April 24, 2006

Personal Adjustment Challenge

Later Jesus selected seventy and sent them ahead of him. He charged them. “On your way! But be careful – this is hazardous work.”

Good news: more and more Presbyterians in the Presbytery of Baltimore are going out to the innocent with our message. There are personal challenges for every one who begins to do this work.

We must be prepared for culture shock, a cross-cultural disorientation that makes us feel like the proverbial fish out of water. No matter the location, when we leave the confines of a home church and established Christian relationship, cultural shock will inevitably follow.

Cultural fatigue may be described as a low level of nagging culture shock. Repeated weariness from working as a ‘stranger in a strange land’ wears down optimism. We finally feel worn out, weary of being unaccustomed to how the people of the culture think, talk and react to life. We may feel overcome with emotional exhaustion.

Because we inevitably become vulnerable to culture shock and fatigue, we must prepare ourselves emotionally to face this challenge. Even if we are in our home town, it will be stressful to focus on those who have no faith community in that town since they are in the unchurched culture and we are from a churched culture.

The seventy came back triumphant. At that Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. When we take the call to proclaim the Good News and the warning “be careful” seriously, we will experience this joy.

Bill Millen

PS - Please note the date change in the Magnetic Church Workshop (read more)

Inside this issue

Events of the Week

Presbyterian Women Spring Gathering

April 29^th 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Grace PC 410.466.4000

Clerks of Session meeting for reading

of minutes, “Baltimore” group:

April 29th 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Govans PC 410.435.9188

Take Note/Act Now

§ Scholarships and Grants

§ Presbyterian Women Gathering

§ Non-violence Training Retreat

§ Cuban Friends’ Visit

§ Rescheduled Katrina Workshop

§ Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel

§ Guatemala Youth Mission Trip

§ Sexual Misconduct Policies

§ Synod Men’s Conference

§ Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary’s

Prayer Concerns

St. Andrew PC

Frederick PC

People

Please pray for Carol Cole, Alice McGee’s mother, who was hit by a car this past weekend.

George DeMass will be representing Baltimore at the Dakota Presbytery the first weekend in May.

Prayer Concerns

St. Andrew PC

asks for prayers:

· for the completion of their new building

· for the ribbon cutting for the new building on June 4^th

· for increased stewardship

· for completion of the session and deacon restructuring

· for VBS June 19-23

· for the mission trip to Florida July 15-22

Frederick PC

asks for prayers:

· to rejoice with the congregation of Frederick PC as it dedicates its new building on May 7^th, making the church facility fully accessible to those who are physically challenged

· for discernment for our PNC as it continues its pastoral search

· for the faith growth of the congregation as it looks forward to the next chapter in its ongoing ministry and mission

· for its invitational and welcoming ministry

Take Note/Act Now

Baltimore Presbytery Items

A number of scholarships and grants are available to individuals and churches through the Presbytery and Synod. Some scholarships, upcoming deadlines, and application links:

· Robert J. Turner Scholarship for travel on a Presbytery-sponsored mission trip (May 15)

· Robert F. and Rosa M. Ferguson Student Scholarship offers $5000 toward college tuition (May 15)

· Presbyterian Camps Synod Scholarship for attendance at a Presbyterian camp (None)

· Synod of the Mid-Atlantic Visionary Fund for new, existing, racially inclusive and creative programs which address ways to implement the priorities of education, evangelism and social justice (June 30)

· Synod of the Mid-Atlantic Jubilee Fund to be used for African-American Clergy Recruitment, African-American Christian Education, African-American Congregational Leadership Development, African-American Youth Ministry (July 15)

Please contact Deb Milcarek for more information or see the scholarship page of our website.

Presbyterian Women’s Spring Gathering is on April 29th at Grace PC. The event will include election of new officers, installation of new officers by PW Synod Moderator Shelda Wills, speaker Elizabeth McGregor (2005 Global Mission participant), Worship and Communion.

Register now for the Baltimore Presbytery Nonviolence Training Retreat on May 5-7, 2006, titled “Transforming Violence Into Wholeness”. Registration and information forms are available off of the calendar on the Presbytery home page. Deadline: Friday, April 28.

Cuban friends Margarita Cedalia Lorenzo Gonzalez (Aya) and Loida Pastora Lorenzo Blanco will be visiting Baltimore May 8-16, 2006. Ashland and Light Street Presbyterian Churches will be hosting activities and celebrations. More information to come (Aya and Loida).

Hurricane Katrina work trips & training: A rescheduled workshop for those who want to organize such workgroups will be held Saturday, May 20^that First PC of Howard County. RSVP by May 12^th. (New Flyer).

Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel will be speaking at Woods PC on Saturday, May 20^th from 2-5pm. The topic is “Mission, Justice, and Peace is our Calling”. Register by May 14 to Pam Ward, 410.647.2550. Learn more and see the brochure through Local Church Announcements.

The Presbytery Youth Mission Trip to Guatemala will be from July 29^th through August 5^th to work with our partner in Mission, the Kaqchikel Presbytery. The trip is open to current HS sophomores, juniors, and seniors and college students. There is also an opening for a second female chaperone. Contact Pastor Steve Tisinger for more information (410) 974-1713.

Do you have a program you use to prevent sexual misconduct or harassment or have you written a Sexual Misconduct Policy in the past year? If so, the Presbytery would like to make use of your experience - please share what you have created - email pnord@baltimorepresbytery.org

Synod and GA items

The 2006 Annual Mid-Atlantic Synod Men’s Conference will be held at Massanetta Springs from July 14 – 16. (Brochure) Or learn more at www.midatlanticmen.org.

Other Resources and Articles

The Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary and University offers master’s-level degrees, certificates, and courses. Registration for the summer term begins Monday, April 24. Auditors are welcome! For more information contact Patty Rath, Coordinator of Recruitment & Communication at 410-864-4200 or prath@stmarys.edu, or visit our website at www.stmarys.edu/ei.

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

pnord@baltimorepresbytery.org

Bill Millen, Associate Executive

bmillen@baltimorepresbytery.org

Deb Milcarek

Associate of Mission and Justice

dmilcarek@baltimorepresbytery.org

Charles Forbes, Stated Clerk

cforbes@baltimorepresbytery.org