PNews 8/24/23
Save the Date: Church Safety Training
Save the date for an exciting opportunity coming in October! Presbyterian Disaster Assistance will be coming to Pittsburgh on October 28 at Bethany Presbyterian Church, to lead a course on Church Safety and Security Training. The course is designed for people who are on the front lines of greeting people and interacting with the public, including ushers, greeters, outreach workers, custodians, and pastors. Registration is coming soon!
Upcoming Events
The following events take place at the Presbytery Building, unless noted:
August 27
Michael Creamer Ordination (2:00pm, Sewickley Presbyterian Church)
August 28
Commission on Preparation for Ministry (4:00 – 7:00pm)
August 30
Docket Time and Waiver Requests Due
August 31
Personnel Committee (10:00am – 12:00pm, Zoom)
Property and Finance (2:00 – 3:00pm)
Septemer 20
CPM Final Discernment Event (4:00pm)
September 28
Presbytery Meeting (10:00am, Crestfield)
At the May 2023 Presbytery Meeting, the Commission on Preparation for Ministry proposed a new process for receiving and examining candidates who are certified ready pending call and this process was adopted by the body. The process stipulates that before a Presbytery meeting, a gathering hosted by the CPM shall be held to examine candidates for ordination. (If you want to review the full proposal and rationale, you can find it here on Pg. 14). In September, three individuals are scheduled to be approved for ordination, pending call. On Wednesday, September 20th, at 4 p.m., the Commission will host the Final Discernment Event to gather and hear from these individuals. All eligible commissioners are welcome and encouraged to attend; registration is required. A draft agenda is available here, and you can register here.
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Church Financial Leadership Coaching Program
The Presbyterian Foundation’s Church Financial Leadership Coaching Program is a free, 12-month coaching program for church pastors that will assist pastors in leading their congregation down the path of financial sustainability to fulfill the church’s mission. The program connects pastors with individual coaches to help them gain a solid foundation in church financial literacy.
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It is time to prepare for the Annual Service of Remembrance that typically is held every year at the September meeting of the presbytery. The service of remembrance will be held at the presbytery meeting on September 28, 2023. If any ordained ruling elder has died since the last memorial service which was held on September 22, 2022, please advise us by filling out the online form.
Names are due by Friday, September 15, 2023.
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Employee Retention Credit Information
The Synod recently hosted an information session with Hundredfold Consulting about the Employee Retention Tax Credit. The ERTC is a government stimulus program authorized under the CARES Act of 2020, and other presbyteries have used Hundredfold Consulting to help them receive this tax credit. Contact Jenny if you would like to view the recording of the Synod presentation.
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What are the stories of Black Presbyterian Churches in the Pittsburgh Presbytery? How have we failed as a Presbytery to love them as we love ourselves? How can we heal the breaches with our brothers and sisters in Christ? The Pittsburgh Presbytery created the Repair and Reconciliation Alliance to thoroughly review the historical experiences of these congregations and offer recommendations on actions of repair and reconciliation. Over the next two years, the Repair and Reconciliation Alliance needs various people to begin this task: leaders, researchers, writers, videographers, accountants, and more.
Follow this link for the Calling which gives an overview of the Alliance and Support Teams. Follow this link for the Application form. The application deadline for the Alliance is Thursday, August 31, 2023.
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