|
February 12, 2007 |
|
|
|
February 12, 2007 |
|
|
|
Reflections on New Orleans in 2007 As
Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Coordinator for Baltimore, National
Capital and New Castle Presbyteries, I just made my first “Post
Katrina” trip to New Orleans. I went to participate in the Presbyterian
Health, Education and Welfare Association conference, and to see for myself
the scope of the devastation along the gulf coast. I was stunned and shocked
by what I saw. Presbyterian
Church leaders led us on a tour of New Orleans, showing us neighborhoods
destroyed by the storms and failed levees. The Lower Ninth Ward looks like a
war zone. Walking around the Lower Ninth I found myself getting physically
sick either from mold in the air, or just the site of destroyed and forgotten
houses that people had once called “home”. Other
neighborhoods we visited still have hundreds of vacant lots and stretches of
open land where houses once stood. Houses that have been gutted or ones that
need to be torn down are everywhere. FEMA trailers dot the landscape as they
are placed in front yards or driveways. The city and her once vibrant
neighborhoods are quiet, and seemingly unoccupied. Once a city of almost
500,000 souls, New Orleans now has only about 200,000 residents. It
was a revelation for me to see the scope of the destruction and the slow pace
of recovery. But,
our God creates out of nothingness, and signs of hope do abound in New
Orleans. The Saints playoff
victory was a small but visible sign of hope during my visit, as it reminded
people of better days and lifted everyone’s spirits. A
more significant sign of hope is the faithful and exciting work being done by
the Presbytery of Southern Louisiana and the Presbytery of Mississippi. They
have turned the tragedy of hurricanes Katrina and Rita into opportunities for
service, evangelism and the rebuilding of community. Their witness is truly
remarkable and their perseverance is empowering. However,
they won’t restore their neighborhoods without our help. I challenge
you to consider how God is calling you and your congregation to respond to
the needs of the gulf coast, and consider these ways to help: 1.
Remember the people of the gulf coast in your prayers. 2.
Join the Presbytery of Southern Louisiana in their “Home
for Christmas” project. Materials cost only about $10,500 per house. See the flyer included in this issue
for more information. 3.
Send a much needed “Hands-on Mission” work team to
the gulf coast in 2007. Your
help is still badly needed. For information on gulf coast mission opportunities,
work team training and available financial assistance; please feel free to
contact me. Bob
Schminkey, Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Coordinator O: 410-708-6463 E: schmink@risafund.org |
Inside this issue Events of the Week: The
Big Event Grant
Writing Workshop Take Note/Act Now § Free Office Furniture § Seeking Organist & more § Brian McLaren @ First & Franklin § An Inconvenient Truth § Computer Training: MS Word § One-time Hunger Mission Grants § Gulf Coast Mission Trip: DMPC § Hou Kola Learning Camps 2007 § Letter from GA to Churches § Free Pastor’s post-Easter Respite Prayer
Concerns Trinity PC |
|
People Elizabeth Rogers is recovering from a broken leg. Kyle Powderly will begin as pastor of Hagerstown PC on March 1st. Betsy Baer’s final Sunday at Lakeland PC will be March 11th. She
will become a full-time chaplain at Baltimore-Washington Hospital Center. Helen Woodward will retire on March 31st
from Covenant PC. |
|
Prayer Concerns Springfield
PC asks for prayers: ·
For their youth program
and new band, Red Sea Parting ·
For their leadership, as
they nurture and energize their budding second service ·
For their redevelopment
team and search committee as they seek a redevelopment pastor Please
pray for: Trinity PC: ·
For the people as they continue ministry, for them
to be of one accord and to support one another as they seek to minister to
the community ·
For their partnership with the Berean PC in New
Orleans, that they would continue to grow closer together as they seek to
support them in their time of transition ·
For the safety of the
residents and workers in the community, where a large fire has resulted in
dense smoke in the area surrounding the church Contact Information For the Presbytery
Offices 800-511-0087 Office E-mail: office@baltimorepresbytery.org Website: www.baltimorepresbytery.org To Unsubscribe: email Alice
McGee or call the office |
Take Note/Act Now Baltimore
Presbytery Items (non-dated items
first; dated items in date order) The
Presbytery has been cleaning out its storage areas and has office
furniture and other items available for the taking. Any takers?
Please contact Wanda
Morgan by Feb.15th. The First PC of Frostburg, Maryland is currently seeking an Organist/Pianist (part-time, paid)
and a Director of our Children's Music
Ministry (part-time, paid). For more information contact the church
at 301.689.3538 or info@frostburgpresbyterian.org. First and Franklin
Street PC is pleased to welcome guest speaker Brian McLaren on Sunday, February 18th during their 10:30am
worship service. All are welcome (more). An Inconvenient Truth will be
screened at Maryland PC on Saturday, February 24th at 7:00pm. Following the
90-minute film there will be a discussion of climate change issues led by
Karen Zeller of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (more). The Presbytery will be hosting computer
training sessions on MS Word, March 7th and 14th from 9:00
a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Presbytery Office. The cost is $125.00/person
which includes training by Answer Quest Technologies and a manual for each
participant. A minimum of 15 participants are required to hold
this session (more). For
the sixth consecutive year, the Committee on Mission is pleased to announce
that a generous gift of $50,000
has been received from an anonymous donor. The Committee will share this gift
in the form of one-time grants for local
hunger mission projects. Proposals should are
due to Deb Milcarek by Monday, April 16 at 3:00pm (more). Dickey Memorial PC is leading a mission trip to the Gulf Coast June 16th-23rd
and has space for 6-8 more adults and/or youth. Reservations are due March 1st
(more).
The Hou Kola
Learning Camps Schedule for 2007 is posted on the Presbytery homepage calendar.
The flyer of summer camp dates and information is also linked here.
For more information e-mail dougadams@comcast.net or houkola@houkolalearningcamps.org. There
will be a partnership trip to Cuba
from November 23rd to 30th, 2007 to join in the celebration of the Centennial
of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Cabaiguán. We may arrange
authorization to travel by affiliating with a church in the partnership; this
type of affiliation is called honoraria,
and is legal. Interested? Contact John
Walter. Synod and General
Assembly The
General Assembly has distributed a
letter
to pastors and a letter
to congregations in response to the possible intention of some churches
to leave the denomination. Massanetta
Springs invites pastors, associate pastors and families to enjoy a free après-Easter respite,
April 8th-13th. There will also be a free buffet
breakfast on the 10th (more). Also on our website Don’t miss all the new Local Church Announcements at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/announcements.html Presbytery
Yearly Calendar Past Issues of Tidings are available at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/midweekmail.html. |
|
|
Peter Nord, Executive Presbyter |
Bill Millen, Associate Executive |
Charles Forbes, Stated Clerk |
|
Deb Milcarek Associate of |
Jane Johnson |
Rita Walters Director of Development rwalters@baltimorepresbytery.org |
|
Director of Public Policy |
Judi Forrester Coordinator of Financial Services |
Alice McGee Coordinator of Information Services |
|
Coordinator of Resources |
Janice Kominski Coordinator of Communications |
Questions? Comments? |
