February 23, 2015

Inside This Edition 

 

Healthy Boundaries 

 

Presbytery Sponsored Dinner @ Next Church Conference

 

Music Fest 2015

 

2015 Pastors' Retreat

 

First & Franklin PC Spire Series: Violinist Kurt Nikkanen

 

Woods Mem'l PC Domestic Violence Workshop 

 

Catonsville Concert @ 3: "Simple Gifts" Folk-Music Trio

 

Ashland PC seeks Office Manager

 

Mt. Hebron seeks a Part Time Youth and Children Leader

 

Woods Mem'l seeks Organist 

 

 

Commission & Committee Meetings
Committee and Commission meetings will be held at the Presbytery's office unless noted otherwise.) 

Commission on Reconciliation will meet Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6:30pm.

The "Guatemala Exploration Team"  will meet Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 5pm.

 

Commission on Spiritual Leader Development will meet Tuesday, Mar. 3 at 6:30pm in the Woodmont Room.

 

Commission on Thriving Congregations will meet 6:30pm Tuesday Mar. 17 in the Woodmont Room.

  

Personnel  Committee meets Tuesday, Mar. 3 from 11:30am. The meeting will include lunch.  

 

Committee on Ministry Leadership will meet 10am on Wednesday, Mar. 4.

 

Steering Cabinet will meet 12:30-3:30pm on Wednesday, Mar. 4

 

Trustees will meet 10am-12noon on Thursday, Mar. 10

 

  The Leadership Team* Retreat will be held Thursday, Mar. 12 at  the Sisters of Notre Dame 6401 N Charles St. with Judy Brown


*(Cabinet, program staff, MG conveners, COM/CPM committee chairs).

 

Gathering Team will meet 1:30pm on Thursday, Mar. 19.

 

Susquehanna Parrish MG will meet from 7-9pm on Thursday Mar. 19 at Franklinville PC.

 

Wild, Wild West MG will meet 6:30pm on Thursday, Feb. 26 at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Hagerstown, MD.


Praise & Prayer 

Praise God for the ministry of Rev. Dr. Brandon Frick who was ordained and installed yesterday as Associate Pastor for Adult Education, Small Groups and Young Adults at Wood Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park.  

 

Shared Ministry Pledge
Submit your Session's 2015 Shared Ministry Pledge On-Line. . .




Link to fillable form can also be found at www.baltimorepresbytery.org

  

Two groups operating grass-root initiatives to help their members work their way out of poverty will each receive $6,000 grants by the Presbytery of Baltimore's Self Development of People (SDOP) program. The grants will help the groups sustain vital work within separate communities - one urban and the other rural - struggling with economic depression and scarce food resources.

 

The Mountain Fresh Producers Market in Western Maryland will use its SDOP grant to expand its farmers' markets and bring fresh fruit and vegetables to South Cumberland, an area where one-third of the residents live at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. About 70% of the county's residents receive federal nutrition assistance through SNAP (Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program), according to county statisics. The group said many residents in South Cumberland's rural community shop at roadside convenience stores because they don't have cars; or, they don't have time to shop because they participate in day work programs - leaving them with limited access to the fresh produce sold in more urban settings.

 

But people in poverty will access healthy foods when it is accessible and affordable, the group contends. They plan to make fresh produce more accessible by storing it in a mobile refrigerator in South Cumberland. The group also plans to provide financial assistance to farmers who accept SNAP benefits to defer the costs of the technology required to make electronic transactions. The group believes that both farm families and local residents will benefit greatly from the new initiative.

 

The other project awarded an SDOP grant is the Baltimore Urban Farmstead Initiative managed by the Walks of Life, a training and education program for ex-offenders and recovering addicts. This group initiative is, literally, a grass-roots effort which provides participants with on the job training as they learn how to plant, seed and tend crops growing in Baltimore City's urban gardens. Participants in the program receive a stipend for their work, which, they say, teaches them "how to be more responsible for our actions, how to properly hold a job by [staying] busy during the week and not hanging out and getting into trouble from being exposed to the same environment we once were attracted to. . ."

 

Some participants in the group show great interest in growing gardens in their own communities. "The initiative will help end the food desert, poverty and the community I and my coworkers have abused for years. [And,] . . . pave new employment opportunities for future men and women who are returned citizens who are demonstrating we can change our past behavior."

 

Presbyterian congregations supporting the efforts of both groups in their separate communities will have the honor of presenting the SDOP grant to them: the Mountain Fresh Producers Market in Western Maryland will receive its award at First Presbyterian Church of Cumberland and Walks of Life will receive its award at Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church.

 

Self-Development of People is a ministry that affirms God's concern for humankind. It as�sists the Presbyterian Church (USA) in carrying out its global commitment to work toward the self-development of economically poor, oppressed, and disadvantaged people who own, con�trol, and benefit directly from projects that promote long-term change in their lives and communities. Self-Development of People's primary source of income is approximately one-third of the One Great Hour of Sharing, a special offering taken during Lent in Presbyterian congregations. 

 

Self-Development of People Sunday is Mar. 15.  Resources may be found here on the PC(USA) website or by calling 1.800.728.7228, x5791.

 

Take  noteTake Note /Act Now
Take Note/Act Now

 

Presbytery .  .  . and the Wider Church 

 

 

Teaching Elders, Commissioned Ruling Elders, and Certified Christian Educators are invited to attend the "Healthy Boundaries" training program from 9:15am to 4pm on Feb. 26 at Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies (ICJS), 956 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204 (located opposite Goucher College, inside the beltway  (410.4949.7161).  The program and lunch cost $65.  Payments is required in advance; register on the Baltimore Presbytery website.  Registration deadline:  February 20, 2015.  For more information contact Terrence Alspaugh, chairperson,  Sexual Misconduct Response Team (SMRT) Committee.  REGISTER HERE

 

Presbyterians attending NEXT Church conference in Chicago Mar. 16-18 are asked to contact Deb MilcarekThe Presbytery would like to gather folks together for a presbytery sponsored dinner.

 

 

Save the date!  The 2015 Pastors' Retreat will be held at Bon Secours Retreat Center from Wednesday Apr. 22 to Thursday Apr. 23.  Our featured presenter, TE Theresa Cho (Saint John's Presbyterian Church in San Francisco) will discuss how to integrate art in worship.  

  

 

Churches

 

The Spire Series, sponsored by First & Franklin Presbyterian Church, presents solo violinist Kurt Nikkanen, in an all-Bach concert at 8pm on Friday, Mar. 6. A Meet-the-Artist reception will follow the performance.  Tickets are $20 General Admission; $10 for students.  For details, click Nikkanen.  

 

Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church will sponsor a free workshop on domestic abuse designed for clergy and lay leaders at 6:30pm on Tuesday, Mar. 10 featuring the Rev. Anne Weatherholt, author of Breaking the Silence: The Church Responds to Domestic Violence (2008). For details, click Domestic Violence.

 

Catonsville Concerts at 3 presents "Simple Gifts" folk trio.  At 3pm on Sunday, Mar. 22.  The trio of folk musicians plays a variety of ethnic folk styles from lively Irish jigs  to hard-driving Klezmer frailachs and haunting Gypsy melodies.  The concert is free and open to the public, no tickets required.  For details call 410.747.6180.
 

Ashland Presbyterian Church is looking for a part-time Office Manager with some communications experience to provide office management and administrative support for the Pastor, Session, Deacons and Christian Education ministry. For details, click Ashland.

 

Mt. Hebron Presbyterian Church seeks a part-time Intern Youth & Children's Leader.  This is a year-round salaried position averaging 12-15 hours per week.  A full job description is available at www.mthebronpc.org.  Contact TE Adrian Pratt  at 410.465.3993 or pastor@mthebronpc.org. 

 

ORGANIST needed at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. Interim position starting immediately. Contact musicministry@woodschurch.org or call the church office at 410.647.2550.

  

 


taff Directory

Craig N. Palmer
Transitional General Presbyter
 Deb Milcarek

Assoc. for Reconciliation

dmilcarek@baltimorepresbytery.org 
 


Susan Krehbiel

Dir. of Congregational Advocacy

skrehbiel@baltimorepresbytery.org

  

 

William Nickels III

 Assoc. General Presbyter

bnickels@baltimorepresbytery.org

 

Debbie Ingram Schmidt

Assoc. for Spiritual Leader Development

 

Wanda Morgan

Dir. of Events & Services  wmorgan@baltimorepresbytery.org 

 

 

 

 


Catherine Blacka

Judy Johnson

Ministry Group Staff

jjohnson@baltimorepresbytery.org

 

 

 Deborah Greene

Dir. of Communications