News from the Presbytery's Treasurer

• 2024 Pastor Minimum Compensation
• 2024 Open Enrollment for Board of Pensions
• 2024 Per Capita
• 2024 Shared Mission Pledge Request
• 2024 PWV Budget

• Board of Pensions: New Medicare Advantage plan
• Church Financial Leadership Grants
• 2023 Special Offerings

A Season of Discernment: An Invitation

Thank you to those who completed a Landscape Survey. Holy Cow! Consulting received nearly 500 responses from the Presbytery of West Virginia community! Members of the Leadership Team will gather on Tuesday to hear a report from our consultant, Emily Swanson, about the data submitted. The data provides the foundational step in the Presbytery’s Season of Discernment. The second step begins with opportunities to hear about, respond to, and expand on the data received as the Presbytery explores what God is calling us to be and do. This will happen in two ways. Emily Swanson will meet with five groups of people in the Presbytery based on their role: active clergy and Commissioned Pastors, retired clergy, members of Presbytery committees, Clerks of Session, and the Presbytery staff. These meetings will take place on Zoom. In addition, the Leadership Team wants to hear from all who want to participate – members of churches, those who are regular attenders of our congregations, Authorized Lay Preachers, and anyone who does not fit into the roles mentioned above. These five sessions will take place in person throughout the Presbytery. The details of each session are below. Please note that while members of the Leadership Team will be present at each session, the staff will not be present so that all are comfortable sharing freely. Please contact Leadership Team chair Randy Fife, Moderator David Lee, Moderator Elect Dawn Adamy, or Transitional General Presbyter and Stated Clerk Maureen Wright with questions, concerns, or if you are uncertain which event to attend.

• October 23 – Presbytery Committee Members meet with Emily Swanson on Zoom from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, please click here for the Zoom link.
• October 24 – Presbytery Staff meet with Emily Swanson on Zoom from 1 to 3 PM, please click here for the Zoom link.
• October 24 – Clerks of Session meet with Emily Swanson on Zoom from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, please click here for the Zoom link.
• October 26 – Active Clergy & Commissioned Pastors meet with Emily Swanson on Zoom from 10 AM to noon, please click here for the Zoom link.
• October 26 – Retired Clergy meet with Emily Swanson on Zoom from 1 to 3 PM, please click here for the Zoom link.
• October 29 – Open, in-person discussion with members of Leadership Team from 4 to 6 PM at Clifton Presbyterian Church, Maxwelton.
• October 29 – Open, in-person discussion with members of Leadership Team from 4 to 6 PM at Kuhn Memorial Presbyterian Church, Barboursville.
• November 2 – Open, in-person discussion with members of Leadership Team from 6 to 8 PM at First Presbyterian Church, South Charleston.
• November 5 – Open, in-person discussion with members of Leadership Team from 4 to 6 PM at Fleming Memorial Presbyterian Church, Fairmont.
• November 5 – Open, in-person discussion with members of Leadership Team from 4 to 6 PM at First Presbyterian Church, Williamstown.

Loss, Grief, and Nostalgia in Congregational Life online course

Oct. 28, 9:30-4:30 (including breaks and a time for lunch), on Zoom

Do you look back across the years in your congregation and wish for a return to “the good ole days” of a full sanctuary for worship, crowded Sunday school rooms, service/mission projects and retreats? Many of us grieve the loss of people, programs, finances, and more, and wonder what the future is for our congregation. If this describes you and/or your congregation, you are encouraged to participate in the course on loss, grief, and nostalgia, during which we will consider how we might work through our grief, mourn the “used-to-be’s,” and embrace the future to which God is calling us by “remembering forward.” Michael Girlinghouse, interim chaplain for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will be the presenter. Registration deadline is MONDAY. Cost is $40.

Attention pastoral leaders: have you signed up for the Healthy Boundary Training event on Oct. 27?

All pastoral leaders – Ministers of Word and Sacrament (including Honorably Retired ministers serving, preaching, or working with congregations), Certified Christian Educators, Commissioned Pastors, ministers of other denominations serving our congregations, lay pastors, and persons on the Pulpit Supply List – are required to complete a Healthy Boundary Training workshop every five years. The event on Oct. 27 will be held via Zoom and led by Sky Kershner, retired director of KPCC Counseling, Charleston, and Assistant Professor, WVU School of Medicine. There is no cost to attend. All pastoral leaders who are new to the Presbytery and those who have not completed a Healthy Boundary Training workshop after 2019 need to attend. Questions can be directed to Maureen Wright at statedclerk@wvpresbytery.org. Call 304-744-7634 or email office@wvpresbytery.org to register.

Church officer training

Nov. 12 and 19, 2-5 p.m., on Zoom

Are you a newly elected ruling elder or deacon? Are you currently on the session or re-elected to serve on the session or as a deacon? Would you like to know more about the polity (government) of the church, the theology that guides our work, the responsibilities of elders and deacons? Then join us for Officer Training. These two sessions will build on and connect with each other, so participants are strongly encouraged to participate in both. There is no cost to attend, but you do need to register in order to receive the Zoom link and advance assignment. All participants will need a copy of the 2023-2025 PCUSA Book of Order. Participants may register as individuals, or whole sessions may register and participate together. The registration deadline is Nov. 2, with the advance assignment sent out Nov. 3 and the Zoom link and handouts to be used during the training shared on Nov. 8. If you have any questions, please contact Susan Sharp Campbell at 304-667-9428 or susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com.

Fall Youth Retreat: Unfrozen, Unstuck, Unfazed

Nov. 10-12 at Bluestone Camp & Retreat

Anxiety and stress can weigh us down and cause us to feel stuck and fearful. God did not create us or call us to be frozen in fear. Our faith in the God who says over and over “Fear Not” can help us keep from getting stuck and stay unfazed when stuff happens. During this retreat, Anne Russ will guide youth in grades 6-12 and their adult advisors in exploring ways to practice their faith so that they are enabled to withstand the pain and pressures of those times when life is hard. If you have youth in your church who might participate in this retreat, please share this information with them. This information was also sent in an email to pastors, clerks of session, Christian educators, and youth ministry contacts on Sept. 8; if you have not yet shared it with youth in your church, please do so soon. The registration deadline is Oct. 30. Contact Susan Sharp Campbell at 304-667-9428 or susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com with questions.

Could God be calling you to the next Authorized Lay Preacher/Commissioned Pastor Preparation Program?

Plans are underway to begin another cycle of our Authorized Lay Preacher/Commissioned Pastor Preparation Program in January 2024. As it seems like more and more of our churches struggle to find pastoral leadership, this program prepares ruling elders to be commissioned for pastoral leadership in our congregations. Could God be calling you to be part of this 2 ¾ year program? The first year of this program is Presby Prep (see article below) in 2024. Levels 2 and 3, the second and third years, consist of 9 courses in Level 2 and 6 courses in Level 3 that will meet on a Friday night and all day Saturday once a month from January-June and September-November (Level 2 only). There are advance assignments for all courses. While this program takes a significant time commitment, many who have completed it have found it to be a valuable experience as they serve as pastors in some of our congregations or serve as pulpit supply as needed. Could God be calling you to this program and ministry? 

Presby Prep 2024

Presby Prep is an opportunity to become more knowledgeable about what it means to be Presbyterian and part of the Reformed family of churches. It's also the first year of the presbytery’s Authorized Lay Preacher/Commissioned Pastor Preparation Program. Presby Prep consists of 8 courses, one a month from January – May and September – November, all on Zoom. Each course is 3 hours long and offered on Thursday evenings or Saturday mornings, so you can choose the most convenient time to attend each month. Each course also has an assignment to be completed in advance. The registration deadline to participate in all 8 courses is Nov. 30. Note that in order for Presby Prep to take place in 2024, there must be at least 8 people registered by Nov. 30; otherwise, it will take place in 2025. Questions? Contact Susan Sharp Campbell at 304-667-9428 or susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com.

Click for a flyer that includes the schedule

Getting to know our newer pastors: Rev. Marietta Macy

Rev. Marietta Macy was recently ordained and installed as the Associate Pastor for Christian Education at First Presbyterian Church in Charleston. She graduated from Louisville Seminary in 2014 and served 2nd Presbyterian Church in Louisville as an interim for Youth and Young Adults, then she served as a Christian educator for seven years in Columbus, Indiana. Marietta has also served the wider church with her participation on the Steering Committee of the Israel-Palestine Mission Network of the PC(USA).

Marietta grew up on a working farm in a rural community in southern Indiana. She attended Hanover College where she received a degree in theater. She worked with Theatre West Virginia before she felt the call to ministry. Her experiences here led to a love of West Virginia, and she is so thrilled to be back in the Mountain State. She is looking forward to her work with all ages in new educational opportunities at First, Charleston.

Kanawha United's BraveHeart Fellowship to host Halloween party Oct. 26 in downtown Charleston

Come to the Water: 2024 APCE Annual Event

Jan. 24-27, 2024 in St. Louis, Missouri

The Spirit of God calls out to us…

… in our wandering and wondering

… in our weariness and wanting

… in our waiting and worry

The Spirit calls out to us…“Come, all who are thirsty.”

“Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” Revelation 22:17

Sometimes our lives and ministry leave us parched and thirsting for a deeper experience of the water of life. The APCE Annual Event will be a time of renewal and reflection as through keynote, worship, workshops, and more, leaders will address how God is able to renew us as we thirst for justice, thirst for life, thirst for kindness and joy. The event is designed for all in educational ministry – pastors, educators, volunteers, and others. It will take place in the newly renovated Union Station Hotel and Amusement Complex, and for those unable to be in St. Louis, there will also be an online option on Zoom. Complete information, including registration, can be found here. Early registration, which offers the lowest cost, is Nov. 30. Speaking of costs, the Presbytery's Nurture Committee is able to offer financial assistance for this event for Christian educators and lay persons. The deadline for applying for a PEPS scholarship is Nov. 13. For more information, contact Susan Sharp Campbell at susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com or 304-667-9428.

Peyton Ballard is new WVMAW Executive Director

With September's end comes the end of Joan Stewart’s 18 years as Executive Director of West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps (WVMAW). On the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 24 at Summersville Presbyterian Church, the organization hosted a service of worship and celebration as the Executive Director mantle was passed from Joan to Peyton Ballard. Peyton, who is an elder at Summersville Presbyterian, owns his own consulting company, Ballard Consulting Group. You can reach him at 304-619-9734 or peyton@ballardconsultinggroup.com and you can find WVMAW online at www.wvministry.org. Click for a brief history of WVMAW.  

Plan for Advent with the PCUSA Store

This 7-page interactive guide offers a variety of resources for Advent 2023. There are books for group study, individual devotion, preaching, and worship, as well as options for children, youth, and all-ages education.

PCUSA job opportunities

Nearly 20 jobs are available in more than a half dozen PCUSA offices at the national level.