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11-Jan-96

96013               Presbytery and Synod News 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
BERKELEY, Calif.--The Racial Ethnic Ministries Committee of San Francisco 
Presbytery recently gathered more than 40 pastors, elders and lay leaders 
of 13 racial ethnic ministries in the presbytery to discuss issues, 
concerns and strategies for strengthening their ministries. 
     The convocation, "A Day of Trying to Understand, Before Being 
Understood ... ," was held at Christ Presbyterian Church of San Francisco, 
a Japanese-American congregation.  Another convocation is scheduled for 
November 1996. 
 
BAINBRIDGE, N.Y.--The Rev. Itumaleng Mosala, a professor in the department 
of religious studies at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, will 
be keynote speaker for Susquehanna Valley Presbytery's "Presbytery Day," 
Feb. 24 at First Presbyterian Church of Bainbridge. 
     The event will also include workshops on a variety of practical topics 
for church leaders. 
 
BILLINGS, Mont.--"Anger in the Church -- Be Angry and Sin Not ..." is the 
theme of a clergy/spouse retreat sponsored by Glacier Presbytery Feb. 18-20 
at KwataqNuk Resort in Polson, Mont. 
     The retreat will address how to identify anger in the church, how to 
tell the difference between constructive and destructive anger, and how to 
recognize responses that are appropriate to each.  Leaders are the Rev. 
Lewis Wilkins, who has more than 30 years' experience working with pastors, 
and Judith Wilkins, a Presbyterian elder and family systems therapist in 
private practice in Lubbock, Texas. 
 
OKLAHOMA CITY--The Social Concerns Committee of Indian Nations Presbytery 
will sponsor a conference for teachers, child care workers, administrators 
and anyone else concerned about the church's role in caring for children 
April 20 at First Presbyterian Church here. 
     Keynote speaker is the Rev. Eileen Lindner, associate general 
secretary of the National Council of Churches and a renowned child 
advocate.  She is author of "When Churches Mind the Children," a standard 
text for those who administer church-sponsored children's programs. 
 
UTICA, N.Y.--For several years the deacons of New Hartford Presbyterian 
Church in Utica Presbytery have prepared small bags of Christmas gifts for 
inmates at the Oneida County Correctional Facility.  In 1995 they invited 
neighboring Presbyterian churches to join the effort. 
     With cooperation from seven other churches, 360 bags were given out. 
Each bag contained a Bible, paper and envelopes, pencils, tissue, combs, 
personal toiletries, candy canes and Christmas cards. 
     Participating churches in addition to New Hartford were Stone 
Presbyterian Church in Clinton; Norwich Corners Presbyterian Church; 
Moriah-Olivet Presbyterian Church; Verona Presbyterian Church; First 
Presbyterian Church of Whitesboro; Yorkville Presbyterian Church; and 
Cochran Memorial Presbyterian Church in Oneida Castle. 
 
PORTLAND, Ore.--Cascades Presbytery has set July 14-19 as the dates for its 
1996 Summer Conference at Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore. 
     Keynote speaker is the Rev. Marjorie Thompson, author of "Soul Feast." 
Music director is Larry Ball, director of music ministries at First 
Presbyterian Church of Orange, Calif.  Special guest speaker is Marj 
Carpenter, moderator of the 207th General Assembly (1995). 
 
MEMPHIS, Tenn.--The Rev. Paul Dekar, professor of evangelism and mission at 
Memphis Theological Seminary, will lead an evangelism workshop for Memphis 
Presbytery Feb. 9-10 at Advent Presbyterian Church in Cordova, Tenn. 
     The purpose of the workshop is to help churches develop specific 
strategies to assess the particular needs of their congregations, 
neighborhoods and larger communities and to develop strategies for 
evangelism in their communities. 
 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--The Professional Development Committee of Sheppards and 
Lapsley Presbytery and South Highland Presbyterian Church are cosponsoring 
a seminar entitled "Finding the Time: Clock Management Skills that 
Strengthen Clergy, Laity and Congregational Achievement," Feb. 20 at South 
Highland. 
     The seminar will be led by Herb Miller, author of nine books and 
executive director of Net Results Resource Center, a ministry of the 
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 
 
WASHINGTON, Pa.--Washington and Redstone presbyteries are joining for a 
March 8-10 retreat entitled "Worship and Service: Always in Season."  It 
will be held at Laurelville Retreat Center in Mt. Pleasant. 
     The retreat will include worship, music and a mission fair.  Three 
workshops will address "Being a Christian in the Greater Church," "Being a 
Christian in the Local Church and Community" and "Being a Christian at Work 
and at Play." 
 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--Santa Fe Presbytery has adopted a new structure that 
lodges more responsibility in the presbytery's council and reduces the 
number of presbytery committees. 
     The new structure changes the number of semiautonomous groups, each 
working on their own projects, to six council committees working together 
under the direction of the council toward presbytery-set goals and 
priorities.  The only presbytery committees will be the five mandated by 
the "Book of Order." 
 
SAGINAW, Mich.--Memorial Presbyterian Church in Midland, Mich., will be the 
site of Lake Huron Presbytery's "Big Event," Feb. 17. 
     Keynote speaker is the Rev. Zeta Lamberson, minister of education at 
Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.  The event will also include 
worship, workshops and a bookstore. 
 
SEATTLE--On Feb. 10, Seattle Presbytery will conduct its annual "Nuts and 
Bolts Conference" for church leaders at Newport Presbyterian Church. 
     The conference will feature worship led by the presbytery's new 
executive, the Rev. Boyd Stockdale, and workshops for all church leaders 
and employees.  It will include two accredited courses for certification in 
church administration by the Administrative Personnel Association. 
 
PHILADELPHIA--Twenty-four Mission Funding Task Force teams of Philadelphia 
Presbytery have begun visiting churches throughout the presbytery.  Their 
goal is to visit every session in the presbytery by early in the year. 
     Each team, made up of three or four elders and pastors, schedules a 
visit of at least one hour with a church's session to present the current 
status of Presbyterian mission at General Assembly, synod and presbytery 
levels. 
 
RICHLAND CENTER, Wis.--Between 12 and 15 Kenyan Presbyterians will visit 
The John Knox Presbytery in April and May as part of the presbytery's 
partnership with Ngong Hills Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of East 
Africa.  The visit will be the latest of several exchanges between the two 
governing bodies since 1993. 
 
HARRISONBURG, Va.--Leap Day will be special for Shenandoah Presbytery as 
its Professional Development Committee presents a preaching seminar 
entitled "Preaching from Within" with Don Wardlaw, professor of preaching 
and worship at McCormick Theological Seminary. 
     The Feb. 29 seminar at Massanetta Springs Conference Center will 
introduce Wardlaw's homiletical method of "eventful preaching." 

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