Ministers, Educators, Administrators and Clerks, please share this information with your congregation.  
April 17, 2020
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We Thank You and Hold You in Our Prayers
To the congregations in our presbytery, thanks for your generosity over the past few weeks. You have continued to faithfully honor your covenants with Presbytery of the James during the current pandemic. We recognize that these are uncertain times and that many of you are facing financial concerns for the future. We are inspired by your faith that God is still at work, even in these circumstances. Your support allows POJ to continue to operate and support our many missions. Again, thank you. Please know that our staff continues to pray for every one of your congregations.

Peace,
Fred Holbrook
Franklin Reding * Deborah Rexrode * Kelley Hope
Barbara Espigh * Colleen Earp * Cindy Hollingshead
Youth Invited to Fellowship on Sunday Afternoons
Youth Council is hosting Youth Zoom Fellowship on select Sundays (April 26, May 10, and May 24) from 2 to 3 p.m. Contact Colleen Earp for registration info. (This is to protect the meetings and participants from attendance by unwelcome visitors.) We'll add more dates as needed! Join us for a time of checking in, getting to know youth from around the presbytery, and games and fellowship.
Historical Society Documenting Easter 2020
To archive this unprecedented time in history, Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) is collecting 2020 Easter sermons. Contribute a video file, audio file, or PDF of your sermon or worship service to be included in PHS records.
Learn Stress Management Techniques with PDA Webinars
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has created webinars to assist faith leaders and general audiences with emotional and spiritual care. Participants will explore signs of stress and learn relaxation techniques. Each free webinar in the Building Resilience series is a one-hour program with printable handouts.
Around the Presbytery
"Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable;
convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching."
2 Timothy 4:2
"Mr. Rogers" Leads Worship at Ampthill
Pastor Aaron Houghton channeled Mr. Rogers in a special "Easter in Our Neighborhood" service for Ampthill Presbyterian Church on Sunday. Find the creative and inspiring message and others on the SunDaily Show, the YouTube channel Aaron has been using to communicate with his congregation since in-person services stopped. Fred Holbrook also made a guest appearance.
Blackstone Pays it Forward
Blackstone Presbyterian Church is sharing the Inspire Gift they received from POJ. The session purchased 75 gift certificates from area restaurants and gave them to employees of their local grocery store in appreciation for their front-line service to the community. In his Easter worship service, posted on the church Facebook page, Pastor Richard Goodman explains their motivation. He also has shared some lovely music on Facebook.
Byrd Youth Delight with Easter Story
The youth of Byrd Presbyterian Church in Goochland created a video of the Easter story and shared it with the congregation via Facebook. Their reenactment reminds us that physically distant does not mean spiritually distant.
Westminster Helps Us Find Solace in a Good Friday World
"We are an Easter people, even in a Good Friday world," so Associate Pastor Dorothy Piatt welcomed viewers to Westminster Presbyterian Church 's (Charlottesville) online service Sunday. Later, Senior Pastor Ken Henry spoke about our need to give and receive solace in this difficult time.
Have good news to share? Send it to Kelley Hope.
Other News
Grant Deadline Approaches
The National Fund for Sacred Places offers capital grants up to $250,000 to houses of worship. Letters of intent for 2020 funding are due April 22. Eligible properties must have been originally built to be a house of worship and must be listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Stated Meetings
June 16
Presbytery of the James Stated Meeting
Salisbury PC, Midlothian
Overture deadline: April 21 at noon
Packet online: June 2
Oct 17
Presbytery of the James Stated Meeting
Orange PC, Orange
Overture deadline: Aug 20 at noon
Packet online: Oct 1
Calendar
In-person events through June 10 have been postponed; new dates will be determined once the health crisis is resolved. If you have a question about a specific event, please contact POJ.
Online Clerk of Session Training
Clerks of session, especially those new to the position, are invited to an online training with stated clerk Fred Holbrook. Learn responsibilities as put forth in the Book of Order and other duties clerks of session might be asked to perform.
Date: April 26
Time: 4 to 6 p.m
Jobs
Churches throughout POJ are looking for new talent. Find information about opportunities on POJ's job board.

Searching for candidates? Submit a job .
Office Telephone (804) 262-2074