The Festival of Faith Planning Team is excited to have Diana Butler Bass as the Keynote Presenter for Festival of Faith on Saturday, March 20, 2021, and leading up to that, will offer a month-long book discussion in February on Grounded: Finding God in the World - A Spiritual Revolution to introduce people to her work and provide an opportunity for community with others across the presbytery. Weekly discussions will be offered both at 10-11 a.m. Mondays and 4-5 p.m. Sundays on Zoom. Register by emailing susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com with your name and whether you plan to participate on Mondays or Sundays no later than Jan. 28.

Is your congregation considering starting a new ministry or enhancing an existing one? Do you need funding to support that effort? The Presbytery's New Life Congregational Grant program will do exactly that! Funded from the sale of property of congregations that have closed or left the denomination, these funds are available to congregations in the presbytery in two tiers: a Covenant grant up to $2,000 or an Innovation grant up to $10,000. See the guidelines and applications for the grants here.

The next application deadline is Jan. 1. Your Session must approve the congregation applying and a copy of that action from the minutes must be attached to the application. If you have questions, contact New Life Grant Review Team Convener Tina Vial at 304-997-4284. To date, nine projects have been funded for a total of $53,072.41. Could your congregation’s ministry be next?

Wayne Miller, the father-in-law of Beckley Presbyterian Church pastor Monte Mitchell, passed away on Dec. 13. Click here to read his obituary. A private service for the family will be held Tuesday. Memorial donations can be made to Broad Street United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 169, Statesville, NC 28625 or the Dr. Joseph Wainwright Miller Scholarship at Appalachian State University, Gift Processing, ASU Box 32014, Boone, NC 28608 (make checks payable to ASU Foundation).

Herman Jenkins, the father of Honorably Retired pastor Doug Jenkins, passed away on Dec. 15. He was an elder at First Presbyterian Church, Bradenton, FL. There are no current plans for a funeral, but there will be a memorial service sometime next year.

During 2021, resources specifically geared toward growth in relationship with God, each other, and self, as well as the ecclesial development of Presbyterian leaders, will be provided for those currently serving and preparing to serve PC(USA) congregations as ruling elders and deacons. Focused in large part around a new resource - Coming Alive in Christ: Training for Ruling Elders and Deacons Based on the Constitutional Questions - this leadership development will also include a webinar series, a formation focus within the existing Regarding Ruling Elders article series, a new hymn and more. Sign up for emails here; contact Martha Miller for more information.

Have you tasted God's goodness in 2020? (Synod survey)

The Synod of the Trinity would like to know some of the ways you have experienced God's goodness and/or God's opportunities for growth and newness because of, or even in spite of, this year's COVID environment. Please take a few minutes to let them know so that all might grow from your wisdom.

Rabbi Victor Ureki of B’nai Jacob Synagogue in Charleston will be the presenter for this retreat, which will be held on Zoom. Complete information on this event has been sent to those for whom it is planned so that those who wish to use 2020 continuing education funds toward this will be able to do so.

Susan Sharp Campbell, Associate for Educational Ministry, will offer Officer Training again over two interconnected Sunday afternoons, Jan. 10 and 24, from 2-5 p.m. on Zoom. Registration deadline is Jan. 4 to give participants time to complete an advance assignment. All participants need a recent (2017-2019 or 2019-2021) copy of the Book of Order. Complete this registration form and return to susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com. Questions? Contact Susan by email or at 304-667-9428.

Racial discrimination in the United States is a socially constructed system. Led by several folks from the Presbyterian Mission Agency, this day-long event, open to all, will explore the reality of racism and how we might work to address the system of racism that surrounds us. Registration deadline is Jan. 7; cost is $15 per person. Register at the link above or by using this form. For more information, contact Susan Sharp Campbell at 304-667-9428 or susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com.

Many churches elect their officers between September and December. I encourage congregations not to postpone a Congregational Meeting to elect officers. Sessions should follow their normal nominating process and call a Congregational Meeting to elect officers. Congregational meetings may be held by conference call, video conference call using a platform like Zoom, or a blended format. (See this document.) Pre-pandemic practice following the election of officers should be respected; training may be offered through conference call, video conference call, or in person.

As part of the Presbytery Youth Council meeting on Nov. 22, the Younger Youth Retreat, originally scheduled for March, was discussed. It was decided to change the date, format, and place of this retreat, which will now be held 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15, at Coonskin Park, Charleston. More details will be forthcoming in the near future, but it is hoped that church leaders will share this information with their middle school youth and plan to participate.

If you or your congregation missed your chance to help Bluestone with our SaveAround Coupon Book fundraiser, you still have time. Online sales of the books are available into mid-2021. They will save you a lot of money through the end of 2021 and make great gifts for friends or family, even if they are out-of-state. Click the title link for details.

Friends of Bluestone would like to thank everyone for their generous support of Bluestone Camp through our first ever virtual 5K event! Your contributions are so appreciated, especially in a year as challenging as 2020 has been. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank the 126 PARTICIPANTS, our 9 EVENT SPONSORS and the MORE THAN 40 DONORS who helped raise more than $8,000 towards Bluestone's annual fund. Not only was this event our largest fundraiser ever, but also our widest reaching by far. We had participants ages 3-72, not just from West Virginia, but from six other states as well. This goes to show how diverse the Bluestone community is, and we hope to host more events in the future that can be inclusive of our entire community. Stay tuned in the new year to learn about new opportunities to support Bluestone!

In 2019, former Huntington First Presbyterian pastor Skip Seibel came up with the idea for a joint effort to unite Huntington-area PWV churches for the benefit of the community. Among the group's first projects was a party (pictured) for the Golden Girl group home in Ceredo, and now, the young women of Golden Girl have joined the joint church effort, dubbed Project Presbyterian, to help with a holiday project aimed at bringing joy to the residents of two Wayne County senior citizen housing units.