| SAFE PLACE Team |
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Does your church have a SAFE PLACE Policy?
A SAFE POLICY Policy is a faithful response to Christ's command to love and welcome all of God's children by creating procedures and mechanisms to foster a safe environment. The Education Team of Foothills Presbytery has a SAFE PLACE team available to resource and guide congregations as they develop policies and procedures for their particular needs. This team offers a free initial overview of SAFE PLACE provisions, and then fees for additional services provided are based on the current annual budget of the church. No church, however, will be denied service based on fees. Please click here to download a brochure and an application form. |
| Upcoming InDwellings Video |
Foothills Presbytery will soon take a rare and deep look into the world of a family faced with the aging of America, and of their special needs son. A video is being produced on behalf of the InDwellings ministry, a non-profit group raising funds to build two homes for developmentally disabled adults in the Upstate. The video will feature the Leathrums family whose youngest son has Down's Syndrome. The video is being produced by Jill Cogdill, an InDwellings board member, with the services of well-known photojournalist, Mario de Carvalho. Watch for the availability of this video on the Presbytery website or on the InDwellings website. |
| The Legacy Series |
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"Black Presbyterians have a story to tell. In some ways, it's the same story; one of oppression and struggle on the road to equality, freedom, and respect." Listen to the stories of Black Presbyterians and learn about their contributions as they worked to shape the consciousness of the Presbyterian denomination. Be challenged by their call to be a witness to God's desire for a just and free society, open and inclusive to all. The Office of Black Congregational Enhancement of the General Assembly Council offers a DVD series entitled "Black Presbyterians: The Legacy Series." Click here to watch the clip and order the video. |
| Prayer Requests This Week |
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Beth Templeton's three-year old granddaughter, Lindsay, was diagnosed this week with AML, a form of leukemia with a 50% success rate. She will begin chemotherapy on Friday, and we understand that the treatment is rough. She will be in and out (mostly in) the hospital for the next six months. Her 15 month old brother, Michael, will be tested to see if he can be a marrow donor. The family, Matt and Ginger Templeton, live at 318 West End Ave., Statesville, NC 28677, and Lindsay will be in the Winston Salem Hospital for Children. Someone has suggested that gas cards would be a welcome gift for this family as they will be traveling the 45 miles between home and the hospital many times. Please pray for Lindsay and the whole family at this time and over the coming months.
(Beth Templeton is Director of Our Eyes Were Opened, an outreach of United Ministries.)
Residents in Florida who are experiencing flooding due to Hurricane Fay.
We give thanks that George Wilkes has recovered from his surgery and is back at work in the presbytery office. |
| Resource of the Week |
Winner of a Peabody Award, Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett is public radio's weekly program about "religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas." It is produced and distributed by American Public Media and currently heard on over 200 public radio stations across the U.S. and globally via the Web and podcast.
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| Foothills Presbytery Meets |
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Seneca Presbyterian Church was host to the 68th Stated Meeting of Foothills Presbytery on August 19.
The worship service opened with a musical selection by the handbell choir, and the Rev. Sadie Goldsmith, Presbytery Moderator, brought the message on "Life Lessons."
Greetings were brought by representatives of S.C. Home at Montreat, Lees-McRae College, and Presbyterian College.
New ministers were welcomed into the Presbytery. They are Susan Smith, Mt. Zion Interim Pastor; Andrew Florio, Providence Pastor; Robert Brozina, Covenant Pastor; and Phil Hargrove, First Greenville Associate Pastor. Inquirer Caroline Blakely was approved for the Candidacy phase of her preparation for ministry.
Beth Templeton, Director of Our Eyes Were Opened, gave a Special Order before the noon meal on hunger and its effects on poverty-stricken people in our area. A large donation of canned goods was received for the Golden Corners Food Bank and offerings were received for the 2 cents a meal hunger project.
Reports were made by the various teams and committees, and the proposed budget for 2009 was approved. Several Commissioners to General Assembly gave reports on their experience in San Jose this summer.
The proposed revision of the Presbytery structure was amended to include a Committee of Church Growth and Evangelism and was then approved. An Administrative Commission was elected to consult with the session of Third Presbyterian Church regarding their current status and to report its actions to the November Stated Meeting of presbytery.
The meeting was then adjourned.
(Unfortunately, pictures from the meeting are unavailable as the photographer was unable to attend at the last minute.)
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| SAVE THE DATES! |
| 6th Annual
Confirmation Retreat
at Camp Fellowship
February 20-22, 2009
A 20's/30's Retreat
for Young Adults
at Camp Fellowship
March 6-8, 2009 |
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