December 4, 2006

Hope about Future of Lakeland Hispanic NCD

As we light the Prophet’s candle this week we reflect on Hope. While we celebrate Advent and prepare for the coming of the Lord, we also have great hope about preparations for the creation of a church community to serve the Hispanic population in the Lakeland area. The feasibility study for the Lakeland Presbyterian Hispanic New Church Development has been going extremely well. The feasibility process has been to study the demographics of the area, gather an expert panel to create a survey, collect 240 surveys, and hold focus groups. At the end of the process, our goal is to understand what it would take to create a Hispanic Church in the Lakeland Presbyterian Church building. If we could create a core group of people and begin one ministry focus that would be fantastic.

At this point the process has yielded a robust supply of information:

Demographics tell us there are 9,897 Hispanics within 12 minutes of the Lakeland church.
An expert panel of six Hispanic planters from around the country has created a community survey. In addition, each planter provided an unsolicited set of recommendations about next steps.
Eighty hours of community surveying tell us that 3/4 of those surveyed have been in the area for less than three years.
2/3 of those surveyed were men
Literacy is clearly an issue for this population; survey respondents could not read the Spanish version of the survey to fill it out (requiring surveyors to read the surveys aloud to respondents).
There is a great need for English as a Second Language classes (78%)
There is a need for Health care fairs and related activities (47%)
59% did not belong to a church
Percentages of respondents who profess belief in: God (87%), Jesus (94%), the Holy Spirit (86%) and the Bible (89%)
Percentage of respondents who pray daily: 56%
Improving their living situation is the primary reason respondents noted for moving to America.
The first focus group was with three men from El Salvador and Mexico who now live in the area. They encouraged us to begin this ministry and said to persevere because once a few people come word will spread quickly.
Begin with community building; a remedy for loneliness and a place to gather are both critical for Hispanic immigrants
129 out of 250 survey respondents provided their contact information.

In many ways the results have been beyond our expectations. There is a buzz in the community: people have asked when services will start. It is clear that the potential for a New Church in this location is dramatic. As we prepare to receive the final results of the Feasibility Report, please pray for the New Church Development committee to discern appropriate next steps.

Bill Millen, Associate Executive Presbyter

Inside this issue

Events of the week:

Dec. 11 Vision Committee Meeting

5:00pm Hope PC

Take Note/Act Now

§ Part-time Organist

§ Assoc. Pastor of Ed. & Evang.

§ Dir. Of Contemporary Music

§ Assoc. Pastor for Outreach

§ Alternative Christmas Gifts

§ The Two Christmases

§ Live Nativity – Granite PC

§ Workshop on Preaching

§ Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality

Prayer Concerns

Harundale PC

People

Dave and Ann Pollitt have a new grandson, Isaac Martin Hill, who was born on December 2^nd.

Christmas Office Hours: the Presbytery offices will be closed on Monday, December 25^th and Tuesday, December 26^th. The offices will reopen on Wednesday, December 27^th.

Prayer Concerns

Harundale PC

requests prayers for their PNC:

· that the Spirit may lead them to the best candidate to minister to and with the Harundale community

· that they may continue to grow in their love of God and one another as they work together

Contact Information

For the Presbytery Offices
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410-433-2012 or

800-511-0087

Fax:
410-433-2066

E-mail:
office@baltimorepresbytery.org
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Take Note/Act Now

Baltimore Presbytery Items (non-dated items first; dated items in date order)

Catonsville PC is seeking a part-time organist for worship and choir rehearsal (details).

Glen Burnie Korean PC is searching for a part-time Associate Pastor for Christian Education and Evangelism (details).

Ark and Dove PC is searching for a part-time Director of Contemporary Music/Guitarist (details).

Hope PC is looking for a ½ time Associate Pastor for Outreach. If you are interested, or know someone who may be, call or e-mail Cherry Marshall (410-247-HOPE/4673) or cherryandhope@aol.com.

Looking for an alternative Christmas gift? Members of the Guatemala Partnership suggest giving the gift of a scholarship to an indigenous Guatemalan child or an Onil stove to a Guatemalan woman. Learn more and print greeting cards to let your family and friends know about the donation you’ve made in their name on our homepage.

“The Two Christmases: Looking at Christmas Traditions as they developed in the secular and Christian Communities” featuring speaker Dr. Joseph J. Walsh. At Brown Memorial Woodbrook PC on December 17^th at 11:30am (more).

Granite PC will have a Live Nativity on December 22^nd with performances at 7:30pm, 8:15pm and 9:00pm (more).

Synod and GA items

Dr. Anna Carter Florence, a Presbyterian minister who teaches preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary, will be leading a workshop on preaching, “Preaching in a Time of Conflict”, on Friday, January 26^th from 9:00am – 12:00pm in Wilmington, Delaware. Cost is $5 (more).

Other items
The Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center in Bangor, PA will be offering a weekend seminar, “Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church” led by Jack Rogers, former moderator of the PC(USA) from March 16-18, 2007 (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

pnord@baltimorepresbytery.org

Bill Millen, Associate Executive

bmillen@baltimorepresbytery.org

Charles Forbes, Stated Clerk

cforbes@baltimorepresbytery.org

Deb Milcarek

Associate of Mission and Justice

dmilcarek@baltimorepresbytery.org