Dear

Friends-

Can you believe it! Summer's almost gone and Fall is just around the corner. Time for ap-ples, pumpkins and good fellowship.

Our Fall gathering will be Saturday October 15, 2016 at 9:00 AM at Presbyterian Senior Care in Washington. We have a great program planned followed by a light lunch. We also plan to invite our new "Sisterhood" from the Upper Ohio Valley Presbytery to join us. Let's make it a really grand day by bringing a friend.

For our local mission project, Avis Arbor, please bring sheets (twin size), towels and toi-letries. Avis Arbor is the women's shelter of City Mission in Washington.

For reservations, please call me at 724-941-7142 or email: specialnlp@gmail.com.

Blessings,

Nancy PryorNancy PryorNancy PryorNancy Pryor

NEWS FROM PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

IN WASHINGTON PRESBYTERY

FALL 2016 NewsWash

NEWSWASH

Washington Presbytery PW Coordinating Team

Moderator: Nancy Pryor

Vice Moderator: Virginia Wainwright

Recording Secretary: Audra Young

Treasurer: Mona Lou Dunn

Historian: Nellie Baker

Search Committee: Nancy Magera

Mission Coordinator: Deborah Wilson

Resources/Horizons: Mona English

Cluster 1 Coordinator: Nancy Hillberry

Cluster 2 Coordinator: Jean Phelan

Moderator’s Message Nancy Pryor

Save These Dates

PW Synod Gathering: June 15-17, 2017

Theme: Created to Shine—Matthew 5:14-16

Blair County Convention Center, Altoona

Churchwide PW Gathering

August 2-5, 2018—Louisville, KY

Together in Sisterhood The PW Coordinating Team of Ohio Valley

came to Washington on a mission trip to

City Mission. Your PW team hosted a lunch

at Presbyterian SrCare and arranged a tour

of the facility while they were in town. We

shared ideas and swapped newsletters and

invited them to our fall gathering. Their

fall gathering will be Sept 24th at Grace

Presbyterian Church in Martin Ferry. If you

might be interested in going please let

Nellie Baker know. 724-225-4023 or

fhbaker1@comcast.net.

La Escuelita (The Little School)

La Escuelita is a kindergarten and elementary school in Ma-nagua, Nicaragua. The purpose of the school is to pro-vide instruction for extremely poor children. With the new gov-ernment the policy is free education for all children. However, a child without money to buy school supplies and books is not able to really study. For parents with no money this often means that children do not attend school. The government estimates over 35% of children nationally are not in school. In addition, many children have to work to supplement the family income or take care of the younger chil-dren or elderly grandparents while parents are at work. Since its beginning in 1996, La Escuelita has provided to over 2,500 stu-dents.

By the 2017 School Year, The Little School will have ex-panded to a second floor and will include the third grade. The teacher's goal is to make this "The finest school in our neighbor-hood."

The Mission of La Escuelita

An educational opportunity for children who probably would not have otherwise attended school;

A place for education and social development for children, adolescents and adults and support for some of the poor-est families;

A food program that is a significant part of the basic family

support since this is often the one secure meal of the day in a population that suffers from malnutrition;

A much-needed follow-up support system for the children both through parent meetings and direct home visits.

PW Synod of the Trinity

Special Mission Project 2017

For more information go to:

http://www.littleschoolnicaragua.com

This

offering

will be

received

at the

2017

Spring

Gathering

Page 2 NEWSWASH

La Escuelita in

Managua, Nicaragua

Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Check out their website (below) for how you can help.

Certainly the contributions of our PW women are equally valued, in the

eyes of our Lord and in the hearts of your neighbor Presbyterians. But

my connection to one of your leaders has been more personal, and so

I’ll use this initial Craig’s Corner to express again my loving regard for Phyllis Cowden, a for-

mer Moderator of Presbyterian Women in Washington Presbytery.

On a warm spring afternoon in the 1980s I was first introduced to Phyllis. The farm in

Plumsock offered relaxation for her oldest son and me after our first year of seminary study,

and it wasn’t long at all before Phyllis had me pounding nails into the floorboards of a raised

walkway between the new house and the old. The project moved slowly as Phyllis and her

son, Rusty, took turns telling me their boys-will-be-boys stories of the sons’ youthful years,

tales interrupted frequently by Phyllis’s cackling laughter and our breaks for iced tea. That

whole weekend her eager and gregarious hospitality - and her fantastic cooking - made me

feel as welcome as ever I have, anywhere. And we became instant friends. Years later my

own boys and her grandsons spent many hours hunting in the woods and fields, so that their

family’s stories became our family’s stories too. The Kephart boys – now young men – still

speak fondly when they recall the bounteous breakfast spread Phyllis and Russell set out each

year on the opening day of deer season.

When it came time last month for a gathering to say farewell to Phyllis, I was re-

minded of all the ways her life and ministry touched many others. Local ministries of

neighborly kindness and charity there were, to be sure; but Phyllis’ work as a PW and PW

leader had impacted regional causes for Christ as well – sharing our Lord’s love through such

efforts as Washington City Mission.

But even more remarkably, there was an international impact. Even as the several

dozens of us came together for that hour or two at the funeral home, at that same time

somewhere in Ethiopia there were women whose lives had been made markedly better –

more secure, more profitable, and more free – because the love of Christ moved Phyllis (and

so very many of the rest of you!) to engage our Presbytery’s sewing machine project all those

years ago. Phyllis Cowden’s story had intertwined with the stories of African women whom

she never met, so that their remarkably different lives had been knit together by our Savior’s

provident grace.

PWs, please: Never think of yourselves as too small a group in out-of-the-way country

churches. Time and time again Sovereign God shows us He can do amazingly large and won-

derful things – even halfway around the world – with even the smallest mustard seed of faith.

And I can point to a rural housewife and mother whose lifetime proved that to be true.

Page 3

Craig’s Corner Craig’s Corner Craig’s Corner Craig’s Corner A Word for PWs from our Executive PresbyterA Word for PWs from our Executive PresbyterA Word for PWs from our Executive PresbyterA Word for PWs from our Executive Presbyter

Page 4 NEWSWASH

.

Interesting information from the 222 General Assembly held in

Portland, Oregon on June 18-25, 2016 Reported by RE Nellie Baker: Commissioner

During the 222nd PC(USA) General Assembly in Portland, Oregon, commissioners unani-mously agreed that, true to its purpose, Presbyterian Women strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Through the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board and the Committee on the General Assembly, PW brought two pieces of business to the 2016 GA. The first recommendation was to add PW to the PC(USA) Organization for Mission as a re-lated corporation. This action formally acknowledges PW’s unique role within the church: “The Organization for Mission is incomplete without referencing this important point of mis-sion coordination for Presbyterians.” The second recommendation asked that the national moderator of Presbyterian Women, Inc., become a corresponding member to the General Assembly. This gives the moderator a seat on the floor with voice, but not with vote. When speaking to committee about this rec-ommendation, Rhashell Hunter, Presbyterian Mission Agency director of Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries said, “PW has supported the church for over 200 years—it’s beyond time for this voice to be at the table.

Milestone for Women Presbyterian history was made when commissioners elected Denise Anderson

and Jan Edmiston as co- moderators of the 222nd General Assembly. The PC(USA) also celebrated 60 years of women as ruling elders and

110 years of women as deacons.

Dr. Rhashell D. Hunter

Director of Racial Ethnic &

Women’s Ministries/PW

(502)569-5494

(800)728-7228 ext. 5494

rhashell.hunter@pcuas.org

Page 5

Why Presbyterian Women Need Retreat

Retreat. According to Webster, the word retreat is both a noun: “an act of moving back or withdrawing” and a verb: “withdraw from enemy forces as a result of their superior power or after a defeat”. Let us take a few mo-ments to think about what it means to retreat as a Presbyterian Woman in today's world. The Presbyterian Women of the Church of the Covenant (PCUSA) in Wash-ington, PA, where I attend and volunteer as the Parish Nurse, embark on spiritual renewal for a weekend each April to an old 19th century mansion called Sandscrest in nearby rural West Virginia. It is a beautiful setting surrounded by lush hills and valleys. We go there to “retreat”, “move back or withdraw”, seeking to refresh and renew our spiritual selves by embracing God's Word and His love for us. A facilita-tor usually provides guidance for our time together but I believe even without a designated leader, God would envelop us with a time of peace, prayer and fellow-ship that we all desire. To fully retreat, we need to spend time deep within ourselves, in God's pres-ence, in the resting place of our souls. It is said that a baby is never truly at rest until it is in it's mothers arms and so must we be: quieted, calmed and able to truly rest. We need to retreat or “withdraw from enemy forces,” the forces of restless-ness, frustration or bereavement; whatever is causing us to be disquieted and separated from a closer relationship with God. As a Presbyterian Women, we spend much of our time, individually and col-lectively, serving God by serving others. We knit prayer shawls, deliver soup, make hygiene kits for disaster relief efforts and donate of our time and money in numer-ous ways to help the needy and marginalized among us. During retreat, we turn inward to reflect on caring for ourselves spiritually, emotionally and physically. By resting, praying, reading the Scriptures, breaking bread together, we return to our Father's arms. Time is spent reflecting on what is important to us and why, both as a woman of faith and a Presbyterian Woman. To be an effective, challenged, relevant and God-centered Presbyterian Woman in our fast-paced and ever-changing environment, occasional retreat is es-sential for our personal and spiritual growth that is at the center of Presbyterian Women. Come, my sisters in Christ and retreat. Linda Grimm, RN Ordained Ruling Elder and Deacon Parish Nurse Church of the Covenant, Washington

NEWSWASH

NEWSWASH Page 7

What is the What is the What is the What is the Thank Offering?Thank Offering?Thank Offering?Thank Offering?

The Thank Offering is a PW offering collected in the fall of each year that gives women a tangible way to express their gratitude for the special bless-ings in their lives. The offering funds projects such as agricul-tural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counsel-ing, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, vio-lence and women’s concerns. At least 40 percent of this of-fering supports health minis-tries throughout the world. The remaining 60 percent funds new creative ideas for mission. The goal for the 2016 Thank Offering is $900,000.

2016 Thank Offering 2016 Thank Offering 2016 Thank Offering 2016 Thank Offering RecipientsRecipientsRecipientsRecipients

Thanks to your generous giving to the 2015 Thank Offering, 22 projects (14 national and 8 in-ternational) will receive grants in 2016, allowing them to im-prove the lives of women, chil-dren and men in need. The re-cipients will provide an array of services in their communi-ties—a food bank in a remote area of Colorado where em-ployment opportunities are limited, expansion of an English as a Second Language program in Texas, a shelter for abused women in Mississippi, a women's agricultural program in South Sudan, a youth train-ing program in Rwanda, and many more. At least 40 percent of the offering funds health ministries. Give generously so more meaningful projects can be funded in the future! The goal for 2015 is $500,000.

History of the History of the History of the History of the

Thank OfferingThank OfferingThank OfferingThank Offering

The PW Thank Offering originated in the late 1800s with Eliza Clokey of Springfield, Ohio. Her plan was to ask each woman to give a gift in addition to her usual con-tribution to the Women’s General Missionary Soci-ety of the United Presby-terian Church of North America as a “thank offer-ing to our Lord.” In 1888, the women designated a day for prayer and thanks-giving when this special offering should be re-ceived. These sacrificial gifts, it is said, saved the worldwide missionary movement of their de-nomination. Though the thrust of how and where the money was used changed over the years, the “thank offering to her Lord” continued to be an important part of United Presbyterian Women’s giving.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

THANK OFFERINGTHANK OFFERINGTHANK OFFERINGTHANK OFFERING

The Thank Offering has long been a tradition of Pres-byterian Women. It has provided and continues to

provide much-needed financial assistance to numerous worthwhile programs not included in ongoing General Assembly mission support. Each year, domestic and in-

ternational projects are carefully and prayerfully se-lected by the Creative Ministries Offering Committee

to help meet a crucial need.

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NEWS OF PW IN

WASHINGTON PRESBYTERY

Washington Presbytery Mailing: P.O. Box 146 Eighty Four, PA 15330

Phone: 724-222-1500 E-mail: office@washingtonpresbytery.org

Chartiers Hill Presbyterian ChurchChartiers Hill Presbyterian ChurchChartiers Hill Presbyterian ChurchChartiers Hill Presbyterian Church

2230 Washington Road - Canonsburg

ANNUAL MUM SALE & FLEA MARKET MUM SALEMUM SALEMUM SALEMUM SALE

Friday, September 30, 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM Saturday, October 1, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

FLEA MARKETFLEA MARKETFLEA MARKETFLEA MARKET (baked good and lunch available)

Saturday, October 1, 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Space and table rental available for flea market For more information, please call the church office 724-746-1330