Sometimes I find myself turning into a curmudgeon. I suspect that if I had a house that had grass out front, I would be tempted to yell at children passing by, “Hey, you kids, stay off of my yard.” I also find myself increasingly annoyed by what I consider to be made-up holidays, like Sweetest Day, for example. Pastor Appreciation Day (the second Sunday in October) probably qualifies as a made-up holiday. Although, technically, since it is part of Pastor Appreciation Month, it’s really more of a made-up season. Regardless, I have a soft spot in my heart for pastors.

REGISTRATION ENDS MONDAY. Cost is $25, due with registration, which can be completed online or via mail. The Zoom link will be sent to registrants Oct. 21.

The Older Youth Retreat is for youth in grades 9-12 and their adult advisors/chaperones. Adrian Pratt, Interim Pastor for Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church in Bridgehampton, NY, will be the keynote presenter on the theme “The Missing Link,” looking at where God seems to be missing in our society and our lives, as well as the challenges we face in our own lives and in society as we seek to live as disciples of Jesus. Complete information, including a registration form, has been sent to congregational leaders. Registration deadline is Nov. 8, though those registered by Oct. 25 will receive a free retreat t-shirt. Contact Susan Sharp Campbell (304-667-9428, susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com).

The final Session Record Review event will be 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24. All Clerks of Session who have not yet attended an event are invited to attend this one. Contact Stated Clerk Maureen Wright (statedclerk@wvpresbytery.org) for more details.

Do you have a heart for campus ministry? The Westminster Foundation Board of Directors is seeking potential nominees to the board – particularly for the Class of 2024 – who want to help us provide this vital ministry supporting a Presbyterian/Reformed presence on state college campuses. Our next meeting is October 25 via Zoom and is one of three meetings per year. Please consider how you might be called to help support our campus ministers in their work and bring the message of campus ministry to the Presbytery. Please reach out to Tina Vial at 304-614-4591 or tinamvial@gmail.com to offer your name or suggest name(s) of others who might be interested in this effort. Thank you.

The Rev. Dr. Se Hwan Isaiah Kim was called to become the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hinton in August 2020. Born in Korea on August 6, 1973, he was the third of four sons in a devout Christian family; three of the four sons are pastors and missionaries. Rev. Kim has an extensive educational background and has studied and ministered in many different countries and cultures around the world: Korea, Singapore, Sweden, England, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and the United States.

Christian education has been a passion for the Rev. Dr. Susan Sharp Campbell for many years. It’s something she draws great strength from and what motivates her in her call at the Presbytery of West Virginia and beyond. (...) Susan has turned her love for Christian education into a role with the Presbytery of West Virginia where she has been the Associate for Educational Ministry for the past 19 years. That experience, mindset and devotion made her a perfect choice to lead the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) national chapter as its president in 2021.

Rev. Dr. Rebecca Davis will lead this two-part Union Presbyterian Seminary online course that is the essence of what it means to live into our baptism. It is our privilege and our sacred responsibility to teach those who seek to follow in God’s ways how to bridge the divide between the personal piety of beliefs and the public decisions and practices of our lives. Register here. Cost is $45 through Friday, then $60 afterwards.

Have you ever felt like you were called to ministry earlier in your life, and now you’re ready to respond to that call? Has you Session explored calling a Commissioned Pastor but been unable to find one? Would you like to know more about what it means to be a Presbyterian or develop your gifts you may already be sharing with your congregation? Then the Authorized Lay Preacher/Commissioned Pastor Preparation Program may be for you! It has three levels, which can be completed over 2-3 years. Level 1, also known as Presby Prep, will begin in January 2022 (see below). All Presby Prep courses will be on Zoom, with one course per month January-May and September-November. Level 2 courses, which will be held in person, will take place January-June and September-November 2023. For Level 3 courses, there will be two option: one set of courses offered in person, the other online through Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Pathways program. Please note that all levels require participants to have internet access and computer literacy, including using Zoom. If you have questions, please contact Susan Sharp Campbell at susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com or 304-667-9428.

Many in the church see the pastor or a staff person in Christian education as “the professional educator,” but in many of our smaller churches, the primary people responsible for educational ministry may be Sunday School teachers, volunteers who enjoys working with youth, or teachers in the school system. While they have a passion and sense of call, often they don’t have or can’t afford to get training in basic knowledge and skills areas of educational ministry/Christian education/faith formation. However, there is now an accessible preparation program for leaders in educational ministry who would like to be better prepared/knowledgeable: the Christian Education Associate. For more, contact Susan Sharp Campbell: 304-667-9428, susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com.

Rev. Dr. Parrish L. Bridges began his new call as Pastor with First Presbyterian Church of Huntington in September 2020. When asked what had attracted him to the church, Rev. Bridges said that the PNC was fantastic and that he and his wife connected really well with them. He resonated with the church’s sense of mission and their desire to be faithful to God. He finds the downtown location of the church to be a plus. Rev. Bridges is excited by the church’s support of City Mission, Recovery Point, Harmony House, and the Cabwaylingo ministry. The church has converted its property near the church into a meeting place for AA and other recovery ministries. In addition, the church has a great staff and is doing amazing work with music, worship, and children/youth ministry.

The new Citizens Bank of West Virginia Emerging Leaders Scholarship to Davis & Elkins College (also sponsored by WDTV) will provide four years of tuition, room, and board with an approximate value of $160,000. State high schoolers who graduate in 2022 - whether from a public, private, or home school - with a 3.25 GPA or higher are eligible to apply. Applicants also must include a list of high school and community involvement activities and will be required to submit a 500-1,500 word essay on the topic, “If you receive this scholarship, how will you pay it forward to the state of West Virginia?” Submit applications here through Nov. 15.

This year, emails falsely claiming to be from Ed Thompson have increased in frequency. These emails, called spoofs, are a favorite trick of scammers since they appear to come from someone you know. They will show some variation of Ed's name as the sender, but the attached email address is not his. If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from Ed (or anyone from the Presbytery), don't respond. If you are concerned, forward it to the alleged sender, and they can reply to verify the request's authenticity.