April 27, 2022
Listening Sessions Underway

This week, feedback sessions for our strategic planning are in full swing, with one tonight and another tomorrow. If your ministry group has been scheduled, please plan to join our process as we seek to hear from everyone about plotting a course for our Presbytery's future.
Not sure which ministry group you belong to? Visit our webpage to find out.
 
For more information on the process, forthcoming dates, and how you can get involved, visit our strategic planning webpage.
Register for Our First Hybrid Gathering
The next stated meeting of Presbytery is on Thursday, May 12th, at First Presbyterian Church of Howard County.
 
For the very first time, participants will have the option to join us live or online. Even if you plan on attending in person, ALL participants are asked to register in advance via Zoom. (And if you'd like lunch, we'll need your order by May 5th)

For more information, including our host church's health protocols, visit the 895th Gathering webpage.
Woods Memorial Receives Cool Congregations Award
To coincide with Earth Day celebrations last Friday, Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church was one of 12 churches nationwide to be honored by Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) for its environmental stewardship. Woods distinguished itself topmost among religious congregations by doing work to reduce its carbon footprint and creating models of sustainability within the community.
 
Woods Church won the Energy Saver Award for reducing their energy consumption by 52%. The church has engaged in a capital campaign called Renew to significantly reduce its energy usage through installation of ultra-high efficiency HVAC systems, upgrades to all LED lighting, installation of highly efficient windows and numerous building insulation improvements. The collective improvements yield an annual reduction in carbon emissions of over 400 metric tons of CO2, with a cost savings of $30000 per year.
 
"Our congregation is honored to be acknowledged for our environmental work. As a Presbyterian Church (USA) Earth Care Congregation we have made a commitment to work toward sustainability. Receiving the Cool Congregations Challenge Award is exciting for us and we hope it will inspire greater emphasis on sustainability as a faith practice," said Pastor Nancy Lincoln.
 
“Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church and the other national winning congregations are carrying out practical actions that make a real difference in creating lasting solutions to climate change,” said Rev. Susan Hendershot, President of Interfaith Power & Light.
Rain Gardens for Churchville Presbyterian
Churchville Presbyterian Church was one of the recipients of a Chesapeake Bay Trust Watershed Assistance design grant for $13,400, enabling their Green Team to design three rain gardens for the property. These rain gardens will treat the stormwater coming off the roof surfaces. Instead of seeping down next to the foundation walls, it will be directed away and downhill into these rain gardens where it will, over the span of one or two days, seep into the soil and replenish the surface aquifer. This bioretention project will tremendously reduce pollutants reaching our waterways.
There will be three rain gardens, designed be attractive and have flowers that represent Maryland and the Presbyterian Church. There will be Black-eyed Susan (our state flower), White Turtlehead (sole host for our state butterfly, Baltimore Checkerspot), and Harlequin Iris (which symbolizes the Holy Trinity--Father God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit). Irises are pollinated by hummingbirds, day-flying sphinx and clearwing moths, and native, long-tongued bees. The Cardinal Flower is pure red for Pentecost and pollinated almost exclusively by hummingbirds (which are in the native cultures seen as celestial messengers). Great Blue Lobelia is pure blue for our Presbyterian Church logo and for our Creator God. Blue Vervain is host for Buckeye butterfly caterpillars and when in bloom is pollinated by hummingbirds and native long-tongued bees. Dense Blazing Star is a tall spire of nectar-filled flowers which will attract many Monarchs, Swallowtails, Fritillaries, Buckeyes, Checkerspots and others.

The native plants chosen for our rain gardens meet requirements for temporary inundation tolerance, root systems that encourage infiltration and attracting pollinators. Church members, visitors and the Childcare/Preschool Center children and their teachers will be able to visit and observe these rain gardens. There will be caterpillars feeding on leaves, chrysalises/cocoons, and adult butterflies, skippers, hummingbird moths, native bees, and more sipping nectar. Birds will perch in the redbud trees, singing, nesting, and collecting bugs, fruits, and seeds in the gardens.

Churchville has been a Presbyterian Church (USA) certified Earth Care Congregation since 2017. There will be more details and a construction schedule in the coming months.

- Fawn A. Palmer, Green Team, Churchville Presbyterian Church
Last Call for Grant Applications!
The 2022 Community Engagement Grant season is here! If your church is looking for that extra support to make your outreach projects flourish, this grant program is for you. This year, the Commission on Reconciliation is awarding $25,000 among congregations who wish to enhance their faith-based organizing, or collaboration with the community. The application deadline is April 29, 2022. Visit our website for more information.
It's Still Ferguson Scholarship Season
Do you know of a high school senior who could use a scholarship to college? Each year the presbytery awards one student with $5000 through the Robert F. and Rosa M. Ferguson Student Scholarship Fund. Information (including requirements) and the application can be found here. The deadline to apply is May 15th.
Upcoming Events
Dining for Ukraine

Although Presbyterians have made record donations for humanitarian assistance this year, the conflict in Ukraine tragically continues. Unfortunately the helpers have become victims too, as one of World Central Kitchen’s restaurants became the target of a missile attack last week.

Fortunately, a benefit had already been organized right here in Baltimore by
Hope Presbyterian Church. Their doors are open on Wednesday, May 4th as you are invited to a dine-in or takeout spaghetti dinner and fundraiser. If you can’t be there, donations are always welcome. All proceeds to benefit the World Central Kitchen's work in Ukraine. For more information, visit their Facebook page or buy tickets here.
Join St. Mary's Seminary and University on Friday, April 29th for Spirit, Body, Word: An Evening of Sacramental Poetry, as two renowned poets read their own words of faith and spirit, prayer and presence. at 7:30 pm in Laubacher Hall, St. Mary's Seminary and University. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested.
Yard Sale, Saturday, April 30, 10 am - 2 pm organized by Hope Presbyterian Church, 4748 Shelbourne Road in Arbutus, Maryland. Facebook event
St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute will be hosting Concert organist and composer David Hurd on Thursday, May 5th at 7:30 pm. The concert is free and open to the public. Hurd is the composer of dozens of hymns, choral works, settings of the liturgy, and organ works. His music appears in hymnals and choir libraries in churches of nearly all religious denominations. Register
895th Gathering of The Presbytery of Baltimore - Thursday, May 12 - Our next stated meeting will be a hybrid one! Participants have the option to attend either in-person, or online, for the first time. More information and registration
Join POAMN in Celebrating Older Adult Month - Join a multi-cultural worship celebration with the writers of worship services from the 2121 Program Ideas and Resources Guide. Worship Leaders include Baltimore’s Keith Paige, Deborah McEachran, and Jose Lopez-Chapa. May 22, at 7 pm Register here
SAVE THE DATE
The next Dismantling Racism Training will be held on
Thursday, June 2nd, 2022
Help Wanted
Contemporary Music Leader
Christ Our Anchor Presbyterian Church is a small and welcoming congregation in the Cape St. Claire neighborhood of Annapolis, MD. This church plans to offer two worship services for all ages; one traditional and one contemporary and is seeking a music leader for the contemporary service. The ideal candidate would be creative, patient, organized, accepting, encouraging and demonstrates familiarity with contemporary Christian worship music. The Contemporary Music Leader shall be responsible to the Session of the church through the Worship Committee and shall be supervised by the Pastor. More information

Office Administrator
Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland is seeking a part time office administrator to provide administrative support to the Pastor, organize and run the church office, and facilitate church communications. The preferred schedule is 20 hours, Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 1:00pm. For the complete job description or if you are interested in applying, click here or send an email to adminperson@christourking.net.

Director of Missions
Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church is seeking a Director of Missions to provide staff leadership and direction for the mission activities of the church, assuring that every member has an opportunity for Christian service. The Director of Missions coordinates support for Woods’ mission programs, events, and partnerships. The Director of Missions also provides guidance for church activities in local, ecumenical, denominational, and other ministries, leading participants to be voices of faith transforming lives and society through Jesus Christ. This is a non-exempt hourly, part-time (28 hours per week) position reporting to the Associate Pastor for Adult Education & Missions. Job description here. For more information or to email your resume and a brief statement of interest, contact missions@woodschurch.org
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