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Dear Friends,
In "
October," Robert Frost pleads with the month,
O hushed October morning
mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being
beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of
day;
At noon release another
leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
We are indeed unable to pause nature's wonderous and fleeting autumn pageantry. Its transience makes its beauty both bittersweet and precious. What would you slow in your life if you could? In the world around you? Is slow always better?
The next issue of Hudson Happenings will be published on Thursday, October 29. Please send your submission along to
[email protected] by Tuesday, October 27.
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 News from the Presbytery |
Elizabeth Smith Bartlett Installation, Oct. 18
The Session of the Larchmont Avenue Church, 60 Forest Park Avenue, Larchmont, New York, invites all to the installation of the Reverend Elizabeth Smith-Bartlett as
Associate Pastor by the Presbytery of Hudson River on Sunday, October 18, at 4:00pm.
Reception to follow. We are grateful for your prayers and presence!
De La Rosa Named Acting Director of Presbyterian Mission Agency 
On September 23, the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board announced the appointment of Luis Antonio (Tony) De La Rosa as the interim executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, one of six independent agencies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) He takes the lead of the PMA following the July departure of Linda Valentine from the position, whose term was set to expire at the 2018 General Assembly. Read more.
PC(USA) Stated Clerk's Open Letter to Donald Trump on Refugees and Immigrants
The Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) General Assembly, released an open letter to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday, Oct. 2 concerning the church's "decades of policy" that "have demanded humane treatment of people of all nationalities and faiths who find themselves within our borders."
Read more.
PC(USA) Signs onto Letter to President Obama on Eliminating Solitary Confinement 
The PC(USA) joined other religious, civil society, and human rights organizations in a letter to President Obama urging him to recommend a clear path towards the elimination of solitary confinement.
Read more.
Legacy Fund Training Opportunity for Applicants, Oct. 24
A workshop in nonprofit program development and budgeting will be offered on Saturday, October 24 at Calvary Church in Newburgh. The workshop will run from 11 am to 3 pm with lunch provided.
Participation in this training or another approved training in proposal writing or program development/budget is
REQUIRED for congregations submitting proposals
to the Legacy Fund. Please note that this training is available to all, you do not have to be a Legacy Fund applicant to attend.
Please RSVP by October 22 to [email protected].
Training for Ruling Elders to Moderate Sessions/Councils, Nov. 7
On Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9:00 am - 2:00pm, at Stony Point Center, HRP is offering training to any Ruling Elders who are interested in learning how to moderate a Session/Council that is not their own. Currently, there are a number of congregations within HRP without pastors and their Sessions/Councils need moderators. The training is free and includes a free lunch as well. Space is limited. Please contact Jean Kaiser at
[email protected] or 914-941-2100 to register.
Read more .
Share Your Experiences on Gender and Leadership in PC(USA)
You are cordially invited to share your thoughts and experiences on gender and leadership in the PC(USA). Racial Ethnic and Women's Ministries, along with Research Services, is embarking upon an extensive study of gender and leadership within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This leader survey is one portion of the project.
We need both men AND women to take this survey! We are interested in how gender influences the experiences of all leaders. The s
urvey takes about 14 minutes.
Congregational Leadership Awards
Is your congregation doing innovative ministry? Union Presbyterian Seminary offers eight Congregational Leadership Awards annually. Each of the eight awards carries a $1,000 prize to support the congregation in its ministry. More information. The deadline for the 2016 awards is February 15, 2016.
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Have you heard?
 Now
you can invite people to subscribe to Hudson
Happenings
and other HRP E-
Updates, like those from the new Presbytery Prison Partnership or the Food Justice Network.
Spread the word!
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Living Our Values
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Praying with the Pope 
The Rev. Eric J. Hall of Eastchester Presbyterian Church was invited by Cardinal Dolan to join in a time of interfaith worship as Pope Francis visited Ground Zero to pay his respects. He reflects on that experience.
It started with the line outside the museum. A couple hundred people waiting to go through security. Next to me a family who lost a loved one - a firefighter (they carried his helmet with love and respect) - and clergy behind and in front of me. The conversation? This extraordinary event they had (we had) all been invited to. Each had an excitement in their voice as well as a nervousness. This meeting was taking place in no ordinary venue. The firefighter helmet reminded all of us that this was sacred space - lives sacrificed, lives taken on September 11, 2001.
Read the full reflection. Link to
photo gallery.
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| Trainings, Retreats and Internships |
Pastoral Sabbath Days at at Holmes in Oct. and Nov. 
Do you need 24 hours to: do sermon planning, decompress, exercise, study, or relax? Come spend 24 hours at Holmes! Private rooms for the first 12 registrants, yoga and spiritual direction is available, and there are study spaces with Wifi. The cost is $100 for four meals, Agape lodging and space. Learn more.
Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference in Israel/Palestine, April 2016,
Deadline for Registration Oct. 15
We are called to be witnesses to and for peace in the Holy Land. In faithful and hope-filled response, the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program's Mosaic of Peace conference, April 4-16, 2016, invites Presbyterians to experience this remarkable and troubled region, encounter its diverse people, explore its rich history and complex current situation, and engage with those who seek its peace. Deadline for registration is October 15, 2015.
Learn more.
Learn How to Solarize your Church, Oct. 18
Come and learn
how your congregation can cut energy bills on its campus while also tending to God's creation by installing solar panels on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 4-6pm at Stony Point Center. The roundtable panel, sponsored by HRP Green (a network of churches in our presbytery interested in environmental issues), includes experts on technology, engineering, and government zoning as well as ruling and teaching elders from HRP who have or who are solarizing their churches. Not to be missed! Bring a potluck meal to share. Learn more by downloading the flyer. And spread the word! RSVP to Kathy Dean.
Woman 2 Woman Prison Visitation Training, Oct. 18
Woman 2 Woman, Bedford Presbyterian Church's prison visiting program, is continuing to grow. We now have 50 women visiting at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility and Taconic Correctional Facility. As a result of continued interest, we have decided to offer another training session, to be held on Sunday, October 18th from 2-4 at Bedford Presbyterian Church.
Please note that in order to become a Woman 2 Woman visitor, you must
attend a training session. Learn more and contact
Nancy Gernert,
Coordinator, Woman 2 Woman, with questions or to register. She may be reached at
914-763-0750
or [email protected].
Human Trafficking: The Church Responds, Oct. 20
The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations and Jan Hus Presbyterian Church are co-sponsoring a day-long seminar on human trafficking featuring speakers from the
International Labour Organization and
ECPAT-USA. The seminar will run from 9:30am-8:30pm and include meals. Cost is $45 which includes materials, food and a UN tour. Without the UN tour, the cost is $25.
Learn more and register.
John Dominic Crossan to Speak, Oct. 29 
Dr. Crossan will be speaking on "The Historical Jesus and Divine Violence: How to Read the New Testament and Still Be a Christian," at 7:30pm on October 29 in the Dorothy Young Center for the Arts at Drew Theological Seminary. Learn more and register to attend.
Online Certificate in Theology and Ministry
Princeton Theological Seminary is offering the Certificate in Theology and Ministry again in 2016. The seminary is accepting applications through November 2, 2015. The first course begins in January.
Information about the faculty and courses for 2016.
Save the Date: Ecumenical Advocacy Days,
April 15-18, 2016
Ecumenical Advocacy Days gathers Christians from across the country near Capitol Hill for a time of learning and advocacy on issues of national import. The PC(USA) has always had a constituency of several hundred strong at the event so it's a great way to meet others who are passionate about public witness. This coming year's gathering is "Lift Every Voice: Racism, Class and Power." Mark your calendars and look for more information to follow in coming months. Read more about EADs.
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| Take Action |
South Carolina Flooding 
South Carolina
is in the initial stage of picking up the pieces after being plummeted by rainfall that caused what is being called a "1,000-year flood." More than 400 roads, 150 bridges and two major interstates (I-20 and I-95) have been closed. At least 17 individuals lost their lives. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is working with South Carolina presbyteries to assess damage and plan for future work-trips. Read more and donate to flood relief efforts.
Stop the Trans Pacific Partnership
From the Peru Partnership: In July, President Obama signed into law Fast Track Authority for the Trans Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement (TPP). Our efforts were not able to stop Fast Track but were able to slow things down. The administration was forced to use significant political capital to make that Fast Track Deal happen. But it's not over for us in the fight against TPP. There is still more work to be done. There are a number of ways the TPP could still be stopped in the coming months and we need to be ready when an opportunity presents itself. Learn more.
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| Resources for Education, Liturgy, Justice and more! |
Presbyterian Giving Catalog
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25 dollars buys a kitchen kit for families who've lost everything in a disaster
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The 2015-2016
Presbyterian Giving Catalog is an opportunity for Presbyterians to support their church's ministries through alternative giving. From purchasing agricultural tools for a family in the developing world to supporting bus passes for YAVs, the catalog provides a wide range of gifts at different prices that promote the well-being of people and the earth. Consider the
catalog as a source for your gift giving.
Restoring Creation Loan Fund 
The Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program (PILP) has recently approved a Restoring Creation Loan with low rates and flexible terms specifically targeted at congregations that want to do energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction financing.
Don't miss this opportunity!
Learn more
about the Restoring Creation Loan Fund.
Brief Videos from HRP Green on the Bible 
Interested in hearing more about how the Bible calls us to be concerned about climate issues? Watch Teaching Elder Cathy Surgenor explain Psalm 104's mandate to care for the earth.
This video is part of an ongoing series of brief videos developed by HRP Green. Great for worship, discussion starters, or to simply share as a devotional meditation with members of your congregation.
Presbyterians Today: New Blog
PT has a new blog, "One Church, Many Voices" where you'll find writing, art, videos, and podcasts. Some of it will be bilingual. Some will be collaborative projects inviting grassroots voices to speak lovingly but honestly on difficult topics of disagreement. Check it out.
Resources for promoting Triennium 
Looking for graphics, webpages and t-shirt designs to promote the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, July 19-23, 2016?
Click here. And don't forget to get moving on raising funds so that youth from your congregation can go! HRP is putting together a delegation and additional information will be forthcoming.
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| Events in the Life of the Presbytery |
Patterson Church's Pancake Breakfast,
Oct. 10
Patterson Community Church is having a Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 9-11am. Free will offering will go to support the church's community theater.
Read more.
Don't miss Stony Point Center's second annual Farm-to-Table Gala -- Harvest Dinner and Campus Fair on Sunday, October 11 from 3:00-7:00pm at the Stony Point Center. In addition to delicious food grown on the farm, you can celebrate this year's 2015 Living Traditions Awardee, Jun Yasuda, a Nun in the Japanese Nipponzan Myohoji order residing at the Grafton Peace Pagoda in Grafton, New York. More information and tickets.
Rockland Churches' Food Justice Bible Study, Oct. 20 - Nov. 10
Presbyterian Churches in Rockland County will be gathering on Tuesdays at 7:00pm at New Hempstead Presbyterian Church for potluck and a food justice bible study to discuss fair wages, immigration, hunger and building community.
Download the flyer. For more information contact
Lori Hylton.
Holmes Annual Benefit & Silent Auction, Oct. 22 
Join us for "All About Family," the annual Holmes benefit and silent auction, Thursday, Oct. 22, 6:30-8:30pm at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. Come and support the ministry of Holmes Camp and Conference Center as Holmes recognizes three families who have provided years of service and participation in camping: Leslie Mardenborough and family (Leslie is currently HRP's moderator-elect), the Moorehouse and Verdesi families. Learn more.
"Dreamers Among US" Film Screening,
Nov. 8
The Youth Arts Group of Rural and Migrant Ministry is pleased to announce the Westchester County debut of their award-winning film, "Dreamers Among US" on Sunday, November 8, from 4-6pm at Temple Beth Abraham in Tarrytown. The film will be accompanied by a panel discussion.
Download the flyer for more information.
Travel to Scotland with Huguenot Presbyterian
Huguenot Presbyterian is organizing a trip to Scotland August 29-September 6, 2016 and invites any members of the presbytery who wish to join them to come. Deadline for registration is September 30, 2015 (this month).
Learn more about the itinerary and cost.
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| Seeking and Finding |
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Lake Huntington Presbyterian Seeks a Gently Used Organ
Lake Huntington Presbyterian Church needs a new organ. Might your congregation have a used one to give? The church is looking for a used, late model organ in excellent working order. Two keyboard (without rhythm embellishments) is desired with side or full foot pedals. Their greatest fear is securing a used instrument that will need work, so please, no klunkers! Contact person: Joy Bertsch at (845) 932-7973.
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| Employment Opportunities and Connections |
Larchmont Seeks Director of Christian Education
The Larchmont Avenue Church (LAC), located in Southern Westchester County (NY), is seeking a Director of Christian Education. This 20-25 hour per week position entails direction of our Sunday School (130 youth, grade 1 through 8); assistance with associate pastor with middle school ministry, and development of education ministries with pastors and members. Contact: Rev. Bill Crawford at 914-834-1800 x308 or
[email protected].
First Presbyterian Church of Mt. Vernon Seeks a Minister of Music
The First Presbyterian Church of Mt. Vernon is seeking a musician/organist who loves interpreting the Christian faith through music, teaching, and working with a diverse congregation of children and adults of many ethnicities. Could this be your calling?
Learn more!
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