbytery step up to meet the challenges of this pandemic, Despite being between pastors, Grove Church is overcoming these new obstacles in order to keep on functioning during this time of crisis. |
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- Four of their Elders have stepped up admirably to rotate the delivery of the sermon each Sunday.
- Their Deacons, Ladies’ Circle and other groups within the church are keeping contact with our members through socially distanced visits, cards, letters, emails and phone calls.
- Drive-by celebrations have been arranged for some elderly members’ birthdays or school graduations.
- Deacons modified the means of distribution of the weekly Cupboard Food Pantry, while maintaining social distancing, engaging meaningfully with clients and meeting governmental procedures, documentation and other requirements.
- Their Trustees have continued to make necessary repairs and upgrades while also maintaining all church buildings.
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The Thrift Shop has taken the opportunity to relocate to a different building on the church campus, which will be more accessible for and visible to the community.
- Installation of a new electronic sign has enabled the community to be more aware of Grove’s ministries.
- Numerous church members have worked throughout this time of pandemic to ensure that a virtual worship experience is available for members and others in the community. During times of in-person worship, services have still been uploaded online for those that have not felt comfortable in a group environment.
While we all look forward to returning to normal, in the meantime, Grove is making good use of its resources and the gifts of its members to continue to reach out to each other and engage the community around us.
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The pandemic has changed The Center’s logistics, but it has not changed their mission. In order to be safe during the pandemic, they have implemented social-distance and mask-wearing protocol, and will be hosting groups for day trips. Mission experiences will be outdoors, mostly supporting their farming and food ministry partners, or neighborhood gardening and clean-up events. They are not hosting overnight mission experiences in Spring or Summer 2021. |
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As always, at The Center, your group will be paired with a local congregation or community ministry. Their partners work in different neighborhoods and have developed different community partnerships and ministries, so each mission experience is unique, but the foundation of each trip is the same: they plan and lead on-the-ground mission opportunities for your group, integrating hands-on mission experiences with learning and theological reflection throughout your time there.
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Clergy ID cards are on the way |
The National offices have assured us that they have finally received the new clergy ID cards from the printer and will be sending them to the presbyteries this week. As soon as we receive ours they will be signed and mailed to you as soon as possible. |
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Learn with stewardship events |
On March 2, the Presbyterian Foundation will present a Day of Learning covering practical tools for stewardship and financial sustainability:
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8:30 am - Church Mission and Sustainability with Stephen Keizer and Rev. Gail Monsma
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11:00 am - Virtual Campaigns and Online Giving with Rev. Ellie Johns-Kelly and Karl Mattison
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2:30 pm - Practical Tips for Church Budgeting with Olanda Carr and Rev. Dr. Jonah So
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February 27 - Rise against Hunger - 11-4 pm at Grove Presbyterian Church: RAH is an international hunger relief non-profit organization that coordinates the packaging and distribution of food to people in developing nations. For more information visit the website or contact event organizers Carroll Fitzgerald or Marlene Butler.
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March 4 - Well Said Speaker Series featuring Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., award-winning author and internationally known public speaker and thought leader on issues of spirituality, religion, culture, and politics. Diana’s book, Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks will be the focus of the evening’s presentation. More information
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March 4 - Community Engagement Conversations - Center staff gather on Zoom to facilitate a conversation about your congregation’s efforts to engage with the local community. Bring success stories, frustrations, questions, or places you are stuck, and we will brainstorm together. Register here.
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Saturdays in March - Join The Center on Saturdays this March for free mission pop up days to support the work of our partners! All four days will be FREE to anyone within driving distance. We will provide safe, socially-distant, outdoor opportunities for you to serve alongside some of our farm and food partners. Register here.
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890th Gathering of the Presbytery of Baltimore - Mark your calendars now for Thursday, March 11th, from 9:30 am - Noon for a robust, but streamlined online session. Stay tuned for details here and on our website.
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Friday, March 12: Drive-In Movie Night - Churchville Presbyterian Church welcomes your family to join them on the second Friday of each month for a socially distanced outdoor film screening. Snacks and refreshments served. Check their Facebook page for titles and additional information.
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April 10 - The Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery of Baltimore (PWP) will hold its First Virtual Spring Gathering meeting. Since they will be doing their annual memorial service for last year (2020), they ask that you send the names of members deceased in 2020 to Adrienne Knight. Also, we’d like to share exciting mission projects you are doing — even if you can’t attend. Please send a short write up on those to Paula Crews.
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The Center is looking for individuals to help their in-person, distanced, outdoor mission sites for day trip participants; online teaching of their mission curriculum for groups that are too far from our partner site for day trips; and community organizing training for young people.
ITL churches seek an individual to conduct scholarly primary and secondary research regarding the history of the In the Loop churches (twelve Presbyterian churches in Baltimore, Maryland), pertaining their historical experience in regard to race, race relations and policy, membership, location, et. al., that explicate the race related actions and perspectives of the church and its members.
Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church seeks a temporary supply pastor who can inspire their congregation through excellent, innovative preaching and worship leadership, who is technologically savvy and who is approachable, friendly, inclusive and a good listener.
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The Presbytery offices are closed for visits or appointments until further notice, but staff and commissions continue to meet regularly online.
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