EP’s Missive Feb/March 2009
EPs Missive Feb/March 2009
Personal reflection on recent presbytery meeting and a few resources both written and internet links that I have found helpful for ministry. Blessings to you all in your ministry, and thank you for all your encouragement as I serve as your Executive Presbyter.
Call to Prayer:
Our Presbytery meeting, Tuesday March 17th, was the beginning of a season of prayer in the Presbytery of Santa Barbara. The beginning and heart of our Presbytery meeting this month had over an hour and a half devoted to prayer, song, prayer, hearing God’s word, praying for one another, prayer for the churches, prayer for the economy and prayer for the presbytery. Let’s covenant to pray through the coming months. Plus we did all the other good business of the Presbytery.
Pray for healing for Jeff Working (Ken’s son) heart issues.
Prayer for Turkey. Art Beals has forwarded this request: Greetings from Turkey - the land of Noah, of Abraham, of Paul, of Antioch, of Acts, of the Seven Churches of Revelation, of Nicea, ………
We would like to invite you to join us in a commitment that we as the current churches of Turkey have made: as from this year, 2009, to set aside every year, the day of April 18 as the “International Day of Prayer for Turkey”.
Why April 18? We had been thinking of such a day of prayer for many years as we knew we needed more prayer from around the world. Various dates were being proposed, when, as you will sadly recall, three of our brothers were brutally murdered, martyred, in the city of Malatya in 2007. On 18 April 2007, Necati Aydin, Tillman Geske and Ugur Yüksel were murdered for no other reason than actively living and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. We know that their deaths, that saddened God’s heart and our hearts, were not in vain.
We feel that more than any other event, mingling their memory in deep prayer for the country they and we all love, will honour their sacrifice.
We therefore call upon the body of Christ worldwide to join us each year on April 18, to pray for the church and the land/people of Turkey.
Big Stuff Happening!!
Front Porch San Luis Obispo College Student Residence to Open This Fall
The Bulldozers are moving, the trash is being picked up and the Demolition work is finished!! And the buildings and residence hall and scheduled to be open this August for the first students in our Presbyterian Student Community at Cal Poly. So if your church has college students going to Cal Poly, make sure you contact the Presbytery Office to get a folder and application when they come out. Pray for the Front Porch board and all working on the project.
Overview:
At our last presbytery meeting: we approved welcoming into membership Brett Becker, the new pastor for St. Andrew’s~Santa Barbara. Pray for him as he and his family move.
We approved for ordination: Beau Smith our Front Porch~San Luis Obispo campus pastor. Pray for him as he plans his ordination service that will be held in Colorado.
We approved as Commissioned Lay Pastor, Jeannie Cavender, who will now serve as CLP for Goleta Presbyterian and has been authorized to perform Baptisms, moderate session, lead in Communion and other areas of ministry. Be in prayer as Dale Ridenour becomes the new Interim Pastor at Goleta Presbyterian.
A special thank you to Dale Ridenour for his ministry at St. Andrew’s as Interim Pastor these last few years.
We also approved Diana Hopkins as the stated supply for Summerland. Pray for her as she picks up the ministry following John McEntyre’s move to the Oakland area.
Your Presbytery Council has called together a “Presbytery Awareness Task Force” to put in place a mission interpretation program that will be coming to the churches and sessions. Be in prayer for convener: Robert Farrow, and others who are working on a brochure and a mission funding model for our presbytery to put in place mid-April. Also Presbytery Council will approve cuts to the budget in May, so if you have not gotten your mission pledge forms in to the office, please do so, or contact Michelle Holmes with an estimate. Your Hearts and Hands gifts are still needed.
Lay Leader Training and Session / Team Building
Three events highlighted our work as partner churches these last two months.
We now have 15 people in the Lay Leader Training, learning polity, preaching, pastoral care, theology and more. Pray for them, and realize that this program has had a marvelous effect on churches, where key leaders have been sent to the courses.
Over 25 people and five teams came to the Teaminar led by David Ross. David presented a model for teamwork based on Pat Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Everyone came away with a great understanding and awareness of how positive outcomes take place. They also came away with significant specific tools and skills to use in the home churches.
Pastor’s Retreat, was a significant time of connecting pastors with one another through content led by Paul Ford, and time together. Make sure you put the Pastor’s Retreat, scheduled for Feb 28-Mar 2, 2010 in your calendar now.
Upcoming Dreams and Vision:
Byung Min and Grace Korean Presbyterian Church are in the process of becoming a church development of the Presbytery of Santa Barbara, nested at Community Presbyterian Church in Nipomo. Pray for them in the process, and check out their web-link at our Presbytery Website:
http://www.sbpres.com/Site_2/한인교회.html
Presbytery of Albania
Art Beals, Paul Dugan along with members of CPC Ventura, have been in dialog about helping reformed Christians in Albania establish a denomination. We have been translating the Book of Order into Albanian, and discussing how an Albanian Book of Order might be different. In May we hope to have the first presentation to presbytery regarding our nesting/hosting/embracing a New Presbytery Development of Albania in our presbytery. The outcome being to have a vital and vibrant church in the coming years, with reformed theology and a heart for mission, established in this former Maoist country. Pray for the leadership as we put this process together.
Attachments:
You will find several attachments to this e-mail
1. Health Care and Single Payer Solution workshop
2. Renewal Workshop and Registration
3. Oberammergau Luther trip with Kent Meads and Jan Armstrong
Stewardship Resources?
Churches in both Santa Ynez Valley had 100s of people out for David Ramsey workshop of financial planning. This budgeting and planning workshop seems very well received during these financially uncertain times, and may be a good pre-courser to Stewardship programs planned for the fall. Call the churches for more information.
Old Recommendations:
Greg Hawkins Reveal
Worship University (an online worship leader training school)
http://www.worshipministryu.com/public/10.cfm?affID=essmedia
Another Muslim group encouraging and working toward religious tolerance:
Find Your Inner Hebrew, click on the MP3 file,:
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt00.htm#mp3
Blessings, Jan
Friday, April 17, 2009
