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30-August-1996 
 
 
96315               Presbytery and Synod News 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
AZUSA, Calif.--Pentecost Sunday witnessed the merging of two century-old 
congregations of San Gabriel Presbytery.  The historic merger brought 
together First Presbyterian Church of Alhambra and True Light Chinese 
Presbyterian Church. 
     The seed for the merger was planted more than a year ago when 
presbytery executive the Rev.  Bryce Little, Alhambra pastor the Rev. 
Foster Shannon, True Light pastor the Rev. Peter Lai and True Light 
pastoral assistant Darwin Ng met to discuss some form of cooperation in 
serving the changing community in Alhambra. 
     The Alhambra True Light Presbyterian Church conducts worship services 
in both English and Chinese.  Shannon and Lai serve as co-pastors. 
 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--Five congregations in Santa Fe Presbytery are entering a 
four-year cooperative effort to develop the most effective and efficient 
ministries for their respective communities. 
     The five churches -- El Buen Pastor Presbyterian Church, Chimayo; 
Smith Memorial Presbyterian Church, Truchas; Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, 
Penasco/Chamisal; El Rito Presbyterian Church, Chacon; and First 
Presbyterian Church, Mora -- will call designated pastors for the duration 
of the cooperative efforts.  Other aspects of the plan include demographic 
studies, mission studies, development of creative stewardship and 
evangelism programs. 
     The presbytery has voted to direct 45 percent of its mission budget in 
the next four years to mission-supported churches.  The commitment will 
undergird not just these five churches, but all of the presbytery's 
mission-supported churches. 
 
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.--On Aug. 24, Sahara Chea was ordained by San Joaquin 
Presbytery as its "evangelist for Cambodian outreach" in the Bakersfield 
area.  Chea is the first Cambodian ordained in the Presbyterian Church 
(U.S.A.).  A graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary, Chea has been 
under the care of First Presbyterian Church of Bakersfield.  The first step 
in Chea's ministry is the formation of a Cambodian fellowship group that is 
nesting at First Church. 
 
HARRISONBURG, Va.--The Professional Development Committee of Shenandoah 
Presbytery is sponsoring a one-day workshop with the Rev. Edward A. White, 
senior consultant for the Alban Institute, on Sept. 18 at Massanetta 
Springs. 
     The workshop will address such issues as a basic model for strategic 
planning, the marks of a healthy congregation, healthy pastor-parish 
relationships, empowering the laity for their ministry, what it means to be 
the church in a post-Christian society and why congregations resist change 
and what to do about it. 
 
PARAMUS, N.J.--Palisades Presbytery has adopted mission priorities for the 
next five years. 
     The priorities are divided into three groups and are intended to 
"Strengthen Our Congregations," "Strengthen Our Presbytery" and "Strengthen 
Our People."  They include plans to foster direct relationships among 
congregations and take full advantage of new and flexible models for 
mission, ministry and communication.  One goal of the priorities is that 
every congregation in the presbytery will share a working relationship with 
at least one other congregation.  They also place a particular emphasis on 
support for urban congregations. 
 
BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--Middle Tennessee Presbytery executive presbyter the Rev. 
Jim Cushman has resigned in order to accompany his wife, Polly, to 
Harrisonburg, Va., where she has been named an associate professor at James 
Madison University. 
 
SPOKANE, Wash.--Two workshops for financial secretaries and clerks of 
session in Inland Northwest Presbytery will be held this fall. 
     Sponsored by the presbytery's Division on Care and Equipping, the 
workshops will be held Sept.  28 at Potlatch Community Church in Potlatch, 
Idaho, and Oct. 5 at Opportunity Presbyterian Church in Spokane. 
     Topics to be covered include record keeping, retention of records, 
audits and reviews, annual reports and a streamlined process for reviewing 
session records by the presbytery. 
 
SALINA, Kan.--"Nurturing God's People '96" is the theme of Northern Kansas 
Presbytery's continuing education event for church leaders, teachers, 
officers and staff members.  It will be held Sept.  21 at Sunrise 
Presbyterian Church in Salina. 
     Keynote speaker is Sylvia Washer, executive presbyter for Mission 
Presbytery and author of "Get Ready, Get Set, Worship!"  The gathering will 
also include more than 15 workshops on a variety of topics. 
 
ANAHEIM, Calif.--Wintersburg Presbyterian Church in Garden Grove will be 
the scene Oct. 12 for "Taking a Stand in a Changing World: Linking Reformed 
Faith to Life," the annual "Spectrum" conference of Los Ranchos Presbytery. 
     Keynote speaker for the event is the Rev. Art Sueltz, pastor of Pt. 
Loma Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego and a renowned author and 
lecturer.  The event will also include a dozen workshops on various aspects 
of worship, education, preaching, evangelism and spirituality. 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The Rev. Richard M. Ferguson, a retired pastor and former 
co-director of The Bicentennial Fund, has been named interim executive 
presbyter for Louisville Presbytery.  He temporarily fills the post made 
vacant by the retirement of the Rev. Charles Stanford. 
     Ferguson served pastorates in Pennsylvania and Ohio before moving to 
Louisville.  He retired in 1993. 
 
MEMPHIS, Tenn.--Twenty-two workshops will offer church leaders of Memphis 
Presbytery a broad range of topics at the annual "Fall Training Day" 
sponsored by the presbytery's Congregational Leadership Committee, Sept. 14 
at Advent Presbyterian Church in Cordova. 
     Keynote speaker is the Rev. John Mulder, president of Louisville 
Presbyterian Theological Seminary, who will speak on "Where Do We Go from 
Here?" 
 
DES MOINES, Iowa--The Advocacy for Women Task Force of Des Moines 
Presbytery sponsored a program on domestic violence prior to the 
presbytery's Aug. 17 meeting at Heartland Presbyterian Church. 
     The program included a dramatic presentation, "Mutual Submission," and 
talks by domestic abuse survivors and a former batterer.  Workshops 
included "When Our Theology is Abusive," "Love Shouldn't Hurt: How Clergy 
Can Respond Effectively to a Victim's Cry for Help," "Children and Teens 
Under Siege" and "Working with Abusive Men." 

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