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In this together, for good
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We know that you're busy, so we keep our news short and to the point. Follow any links provided to learn more about the stories that interest you.
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General Synod Officers to Visit Albany
Synod
General Synod President, James Nakakihara and Vice President EJ de Waard are coming to the Regional Synod of Albany for coffee and conversation.
This meeting will take place on February 21 at Niskayuna Reformed Church at 7pm. Coffee and cookies will be provided.
Address: 3041 Troy Schenectady Rd, Niskayuna, NY 12309
Those who are delegates to the 2019 General and Regional Synod meetings are encouraged to attend. Even if you aren't a delegate, you are welcome to come and meet the officers and bring your questions. They are excited to learn about all the ways that the Regional Synod of Albany is 'in this together for good'.
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Scholarships Available for Specialized Transition Minister Training
Albany Synod Ministries Board provides $1,000 grants to gifted and qualified Ministers of Word and Sacrament who
STM training (formerly called Interim Training) is strongly recommended for clergy serving under short-term contracts in congregations that are seeking a new called pastor. However, it is a useful training for ministers serving in many contexts. Transition is commonly experienced in many congregations, even those being served by installed pastors.
Completed applications are due by April 1, 2019.
Send completed applications and attachments to:
Regional Synod of Albany, 1790 Grand Blvd., Schenectady, NY 12309
Attention: Abby Norton-Levering, Albany Synod Ministries Coordinator
OR email to nortonlevering@gmail.com
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Ecumenical Advocacy Days
Save the date for the regional Ecumenical Advocacy Day on February 27, in Albany, hosted by Emmanuel Baptist Church. We will begin the day long event with spiritual grounding, followed by basic advocacy training, workshops on issues including care for creation, immigration, mass incarceration and poverty alleviation and then finally visits to the offices of our elected officials. Cost is $25 per person and registration is required HERE.
A national Ecumenical Advocacy Days are also being planned for April 5-8 in Washington DC. There is an effort to organize leaders from the RCA to attend this year. More information about the focus and goals of this project can be found HERE.
If you are interested in more details or how to get involved in either of these, please be in touch with Rev. John
Paarlberg by email at jpaarlberg@gmail.com
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Faithwalking 2019
What is Faithwalking: It is our deep conviction that Jesus demonstrates the fully human, fully alive life to which we are called as Christ's disciples. As you participate in our ongoing spiritual formation process, you will discover your true self that is full of passion and desire to make an impact in the world. You will receive teaching, coaching, and support as you identify and remove the obstacles that stand in the way of living life as your true self. Our core work centers around helping you and those in your community to master the work of spiritual formation, inner healing, emotional transformation, and missional living.
For more information, contact Rev. Dr. Sherri Meyer-Veen at
Retreat Schedule:
NY-NJ Trail Conference Headquarters,
600 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ
(Hosted by Wykoff Reformed Church)
Saturday, March 2, 9am-6pm and Saturday, March 9, 9am-5:30pm
$125 to attend both days
Camp Fowler, Speculator, NY
Sunday, June 2 through Tuesday June 4.
$250
To register, please visit
www.nyfaithwalking.com
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Get Trained in Epilepsy/Seizure First Aid
The Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York is offering Faith Based Organizations a hour-long inservice to educate about how to respond in the event that someone in your ministry context has a seizure. 1 in 26 Americans are diagnosed with Epilepsy and 1 and 10 will have a seizure at some point in their lifetime. Do you know how you would respond?
These free inservice trainings are available until February 28 and can be scheduled by contacting
Erica DeNicola-Scher at MS
edenicola@epilepsyneny.org
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Gift of Hope Comes to Lent
Are you looking for ways to engage your congregation during Lent? RCA Global Missions is launching a special Lent Giving Challenge for Gift of Hope, a gift catalog of items our missionaries need to care for those they serve. Last year we had our first church use this program during Lent.
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St. John's Reformed Church wanted to give to the Gift of Hope program, but we already had so many projects and commitments in Advent that we were afraid it might get lost in the shuffle. So we made the decision to shift the program to Lent. Wow! what a great thing. As Lent is traditionally associated with "giving something up" we encouraged our congregation to give up something in order to contribute to our Gift of Hope goals. It was appropriate since Lent is where we see in full view sacrifice giving rise to hope. We made our initial goal in the first week of Lent, then expanded it. Our congregation, through the banner on which we placed each of our "goals" quickly filled and the people of St. John's saw their sacrifices turning into hope for others. Lent was the perfect time for us. We will be doing it again this year." -Rev. Eric Titus
This year we are giving other churches this same opportunity to engage during the Lenten season. If you sign up before January 31st, we will provide a free resource kit for your church which included a banner, a template for printing icons to place on the banner, and Gift of Hope catalogs.
To sign up or for more information please email Amanda Bruehl, Regional Coordinator of Development, at abruehl@rca.org
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Tell Your Church's Story
Are you a part of a Reformed or Christian Reformed church? Is your church or a church you know interested in writing a congregational history? Need some support or encouragement? Do you want to produce a volume that is professionally copyedited and produced for reasonable costs AND have the opportunity to share your story with a wider audience?
The Congregational History Series of the Reformed Church in America may be for you!
Find out more information
HERE
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Clergy Grants for Financial Flourishing
The Board of Benefits Services (BOBS) of the Reformed Church in America believes that financial burdens carried by pastors are barriers to effective ministry. If we can change this in a positive way, both pastors and congregations will flourish.
About the grant:
The Ministerial Excellence Fund is used to give grants to pastors to relieve the burden of personal debt. Half of the fund is a generous gift from the Lilly Foundation, and BOBS will match those funds to double the amount to give away.
The Lilly Foundation states this conviction: Financial burdens carried by pastoral leaders are significant barriers to effective, faithful, and fruitful ministry. BOBS couldn't agree more, which is why it has utilized this fund to help clergy become financially healthy.
Along with distributing money, BOBS will offer financial planning and education to equip pastors to lead well in their ministries.
Find out more information
HERE
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Grants are Available for You!
Do you have a new ministry that needs a little seed money? Is it focused on discipleship, mission, or revitalization?
Apply for a Synod Ministries Grant for up to $1,000.
The grant for can be found
HERE. Once completed, it will be reviewed by the Synod Ministries Board and you will be notified quickly about your request and if your application was approved. Most projects receive funding within a month of their application.
Questions? Contact Reilly at rsa.comscoordinator@gmail.com
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Regional Synod of Albany
1790 Grand Blvd
Schenectady, NY 12309
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