Monday, June 28, 2010
Thank You!
Thanks to our friends from the First Presbyterian Church of Eaton, Ohio, and to all the volunteers from Ronceverte Pres who helped make last week's Workcamp and Vacation Bible School ministries a success! We were all humbled by the opportunity to serve God by serving others together, and we pray that the relationships we formed will lead to more opportunities to do ministry together.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Morning Worship, 6/20/10
Last week, we sent a group of young people to Charlotte, NC, on a workcamp trip. Hear Kelsey McCoy, Reagan Rogers, and Caitlin Long share their reflections on what happens when the Holy Spirit sends us to the wilderness.
If you feel inspired to join the Mission Trip next year, please talk to Stephen now!
If you feel inspired to join the Mission Trip next year, please talk to Stephen now!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Vacation Bible School, June 20-24
High Seas Expedition is filled with incredible Bible-learning kids see, hear, touch, and even taste! VBS Director Mindy Napier explains why this learning method matters. “The kids use every part of their brain to learn the Bible stories--crafts, team-building games, and cool songs are just a few of the High Seas Expedition activities that help faith flow into real life.” Mindy and her husband Ray embody this learning style by transforming the learning space into a true high seas adventure, including a boat they’ve built just for this VBS!
“Mindy and Ray do a wonderful job each year educating our young people,” says the Rev. Stephen Baldwin, minister of Ronceverte Presbyterian. “This year we’re expanding our outreach by providing a free family style meal to all the children who come to VBS. We’ve always wanted to provide a full meal with Bible School but haven’t been able to afford it. Thanks to Greenbrier Classic funds received this year as part of Badges for Charity, we’re providing a free family style supper for the kids every night of VBS.”
High Seas Adventure provides an education that is hands-on and missional. Not only will the children in attendance learn more about their faith and the world around them, they will be invited to reach out to the world through a service project--the W.H.O.H.A.A.M. Kid’s Club. Created by children from Ronceverte Presbyterian, W.H.O.H.A.A.M. (We’re Handing Out Hugs Around Abused Minors) provides a teddy bear to every child in the foster care system.
Registration is required. Please call the church office at (304) 647-4400 to reserve a space for your child. (Transportation is also available upon request.)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Thanks
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
'Grace relates to place' Eco-Stewards Program for Young Adults
‘Grace relates to place’
Eco-Stewards program connects young adults with faith, earth
by Bethany Furkin, Presbyterian News Service
HINTON, WV — The mountains of West Virginia played host to a group of young adults with hearts and minds for earth care last week.
Eight Eco-Stewards spent the week traveling around West Virginia, where they visited churches and farms and learned about local environmental issues like coal mining and mountaintop removal. The group ended the week with the Stewardship of the Land event, a community gathering that offered workshops, lectures and networking opportunities for eco-minded Christians and activists.
The Eco-Stewards program is a venture of Presbyterians for Earth Care and the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association. It invites young adults interested in connecting their faith and concern for the earth to come together for a week in the summer.
The locations change every summer — past programs have been in California, New York and Pennsylvania. This year’s trip to West Virginia provided the chance to learn about mountains, coal, land use and sustainability. But all the trips end up teaching about other themes as well: hope, resilience, beauty, forgiveness and grace, to name a few.
The message of grace is a really central part,” said the Rev. Rob Mark, a Massachusetts pastor and one of the coordinators of the program. “Grace relates to place.”
The greatest commandments are to love God and each other, Mark said.
“Implicit in that for us is loving what God has created,” he said. “Part of loving others is caring about the way these people live and the place in which they live.”
When reviewing Eco-Steward applications, Mark looks for people with a passion for the earth and a commitment to faith lived out. They don’t have to have any science background, but they do need to be open to learning, trying new things and being challenged. He also looks for “someone who’s willing to be uncomfortable a bit.”
In return, the program aims to empower young adults to see the connections between their faith and caring for the planet. Spending a week in a new situation also tends to bond people, and the community and vocational discernment that are often fostered are valuable.
“I love seeing the light bulbs go off,” Mark said.
For Allison Greenwell, an Eco-Steward from Indiana, learning about practical steps to sustainability was a highlight of her week in West Virginia. An environmental engineering major, she also appreciated seeing real-life practices through a faithful perspective.
“God didn’t just give us the earth to use all its resources,” she said.
This year’s Eco-Stewards program took a three-pronged approach. In addition to the traditional weeklong program, the Eco-Stewards participated in the community event at the end of the week. And four of them will stay on in West Virginia, serving in paid internships throughout the area. The interns will be involved in community gardens, food banks, churches, disaster relief and the Presbytery of West Virginia’s Stewardship of Creation Ministry Team.
Bringing the kingdom of God closer to Earth is key for environmental ministry, and the Eco-Stewards program works to train better caretakers of the land we’re given.
“In caring for the earth, we learn more about God, our creator,” Mark said.
Eco-Stewards program connects young adults with faith, earth
by Bethany Furkin, Presbyterian News Service
HINTON, WV — The mountains of West Virginia played host to a group of young adults with hearts and minds for earth care last week.
Eight Eco-Stewards spent the week traveling around West Virginia, where they visited churches and farms and learned about local environmental issues like coal mining and mountaintop removal. The group ended the week with the Stewardship of the Land event, a community gathering that offered workshops, lectures and networking opportunities for eco-minded Christians and activists.
The Eco-Stewards program is a venture of Presbyterians for Earth Care and the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association. It invites young adults interested in connecting their faith and concern for the earth to come together for a week in the summer.
The locations change every summer — past programs have been in California, New York and Pennsylvania. This year’s trip to West Virginia provided the chance to learn about mountains, coal, land use and sustainability. But all the trips end up teaching about other themes as well: hope, resilience, beauty, forgiveness and grace, to name a few.
The message of grace is a really central part,” said the Rev. Rob Mark, a Massachusetts pastor and one of the coordinators of the program. “Grace relates to place.”
The greatest commandments are to love God and each other, Mark said.
“Implicit in that for us is loving what God has created,” he said. “Part of loving others is caring about the way these people live and the place in which they live.”
When reviewing Eco-Steward applications, Mark looks for people with a passion for the earth and a commitment to faith lived out. They don’t have to have any science background, but they do need to be open to learning, trying new things and being challenged. He also looks for “someone who’s willing to be uncomfortable a bit.”
In return, the program aims to empower young adults to see the connections between their faith and caring for the planet. Spending a week in a new situation also tends to bond people, and the community and vocational discernment that are often fostered are valuable.
“I love seeing the light bulbs go off,” Mark said.
For Allison Greenwell, an Eco-Steward from Indiana, learning about practical steps to sustainability was a highlight of her week in West Virginia. An environmental engineering major, she also appreciated seeing real-life practices through a faithful perspective.
“God didn’t just give us the earth to use all its resources,” she said.
This year’s Eco-Stewards program took a three-pronged approach. In addition to the traditional weeklong program, the Eco-Stewards participated in the community event at the end of the week. And four of them will stay on in West Virginia, serving in paid internships throughout the area. The interns will be involved in community gardens, food banks, churches, disaster relief and the Presbytery of West Virginia’s Stewardship of Creation Ministry Team.
Bringing the kingdom of God closer to Earth is key for environmental ministry, and the Eco-Stewards program works to train better caretakers of the land we’re given.
“In caring for the earth, we learn more about God, our creator,” Mark said.
Morning Worship, 5/30/10
As the Class of 2010 celebrates their graduation, oil gushes into the Gulf of Mexico. Wars rage in the Middle East. Africa faces genocide. The planet warms, producing extreme weather. This generation, the Millennial, faces enormous challenges. Are they ready? If they are "justified by faith," as Paul says, they are ready.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
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