e-News for March 29, 2024

In this issue:

• Notes from the Presbytery Office
• News from the Presbytery
• Events, Conferences, and Retreats
• Prayer Concerns
• Job Opportunities
• Presbytery Calendar

Read this issue on the web!

In response to God‘s call in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the mission of the Presbytery of New Hope is to enable local congregations and presbytery as a whole, to function effectively as the body of Christ by actively exploring, facilitating, equipping, and establishing appropriate ministries with the covenant community and beyond. 

The office of the Presbytery of New Hope will be closed on Friday, March 29 in observance of Good Friday. We wish everyone a blessed holy weekend and Happy Easter!

Why Not Swan Quarter?

by Rev. Katie Cashwell

Temporary Associate Presbyter for Small Churches

The night NC State won the ACC Championship after an improbable title run, I was in an improbable place: Swan Quarter.

Where is Swan Quarter? I’m glad you asked!

Swan Quarter is in Hyde County. It’s a straight shot east on Hwy 64 out of Raleigh. It’s located on an inlet of the Pamlico Sound. Beachgoers can catch a ferry in Swan Quarter for a two-hour ride across the sound to Ocracoke. It’s also home to Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, featuring the largest natural freshwater lake in North Carolina, Lake Mattamuskeet. The refuge supports large numbers of wintering waterfowl, as well as a variety of songbirds, black bears, deer, and bobcats. I spent an afternoon at the refuge with my binoculars, spotting osprey, egrets, cormorants, hawks, vultures, and two cautious deer.

The Executive Presbyter's visits, preaches, and travels across the presbytery

The Children of Westminster Presbyterian Church (Durham) lay hands on and bless Pastor Bruce on Palm Sunday.

Bruce preached on "The Meaning of Discipleship" for Palm Sunday at Westminster Presbyterian Church (Durham) on Palm Sunday. Pictured here with Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Chris Tuttle.

Bruce was thankful for a beautiful day in worship with the saints of

Cornerstone Presbyterian Church (Cary).

On Sunday March 10, Bruce visited William and Mary Hart Presbyterian Church.

The 2024 Presbytery Staff Retreat

The Presbytery of New Hope staff spent Tuesday, March 26 in retreat with facilitator Rev. Dr. Keith Daniel of Madison Consulting.

The day’s theme was “NHP Shepherding the Matthew 25 Movement.”

Thank you to Saint Giles Presbyterian Church for hosting us!

"As grateful as I am to do this work,

I'm exceedingly grateful to do this work with a fantastic team!"

Healthy Boundaries/Clergy Ethics Training

The Presbytery of New Hope, the Commission on Ministry and the Healthy Boundaries Team announce a new online healthy boundaries/clergy ethics training.

This required training is called Safe Gatherings. Safe Gatherings is an easy 1.5 – 2 hour online course and helps protect your church, your staff and volunteers, and the people you serve to provide safer environments. Safe Gatherings also provides the access to Clergy and Ministerial Ethics training, a two-hour online course that covers the top ethical and congregational boundary issues faced today by clergy and other ministry leaders.

If you fall under one (or more) of the following categories, you are required to take this training every 36 months.

* Teaching Elder (ministers)

* Pulpit Supply

* Stated Supply (even if you are retired)

* CRE and QRE

* Certified Christian Educator

* Children and Youth Director

* Ruling Elder actively serving on Church Session

* Inquirer and Candidate

* Other church staff as determined by the church leaderships

(See G-2.0603, G-2.1002, G-2.1103, G-3.0106 and Presbytery of New Hope Commission on Ministry manual)

The training costs $29. If paying this fee presents a difficulty, please contact [email protected]

Once you click on the button below, you will be able to set up an account with Safe Gatherings to access the training. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate that you should keep in your personal files.

Questions: Contact [email protected]

The office of the Presbytery of New Hope has not received or sent a fax in the last 365 days! Therefore, we are discontinuing the use of our fax number, effective immediately. You can continue to send documents and correspond with the presbytery staff through our general email address [email protected]. DO NOT email us sensitive information such as social security numbers. You may call Christine Kelson at 919-322-0144 to make secure arrangements for transmitting this kind of information. Please note that presbytery staff will NEVER ask for or provide secure information over email.

Be vigilant to scams! 

Please use the button below to view the Milner Commons updates,

provided by Ed Johnson, our stated clerk.

Howard Memorial Presbyterian Church in Tarboro

is celebrating its 150th anniversary!

The year-long commemoration began with a worship service on Sunday, February 11, focused on the beginning of Tarboro Presbyterian Church in 1874, where the founding members took us “back in time” to tell their stories.

Upcoming Events:

· Arts in the Garden* - Saturday, April 27

· Celebration of Howard Memorial Dedication – Sunday, May 5

· “Homecoming” Worship Service – Sunday, October 20

All funds raised by celebration events and sales of special items will go to “Project 150: Helping Children and Families*.”



*For more information about Arts in the Garden tickets and Project 150, visit howardmemorial.org and join us in Tarboro. All are welcome!

We greet you in the season of spring, setting our hearts aglow through many opportunities to observe expectant NEW LIFE in creation all around us. This season elicits a spirit of HOPE and JOY within us all. For we who follow the teachings, Christ shall inevitably find ways to usher these gifts anew into the world at this wonderful season of the year. Yet, these fundamentals of Christian religion can be experienced in our lives year long.



Surely there are many of you who can identify with this type of thinking. We would love to have you assist our efforts to bring Christ more prominently into the hearts and minds of mankind in our daily world. Join us at 7:00 p.m. online on Monday evenings to become an integral part of the Moral Message Ministry meetings. Help us compose letters to legislators and others in the sphere of social influence. We look forward to your involvement -- as we as Christians “speak truth to power.” Contact our moderator, Richard Konecki, for a link ([email protected]). Help usher the work of the Holy Spirit into our world today.

At this time we are sharing a message contributed by one of our founding Covenant members, Mr. James Henderson (Jimmy), whom many of you may know. Mr. Henderson, who has contacted many of our Congressional leaders on several crucial issues, has a great deal to bring to our consciousness through the following message of hope and concern.

Last call for submissions for the North Carolina Historical Society’s annual awards for church history books and pamphlets published or printed during 2023. Send two (2) copies to Peter G. Fish, 1006 Urban Avenue, Durham, NC 27701. Awards will be announced at the society’s spring meeting and tour of historical Presbyterian churches in Scotland County vicinity, April 5-6. Email Peter with questions: [email protected]

New Hope Presbytery’s Outstanding Older Adults program

 is accepting nominations for the 2024 recognition ceremony.

Each church may submit one nominee, either individual or couple.

Click the button below to view the nomination form and requested materials.

Nomination submissions are due by this upcoming Sunday, March 31

The OOA recognition ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 19

at First Presbyterian Church, Rocky Mount.

Please contact Shauna Villela at the presbytery office with any questions.

• PC(USA) job opportunities.

Please use the links below to view the available positions:

Job Opportunity- English

Job Opportunity- Spanish

Job Opportunity- Korean

• Covenant Presbyterian Church, Durham, NC is seeking a part-time pianist.  Needed for every second (2nd) Sunday of the month and every fifth (5th) Sunday during the year. Must be available at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and for rehearsals, as needed, during the month prior to worship services to maintain a high quality of music. The pianist would accompany the director of music on special services, as needed. Please send your resume to: [email protected] or call (919) 682-1484.

• Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church is currently hiring for a part-time, on-site facilities maintenance technician; a new position at the church. While the hours are currently limited, the hope and intent is that this position will expand to include more hours and opportunity. As stewards of your own organizations, Trinity would be open to a job share with you or others who may come to mind in order to offer a more robust, full-time position with benefits, which it would host. Click here for the job description.

Trinity Avenue PC is also beginning a search for a full-time director of music ministry. Any musically inclined leaders who may be interested in a conversation about the position, please contact Rev. Katie Crowe.

• Davie Street Presbyterian Church, a historic church in downtown Raleigh, seeks an administratively-minded person with excellent computer and interpersonal skills to work 32 hours/week. A link to the complete description is on the website: www.daviestpresbyterian.org. 

Interested persons should forward a resume with a cover letter and references to: Davie Street Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Davie St., Raleigh, NC 27601 or e-mail to: [email protected],

Attn: Personnel. Applications accepted until the position is filled.

March 2024



29 ~ Presbytery office closed in

recognition of Good Friday

31 ~ Easter Sunday

April 2024

4~ COM Exec

9~ Exams and Transfers

10~ COM (in-person)

11~ CD&E

17~ Coordinating Body

18~CPM

19~Peacemaking Network

Presbytery Office Hours

Monday - Thursday

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Friday

8:30 a.m. -12:00 noon (Remote)

Saturday and Sunday

Closed

Staff works remotely on Fridays from

8:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon and the office building is closed. Staff can be reached by email or phone.