December 14, 2007

Heeding the Call

(This Article is Part I of a Two-Part Series)

Their names are Andy, Bill, Catherine, Cathy, Cheryl, Connie, Fred, Hal, Howard, Janet, Janice, Jeff, Jeff, Jenny, Kim, Mark, Melissa, Pat, Ryan, Senoria and Susan. They are women and men, young and old, of different races and ethnicities. Some are fresh out of college; others have had long careers. Some are married; some are single; others are in significant relationships but not quite ready to tie the knot. Some have young children; some have grown children; others have none. Some are worried about raising their kids; some are worried about their aging parents. Some are strapped for cash; others are more financially secure. Some have lived in one place pretty much their

whole life; others have moved around all over the country. Some have grown up in the PC(USA); others have not. Some are musicians; some are poets; some are writers; some are teachers; some are caregivers; some are advocates and some are organizers. Some are “conservative;” some are “liberal”; others defy easy categorization. Some are pretty traditional; others are kind of postmodern.

In other words, they’re a lot like you and me.

What makes these individuals particularly special is that they are all exploring a sense of call to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). All of them are members of churches here in our presbytery. All of them are loved and supported by their home congregations. All of them have received endorsement, or are in the process of receiving endorsement, from the Sessions of their home churches to explore this sense of call to ministry through a lengthy process of discernment, and most of them have already received endorsement from this presbytery to become enrolled as “inquirers” – people who are sincerely exploring a sense of call to the ordained ministry through a structured process. Some of them have become “candidates” – people whom we believe truly are called to the ministry of Word and Sacrament, but have a bit more work yet to do. A few of them have successfully passed through all the trials, and are ready to be ordained.

You have already met many of these fine individuals. You have questioned a number of them on their sense of call to the ministry; you have examined some of them on their theology. Some of them might consider your church their church home. Some of them might be ministering, right now, in your congregation. They are incredibly talented, gifted people. They are a joy to get to know. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to engage in ministry with them.

Bill Pinches

for the Committee on Preparation for Ministry

Inside this Issue

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Take Note/Act Now

§ Annual Statistical Reporting Deadline Feb. 20^th

§ Mission Partnership Grant-Writing Workshop

§ Habitat for Humanity

§ Towson Presbytery Lent Events

§ Spaghetti Dinner

§ Developmental Disabilities Day

§ Weekend to Remember

§ 2008 Hau Kola Learning Camps

§ Christian Peace Witness Event

§ Clergy Get-Away

§ Ecumenical Institute of Theology

People

The Presbytery of Baltimore welcomes new ministers Rev. Mark Hanna to Roland Park Presbyterian Church and Rev. John Thomas to Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church.

We also give thanks for the ministry of Rev. Mary Jo Dean at Hancock Presbyterian Church; Rev. Carroll D. Jenkins at Madison Avenue; Ted Durr at Roland Park Presbyterian Church; and, Rev. Terry Schoener at Granite Presbyterian Church.

Prayer & Praise

Please pray for the renewed health of Rev. David Harris and Presbytery staff, Roger Evans – both of whom are recovering after recent surgeries.

Contact Information

The Presbytery of Baltimore:

Phone: 410-433-2012

or 800-511-0087

Office E-mail: office@baltimorepresbytery.org

Website: www.baltimorepresbytery.org

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Take Note/Act Now

Baltimore Presbytery Items

Save the Date! The Big Event will be held Saturday, Feb. 23^rd at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. The Education and Nurture Committee will offer 10 (ten) scholarships to the Big Event. For more information, contact, jjohnson@baltimorepresbytery.org Please include this important event in your church bulletin this Sunday!.

Only Ten Days Left for Your Church to Report its Annual Statistics On-line! Few Presbytery of Baltimore churches have completed this dire task prior to the midnight deadline on February 20^th. For further information on filing your report, please contact vbrown@baltimorepresbytery.org

Church Notices

Join members of Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church in a Habitat for Humanity adventure on Feb. 16^th. Meet at 7am at the church to get in on the carpool. For more information, contact Roger Shull at 410.451.1233 or shullfamily5@msn.com or contact your church for participation in a local project.

Inspirational Programs for Lent at Towson Presbyterian Church. Join us for our Friday evening Human Rights Film Festival from 7pm-9pm on February 22^nd, 29^th and March 7^th, 14^th. And, all are welcomed 12:10pm-12:45pm on Wednesdays during Lent for Music and Meditation programs. Click here.

Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church will sponsor a Spaghetti Dinner on March 15^th. Contact the church at 410.679.3322 for further details.

Synod and General Assembly Items

Join the Presbytery in supporting Developmental Disabilities Day in Annapolis on February 26^th. The agenda includes a legislative reception and briefing as well as several hours of constituent meetings with legislators. For more information, click: http://www.md-council.org/resources/PDF/DDDay_Flyer08.pdf

It’s not too late to sign up for the Weekend to Remember marriage conferences in February and March. For more information, contact Cindy of Steve Pettit at 301.490.7304 or ccpettit@comcast.net.

Pack your gear and join us this summer for the 2008 HAU KOLA Learning Camp Season. For more information, click Hau Kola.

Other Items and Events

Christian Peace Witness will sponsor a witness and worship event in Washington, D.C. on March 7^th For more information, click Christian Peace Witness.

Clergy Get-Away: Theological Reflection on the New Form of Government facilitated by Cynthia Bolbach of the GA Form of Government Task Force. May 7^th thru 8^th. For details, click, Get-Away.

The Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary offers two stellar events. Join the pilgrimage and study tour to France entitled, “Courage and Conviction in Christian France,” from July 18^th thru 28^th. Become spellbound by N.T. Wright, the Anglican Bishop of Durham, England’s lectures on the Bible and the Future at St. Mary’s Seminary & University on Feb. 25^th. For more information, click St. Mary’s.