Together Transforming…Lives. Church. World.

 

Welcome

Gretchen van Utt, as Interim pastor at Harundale PC effective Feb 14.

 

People

 

“Passionate About Giving” Stewardship Training, Jan 22 at Brown Memorial Woodbrook PC.      POSTPONED

 

Presbytery Meeting - Jan 27, 1 pm at Faith PC

 

The Big Event - Finding Jesus - Feb 26, 8:30 am until 3:45 pm, at Woods Memorial PC.

 

Check out Local Church Announcements and the

 

 

Presbytery’s Yearly Calendar

 

The Presbytery meeting scheduled for June 23 will be held at First of Howard County at 4:00 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Events
Text Box: Presbytery of Baltimore 5400 Loch Raven Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21239 Office: 410-433-2012 1-800-511-0087 Fax: 410-433-2066 www.baltimorepresbytery.org General email: office@baltimorepresbytery.org Staff Peter Nord Executive Presbyter pnord@baltimorepresbytery.org Bill Millen Associate Executive bmillen@baltimorepresbytery.org Julie Helms Administrative Associate jhelms@baltimorepresbytery.org Charles Forbes Stated Clerk cforbes@baltimorepresbytery.org Terry Martin-Minnich Education/Resourcing tmartinmin@baltimorepresbytery.org Judi Forrester Coordinator of Financial Services jforrester@baltimorepresbytery.org Alice McGee Coordinator of Information Services amcgee@baltimorepresbytery.org Dot Sanchez Coordinator of Communications dsanchez@baltimorepresbytery.org Mary Ellen Barrett Resource Librarian mebarrett@baltimorepresbytery.org

January 18, 2005

Foresight and Gratitude

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Tidings is sent weekly on Monday afternoons.

Our primary audience is church professionals in the Presbytery of Baltimore.

 

 
Tidings

 

The Central Maryland Ecumenical Council and St. Jude Shrine invite everyone to The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Ecumenical Prayer Service, Tuesday, January 18 at 7:00 pm, at St. Jude Shrine. A bulletin insert can be downloaded from this link.  [read more].

President Bush has signed legislation allowing taxpayers the option of deducting cash gifts specifically designated for the December 26 Asian tsunami on 2004 tax returns if the gift is made before February 1, 2005. Additional information may be found on the IRS’s website at http:www.irs.ustreas.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id+133273,00.html.

Tom Xenakis, a workshop leader at the Big Event on February 26, is offering an exhibition of his work at the Dadian Gallery at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. The exhibition opens on Thursday, January 20, 5-8 pm, with 31 paintings and “much food and drink.” Xenakis’ Big Event workshop will be Icon Images of Jesus: The Art of Theology, The Theology of Art.

 

The Reformed Institute of Metropolitan Washington presents its annual convocation Why Calvin Matters Today presented by Dr. Jane Dempsey Douglas, Hazel Thompson McCord Professor of Historical Theology, emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary, to be held on Saturday, January 29 at Fairfax PC, 10723 Main St., Fairfax, VA. For directions: www.fairfaxpresby.com. Coffee at 9, presentation 9:30 - noon. No charge. 

 

An invitation has been received from the EP of the Presbytery of Philadelphia to pastors and lay leaders to attend “Becoming a Missional Church,” a series of Thursday evening sessions held at Princeton Theological Seminary’s Center of Continuing Education beginning on January 27, and continuing on February 3, 10 & 17. Cost $50 for 4 sessions. For more information call 800-622-6767 ext. 7990, or visit www.ptsem.edu/ce/PG05/downloads/Courses_Liaty.pdf

 

“Preaching 2005 - Festival of Homiletics”, May 16-20, 2005 at Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, IL. For more details: www.festivalofhomiletics.com or for information on registration by mail: Festival of Homiletics, 13540 E. Boundary Rd., Bldg. 2, Ste 105, Midlothian, VA 23112-3943; by phone: 1-800-866-8631 (9:30-4:00 ET); by fax: 1-804-744-0253; or by email: dhowell3@earthlink.net.

 

Check out the Job Opportunities posted on the Presbytery website.

Current and past issues of Tidings can be downloaded from the Presbytery of Baltimore’s web site. [link]

 

 

TakeNote/ActNow

Questions or comments? Email Dot at: dsanchez@baltimorepresbytery.org or call 410-433-2012

To subscribe or unsubscribe please Email Alice at: amcgee@baltimorepresbytery.org or call 410-433-2012
Text Box: Why do we raise endowment funds? To support our work – yes. But we raise endowment funds also as a way to return thanks for what has been bestowed on us. Securing endowment funds is not a soft sell. If you have ever tried it, you know it is very hard work. Even convincing a church of the need to raise additional endowment funds is hard won. A number of churches and the Presbytery itself appear to be quite comfortable with current endowments. We know our ministries depend on the income from our investments, so we husband our endowments very carefully. But we do nothing to increase them. I’ve heard several interesting, sometimes clever, reasons why raising endowment funds is not a good idea. For example… “Members come here because they know they will not be stretched in their financial giving.” “Tell me Bill, how would you suggest we get community residents and businesses to give to our church’s deferred maintenance fund?” “When we decided to have our first capital campaign in 35 years, some folks quietly left.” “As a membership growth strategy, I used to tell potential new members that we have a large endowment so they wouldn’t have to give much money.” This is my favorite: “The rapture index is at 152. The world will end soon.” Gradually my realization has grown that if others had not provided for us, we would not be in business – at least not as much business or as useful and interesting business. In reformed terms, I find myself grateful for God’s providence and for the foresight of those who endowed our churches and the Presbytery of Baltimore in the first place. Their gifts were expressions of gratitude for God’s providential care of them. Bill Millen

 

Faith asks for prayers for:

 

   Its ministry in this part of the city.

   Our Children.

   Needs of an aging physical plant, which affect the budget.

   Church growth.

 

 

First & Franklin Street asks for prayers for:

 

   Blessings on the 5 new initiatives we are working on looking toward our 250th anniversary in 2011.

   New school library project we are beginning.

   Joy in celebrating 25 years as a More Light Church.

Prayers for Sun, Jan 23

Good News to Share

 

Churchville PC participated in the Emergency Winter Shelter Mission project and opened their doors to the homeless of Harford County from December 6 to 13. About 100 members of Churchville and 18 volunteers from other churches provided food, shelter, supervision, laundry service and transportation for 12-13 guests. This was Churchville’s gift to Christ for His birthday!