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November 29, 2018 Issue 135
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Use the QUICK LINKS at the bottom of this column to be directed to additional news.
Email Presbytery staff using the directory below.
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Ed Thompson
General Presbyter
Maureen Wright
Stated Clerk, Associate for
Congregational Support
Rocky Poole
Financial Administration/Treasurer
Barbara Chalfant
Associate Presbyter for Mission
Susan Sharp Campbell
Associate for Educational Ministry
Nellie Howard
Resource Center Director
Mark Miller
Bluestone Facilities Director
Sarah Specht
Bluestone Program Director
Amy Robinson
Office Administrator/Communications
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Prayer List for Churches
Week 48 - December 2
Marlinton Presbyterian Church
Westminster Presbyterian, Vienna
In Kenya:
Kigogoini (Kay-go-go-EE'nay) Presbyterian Church
Week 49 - December 9
Pickens Presbyterian Church
Riverlawn Presbyterian Church
The staff of the Presbytery of WV
In Kenya: Muthuaini (Moh-THO-uh-EE'nay)
Presbyterian Church
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Nurturing Faith Ideas
Nurturing Faith Ideas are weekly suggestions and activities from the Presbytery's Nurture Committee to link worship and home and to nurture faith development in the family. They are intended for all ages and family types. Add one to your bulletin each week or put them in your monthly newsletter. They could also be sent via email or added to a Facebook page. Ideas for the entire year can be found
here.
Read Luke 21:25-36. We have now entered another season of Advent. Advent means "coming" and refers to the coming of God among us in Jesus, the baby of Bethlehem, and the second coming of Christ, for which we continue to wait. Jesus tells his disciples to be alert for when he returns. What are some ways you can be waiting, watching and alert to welcome Jesus? Share these with someone, and ask them the same question.
In Luke 3:1-6, John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth in their old age, is all grown up and travels around the region of the Jordan River, "calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins" (v. 3 CEB). The purple candles of Advent are a reminder of repentance, turning back to God. As you prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus this year, what are some changes you need to make in your heart and/or life, so you are focused on God? For what do you need to ask God to forgive you? Pray and ask; God waits with grace.
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(Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster)
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On our Home page
You will find located on the Home page of the website (scroll down past the banner, introduction and grant buttons) direct links to recent newsletters, the Pray For church list and Nurturing Faith Ideas for the year and more. Please let us know how we can improve the website and whenever you encounter any problem with it. Thank you.
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Click on an underlined title to go to the full article
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Earlier this month, I was at a meeting in State College, PA. I had the opportunity to talk to someone
who had never served in West Virginia but had great things to say about our presbytery. (...)
Generally speaking, the Presbytery of West Virginia has a good reputation. While we can be proud of
that, what are we doing to maintain that reputation?
It's not really the reputation that matters though.
What counts is the way we care for one another...
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Advance registration deadline is Monday.
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Book of Common Worship available
Two copies of the 1993 edition of The Book of Common Worship are available from the Presbytery office on a first come, first served basis. Churches and pastoral leaders may contact Amy Robinson at
office@wvpresbytery.org or 304-744-7634 to claim a copy.
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From the Presbytery's Treasurer
Deadline for 2018 benevolences
As year-end approaches, I want to encourage our church treasurers to remit any amount remaining in your church's Shared Mission pledge, Per Capita, or other benevolence payments for 2018. The General Assembly is allowing us a little extra time to submit payments for this fiscal year, so please forward all remaining 2018 contributions to the presbytery office by Tuesday, January 15, 2019 and those contributions will be included in 2018 records.
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New Presbyterian bridge build underway
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| Presbyterian Bridge Build Sissonville |
Here's a peek at the new Presbyterian bridge build that started this week. More video will be coming soon to our Facebook page. Thank you, Presbyterian Disaster Service and the Presbytery of West Virginia, for making a difference!
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Want something to challenge your brain? Want to be inspired? Maybe you prefer to be entertained. See (and hear) what's new in our audio book collection.
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Stewardship of Creation Ministry Team News
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The Peace Light is a candle at a grotto in Bethlehem, which then gets transported across the world. Fleming Memorial pastor Rebecca Mihm is planning to get the light this year and has said if anyone else is interested in getting it for their church, she will try to coordinate making that happen.
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 On Sunday, Oct. 7, Spring Creek Presbyterian Church at Renick, packed 500 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, which will deliver them around Christmastime to children in foreign countries. Pastor Robert Lynn Randolph's cousin, Nelson Randolph, has brought this ministry to Spring Creek for 8 years.
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By Erin Dunigan | Presbyterians Today
The holidays have been difficult for Christine Caton ever since her mother died - three days after Christmas. As an only child, with her father already gone, Caton experienced profound grief in losing her mom. The Christmas season only accentuated that grief. The year after her mother's death, Crossroads Presbyterian Church in Waterford, Connecticut, where Caton's parents were members, offered a Blue Christmas service.
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2 p.m. January 15
Presbyterian Outlook presents this 90-minute webinar to help congregations and pastors address the challenging topic of privilege/social divisions; it's particularly useful for predominantly white congregations who want to explore the concept of privilege and consider whether a loving response is possible. Cost is $29.95 (including on-demand replay), but the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation offered on Nov. 28 to reimburse $15 of that for the first 20 registrants. Email a copy of your paid registration to
opsf@opsf-omaha.org to see if you made the cut.
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Presbyterian Men's Network seeking representative from PWV
The Presbyterian Men's Network of the Synod of the Trinity directs vocational and spiritual gifts of the men of the church to projects of ministry, mission and community best suited for those gifts; it meets twice a year in Bedford, PA. The Presbytery currently does not have representatives in the network; anyone interested can contact Larry Ott of the Beaver-Butler Presbytery at larryott1952@gmail.com or 724-630-5770.
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 In 2019, there will be several new Expanding Your Ministry Toolbox courses; the daylong programs are designed to provide continuing education opportunities for pastors, educators, elders, and other interested persons. Information on each course will appear in subsequent newsletters, but this full schedule is being shared with the hope that those interested will get the courses on their calendars and make plans to attend early.
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Jan. 11-12 at Village Chapel, Charleston
 Participants in this Expanding Your Ministry Toolbox course will explore the Revised Common Lectionary Texts for Lent in Year C with Christine Chakoian of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary on Friday evening (7-9 p.m.) and on Saturday (9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) consider how they might use those texts in preaching, music and/or visual arts. All who plan and lead worship are encouraged to participate.
Registration deadline is Dec. 20.
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Feb. 6-9, 2019 in Galveston, TX
 If you would like to learn more about educational ministry, the APCE Annual Event is a good place to do so!
The 2019 Annual Event will be in Galveston, TX, Feb. 6-9. The presbytery has two spots for anyone interested in attending without becoming a member, as well as funding assistance.
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Need a PC(USA) planning calendar?
The presbytery has three extra PC(USA) 2018-2019 planning calendars that we will sell to any person or church in need. The cost is $10 per calendar, plus shipping, which varies depending on order size, starting at $3 for a single calendar.
If you are interested, please contact Amy Robinson at 304-744-7634 or office@wvpresbytery.org
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This article is reprinted with permission from the Insurance Board's newsletter.
The bottom line? "Anything that has been created by another person or organization and exists in writing is copyrighted. For example, this content that Insurance Board is presenting is copyrighted. You must get permission if you wish to share or reprint copyrighted information."
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Final weekend for the season this weekend
 This fair trade boutique features handcrafted items from around the world. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. First Presbyterian Church is located at 16 Leon Sullivan Way in downtown Charleston, with off-street parking. Cash or check only, please. For more information, call
304-343-8961.
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Light Up the Levee in Charleston
5:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Haddad Riverfront Park
First Presbyterian Church of Charleston hosts this free community-wide Christmas caroling event for all ages, now in its fifth year. It will feature the First Presby Worship Team, a lighted boat parade, a visit from Santa, and more. Guests are
encouraged to bring donations of cereal, peanut butter, canned chicken or tuna, canned fruit and/or spaghetti noodles/canned sauce for the Covenant House Food Pantry.
Contact Sandy Campbell at 304-543-6553.
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By Ethel Hornbeck
At a recent gathering of Connections @ SU, the Presbyterian campus ministry at Shepherd University, students reflected together on the question: what is hope? Among the answers I heard that day: hope is enduring love (double meaning intended); hope is made of compassion, gratefulness and persistence; and hope is very hard and very vulnerable work.
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Background check consent form updated
The provider we use for background checks updated their
consent form and reporting this fall due to updated federal and state requirements. Applicant telephone number is now a required field; without it, we cannot submit a request. Our consent form, located in the Documents section of the website, has been updated.
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Editor's Note:
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In order to keep the PWV Newsletter
fresh,
articles sent
for publication will generally run for two consecutive issues.
If you wish for a piece to continue to run, please update (with fresh content, new wording and/or a new or different photo) and resubmit,
so that news stays
fresh and interesting.
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Presbytery of West Virginia,
520 Second Avenue,
South Charleston, WV 25303
Phone (304) 744-7634, Fax (304) 744-7649,
Office Hours: Monday -Thursday 8:30AM-5:30PM
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