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Presbytery of Philadelphia Newsletter November 26, 2008 The Presbytery convened for the November Stated Meeting on Tuesday, November 25th Candidate Aisha Brooks-Lytle presents her Statement of Faith The November Stated Meeting of the Presbytery took place on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at Grace Presbyterian Church in Jenkintown. The Moderator convened the meeting with prayer at 2:30pm. For an overview of the proceedings of the meeting, please follow the link below.   Follow this link for more information Hosts Needed for Zambian Church Leaders Ethelyn Taylor and Judith Peters join Zambian women in Welcome Dance Seven leaders of the two Presbyterian churches in Zambia that hosted our delegation earlier this year will visit the Presbytery of Philadelphia in January and February of next year. Four members of the Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa/Synod of Zambia and three members of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian/Synod of Zambia are scheduled to be with us for the January Presbytery meeting and the annual Black History Celebration in February.  We expect them to arrive around January 21st and leave about February 11th, 2009. Follow this link for more information Youth Worker Academy workshop scheduled for Saturday, January 10th from 9:30am-2pm It’s not too early to start thinking about the second workshop of the Youth Worker Academy series! Please mark your calendars for Saturday, January 10th from 9:30am-2pm for the next YWA presentation and group discussion. The details are being finalized by the planning team, and we are looking forward to another great event! Please continue to watch the newsletter for more information and updated registration links. We hope to see you on January 10th!   Please follow this link for more information You can still join Partnership for Missional Church!!! It is not too late to join the Partnership for Missional Church. We have had several congregations indicate that they are interested in joining the Partnership for Missional Church Cluster B process but were not able to attend the November 7 & 8 “Kick Off” Event because of scheduling conflicts, or they had not made a decision by that time. Because of this we are going to have a special Cluster B Event 1 “Kick off” for those congregations who cannot make the November date for scheduling or other reasons. The scheduled date is January 17th (with a snowdate of January 24th). This will be a one day event. Jeanne Radak and Bill Reinhold are available to meet with your session, committee or group to discuss being part of the Partnership for Missional Church Cluster B. Email Jeanne at jradak@presbyphl.org or Bill at breinhold@presbyphl.org  or call 215-732-1842. Follow this link for more information Remains of Rev. and Mrs. Stephen Gloucester to be Re-Interred The remains of Rev. Stephen Gloucester and his wife will be reburied in the historic graveyard at Old Pine Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at 2:00 pm. The remains of Rev. and Mrs. Gloucester were originally buried at the former site of the Lombard Central Presbyterian Church. This property was sold many years ago and was resold recently. The new owners have received permission from the Orphan’s Court to re-inter their bodies and the session of Old Pine has graciously agreed to accept them. A larger commemorative memorial service is scheduled as part of the annual Presbytery of Philadelphia Black History Celebration on February 8, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.    Please follow the link below for more information on the Gloucesters and the memorial services dedicated to their memory.   Follow this link for more information Kirkwood Camp Reunion! January 10, 2009 from 1-4pm at Church on the Mall You are invited to a time of fun, food, and memories from the 2008 camp season. A reunion will be held on January 10, 2009 at the Church on the Mall, located in the Plymouth Meeting Mall from 1pm-4pm. Everyone is welcome---bring your friends! For more information, please follow the link below. Follow this link for more information World AIDS Day 2008 AIDS Fund, Broad Street Ministry, and Sapphire Fund will present the World AIDS Day Event on Monday, December 1, 2008 from 5:30-8:30pm at Broad Street Ministry (315 South Broad Street, across from the Kimmel Center).  Complimentary food, live performances, and local artwork will be on display, and free HIV testing will be available. Please come out for a new Philadelphia tradition where those who have died from AIDS are honored, those who are living well with the virus are celebrated, and we can dedicate ourselves to the cause of finding a cure.  Join activists, artists, community leaders and neighbors for an evening of free food and wonderful arts performances including: Hotel Obligado Theater, Smoke Lillies and Jade Dance Company, Bright Hope Baptist Church Celestial Choir, and remarks from Michael Nutter, Mayor of Philadelphia.   Hunger Headlines for November 26th Hunger Action This Week  This Week:  November 26, 2008  Advent – Christmas Reminders 1.      $27 provides for the purchase of a complete turkey dinner for a family in   need. 2.      Presbytery’s list of hunger-related volunteer opportunities. 3.      He Was Hungry (Advent devotional guide)  Human Rights Day is December 10            Rally/Vigil in Observance of Human Rights Day on December 12  What Happened to Economic Stimulus?            A bit of good news about unemployment benefits.   click on this link to learn more about how you can help fight hunger   Potato Project at SHARE on December 6th Do you know of anyone who can use potatoes in any outreach program that feeds the hungry? Then come to the Potato Project at SHARE (2901 W. Hunting Avenue in Philadelphia) from 9am-12pm on Saturday, December 6th. 50 lb. bags of potatoes will be available for distribution! Please contact Rev. Schaunel Steinnagel, Hunger Action Enabler, with any questions: 215-732-1842.     Maple Sugaring at Kirkwood Camp and Retreat Center in March Kirkwood Camp and Retreat Center will hold their annual Maple Sugaring event on March 20-22, 2009. If you have been thinking you would like to come to Kirkwood and see what it really is like, Mid-March is a terrific time to enjoy the first taste of spring, or perhaps you haven’t been to Kirkwood in eons. Maple Sugaring is a great time to come and renew yourself, refresh your spirit  and make some more friends.   Follow this link for more information Coach Training at Valley Forge This past week, 11 pastors and elders gathered with Presbyterians from around the country at the Valley Forge Christian Conference Center to receive the second phase of “Coaches Training.” Lead by Rev. Laurie Ferguson, coaching is a practice which has been used in the business world for many years and is now working its way in to the church. For more information on "Coach Training" and to learn more about how to be trained as a coach yourself, please follow the link below. Follow this link for more information Candidates sought for the position of Executive Presbyter with the Presbytery of Philadelphia The Presbytery of Philadelphia is seeking candidates for the position of Executive Presbyter. The job description and information form give an overview of the skills and characteristics that the desired candidate would possess for this leadership opportunity. The complete position description and CIF can be found on the Presbytery website by following the link below. PIFs, resumes, and CVs should be sent to Phoebe Sheftel, Moderator of the Executive Presbyter Search Committee at pasheftel@comcast.net     Follow this link for more information Christmas Concert at The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown on Sunday, November 30th The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown invites you to a FREE Handel's Messiah Christmas concert this Sunday, November 30.  The concert features the Germantown Oratorio Choir accompanied by the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra.  A dinner will follow with a choice of ham or chicken.  Dinner tickets are $10 each and reservations can be made by contacting the church (215-843-8811).    Media Presbyterian Church offers Alternative Gift Program for the Christmas Season The congregation of the Media Presbyterian Church invites the community to participate in their 2008 Alternative Gift program. This program allows people of all ages to honor friends and loved ones with small donations that will meet the specific needs of mission organizations working locally, and around the world. All participants will receive colorful Christmas cards to send to their gift recipients. Brochures are available at the Media Presbyterian Church office, at 30 E. Baltimore Avenue in Media. You can also visit the website’s missions page at http://www.mediapresbyterian.org/missions/missions.php. For more information, please e-mail Rebecca Ayars at airlines@aol.com  Centennial Celebration at Tully Memorial Tully Memorial will celebrate its Centennial on Sunday, December 7th.  The worship service will be at 4:00 PM with a dinner following.  (The dinner costs $10.00 per person, children under 12 are free).  Advent Concerts and Art Display at Doylestown Presbyterian Church, Wednesdays in December at Noon On the first three Wednesdays of December (December 3rd, 10th, and 17th), the congregation of Doylestown Presbyterian Church and the community are invited to enjoy time away from the hustle and bustle to listen to the sounds of Christmas. Bring along your brown bag lunch to enjoy while you relax to Christmas joy! Following the concert, take time to take in the Art Display in the Celtic Cross Room with some Christmas cookies, coffee, and tea. All concerts are free and open to the public. The concerts begin at noon.  Concert schedule: December 3rd: Bev Fulgham, piano December 10th: Suki Flanagan, harp December 17th: Mark Vandersall, clarinet  For directions, please visit Doylestown’s website at www.dtownpc.org      Neighborhood Interfaith Movement seeks youth for its Leadership Institute The Neighborhood Interfaith Movement is currently recruiting youth, grades 9-12, for the second year of its successful Leadership Institute. Last year's Institute brought together 24 teens from NIM member congregations for an inspiring 9-week program of team-building, leadership development and service. This year's Institute promises to be even more engaging for congregational youth who participate.  They are looking for teens who want to learn become leaders in their congregations and the community.  Each participant will develop a unique service project that can benefit their congregation or neighborhood.  The course will culminate in a 5-day Outward Bound wilderness excursion, bringing together the leadership and teamwork skills the youth have developed. If you know a teen who would be interested in the Leadership Institute this year, please forward this information to them, or contact Jen Weitz, NIM Youth Coordinator, at jweitz@nim-phila.org or 215-843-5600, extension 107.    Say "No" to a Casino in Center City The news this week has been filled with issues surrounding the Philadelphia City Council taking the next steps for approval of a Casino in Center City.  The Chinatown neighborhood is immediately adjacent to the proposed casino at the Galleries. The residences of this neighborhood and other surrounding areas are extremely concerned that a casino will have a negative impact on their neighborhoods and on the historic nature of the area. The Chinese Christian community, along with other groups, are asking for you to write a letter of opposition about the proposed Casino to Mayor Nutter. There are still several votes by the Council before the Casino is approved but don’t delay. The Presbyterian Church (USA) has had a long tradition of opposing gambling. Please make your voice heard by sending a note or letter opposing a Casino in Center City. You can send your letter to: Office of the Mayor Room 215 City Hall Philadelphia, PA 19107-3295 215-686-2181 or fax 215-686-2180   Working with Children who Need a Computer? Many of our congregations offer after-school and other children/youth focused programs. Some even have computer labs where children can extend their learning opportunities. Now you can help the children you are working with to secure their own computers from TeamChildren.Com. Check them out by following the link below.     Follow this link for more information The APCE Annual Event 2009 Early Bird Registration expires November 28, 2008 Don’t forget! The APCE Annual Event 2009 Early Bird Registration expires November 28, 2008.  Take advantage of the savings now! Go to www.apcenet.org to register. Already registered? Tell a friend!   The Presbyterian Stewardship Conference, Stewardship Kaleidoscope, will be held March 9-11, 2009 in Kansas City, MO Leaders at all levels of the church wish for more resources to make stewardship come alive: practical tools reinforced by theoretical and biblical knowledge that change the practice of stewardship from a once-a-year chore to a year-round call to discipleship. This year’s Presbyterian Stewardship Conference will be held March 9-11, 2009 at the Hilton Hotel at Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, please visit www.heartlandpby.org/kaleidoscope.    Check out 'Church Events' on our website! There are a number of church events coming up in the next few weeks, and you won't want to miss them! Please visit the Church Events section of our website by following the link below.     Follow this link for more information This is our newest edition of the Presbytery E-news.We encourage you to invite your friends and colleagues to sign up for their own copy. When you sign up you can ask for a text only version (useful for our dial-up members) or a full graphics version with pictures and formatted text. Churches and other organizations within the Presbytery of Philadelphia: Please note that we publish on Friday afternoons (So far we have been able to get it out mostly on time!). We do this so that by Monday morning all of our churches have access to the information. Please include items that you feel are important for your congregations in your own newsletters and bulletins for the week.  Please send your information to be published by THURSDAY NOON. We can include pictures but they must be in JPEG format. Other formats cannot be used. Send those announcements and special events to Rev.Michelle Grunseich at resources@presbyphl.org. Thanks!   This e-mail was sent from Presbytery of Philadelphia Immediate removal with PatronMail® SecureUnsubscribe. To forward this e-mail to a friend or colleague, use this link. To change your e-mail address or update preferences, use this link.