Issue 232 | February 23, 2023

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A Word from our General Presbyter

I think I would fail if I was being graded for my observance of Lent. Some years I would pass. Most years, though, I probably fall far short of a passing grade. For this, as with most things, I can only rely on God’s grace. That seems surprising because in many ways I am a disciplined person. I have been reading through the Bible each year for probably 30 years now. I may miss a few days here and there throughout the year, but I’m always able to catch up. (...) For whatever reason, though, I can’t seem to get any Lenten devotional practice to stick. Through the years I’ve tried all kinds of things.

Amendment voting totals

A question was asked at last Thursday's Presbytery meeting regarding where to access voting totals on the Amendments Proposed by the 225th General Assembly. To view current totals, visit PC Biz. Using the ribbon across the top of the page, click on Resources, then scroll through the links listed under the word Title; the voting links should be the first two on the list. The voting may be tracked by Presbytery or by total votes. If you have questions, contact the Stated Clerk or General Presbyter.

A report from the Presbytery's Resource Center

Thank you to all who attended the Resource Center Open House Tuesday at Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church. If you were not able to attend in person, we invite you to check out the video tour, which can be found here. We wanted to highlight some of the new resources that have recently been added to the collection. If you would like to check out any of the titles listed or find out what other resources are available in our catalogue, you can find us at www.wvpresbytery.org/resource-center. Among our new resources are Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communication by Tim Schraeder, Part-Time is Plenty: Thriving without Full-Time Clergy by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Social Media Gospel: Sharing the Good News in New Ways, Second Edition by Meredith Gould, and A Bigger Table, Expanded Edition with Study Guide: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community by John Pavlovitz.

News from the Presbytery's Treasurer

  • The Presbytery has a new Treasurer
  • 2023 Shared Mission Pledge Request
  • Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in Turkey
  • Employee or Independent Contractor
  • Sending Benevolence to the Presbytery
  • 2023 IRS mileage
  • 2023 Per Capita
  • 2023 Special Offerings
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Expanding Your Ministry Toolbox:

I Love to Tell the Story

9:30-4:30 Saturday, March 4 at Village Chapel, Charleston and on Zoom

This preaching course will focus on the power of stories to communicate the gospel. Donna Giver-Johnston of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, who has served as a pastor in small, medium, and large churches, will lead participants in telling their stories, listening to the stories of others, and finding impactful sermon illustrations. Cost is $40 per person. Register by next Thursday, March 2.

Teaching Social Justice in Comfortable Congregations

7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2 on Zoom

Let's be honest - teaching social justice in comfortable congregations often makes us quite uncomfortable. Yet, by equipping disciples to read our sacred texts and current contexts for understanding and discernment, space is made for the Spirit’s leading in considering Christ, culture, and faithful living. This free webinar will be led by Rev. Dr. Rebecca Davis, Associate Professor of Christian Education and the Director of the Center for Excellence in Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary (Charlotte, NC). A former Christian Educator in Huntington, she is a Minister of Word and Sacrament and a Certified Christian Educator in the PCUSA. Before her call to full-time academic teaching at Presbyterian College and now UPSem, she served in congregations and on presbytery staff for over 25 years. She now teaches those preparing for leadership and advocacy in the church and the world. The webinar is sponsored by the East Region of the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE). Register here; after registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Festival of Faith 2023

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 1 at Charleston First Presbyterian Church

Teri McDowell Ott, Editor of The Presbyterian Outlook, will be the keynote presenter for this year's Festival of Faith, which will have the theme "Necessary Risks." Her keynote will focus on "Embracing a Love Ethic," which can guide us in these divisive, polarized days of "purple" churches, where listening well, embracing humility, and encouraging vulnerability in our conversations with people of diverse perspectives are important. Additionally, she will lead two workshops. The first will be on "Living a Love Ethic," which will build on the keynote's "whys" of embracing a love ethic and focus on the "hows" of living a love ethic in everyday life, including practices and strategies to engage with others across lines of difference. The second will focus on the work and vision of The Presbyterian Outlook. Plus, there will be several other workshops, a time of worship, and fellowship throughout the day. Get full information and register here!

Spring youth retreat planned for April at Jackson's Mill

Following the successful Fall Youth Retreat for grades 6-12 that was held at Bluestone in November, there will be a Spring Youth Retreat at Jackson's Mill April 14-16. While all middle and high school youth are invited, the focus is on having a retreat that will be closer to our youth in churches in the northern part of the presbytery. The retreat will be led by members of the presbytery's Youth Council around the theme of "A More Loving World." Get full information and register here. Questions? Contact Susan Sharp Campbell at susan_sharp_campbell@hotmail.com or 304-667-9428. 

2023 Presbytery Directory: deadline for churches to send their information, request a hard copy of the directory

Has your church sent in its 2023 directory information to the Presbytery office? If not, please do so ASAP! You can fill out this form, then email it to office@wvpresbytery.org or mail it to Presbytery of WV, PO Box 11720, Charleston, WV 25339. It is important that we get this information, so we can keep the directory up-to-date.


Once we get the directory prepared, we will put together a hard copy version that will be mailed out by early April to any church or individual requesting one. If you would like to be on the request list, please email office@wvpresbytery.org or call Amy Robinson at 304-744-7634 by March 15. Remember, the directory is also on our website; if you need the password to access it there, contact Amy.

Ernest Trice Thompson, Jr.

A former pastor/head of staff at Huntington First Presbyterian Church, Ernest passed away on Feb. 18 in Greensboro, NC, at age 89. He was a member of Salem Presbytery. An obituary has not yet been published.


Kellie E. Weekley-Mills

Kellie, who grew up in Huntington Second Presbyterian Church and was a PC(USA) pastor, passed away on Feb. 14 in Pittsburgh at age 58. She was a member of Pittsburgh Presbytery. Click here for her obituary. A memorial service will be held at Covenant Community Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh on March 11.

Enslow Park to host Ukraine benefit on Friday evening

Bream Memorial seeks a part-time office administrator

Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church in Charleston seeks a well-organized, resourceful, and trustworthy part-time (15 hours/week) office administrator. Responsibilities include general office duties, incoming and outgoing communications, preparing bulletins and newsletters, recording building use, scheduling vendors, and assisting treasurer with bookkeeping. $13-15/hour depending on experience. For more information or to apply, please contact Gail Lauerman at breamoffice@gmail.com or 304-346-0426, ext. 2.

Davis & Elkins College: Reflecting along the journey

All associated with Davis & Elkins College know the names of Henry Gassaway Davis and Stephen Benton Elkins, both United States Senators and the founders of the Presbyterian College in Elkins. However, according to Davis & Elkins College Diamond Jubilee History by Dr. Thomas Ross, there is a third founder of the college. Learn more about Rev. Augustus Houston Hamilton.

Learn more about FEMA Nonprofit Security Grants at upcoming free webinars

FEMA invites nonprofit organizations to participate in upcoming webinars regarding the Fiscal Year 2023 Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which provides funding support for physical and cyber security resources to help prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, as well as integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. For all attendees, it is strongly recommended to review the existing NSGP resources, particularly the How to Apply section, prior to your webinar.


The webinars, which begin at 2 p.m., will introduce the grant program and the application process. (Each webinar will present the same content, including key changes from 2022 to 2023.) Advance registration is required. Each of the following dates is a registration link; click on the date to register for the webinar of your choice - March 3, March 8, March 30, April 4, April 25 or May 4. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Adobe Connect meeting. Check your junk/spam folder as some email filters may redirect the attendance confirmation email there. 

State of Appalachia Conference becomes Faith & Community in Appalachia Conference

March 24-25 at Chief Logan State Park

This gathering of Appalachians envisioning the future in ecumenical community provides a place for reflection on the issues facing Appalachia today, opportunities for networking, and a time to renew your spirit. It features workshops, group discussions, speakers, and more. Registration is $100, which includes meals but not lodging. Click here to register. For lodging, call Chief Logan State Park at 304-855-6100 by March 1 to receive the discounted rate using the group code GS1015 or the conference name.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance kit delivery in April

Dr. Joseph Reed, a ruling elder of Buckhannon First Presbyterian Church, is traveling to Little Rock, Arkansas on Sunday, April 9, and is willing to deliver Presbyterian Disaster Assistance “Gift of the Heart” kits to Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center. If your church or group has any kits for delivery, please contact Dr. Reed at jbreed1@frontier.com or 304-472-2146 to make arrangements.

Getting to know our newer pastors: Jim Musgrave

In September 2022, Jim Musgrave officially became the new Commissioned Pastor to Gilbert and Logan First Presbyterian Churches. Jim is not, however, new to the Presbytery or those churches. Those of us who have been in this presbytery for awhile have been privileged to see his warmly smiling face for many years. Jim has been active on the Committee on Ministry, Nominating, Vocations, and, most recently, Relations committees.

Enslow Park conducts strategic discernment process

On Jan. 27-28, Enslow Park Presbyterian conducted a strategic discernment process to align the church's vision with God's vision. Approximately 20 members of the congregation participated, but all were encouraged to pray. Led by Jody Christian, a trained facilitator and strategic planner, the event was preceded by a four-part series of sermons by Pastor John Yeager, loosely based on the work of "Say Yes: How God-Sized Dreams Take Flight" author Britt Mooney. At the event, the group completed a detail evaluation using a SWOT analysis identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, which led to a definition of the church's purpose, followed by a definition of their priorities.

PCUSA job opportunities

Nearly 20 jobs are available, primarily at the Presbyterian Mission Agency in Louisville. Interested? Click here.

QUICK LINKS

Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries Network

Editor's Note: In order to keep PWV News fresh, articles will generally run for two consecutive issues. If you would like a piece to run longer, please update (with refreshed content, new wording and/or a different photo) and resubmit.
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