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04-November-1996 
 
 
96433               Presbytery and Synod News 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--The Rev. Warner Durnell, associate synod executive for 
the Synod of Living Waters since 1988, has resigned in order to accept a 
call as pastor of St. Andrews Presbyerian Church in Nashville, Tenn. 
 
SAGINAW, Mich.--The 1997 "Big Event" for leaders in the Presbytery of Lake 
Huron has been scheduled for Feb. 15.   The gathering will include worship, 
workshops, a bookstore and a keynote address by former General Assembly 
moderator the Rev. Robert W. Bohl. 
 
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--When the historic (1907) Freeman House next door to 
Central Presbyterian Church here came on the market several years ago, the 
North Alabama Presbytery member congregation bought it.  In need of repair 
and a vision, the house sat there until Rhonda Mitchell, Central Church's 
coordinator of Christian education, came up with the ministry to fit the 
building: a music conservatory. 
     Renovation is nearly complete and soon Freeman House will provide a 
place where students may learn vocal and instrumental music and develop 
positive relationships with teachers and other mentors. All equipment will 
be provided and other church volunteers will be around to offer 
encouragement and spiritual nurture. 
     Named the Hawthorne Conservatory, the ministry will be funded 
primarily by Central Church's Hawthorne Trust, but others in the presbytery 
will also be donating musical instruments, other equipment, time and money. 
 
CLEMMONS, N.C.--The Rev. Jefferson Ritchie, coordinator for international 
evangelism in the Worldwide Ministries Division in Louisville, will be the 
keynote speaker for Salem Presbytery's 1997 Mission Conference.  The event 
will take place Jan. 18, 1997, at First Presbyterian Church in 
Winston-Salem, N.C.  The theme is "Into All the World...A church for every 
people, the gospel for every person." 
 
LEXINGTON, Ky.--On Dec. 3, the Presbytery of Transylvania will honor its 
executive presbyter, the Rev. William McAtee, on the occasion of his 
retirement.  McAtee has served on the staff of the presbytery since 1971, 
the last 15 as its executive. 
 
UTICA, N.Y.--Utica Presbytery recently held three two-hour dialogues on the 
so-called "fidelity and chastity" amendment to the "Book of Order." 
Sponsored by the presbytery's Committee on Ministry, the dialogues took 
place Oct. 22 at First Presbyterian Church of Ilion, N.Y.; Oct. 24 at First 
Presbyterian Church of Oneida, N.Y.; and Oct. 29 at First Presbyterian 
Church of Boonville, N.Y. 
 
MEMPHIS, Tenn.--As in many years past, Thanksgiving dinner will be served 
this year at Memphis Presbytery's Pinecrest Conference and Retreat Center. 
In addition to dinner, the day will include hayrides, walks in the woods 
and "rocking chair fellowship" by the fireplace at the center. 
 
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.--South Dakota Presbytery focused on rural parish 
development at its fall meeting, Oct. 25, at First Presbyterian Church of 
Aberdeen.  Led by the Rev. Carl Goeres, assistant director of field 
education at Princeton Theological Seminary, the special program addressed 
the history and value of cooperative parishes and the development of church 
and community ministries. 
 
ROSWELL, N.M.--It was a busy summer for work teams from churches in Sierra 
Blanca Presbytery. A 29-member team from First Presbyterian Church of 
Artesia and First Presbyterian Church of Dexter traveled to Sunland Park 
(near El Paso, Texas), where they did construction work for the day-care 
center there and led vacation Bible school. 
     Thirteen members of First Presbyterian Church in Las Cruces spent nine 
days on a Navajo reservation in Arizona, where they taught vacation Bible 
school and did some work on church buildings and grounds. 
     Two mission teams from First Presbyterian Church in Roswell worked on 
Habitat for Humanity projects in Salt Lake City and Oklahoma City. 
 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--"Seasons of the Church Year," a workshop to give teachers 
of children and youth ideas for Christian education programs around lent 
and advent, will be conducted by Sheppards and Lapsley Presbytery, Feb. 1, 
1997, at Independent Presbyterian Church here. 
 
POMPANO BEACH, Fla.--"How, in the name of heaven, do you talk to the 
secular society?" is the theme of a Nov. 7 workshop sponsored by the 
Presbytery of Tropical Florida.   
     The workshop, led by the Rev. Ben Johnson of Columbia Theological 
Seminary, will address how Presbyterians can communicate their faith to the 
unchurched in ways that can be understood.  The event will take place at 
Second Presbyterian Church of Ft. Lauderdale. 
 
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.--The Theology and Worship Committee of Riverside 
Presbytery and the Academy for the Arts of Calvary Presbyterian Church in 
Riverside are hosting a "Weekend of Worship," Nov. 8-9, at Calvary Church. 
     The conference is designed so that participants will experience 
worship that is Reformed, refreshing and renewing; will discover ways to 
unleash creativity in worship; and will discuss issues of music and 
contemporary worship.  Keynote speaker is Glaucia Vasconselos-Wilkey, 
associate for worship in the Congregational Ministries Division in 
Louisville. 

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