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27-Oct-95

95391            NEWS OF PRESBYTERIES AND SYNODS 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
WATERLOO, Iowa--The Continuing Education for the Laity Committee of North 
Central Iowa Presbytery is sponsoring a Nov. 3-4 seminar featuring Robert 
Reber, dean of Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City and author of 
"Linking Faith and Daily Life: An Educational Program for Lay People." 
     The presbytery committee's primary task is helping congregations to 
assist their members in discerning the presence and work of God in their 
daily lives.  It has endorsed Reber's program as one of the best available 
on the subject. 
     The seminar will be held at Collegiate Presbyterian Church in Ames, 
Iowa. 
 
HATTIESBURG, Miss.--On Sept. 10, Mississippi Presbytery organized its 
newest congregation: Grace Chapel Presbyterian Church of Madison.  The 
chartering service included the installation of the Rev. Tom Sikes as 
pastor. 
 
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio--On Nov. 14, Eastminster Presbytery will vote on six 
proposed priorities for the next five years. 
     Developed by the presbytery's Planning and Management Committee, the 
priorities are to develop three new presbyterywide ministries, increase 
resources to sessions and congregations, identify one congregation each 
year for redevelopment, provide ways to increase support of the 
Presbyterian Church at all levels, expand its ministries of justice and 
mercy, and support its congregations' efforts to expand their evangelism 
efforts. 
 
DECATUR, Ill.--Worship is the theme of a Nov. 4 workshop sponsored by the 
Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois.  "Sing to the Lord a New Song" will be 
held at First Presbyterian Church in Effingham, Ill. 
     Keynote speaker is the Rev. Cynthia Campbell, president of McCormick 
Theological Seminary in Chicago. 
 
ROCHESTER, N.Y.--Brian Wren -- noted hymn writer, poet, pastor, theologian, 
and Christian educator -- will be a special guest in Genesee Valley 
Presbytery Oct. 27-29 when he serves as theologian-in-residence for 
Rochester's Third Presbyterian Church. 
     Wren, a minister of the United Reformed Church of Great Britain, will 
lead three workshops on religious poetry, worship design and religious 
language.  He will also preach at Sunday worship. The weekend event will 
conclude with a hymn festival. 
 
ELLENSBURG, Wash.--"Bloom Where You Are Planted" is the theme of a 
conference for pastors and lay leaders of small churches sponsored by 
Central Washington Presbytery Oct. 27-29.  The conference will take place 
at the Ellensburg Inn here and will feature as keynote speaker the Rev. 
Carol Seaton, associate for small church development in the Evangelism and 
Church Development Program Area of the National Ministries Division in 
Louisville. 
 
POMPANO BEACH, Fla.--On Oct. 15 Tropical Florida Presbytery celebrated the 
formation of its newest congregation  -- Garden Presbyterian Church of Palm 
Beach Gardens. 
     The new church is the result of the merger of Immanuel Presbyterian 
Church of Lake Park and Westminster Presbyterian Church of Palm Beach 
Gardens.  The new pastor of the congregation is the Rev. Albert W. Bush Jr. 
 
INDIANAPOLIS--The Rev. Jay Hudson, associate executive for the Synod of 
Lincoln Trails, reports the synod is nearing its Bicentennial Fund goals. 
     Of the 21 projects in the synod prospectus for the fund, eight are 
fully funded and every project has received at least 57 percent of its 
goal.  More than $572,000 has been raised in the campaign, 78 percent of 
the synod's goal.  Virtually two-thirds (65 percent) of the synod's 
congregations have participated in the Bicentennial Fund campaign. 
 
PITTSBURGH--Bakili Muluzi, president of Malawi, was Pittsburgh Presbytery's 
special guest Oct. 21 at its "Saturday Nite Alive" mission rally at 
Westminster Presbyterian Church. 
     Muluzi's visit is part of the presbytery's observance of "A Year With 
Africa" and its partnership with the Blantyre in Malawi.  The president was 
accompanied on his visit by Willie Chokani, Malawi's ambassador to the 
United States and a member of the Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian. 
     The theme of the rally was "We've a Story to Hear from the Nations." 
 
CLEVELAND--The Outreach Ministry of Western Reserve Presbytery will sponsor 
a workshop on the "Covenants of Stewardship" program Jan. 20 at Lyndhurst 
Community Presbyterian Church. 
     The workshop is designed for pastors, session members, long-range 
planning and stewardship committees and Christian educators.  It will be 
led by the Rev. Marie Cross, associate for resources in the Stewardship 
Education Program Area of the Congregational Ministries Division in 
Louisville.   
     The theme of the "Covenants of Stewardship" program is "Christians Are 
Called to Commit the Whole of Their Lives to God." 
 
DENTON, Texas--The Rev. Richard A. Thompson has begun work as 
volunteer-in-mission communications associate for the Synod of the Sun.  He 
began his new work Sept. 1.  Thompson's duties include editing "The 
Presbyteriann Sun," the synod's newspaper, and staffing the electronic 
media and mission funding subgroups of the synod's Communications Division. 
     Thompson retired this summer after 36 years as a parish pastor, most 
recently at Central Presbyterian Church in Austin.  He has also written a 
regular column for "The Clergy Journal" and has hosted a religious public 
affairs television show in Austin. 
 
BAINBRIDGE, N.Y.--Three mission interpreters from all around the world are 
visiting Susquehanna Valley Presbytery in October and November. 
     From Oct. 24 to Nov. 3, the Rev. Bentii Ujulu, president of Western 
Wollega Bethel Synod in Ethiopia, will visit.  The Rev. Alice Winters, 
professor of Old Testament and theology at Presbyterian Reformed 
Theological Seminary of Gran Colombia in Barranquilla, Colombia, will visit 
from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3.  Sammie Potts, president of Mary Holmes College in 
West Point, Miss., will be in the presbytery from Nov. 11 to Nov. 13. 
 
MINNEAPOLIS--Since October 1994, Twin Cities Area Presbytery has presented 
its "Fragile Family" banner each month to a congregation that has done the 
most to support and strengthen families. 
     Receiving the banner so far have been First Presbyterian Church of 
Kasson; the Presbyterian Church of the Way in Shoreview; Faith Presbyterian 
Church of Minnetonka; First Presbyterian Church of South St. Paul; 
Vanderburgh Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis; First Presbyterian Church 
of White Bear Lake; and Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska. 

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