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Dear Friends,
In light of the mass shooting in Orlando, the killings in Tel Aviv, and the constant deaths from gun violence, forced migration, and war, the unremitting cycle of violence and mourning can become numbing as horror becomes normalized. I invite you to sit with the poem "
Grief," where Elizabeth Barrett Browning explores how we experience and express grief and observing,
Full desertness,
In souls as countries, lieth silent-bare
Under the blanching, vertical eye-glare
Of the absolute heavens.
We move to a summer schedule for Hudson Happenings. The next two issues will be published on Thursday, July 14 and Thursday, September 1. Please send your submission along to
[email protected] by the Tuesday before publication.
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| From Your Interim General Presbyter |
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We are all so very saddened and distressed by yet another mass shooting in our country, the largest in our nation's history. This time it was a gay night club in Orlando. Previously, it was a county health department,... a military base,... a theater,... a college campus,... a church, an elementary school, ... I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired! How long, O Lord, HOW LONG?!? As I type that, I hear God's gentle Spirit say to me in anguish, "How long, my people, how long?"
Read more
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| Presbytery News and Events |
General Assembly Opens Saturday, June 18
The 222nd General Assembly opens in Portland, Oregon on Saturday with worship at 2:00pm EDT (11:00am PDT). You are invited to worship via livestream and use this
liturg
y
.
Your spot for HRP at GA is our GA 222 blog where you can
access the livestream, twitterfeed, PCBiz (the software program with all official documents of GA), Moderatorial handbook an
d more!
The
About page of our blog contains brief videos introducing HRP commissioners, overture advocates, Young Adult Advisory Delegate and staff who are attending GA. It also has links to all overtures which HRP originated or with which it concurred.
To stay abreast of developments and access regular updates from our HRP delegation be sure to FOLLOW the blog. To do this, go to the right hand margin of the blog and click the small blue
Follow HRPGA222 button to accomplish this. The hashtag for conversation about GA is #ga222. Any posts placed there will be seen by everyone following that twitter stream. On Facebook? You can also follow the Facebook page,
Spirit of GA.
Get a sense of the flow of business and key activities of the GA from this helpful
Brief Guide to General Assembly
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Hudson Happenings Summer Schedule
Following this issue, Hudson Happenings will be published on
Thursday, July 14 (submissions due 7/12)
Thursday, Sept. 1 (submissions due 8/30)
Please think ahead and plan your submissions so that I can be sure to include them. Send submissions to [email protected]. Thanks!
Presentations on Changes to the Board of Pension Plan in 2017 
Allison Seed, our regional representative with the Board of Pensions, will provide two presentations on the new changes to the Board of Pensions plan here in HRP. Both will take place on Tuesday, July 12. One presentation will occur at 1 p.m. at Stony Point and the second at 7 p.m. at our White Plains church. Following each presentation, there will be opportunities to ask questions. If you have staff and/or a pastor covered under the Plan or are considering changing your church employee coverage or covering for the first time your church employees, you will want to attend.
Learn about the BOP's redesigned and restated Benefits Plan.
June's Presbytery Gathering 
We had a wonderful Presbytery Gathering on June 4 that was hosted by Jeffersonville Presbyterian with the support of Presbyterian congregations throughout Sullivan County. Here is the
stirring and thought-provoking welcome from Anne Wood
, pastor of Jeffersonville. And HRP Moderator, Leslie Mardenborough, preached powerfully on "
Whose Battle? Whose Strength
?
" We celebrated the ministries of (now) honorably retired teaching elders Bruce Baker (above) and Sim Gardner (below). And we welcomed three new teaching elders, Jennifer Rodriguez, Bebb Stone, and Cheong-Mo Yang.
 We enjoyed fellowship, awarded the 2016 Challenge to Change Grants, held vibrant conversations on prison reform and church renewal while grooving to the beat of the
HRP Spotify playlist on Strength featuring Aretha, Peter Gabriel, Imagine Dragons, Rage Against the Machine, REM, Bruce Cockburn, Marvin Gaye and much more!
Sound like fun? If you've never been to a presbytery gathering, come on along! Our next gathering will be at verdant
Holmes Camp on Tuesday, July 26 at 10:00am. Children welcome! More information to come.
Summer Camp at Holmes is for Everyone!
Camp isn't just for children, it's for youth and families too! From Family camp to Saddle-Up Horseback riding camp, from teen canoe trips to You and Me camp for 1-3rd graders and an adult companion, Holmes is your place for spiritual nurture and outdoor adventure.
Read more about camp offerings for this summer
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Newish to Hudson River Presbytery? 
Gather over coffee and bagels with other pastors who have recently moved to the presbytery on Tuesday, September 13, 10:00am-12:00pm in the Chapel at Scarborough Church. The HRP staff and members of the Commission on Ministry will provide a brief orientation to help you find the people and resources you need for successful ministry. Regardless how long you've been around, you are welcome.
HRP Honorably Retired Ministers and Spouses Lunch, Oct. 24
Mark your Calendars! Honorably Retired Ministers of Hudson River Presbytery and their spouses are invited to a luncheon at Holmes Camp and Conference Center on Monday, October 24, 10:00am-2:00pm. Interim General Presbyter Gavin Meek and others will lead a conversation about the future of the presbytery and answer questions. There will also be time to share stories and update one another on life events. Watch for reservation information later in the summer.
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| Events in HRP Congregations |
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Interfaith Hospitality: Concept and Practice 
All are welcome -- especially young people -- to this four week discussion at Germonds Presbyterian Church, 39 Germonds Road, New City, NY, on Wednesdays (7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27) from 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Discussion will be led by Reinhard Krauss, Ph.D, ordained In the Presbyterian Church (USA), Lecturer at the Center for the Study of Religion at UCLA teaching Judaism, Christianity and Islam, faculty member of the New Theological Seminary of the West and of Bayan Claremont (a Muslim graduate school in Southern CA). Dr. Krauss is the recipient of the "Interfaith Courage Award" by the Council on Islamic-American Relations and the US Congress.
Share the flyer!
Nyack Project Summer Happenings 
Participatory Art @ First Fridays
Main Street Gazebo, Nyack
6:00-8:00pm
June 3rd
July 1st
August 5th
Bring Your Own Theology (BYOT)
Casa del Sol, 104 Main Street, Nyack
7:00-8:30pm
June 23rd : Boundaries Inside & Out
July 21st : Conflict & Communication
Aug 18th : What Nourishes You?
Creative Worship Community - details to follow
Thurs, June 30th : Body Prayer - a free-flow dance experience
Tues, July 26th : Alternative Worship
Questions? Contact Abbie Huff,
[email protected].
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Regional and National News
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PC(USA) Statements Concerning the Orlando Mass Shooting
As the nation continues to mourn, PC(USA) leaders released
this statement. J. Herbert Nelson Executive Director of the Office of Public Witness in Washington spoke powerfully in a video message, "The Orlando Massacre Calls us to Love."
Stated Clerk's Statement on killings in Tel Aviv
"In the name of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) we join our voices with people around the world in expressing our profound grief and deep distress over the killing and the injuring of people at Sarona Market in Tel Aviv on June 8th," wrote Gradye Parsons. "We offer our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have been killed or injured in this most recent incident, and we stand with all who are working to bring an end to the patterns of violence that touch all those who live in the region." Read the full statement.
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Regional and National Events
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Worship with GA via Livestream!
For anyone not attending GA, here's an opportunity to join in worship. The entire GA will be livestreamed including worship -- which is a majestic affair with thousands of people. But just imagine the tens of thousands more who you will be worshipping with as you link into the livestream. We encourage you to participate as an individual or to consider gathering your congregation to watch and worship together.
Read more.
Church Business Administration Seminar, July
Whether you are a pastor, a church administrator, or a lay volunteer, these eight seminars will give you skills and tools to keep your church financially healthy, in compliance with IRS laws for churches and clergy, knowledgeable in the best ways to work with employees, risk factors with your facilities, the best ways to communicate within and outside your church, and much more. As a bonus, you'll develop relationships with others who serve in the church with these same issues. The seminar is sponsored by Union Presbyterian Seminary and held on their Richmond Campus, July 19-28. Day-long, week-long and two-week long options available. Learn more.
Save the Date: Stony Point Gala,
Sept. 18
Get excited! SPC's Gala is scheduled for Sunday evening, September 18, 2016. At this friendly, informal fundraising dinner event, SPC will be honoring someone with our third annual Living Traditions Award. HRP friends have had a lot of fun in previous years with great farm-to-table food fresh from our gardens, great music and fellowship. Mark your calendars now!
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| Living Our Values |
Curiosity 
What are you curious about? When thinking about ministry, do you find yourself wondering, "what if?" Abbie Huff describes how openness cultivated by the Emerging Ministries team fostered curiosity and a new plan at Nyack Project. What ideas for ministry are emerging in your neck of the woods?
Since its inception the Emerging Ministries team has been working to resource and support innovative ministries that might bring church outside of the walls of our traditional buildings and find creative ways to bring God to where people are already.
The team is constantly looking to cultivate new ideas for ministry, but especially opportunities for new leaders to try out creative forms of ministry. One hope is to someday have a cohort of "emerging ministries" so that the leaders of those ministries can support, sustain, and inspire one another as well as become an energy boost and loopback for all the churches in the presbytery.
Read More.
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| Take Action |
World Refugee Day, June 20 
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance encourages congregations to mark World Refugee Day on June 20 by participating in two social media advocacy campaigns.
#WeChooseWelcome
is a rallying call from Presbyterians across the U.S. expressing their commitment to welcome refugees of all nationalities and faiths. -
#RefugeesWelcome a coalition of humanitarian, religious and non-profit organizations to which PC(USA) belongs working together to create welcoming communities for refugees.
Read more on how you can participate in these campaigns as we remember the over 20 million refugees throughout the world.
Immediate Action Needed on Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act
Our covenant partner, Rural and Migrant Ministry, reminds us that this year's legislative session will likely end this week. If the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act is to come to the Senate floor for a vote, it must happen immediately!
Here's how you can make a big difference.
- Call the Governor's office (1-518-474-8390) to say, "It is time for the Governor to push for the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Bill (S. 1291) to come to the Senate floor for a vote."
- Call your Senator to say you want to Bill to come to the floor for a vote this week.
- Ask at least two other people in your District to call (and ask them to ask two other people).
- Learn more.
Oct. Trip to Peru -- Space Still Open! 
On this 8-day reflection and action trip, participants will learn about the systemic root causes of environmental health crises that plague the Peruvian countryside. They will visit communities impacted by the extractive industry; converse with leaders and experts on mining and the environment; examine relevant health, environmental, economic and trade policy, reflect on ethical and Biblical imperatives and implications to care for God's Creation. Dates: October 15-23, 2016. Sign Up Deadline: July 31, 2016. Cost: $750 plus airfare to/from Lima. For more information, contact PC(USA) mission co-worker, Jed Koball: [email protected]. More information on PC(USA) work in Peru.
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| Resources for Education, Liturgy, Justice and more! |
Unbound -- GA Issue 
ACSWP Salt and Light -- GA Issue
Read the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy's take on the issues before GA and access important social witness policy background in this GA Issue of
Salt and Light.
And yes, one more time, visit and FOLLOW and SHARE our blog
hrpga222.wordpress.com which is a launching pad for GA news and resources, an easy way to connect to the livestream, PCBiz, and to hear from our commissioners, young adult advisory delegate, overture advocates, and staff as General Assembly unfolds in all its glory! Special thanks to Stated Clerk, Susan DeGeorge, who is our posting maven on site!
Quick Orientation to GA and the Calendar
Presbyterian Outlook has helpfully summarized a
GA overview and walks readers through key decision points throughout the week. Presbyterian Outlook is a great resource during the GA and does an excellent summary afterward.
Presbyterian World Mission Stories 
Need a story for Sunday school? Looking for a sermon illustration? Find stories from PC(USA) mission workers, such as Sarah Henken, regional liaison for the Andean Region of Bolivia. Sarah writes about God's Kingdom. Missionary in residence, Nancy Dimmock, used letters and stories from mission co-workers to illustrate Sunday New Testament reading for the Revised Common Lectionary. Access the stories!
Ayudas liturgicas para este mes
La oficina de Recursos y Relaciones con las Constituyentes Hispano/Latinas trabaja con las Publicaciones de Ministerios Congregacionales en la produccion de materiales en español. También trabaja con la oficina de Desarrollo Congregacional Hispano en la promoción de estos materiales a través del establecimiento de relaciones con la constituyente a la cual servimos a través de presentaciones, talleres y desarrollo de liderazgo. Para obtener más información sobre los servicios que brinda esta oficina comunícate con la Rev. Marissa Galvan-Valle.
Religion and Civics Project
Are you looking to promote civil discourse and democracy? Check out these resources from NYU's Religion and Civics Project which catalyze religious conversation about pressing issues of our time and invite congregations to deeper public engagement. These free videos and discussion guides are a great way to engage your congregation.
Learn more.
Guide for Young Adult Ministry
Presbyterian Today
's Guide for Young Adult Ministry
is a must-read for everyone who wants to better understand young adults and engage them in worship, education, and service. Learn more.
United Way Help Line on Food, Housing... 
Thousands of people in our area need help but don't know where to turn. The
United Way's 2-1-1 help line is a free, confidential, multilingual information and referral helpline open 365 days a year, 9am-7pm.
United Way's knowledgeable call specialists are here to listen, to care, and most of all, to give you the information you need on: food, housing and shelters, abuse prevention, government services, senior services, health& mental health, child care, job assistance and more. To speak to someone dial 2-1-1 from any phone.
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| Employment Opportunities and Connections |
RMM Seeks Development Coordinator
Rural and Migrant Ministry, a longstanding partner of Hudson River Presbytery, is seeking a full-time Development Coordinator who will be responsible for the coordination and enhancement of donor development within the organization, and will coordinate the development and implementation of the yearly Strategic Plan.
Learn more.
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| Share Hudson Happenings |
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"Huh???!! What???!!" Don't let this be you! And don't let this happen to people you care about. Let your friends know that they can subscribe to Hudson Happenings and other HRP E-Updates, like those from the Presbytery Prison Partnership or the Food Justice Network.
Just share the photo (the link is embedded) or this URL
http://tinyurl.com/m2l9kpj Check "general interest" to subscribe to Hudson Happenings.
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