December 14, 2007

Heeding the Call

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

Last week I told you about Andy, Bill, Catherine, Cathy, Cheryl, Connie, Fred, Hal, Howard, Janet, Janice, Jeff, Jeff, Jenny, Kim, Mark, Melissa, Pat, Ryan, Senoria, and Susan – 21 remarkably talented individuals who are exploring a sense of call to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Your Committee on Preparation for Ministry is charged with the responsibility of nurturing, guiding, shepherding, and challenging these gifted people. Sometimes we help them explore vocational possibilities. Sometimes we walk with them as they ask some tough questions. Sometimes we help them learn how to pass their ordination examinations. Sometimes we encourage them to work through personal emotional issues that are getting in the way of their ability to serve the church of Jesus Christ as effectively as possible. Sometimes we look for ways to help those who are struggling financially. Sometimes we question them about their preaching or their theology or their choice of seminaries. We have a responsibility to these individuals to make sure they have done and considered all that they need to do and consider, and we have a responsibility to the larger church to make sure that we are doing all that is in our power to provide the church with a fine, talented, mature, and committed crop of new leaders.

It can be a challenging job. It is also immensely rewarding.

Here’s the problem: We are short on people. Your Committee on Preparation for Ministry does not have enough people serving on the committee to do the job that we have been charged to do. There are 21 people under our care – and, currently, only 8 of us. We have 7 vacancies. Most of us are pastors, and most of us are men. For this committee to be effective, it needs to reflect the diversity that exists within the presbytery. We definitely need more women. We definitely need more elders. We need a diversity of ages; we need people at different points on the theological spectrum; we need people of different races and ethnicities. We need some folks who care about the church and its mission, and who want the church to have great leadership for the future.

What we need, right now, is for you to think about the people you know. Who do you know who would enjoy this ministry and who would be good at it? Who do you know who cares about our church’s future, who cares about people, and who is not afraid to ask the occasional hard question? The Nominating Committee needs some names. Stop reading this, right now. Pick up the phone and call John Kazanjian, chair of the Nominating Committee, at 410-931-7871, and say to him, “I’ve got just the perfect person for this job.” Or, email him at ara49@aol.com.

Bill Pinches

for the Committee on Preparation for Ministry

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Take Note/Act Now

§ Annual Statistical Reporting Deadline Feb. 20^th

§ Mission Partnership Grant-Writing Workshop

§ Host June Presbytery Meeting

§ Towson Presbytery Lent Events

§ Spaghetti Dinner

§ Developmental Disabilities Day

§ Weekend to Remember

§ 2008 Hau Kola Learning Camps

§ Overture Advocate at GA

§ C hristian Peace Witness Event

§ Clergy Get-Away

People

The Presbytery of Baltimore welcomes Interim Director of Development, Bob Turberville. Mr. Turberville has 25 years of continuous leadership and administrative experience in non-profit and corporate fundraising and sales. He also has a strong background in planning and organizational development.

Mr. Tuberville currently resides in Bel Air, MD.

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 Two Days Left for Your Church to Report its Annual Statistics On-line! If you have not yet completed your online statistical reporting, you have just two days left till the midnight deadline on February 20^th. Tip: It’s crunch time and the OGA system is bogged down during business hours; consider having a savvy volunteer enter your data before or after hours. For further information on filing your report, please contact vbrown@baltimorepresbytery.org

Opportunity for your church to Host the June Presbytery Meeting. This is a rare opportunity to bring the whole presbytery to your church without having to wait a year or more for an open slot. If your congregation and facility can comfortably serve dinner to 135 or more and accommodate a meeting of that size in your sanctuary or fellowship hall, and you’d like to be considered for hosting the Stated Meeting, Thursday, June 19, 2008, at 4pm, please contact vbrown@baltimorepresbytery.org stating your commitment no later than March 10.

Church Notices

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.

Opportunity to be an Overture Advocate at the General Assembly in San Jose, CA, June 2008

If you would like to be considered for selection as Advocate for one of the overtures submitted by the Presbytery of Baltimore, please contact vbrown@baltimorepresbytery.org stating your interest and qualifications by March 10. Note: if you are not part of the delegation already slated to represent Baltimore, you will be responsible for your own expenses.

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.

Also on the Presbytery of Baltimore website

Find past issues of Tidings at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/midweekmail.html.

See new Church Announcements at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/announcements.html

Peter Nord, Executive Presbyter

pnord@baltimorepresbytery.org

Bill Millen, Associate Executive

bmillen@baltimorepresbytery.org

Vaughn L. Brown Jr., Stated Clerk

vbrown@baltimorepresbytery.org

Deb Milcarek

Associate of Mission and Justice

dmilcarek@baltimorepresbytery.org