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16-March-1998 
98090 
 
    News of Presbyteries and Synods 
 
    by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
PORTLAND, Ore.-Mary Mikhael, president of the Near East School of Theology 
in Beirut, Lebanon, will be a special guest of Cascades Presbytery from 
April 19 through 28. 
    While in the presbytery, Mikhael will speak to a cluster of Salem area 
churches at Westminster Presbyterian Church there April 19, to a cluster of 
Portland area churches at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church there April 
22, to a cluster of southern Oregon churches at Westminster Presbyterian 
Church of Medford on April 24 and to the presbytery's mission conferences 
for laypersons (April 25-26) and ministers (April 26-28). 
 
KALAMAZOO, Mich.-North Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo in Lake Michigan 
Presbytery was featured in the most recent issue of the "Journal of the 
California Alliance for the Mentally Ill." 
    The theme of the issue was "spirituality," and North Church's ministry 
with people with mental illness was the subject of a feature article. 
 
COLUMBUS, Ohio-At its January meeting, Scioto Valley Presbytery presented 
its fifth annual Peacemaker Awards. 
    The award winners are Emily Benner of Bainbridge (Ohio) Presbyterian 
Church; the Rev. Olive Haynes, parish associate at Indianola (Ohio) 
Presbyterian Church; Betty Lowe of First Presbyterian Church in Athens; 
Steven St. Martin of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Columbus; and the 
congregation of Hanover (Ohio) Presbyterian Church. 
 
BAINBRIDGE, N.Y.-Visits are being exchanged this winter and spring as the 
partnership between Susquehanna Valley Presbytery and the Ethiopian 
Evangelical Church Mekane Jesus develops. 
    In February Junietta Brooks of Northminster Presbyterian Church in 
Endwell and Tom Scott and the Rev. Scott Hill of First Presbyterian Church 
in Ithaca traveled to Ethiopia. 
    From April 21 through May 15, the Rev. Johannes Chewaka and the Rev. 
Teferi Barkessa of the Ethiopian church will visit Susquehanna Valley. 
 
SCRANTON, Pa.-Lackawanna Presbytery has scheduled its Mission Weekend, 
April 24-25.  The theme of the event is General Assembly mission. 
    The focus will be mutual mission opportunities, the work of PC(USA) 
missionaries around the world, resources available for mission and how 
congregations can get involved in Presbyterian mission around the world. 
Keynote speaker is Marilie Blanchard, associate director for people in 
mutual mission in the Worldwide Ministries Division in Louisville. 
 
BRENTWOOD, Tenn.-The Synod of Living Waters will host an orientation 
seminar April 17-18 for pastors and Christian educators who are serving 
their first call in the synod and who have been in that position for less 
than two years. 
    Participants will be introduced to the mission of the synod and to 
resources that are available to congregations.  The seminar will focus on 
start-up issues in new calls, leadership styles and role adjustments, and 
understanding new congregations and local cultures. 
    The seminar will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville. 
Keynote speaker is the Rev. Robert Ramey Jr., retired professor of ministry 
at Columbia Theological Seminary. 
 
HATTIESBURG, Miss.-Mississippi Presbytery will hold its annual Mission Fair 
March 28 at Westminster Presbyterian Church here. 
    Featured speakers will include the Rev. Paul Read, regional 
representative for the Medical Benevolence Foundation; Susan Ryan, acting 
coordinator for global service and witness in the Worldwide Ministries 
Division in Louisville; the Rev. Cody Watson of the Presbyterian Frontier 
Fellowship; and Jerry and Vernice Goode, members of First-Trinity 
Presbyterian Church in Laurel, who are active in missionary work in Cuba. 
 
MORGANTON, N.C.-"Building God's Kingdom" is the theme of an April 18 
workshop sponsored by Western North Carolina Presbytery for people who work 
with children in Sunday school, children's church and day-care centers. 
Co-sponsors are West Asheville Church of God and the Buncombe County Child 
Development Office. 
    Classes will be offered on "Children's Church on a Shoestring Budget," 
creative storytelling, parental communication and involvement, object 
lessons, "Gospel Illusions," playground safety, praise and worship, puppets 
and skits, and working with special needs children. 
 
PLAINFIELD, N.J.-The Justice for Women group of Elizabeth Presbytery is 
sponsoring an April 24-25 conference entitled "Through the Eyes of Eve: 
Biblical Perspectives on the Nature of Women." 
    The conference, to be held at Beachtree Manor Liebenzell Retreat Center 
in Schooley's Mountain, will be led by Carol Miles, a 1991 graduate of and 
Ph.D. candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary. 
 
PULASKI, Pa.-Shenango Presbytery has adopted a resolution calling on its 
churches to participate in a celebration of the centennial of Presbyterian 
mission involvement in Sudan in 2002.  The presbytery has a partnership 
with the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church. 
    The resolution, adopted Feb. 28, affirms the 100 years of Presbyterian 
mission involvement in Sudan, gives thanks to God for the witness of the 
Sudanese Presbyterian churches, creates a committee to prepare Shenango's 
churches for participation in the celebration and encourages all of the 
presbytery's churches to participate in the celebration. 

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