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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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Register for Online Boundary Awareness Training
LAST CALL TO REGISTER
The Regional Synod of Albany is inviting Ministers of Word and Sacrament, Elders, Deacons, Christian Educators and other ministry leaders to a safe space where we can explore where boundaries are beneficial in our ministry together and what the creation of healthy boundaries might look like in our own settings. Led by members of the Regional Synod of Albany BAT (Boundaries Awareness Team) who are certified in Boundaries Awareness Training by the FaithTrust Institute, we will explore some of the boundaries that can prove beneficial in our ministries in areas including: personal space and safety, finances, social media, personal relationships, sexuality and self-care.
This online training opportunity is being provided especially for those ministry leaders who were not able to attend the full day training that may have been provided by their Classis - and for those in Classes which have not yet held a training event. Provided by the Regional Synod of Albany, there will be no extra cost to you or your Classis.
When: Tuesdays, February 25 and March 3, 2020 from 9:30am to 12:00noon
Note: you must attend BOTH classes to complete the training
Where: Online from the comfort of your home or office. Participants will receive a Zoom link for the online classes. No special programs needed for your computer. Just click on the link that will be emailed to you.
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The Courage to be Honest
2020 Women's Stories Day
Saturday, 21 March, 10:00 am to 2:30 pm
at New Brunswick Theological Seminary.
The keynote speaker will be Lynn Japinga, professor of religion at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and the 2019-2020 Hazel B. Gnade Fellow in RCA Women's Studies at NBTS. She is the author of Loyalty and Loss: The Reformed Church in America, 1945-1994 and Preaching the Women of the Old Testament: Who They Were and Why They Matter. Her topic is "The Courage to Be Honest About Divorce", examining how divorce has been dealt with in the RCA.
Irma V. Williams
is an Elder and VP of the Consistory at DeWitt Reformed Church in New York, ad she serves as Director of Social Services at Barrier Free Living Apartments, located in the Bronx. Barrier Free Living is dedicated to helping New Yorkers with disabilities live independently in the community, and provides a range of services and linkages to other community resources, enabling individuals to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their living dignified secure lives. She will be discussing "The Courage to Be Honest About Domestic Violence."
A licensed mental health counselor in New York and a mother of three, Lynn Min is also a seminary graduate discerning her ordination process with the RCA while working to provide a tangible sense of the Divine, walking with people on their journeys and creating spaces where people can connect with the God within. Her topic is "The Courage to Be Honest About Where We Fit"-bringing insight and perspective to the idea that each of us must define ourselves and what is good for herself or himself, and that doesn't always fit the expectations of those around us, but it does honor God.
"The Courage to Be Honest About Mental Health"
will be led by Pamela Pater Ennis, Executive Director of Hudson River Care & Counseling, LLC, in Hudson and Bergen Counties I New Jersey, and adjunct faculty member in Pastoral Care and Counseling at NBTS. She will talk about the need for self-care in the area of mental health, especially for those in vocational ministry, and to point toward avenues for all of us to find help.
Women's Stories Day, which is hosted by the Reformed Church Center at NBTS in cooperation with the RCA Office of Women's Transformation and Leadership, is open to everyone, and will include worship, time for discussion and fellowship, and lunch. The suggested donation for lunch is $10.00, but seminarians and members of the NBTS faculty and staff are free, and everyone is welcome, regardless of ability to pay.
Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/womens-stories-day-2020-the-courage-to-be-honest-tickets-91709951935 no later than Thursday, 19 March.
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Responding to Opioid Overdose
Training Description:
Naloxone has been fundamental in the efforts to decrease rates of
fatal overdoses. This training teaches first responders, likely opioid
overdose witnesses and community members to understand,
recognize, respond to and reverse suspected opioid overdoses using naloxone. Participants will learn ways to obtain free or low-
cost naloxone for personal use. This training is modeled after the evidence-based SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit.
Who Should Attend:
This interactive training is tailored for first responders or other likely
witnesses to an opioid overdose.
Why Attend:
* to become part of the solution to solving the opioid issue in
the community
* to learn how to save a life during an overdose situation
* to receive education on crucial information related to opioids
and the surrounding community
Thursday, April 16, 2020
6:00-7:30 PM
Glenmont Community Church
1 Chapel Lane
Glenmont, NY 12077
For more information and to
register today, please contact:
Lynne Gilgore
(518) 436-7710
pastor@glenmontchurch.org
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Churches Learning Change - Make 2020 the Year!
NOW is the time to consider gathering a team and joining the next round of Churches Learning Change, which will begin in Fall of 2020. Teams may be from one congregation, or multiple congregations working together in a similar location. Teams may be from any denomination, not only RCA.
Interested? Questions?
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New York State Council of Churches
Who is My Neighbor Seminar
All are invited to the Presbyterian - New England Congregational Church,
24 Circular St., Saratoga Springs NY 12866
Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 9 AM to 4 PM
At this seminar we will help you and your congregation:
*Refocus on your mission and love your neighbors well.
*Build relationships and lead in your communities to address attitudinal, structural, planning challenges like Not in My Backyard, zoning rules, and outdated comprehensive plans, which often prevent cities from welcoming people of all races and incomes.
*Learn from architects, attorneys, clergy and others how to restore sanctuaries and community space, maximize rentals, build child care centers, schools, arts centers, food pantries, and construct affordable housing.
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New York Landmarks Conservancy
Sacred Sites Open House Weekend: May 16-17
The Scared Sites Open House is a celebration of the magnificence and variety of historic religious architecture, and an opportunity for congregations to share their history and current programs with those outside of the congregation. More than 450 churches, synagogues, mosques and temples from across the State have participated in past years. All congregations are invited to open the doors of their historic buildings for this event so communities at large can experience the wonderful art, architecture and history of New York's Sacred Sites. It is also a chance for visitors to learn about the social and cultural outreach programs participating religious institutions provide to their neighborhoods.
In the Regional Synod of Albany, 13 churches have received preservation grants from the Landmarks Conservatory and 8 have participated in the Sacred Sites Open House.
There's more information on the Open House HERE
More information on New York Landmarks Conservancy HERE
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NBTS Summer School
The calling of the church in a time of polarization? What could be more relevant than that? And exploring that question in an international context? The long-running Summer School of Theology from New Brunswick Theological Seminary is happening July 2-11 in the international city of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The costs of the school cover housing and summer school. Participants are responsible for their own travel to Amsterdam. For more information go to:
https://www.nbts.edu/2020-international-summer-school-theology/
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Service Learning Experience for Pastors
and Church Leaders
World Renew Disaster Response Services
Tarboro, North Carolina Church Leadership Experience
The Tarboro, North Carolina DRS Church Leadership Trip is designed for pastors and other church staff to serve together, experience World Renew DRS first hand, and live alongside one another in community. This is an opportunity for pastors to experience what over 3,000 volunteers a year do when they serve with DRS across North America.
ON SITE in Tarboro Monday, March 23 - Friday, March 27, 2020
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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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