THE NEWS FROM NORTHUMBERLAND

Weekly News for July 23, 2020

Greetings Northumberland Presbytery:

By now – late July - I expected to be more or less returning to living as I did pre-March. The

pandemic surges on, however, so we will continue to provide information and the latest

updates. We will also let you know what is going on in our presbytery and around our

denomination, so please check out the pages below.

Blessings to you all,

Steve Rev. Steve Cureton Executive Presbyter, Northumberland Presbytery 570-204-2540 presbynorthep@gmail.com

AROUND THE PRESBYTERY

2020-2021 PRESBYTERIAN PLANNING CALENDAR

Orders are now open for next year’s Planning Calendar.

This 16‐month calendar—starting with September, 2020,

and ending with December, 2021—contains many planning

aids for pastors and other church leaders. Includes lectionary

for Sundays and special days, liturgical days, liturgical

colors, resource information for PC(USA) programmatic

emphases, updated synod, presbytery and Presbyterian

Mission Agency staff directories, color foldout

synod/presbytery and world maps.

Single calendars are $16.95; 10–49, $14.50 each; 50+, $9.75 each. Shipping is additional.

Last year we ordered enough in the Presbytery to qualify for the $9.75 cost. We will not be

ordering extra calendars so make sure you have enough for your congregation.

Place your orders no later than August 15, 2020 by email presbynorth@comcast.net or 570-

368-3906.

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CERTIFIED PASTOR TRAINING SET TO BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER

Once again, the Presbytery of Northumberland will be offering a two-year Certified Pastor

Training Program set to begin September 12, 2020.

As many of our churches know, bringing ministers in from outside the presbytery is getting

more challenging every year. Therefore, we are actively working to train future church leaders

from within our own congregations.

Instructors Bob Andrews and Steve Cureton are planning the schedule now. To inquire or to

receive the applications, please contact Steve Cureton at presbynorthep@gmail.com.

More details will follow in future newsletters.

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THE SHARED GIFTS COMMITTEE IS LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD LEADERS

If you have gifts to share and time to serve, our Shared Gifts Committee (nominating) would like to talk to you. We have positions open on all our committees, commissions, and groups. If you have interest in the following areas, or would just like to know more about what these groups do, please let us know:

• Commission on Ministry

• Committee on Service

• Worship and Music Committee

• Committee on Shared Gifts (Nominating)

• Susquehanna Interfaith Disaster Response Network

• Krislund’s Joint Camp and Conference Committee

• Permanent Judicial Commission

• Presbytery Response Commission

• Sexual Conduct Response Team (support)

• Auditing Committee

• Personnel Committee

• Ordination Readers If you are interested in any of these committees, commissions, networks, or teams, please contact Steve at presbynorthep@gmail.com.

AROUND THE DENOMINATION

BOARD OF PENSIONS NEW E-LEARNING SERIES

Two new e-learning opportunities that promote wholeness are now available from Board

University:

Leaving Well: Navigating Transitions in Ministry and Work series, for members who are

discerning a vocational transition at any stage of their career, explores topics such as laying the

foundation for understanding change and transition, engaging the discernment process, leaving

well, and beginning anew.

THRIVE E-Learning series redesigns our popular THRIVE retirement planning seminar as an

online experience. For members within 10 years of retirement and their spouses or surviving

spouses, this series covers topics such as financial planning and retirement healthcare options

as part of a larger exploration of identity, health, and vocation in retirement.

Learn more about these offerings and how to access them HERE.

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MOVIE LIST TO TACKLE VITAL ISSUE

As our denomination continues to work to eradicate structural racism through its Matthew 25 Initiative, Presbyterian pastor and film critic Edward McNulty lists

TEN FILMS THAT EXPLORE THE SIN OF STRUCTURAL RACISM

You can find his list HERE.

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Limited-Time Offer

$50.00 $40.00

You save $10.00!

Save 20% on the Book of Common

Worship, Flash Drive Edition today

through Friday, July 31st! This edition

contains electronic files from the main

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perfect for those who want to make

worship planning and bulletin

preparation easier.

Learn More about the Flash Drive Edition

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THEIR WORSHIPBOOKS GO HERE

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CAMPUS MINISTRY

UKIRK OFFERS PIVOT GRANTS TO SUPPORT COLLEGIATE MINISTRIES DURING COVID-19

In an article by the Presbyterian News Service, Tammy Warren writes about grants that encourage new ways of doing ministry and/or dismantling structural racism. To read all about it, go HERE.

PANDEMIC NEWS LATEST MITIGATION EFFORTS

To read the governor’s latest mitigation efforts in response to the rising cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania, go HERE.

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Since I am a part of the Geisinger Health Plan, I get mailings from them from time to time. This one I thought would be good to share. As always, stay safe out there!

Wearing a face covering in public is one of the simplest and most effective things we

can all do to care for one another. Join us in slowing the spread of COVID-19 by

wearing a face mask in public.

“Dear Non-Maskers…” An Open Letter from a Person with CF Since being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 2 weeks old, 19-year-old Kaitlyn has been fighting to stay healthy. Hear her words to those who choose not to wear a face mask. Read her plea

m

The Science of Saliva: Why Masking Matters Take a journey through the respiratory droplets of a person who’s infected with COVID-19 but has no symptoms. P.S. They’re a “non-masker.” Gross, we know

“You Don’t Know What’s Lingering in Your Body” After 24 days in the hospital — and overcoming a 0 to 5% chance of survival — a COVID-19 survivor and his family have a message: “This is not something to take lightly.” Watch Video

FOR THE ORIGINAL LINK, GO HERE.

NEWS FROM LYNNE PABST Our Certified Christian Educator and POINT Partner

News Flash From Your POINT Partner

As your POINT partner, I am happy to announce that the producers of Presbyterian Curriculum are working hard to support you during the pandemic by adapting curriculum for use in a virtual mode. Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible Curriculum has a new component especially designed to traverse the uncertainty of Sunday School this fall midst the pandemic.

“Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible Curriculum is getting a new guide! This guide will help turn your unit into a dropoff kit for each family in your congregation. We tell you what to put in the kit and where to pull the information from the unit.” (POINT Newsletter)

Teaching the Revised Common Lectionary Feasting on the Word Curriculum now has a guide for virtual use. Go to https://www.pcusastore.com/Pages/Item/14709/Feasting-on-the-Word-Curriculum.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1WEOQb0-7vjY1enpdB4gw3We4YsuYkGwNXdVD5vgg_O-N6-C779VVs1e4 to find out more about this option. Growing in Grace and Gratitude also will have some additional virtual resources and its own page. “Growing in Grace & Gratitude additional resources for pandemic-friendly education are moving to their own web page so that you can easily share the link with everyone. Starting with the fall quarter, all of the same resources we have been featuring through social media will be there: the free children's Bible story, story audio, coloring sheet, adaptations for online use for ages 3-5 and 5-10.” (POINT Newsletter)

Now that we see what some of the resources are for Fall Sunday School, let us examine some of the modes of delivery available to churches midst the pandemic. Remembering that every day the status of things changes, here are some options. (In every in-person option, it is assumed participants are wearing masks.) Outdoor Sunday School: As long as weather permits, create outdoor classrooms. Children/Families socially distanced on the church lawn listening to a story and doing a simple activity on their own blanket can be not only a wonderful and safe experience for the church family but also a witness to the larger community. So much of what we do is hidden behind doors. God may be calling us through this pandemic to take our lights out from under those bushels of church walls.

Large Space Sunday School: Move the Sunday School out of the small classrooms and into your sanctuary or fellowship hall where children/families can social distance more easily. Intergenerational Sunday School: If you are traditionally accustomed to age grouped Sunday School, challenge the church to think about intergenerational Sunday School. This does a couple of things: Family units or household units are together which is safe and limits contact points. Since there is an adult present the facilitator does not have to go around to work with each group of children. The whole family is experiencing the same lesson which facilitates further discussion at home and during the week. Drop off Sunday School: Drop off Sunday School was always something dreaded because children were dropped off and parents were never seen. In the new version of “drop off Sunday School” materials are dropped off at homes and families are encouraged to learn at home. It might also be called “Sunday School in a Bag”. Here the teachers’ role changes from leading a one hour class to putting together a bag of materials and dropping them off. During the week the teacher could be available via email or text if the children/families had more questions about the information left in the bag. Teachers are still needed as they are maintaining contact with the families and acting as “home visitors” or “mentors”. ZOOM Sunday School: Given my new understanding and familiarity with ZOOM, I can see it being used for Sunday School particularly for Grade 5 through adult. Students can be put into breakout rooms for mini-discussions, a white board can be brought up for students to write responses on, a poll can be presented to the class and pictures, charts, articles can be shared through screen share. Almost anything you do in an in-person classroom can be done on ZOOM. The church would need to purchase and establish a group of people as hosts, but it is worth looking into the pro business option of ZOOM. Also, a dependable internet is required. Sunday School via Email: Bible story, coloring page, activity idea can be emailed weekly to families. Always include some simple response activity so that something comes back to the church. Sunday School in the Mail: Should you live in an area with weak internet or congregants are spread out geographically, snail-mail is an option. Create weekly packets of a Bible story, coloring page and activity and mail to families. Always include some response activity which needs to be sent back to the church. Create Your Own Hybrid Sunday School: Every church is located in a different context and every congregation has its own unique set of resources and talents, so create what works for your context. None of us are certain what fall will bring but we can count on God’s steadfastness. Can God count on our faithfulness through these times? The key goals are: To keep God’s children connected with one another and with God. To keep telling the stories of God’s love and presence.

Blessings and Stay Safe!!!

Horizons Bible Study - Into the Light: Finding Hope through Prayers of Lament

by P. Lynn Miller

Review by Elder Christine Fuller

How can we possibly spend nine months reading, discussing, and writing laments after

such a long period of living through lockdowns, masks, deaths, and all that has gone on in the

past several months of a pandemic?

The Horizons Bible study will show us how the many prayers of lament in the Bible are

really aids in finding hope in God’s love and care.

Recently the author of the Bible study presented a webinar to introduce the concepts of

lament in Scripture and to lay background for the study. It was an exciting two hours with

nearly 300 in “attendance” just in our session. (There were two more at different times to

accommodate time zones and schedules.) You can view the whole webinar on the PW YouTube

channel; search YouTube for Presbyterian Women Into the Light, and you will find it (It’s about

an hour and 50 minutes.).

As adult study groups and PW circles consider topics to study in the next program year, I

highly recommend Into the Light. Lynn Miller writes, “In the Bible, lament is a type of writing

that expresses great grief or sorrow; it is sometimes accompanied by anger and a clear sense

that injustice has been done. Lament is directed toward God because God is the one who has

the power to change situations and God is the one we ultimately trust. Exploring laments from

biblical sources will demonstrate both the purpose and the power of being completely honest

with God, as we also claim, through our faith, that God knows and loves us as we are. As we

examine contemporary laments and take the opportunity to practice lament for our own lives

and communities, we will discover that lament is rooted in, and draws us toward, hope. God, in

Jesus Christ, is to be trusted, and is worthy of our praise!”

During the study, participants will not only study laments in the

Bible but will also learn to write them for themselves as prayers to

God and sources of hope.

The author is also the artist who created the images that

accompany the lessons. On July 15, she conducted a Paint-Along party

(on Zoom) for 26 participants who were guided through the process

that Lynn used to create her illustrations. I was an “artist” for the

evening. Women from all over the country prepared the canvases and

created images that celebrated their faith and/or expressed their

feelings about the current pandemic. Perhaps we will be able to do

our own paint-along party inspired by Lynn’s teaching both in the Bible study and the party.

I’ve changed my mind about studying lament at this particular time. I know we will not

be wallowing in grief, self-pity or complaint. I know that we will recognize that our ancestors in

faith had many of the same emotions that we do as we go through lives of joy, plenty, loss, and

pandemics. I am confident that studying these lessons together will help us to gain knowledge

and grow in faith. I hope many of you will, too. Now that more of us are familiar with the use of

Zoom, perhaps you would like to form a virtual circle for the study. Contact me through the

office at First Presbyterian, Bloomsburg, and we can discuss how we might do this: 570-784-

2322 or email fpcbloom345@gmail.com.

Christine Fuller

PASTOR’S CHECK-IN

This is a reminder that we have pastor check-ins each Thursday at 11:00 a.m. If you are a pastor within our presbytery (this include HRs and CPs – Certified and Commissioned) and are not receiving a Zoom code for the gathering, please let me know. Email me at presbynorthep@gmail.com.

WEEKLY PRAYER LIST Each week throughout the year we ask our presbytery members to pray for the various churches of our presbytery, as well as our faith-based partners. If you are willing, please lift-up the congregations and partners in your prayers personally and during your worship service. God’s grace extends in so many wonderful ways and prayers touch hearts in ways we cannot even comprehend.

This week please pray for:

First Presbyterian Church, Lewisburg

Ryan Kraus, pastor

Great Island Presbyterian Church, Lock Haven

Taylor Camerer, pastor

First Presbyterian Church, Mansfield

Open

Please keep Mansfield, First in your prayers as they continue to search for a pastor.

Are there other concerns that need to be shared? If so, please send them to Steve Cureton at presbynorthep@gmail.com.

TOPICS TO DISCUSS

“Grieving, Mourning, Finding Hope After COVID-19 – Acknowledging our losses is the first step to rebuilding hope.” This is a Presbyterians Today article about the need to grieve during this pandemic. The entire article is found HERE. At the bottom are tips and suggestions on how to grieve together as a congregation. Below is that list.

Jason Whitehead, a coach and spiritual director for Mosaic Insight Counseling and Coaching in Denver, offers the following ideas for how congregations can grieve and process loss together when traditional rituals such as group vigils and hymn sings cannot be held:

• Create a time in worship for people to express their grief and sense of loss.

• Create a Facebook grief wall where people can write about something they miss.

• Create an Instagram or Pinterest wall where people can post a picture that describes their

feelings or sense of grief or loss.

• Develop a virtual support group.

• Have leadership write letters of gratitude to people in the congregation who have

identified that they are struggling at this time.

• Create a community or congregational scrapbook that documents this point in the history

of the church. Encourage people to be honest about the things they are grateful for and

the challenges they face.

• Talk about the future with honesty and vulnerability, acknowledging the pain of what

we’ve lost and the possibility of what comes next.

• Understand when your own grief is clouding your ability to connect with others, and take

some time apart when needed.

• Take your time. Be together during this time of grief and loss. Most experts say that we

should not make important decisions within six months of a major loss.

• When the grief becomes too much, get professional help.

NORTHUMBERLAND PRESBYTERY’S

TECHNOLOGY GRANT

The presbytery is very pleased to be able to offer a technology grant. This grant is open to our 35 churches as we continue to respond to the rapidly changing cultural landscape and our growing use of technology in all areas of life, including ministry. The outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent social distancing, closing of our physical buildings, and discovery of an on-line worshiping community highlighted ways we could benefit from technology while also spotlighting many of our deficiencies in this area. The purpose of this grant is to assist congregations who have a need to upgrade or update their technology for use in their ministry. This may include, but is not limited to:

• Computers

• Phone systems

• Video cameras

• Microphones

• Mixing boards

• Zoom membership

• Church WIFI

• Software upgrades

• Live-streaming equipment

• Podcasting equipment The presbytery’s desire is not just for our churches to be able to replace or update what they have, but to create an opportunity to reach out, serve, and share in an even greater way the love of Christ in their congregation and their community. To help make that possible, our General Commission approved a Technology Grant of up to $3,000.00 for our churches. The grant application can be found HERE and on our presbytery website (northumblerlandpresbytery.org). By vote of their sessions, congregations of the Presbytery of Northumberland may apply for the grant between now and October 1, 2020.

A Grants Team will review each grant application and inform applicants as to whether they will receive all or part of their grant request. Please be specific and intentional about your plans.

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

JULY July 25 11:00 a.m. Renovo Administrative Commission July 28 10:00 a.m. Worship and Nurture Committee Meeting July 30 11:00 a.m. Pastor Check-In 4:00 p.m. Shared Gifts Committee Meeting AUGUST Aug. 4 1:00 p.m. Audit Committee Meeting Aug. 5 1:00 p.m. Moderator Training – Trinity United, Tioga Aug. 6 11:00 a.m. Pastor Check-In Aug. 11 12:00 p.m. Joint Camp and Conference Board Meeting – Krislund Aug. 13 11:00 a.m. Pastor Check-In Aug. 18 1:00 a.m. Committee on Service meeting Aug. 19 9:30 a.m. General Commission meeting Aug. 20 11:00 a.m. Pastor Check-In Aug. 27 11:00 a.m. Pastor Check-In

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO OUR NEWSLETTER LIST

If you have information to share for our newsletter, please send them to Steve at presbynorthep@gmail.com or to Patty at presbynorth@comcast.net. We put the newsletters together on Monday and Tuesday, then get the information out on Wednesday. Blessings to you and thank you for reading all the way to the end.

Grace and Peace to you all, Steve & Patty Patty Beggs Rev. Steve Cureton

Administrative Assistant Executive Presbyter

Northumberland Presbytery Northumberland Presbytery 570-368-3906 570-204-2540 presbynorth@comcast.net presbynorthep@gmail.com www.northumberlandpresbytery.org 430 Broad Street, P.O. Box 334, Montoursville, PA 17754