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GP Search Committee
NEXT Church Listening Campaign at the Center
Stewardship Kaleidoscope
GA Nominating Committee
Christmas Bluegrass Vespers at Granite PC
PDQ Barbershop Quartet Concert at Springfield
Woods Mem'l Seasonal Events
Deer Creek Harmony PC Planning Trip to Manhattan Theater District
Lecture on Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ
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Committee and Commission meetings will be held at the Presbytery's office (unless noted otherwise.)
Board of Trustees
will meet at 10am on Tues., Dec. 1
The Committee on Ministry Leader Team will meet from 10am on Wed., Dec. 2
Steering Cabinet will meet at 1pm on Wed., Dec. 2
The Gathering Team is meeting at 1pm on Thurs., Dec. 3
Commission on Spiritual Leader Development will meet 10am on Tues. Dec. 1.
Commission on Thriving Congregations will meet at 2:30pm on Tues. Dec. 1 at Hope PC.
Commission on Reconciliation
will meet 6:30pm on Wed., Dec. 2.
Interim Pastors'
meeting will be held noon to 2pm on Tues. Dec. 1 at Hope PC
Guatemala Partnership will convene at 8am on Tues., Dec 1.
Cuba Team will meet at 1pm on Wed., Dec. 9
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Brenda and Terry Schoener
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Please pray for the family of
TE Terry Schoener
, Pastor Emeritus of Woods Memorial PC, whose wife, Brenda,
died this morning after a
long battle with cancer. Brenda lapsed into a coma on Thanksgiving day, after the last of the Schoener's grandchildren arrived home for the holiday. She remained unresponsive through the weekend and died peacefully at home, surrounded by family.
A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held 1pm Saturday, Dec. 5, at Woods Memorial PC in Severna Park.
Terry thanks "all for accompanying [Brenda] as far as humans can. She felt your acts of kindness and loving prayers every day."
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Our Shared Ministry
provides vital support to our Ministry Groups, Partnerships and Commissions. As of this date $158,593.54 has been received toward the $220,000 budget for 2015 Shared Ministry. We are grateful to the Sessions of the following churches:
Ark & Dove
Ashland
Barrelsville
Brown Mem'l Pk Ave.
Catonsville
Central
Cherry Hill
Christ Memorial
Christ Our Anchor
Christ Our King
Churchville
Covenant
Dickey Memorial
Faith
Fallston
First and Franklin
1st of Annapolis
1st of Bel Air
1st of Cumberland
1st of Frostburg
1st of Howard County
Franklinville
Frederick
Good Shepherd
Grace
Granite
Grove
Hagerstown
Highland
Harundale
Havenwood
Hope
Hughes Memorial
Hunting Ridge
Kenwood
Light Street
Maryland
Mount Hebron
Mount Paran
Prince of Peace
Roland Park
St. John United
Springfield
Towson
Woods Memorial
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by Erin Donovan,
Exec. Director, HopeSprings
To connect with justice is to connect with the heart of God. It is a part of God's core character. It is not optional but necessary. Jesus, the very fulfillment of Scripture -- God on earth, here with us - declared in his first message that justice and compassion would be at the center of his ministry. In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus doesn't say, "I am here just for your soul." No, he declared that through the power of the Holy Spirit he was going to set captives free, bring sight to the blind, and break the chains of injustice!
December 1 is World AIDS Day. We don't typically hear about HIV
(Human Immunodeficiency Virus which may cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) as a justice issue. However, as we look at current research and listen to our HIV positive brothers and sisters, we learn of the stories of injustice, mass incarceration, poverty, lack of education, stigma and discrimination, and on and on. Jesus has called us to be, through the power of the Holy Spirit, ministers of reconciliation who restore hope, health and community to our HIV-positive brothers and sisters who may feel stigmatized and alone.
HopeSprings, founded by a group of congregations including Central Presbyterian Church, is awakening, equipping and engaging the Church in the Baltimore area and beyond by training congregants as volunteers for HIV service-provider organizations. We invite congregants to use their God-given gifts to serve those living with HIV/AIDS in capacities ranging from assisting in HIV testing to providing life-skills training and mentoring.
On this day, before World AIDS Day, let us realize that restoring justice happens through the power of building relationships, including relationships with our HIV positive brothers and sisters. The cry for justice is not answered in a day but over the long haul. Join in.
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In addition to leading HopeSprings, Erin is a member of the Presbyter
ian AIDS Network and the Presbyterian Health, Educat
ion and Welfare Association. She and her family attend Central Presbyterian Church in Towson.
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This article was reprinted with the permission of the author from the
2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study, p.347
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What's New on the PoB Website
In this edition of Tidings we are highlighting the Presbytery of Baltimore's webpage on Spiritual Leader Development. The charge of the Commission on Spiritual Leader Development is to encourage and support those called to serve as leaders in the churches and ministries of the Presbytery of Baltimore by fostering a culture of spiritual renewal, ongoing learning and vibrant growth in ministry. On this webpage you can read about spiritual leader resources and the Youth Triennium. You can learn about the work of the Clergy Care Team, Presbyterian Women and Presbyterian men groups. And, you can get information on various scholarships the Commission offers to students and clergy. To visit the Spiritual Leader Development webpage, click here to go to the Presbytery's website and select Spiritual Leader Development from the blue banner at the top of the page.
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Presbytery
. . . and the
Wider Church
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General Presbyter Search Committee:
The General Presbyter Search Committee is now pleased to begin reviewing applications for the position of General Presbyter of the Presbytery of Baltimore. Interested applicants, including members of the Presbytery of Baltimore, are urged to apply to the following advertisement or pass this information along to someone who you think would be a good match for our presbytery :
P
rogressive, forward-thinking, financially healthy presbytery seeks a dynamic spiritual leader to inspire, lead and shepherd a diverse group of 69 congregations which is exploring new ways of serving the world and conducting ministry. To apply, send cover letter and PIF/resume to
[email protected]
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NEXT Church
is holding a
Listening Campaign
this fall involving at least 500 Presbyterian leaders to talk about experiences in mission and gain a sense of how those experiences interface with the structures, programs, and efforts of our national and local church structures. The event will be held locally at 10am on Thursday, Dec. 3 at The Center. Click
NEXT Church
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The 2016 Stewardship Kaleidoscope conference entitled "Giving Not Getting is the Way," will be held Feb. 29-Mar. 2 in San Antonio, TX. For details, click Kaleidoscope.
Tuesday, Dec. 1
- is the deadline for those wishing to be considered by the GA Nominating Committee (GANC) for nomination to one of almost thirty entities to which the GANC makes nominations. Elected service includes participation on boards, commissions or committees at the General Assembly level. For details, click GANC.
Churches
At 5pm on Sunday, Dec. 13,
Granite Presbyterian Church will hold a
Christmas Bluegrass Vespers featuring the music of Rick Hill, Dave Streett and others. For details, contact Frank Owens at
[email protected].
Springfield Presbyterian Church presents PDQ Barbershop Quartet in concert at 3pm on Sunday, Dec. 13. The group sings a wide variety of entertaining songs from the 30's through the 60's in the Barbershop style. The concert is free although a free will offering to support the concert series will be taken. Click PDQ for details.
The Heart of Christmas - A Woods Musical Concert will be held at 7pm on Thursday, Dec. 10. This free, public event features
seasonal music with a contemporary vibe to tunes such as Joy to the World, We Three Kings, Mary Did you Know, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and more! You will experience a beautiful liturgical dance and have the opportunity to lift your voice in song!
Other
On Dec. 9, the Ecumenical Institute of Theology will host The Reverend Fleming Rutledge, who will speak about her latest book, The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ,
at 7 pm on the St. Mary's Seminary & University campus. Tickets (free) required.
Details and tickets
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