Welcoming Carolyn Helsel to the November Presbytery Gathering on November 17
At the November 17 Online Presbytery Gathering, we are looking forward to welcoming Carolyn Helsel, who will be leading us in a time focused on her recent book: Anxious to Talk About It: Helping White Christians Talk Faithfully About Racism
Carolyn is the Associate Professor of Homiletics at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. We’ll share all the details of the Gathering next week, but for now we invite you to read her book!
Here’s a description from the Publisher’s Website:
“Wait… We’re talking about what? I’m not so sure I want to do that.” When it comes to discussing racism, many white people are overwhelmed with anxiety, leading to a fight-or-flight response. In Anxious to Talk About It, pastor and professor Carolyn B. Helsel draws on her successful experiences with white congregations to offer us tools to embrace and explore these anxious feelings. Through the sharing of our stories, new insights on racial identity, and spiritual practices to help you engage racial justice concerns prayerfully, you’ll begin to overcome your anxiety and learn to join conversations with less fear, more compassion, and more knowledge of self, others, and the important issues at stake.
Helsel’s words and guidance will inspire you to receive the gifts that come through these difficult conversations and point to how you can get further involved in the important work around race relations.
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The Adventure Continues -
Back From A Sabbatical Month
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God – Hebrews 4:9
Greetings Friends! I’m Back!
To catch you up – the Presbytery graciously agreed with my request for a “rolling” Sabbatical. Our presbytery policy recommends that those in service to congregations or the presbytery be granted a Sabbatical after service of seven years. For me, somehow in the blink of an eye, I went from being the “new Executive Presbyter” to having been in position for 10 years. That period of time involved denominational tumult, the emergence of new presbytery leaders and structures, and has been a compelling time in Mid-Council Ministry. It is Never Dull in Donegal.
The sabbatical plan that works best for me and my family is to plan for a sabbatical adventure each year over the next three years, with a sabbatical month each year. The 2020 plan was for a month-long family trip in May, celebrating our daughter’s graduation from college, her engagement, and the bittersweet joy of what will probably be the last family extended trip. The timing was carefully planned to avoid Presbytery Gatherings and other key events. Spoiler alert: The May trip never happened.
Scheduling complications meant the trip needed to be rescheduled and I’d need to miss the September Presbytery Gathering. We did make our trip to Florida, where we were scrupulous with Social Distancing and Masks, and returned without ill effects. We had a great time together, and it was indeed a season of Sabbath-Rest. What stands out:
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The Excellence of my presbytery colleagues! What fabulous leaders we have! What competence! What a Joy! Without our amazing leaders and staff, there is no way that in the middle of Covid-Tumult I’d ever have been able to break away for a month. Special thanks to Stated Clerk Michael Wilson and Executive Administrative Assistant Chrissy Wells for doing their jobs and mine as well, particularly with the rigors of a Presbytery Gathering.
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Return: The Current Craziness of Our Lives! While we were away, the weather was great. We walked 10-13 miles every day. I returned to the reality for many of us of 10-13 Zoom meetings a day. The blessing of being away for awhile means that I am experiencing afresh how challenging and difficult our current realities are. I am trying to make sure I am more intentional about scheduling time to be outdoors and to keep my body and soul moving. There is no end in sight as we go into the season of surges, cold weather and other illnesses. I am planning to continue the goodness of life beyond the screen.
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Play, Fun and Aliveness I have a cherished Peanuts Cartoon. In the first frame, Charlie goes to see Lucy the Psychiatrist. "I feel down and dull," he explains. In the second frame, Lucy says, "You have a life, don’t you?" Charlie responds. "Well, yes." In the third frame, Lucy says, "Well live it, then." And in the final frame she says, "Five cents, please." There’s nothing like riding a roller coaster for pure fun, if you’re me. But there are all kinds of other ways to bring more play and joy into our lives. What do you love to do? How can you do more of it? That, every day, is the gift of sabbatical rest for the Beloved People of God.
Joyful Blessings to You All,
Erin Cox-Holmes
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Shiloh Presbyterian Church
MANUP/STARS Program Update
It is our pleasure to provide an update on our MANUP/STARS Program. We will start with the thanking GOD for the young people we have been connected to since 2017. While COVID-19 has taken some of our time, made us to think differently and has disrupted much of the flow we had anticipated and planned for 2020, it has not taken our JOY! More than ever before our YOUNG Men are in need of strong mentoring and familiar, trusted relationships they can be confident about and know that no matter what, we will always be close by. We have been fortunate at SHILOH to have men who are committed to this charge and we have also found that out among our community that are willing to put in time to speak to and share with young males of color about the times in which we live an how to successfully move forward.
Before the arrival of COVID-19, here are some of the programs that we were able to share with some of our area youth HERE.
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- Transitional Pastor Position – Hopewell Presbyterian Church, Felton, PA & Pine Grove Presbyterian Church, Airville, PA
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- Half Time Pastor Position - Westminster Presbyterian Church of York, PA
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- Half Time Pastor Position Available - Bethany Presbyterian Church, Mendenhall, PA
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For detailed information about these positions,
visit the Donegal Presbytery website HERE
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