The Synod of the Trinity Enews: Synod Sunday is Sept. 18!

	August 16, 2022 The Synod of the Trinity Being More Together Synod of the Trinity Celebrate 'Synod Sunday' with us! Mark your calendars: Sunday, Sept. 18, is Synod Sunday! On Sept. 18, we invite the congregations and presbyteries in the Synod of the Trinity region to celebrate the gifts and blessings that take place in our bounds throughout the year. The Synod works hand-in-hand with the ministry and mission of our presbyteries as they seek to support the witness of congregations, to the end that the church throughout its region becomes a community of faith, hope, love and witness. Please use these BULLETIN INSERTS to help tell our story and celebrate the good news that is occurring in our region! COLOR INSERT            B&W INSERT Redstone Community Kitchen cooks up important outreach Elizabeth Connelly, the Connections Coordinator for the Synod of the Trinity who specializes in grant distribution, took a trip during the summer of 2022 to get a closer look at some of the outreaches that have received Synod funding. One of her stops was in Masontown, PA, where the First Presbyterian Church's Community Kitchen outreach continues to serve its neighbors. "Each week without fail, no matter how high the heat index, this cheerful group spends most of their Tuesday prepping and cooking meals to provide to anywhere from 50 to 300 members of their community." Elizabeth outlines the Community Kitchen's plan and offers some helpful hints for congregations looking to start their own similar ministry. Check out her recap by clicking here. Lehigh Pastor pens 'Tales from the Trail' book highlighting Appalachian Trail ministry The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain in Delaware Water Gap, PA, is located one block from the trailhead of the Appalachian Trail. It hosts a Hikers Center, which is the oldest such stop on the trail. Since the Rev. Sherry Blackman began at the church as pastor eight years ago, she has spoken and listened to many hikers who have stopped for a bit to eat, a warm shower and a place to sleep. Those interactions are the subject of a book she wrote titled "Tales from the Trail," which recounts about 50 memorable conversations she has had over the years. “I wrote the book to celebrate the church’s longtime ministry and to show how a church needs to live and breathe in the community it exists in, which a lot of churches are trying to figure out right now,” Sherry explained. “And I wanted to write about what it means to be human, and how we all are searching for peace, for spiritual connection and to strip life down to the bare bones." To read more about the church's Hikers Center and the book that has spawned from it, click here. 225th General Assembly (2022) Plenty for mid councils to consider following GA actions Once the dust had settled on the 225th General Assembly (2022) in Louisville in July, it was time to unpack what had been accomplished and begin embarking on the road to change for mid councils in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Tricia Dykers Koenig, associate stated clerk and associate director for Mid Council Relations for the Office of the General Assembly, compiled a list of General Assembly actions that mention or particularly concern presbyteries and synods. For a number of these, the connection is that agencies are directed to share the action with mid councils and/or mid councils are encouraged to be aware. To review the list, click here. Synod Presbyterian Women Summer gatherings bring Synod PW together again The Presbyterian Women of the Synod of the Trinity held their annual Regional Gatherings in June. With the theme of Café Chocolat!, it was a success! Many were refreshed in their faith and relationships with friends. God was worshiped, spirit and body was nourished, and chocolate was ENJOYED (most of the time). The hope is that all who attended were blessed. For more on the Synod's PW, click here.
Wee Kirk set for October at Laurelville The 2022 Wee Kirk Northeast Conference will be held Oct. 10-12 at the Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in Mt. Pleasant, PA. The purpose of the conference is to inspire, equip, motivate and encourage small Presbyterian Churches and to provide rest and refreshment for the clergy and lay leaders of those churches. Featured speakers or presenters are: Asa Lee, Charles Cotherman, Sue Washburn, Jenn Frayer-Griggs, Jane Bartholomew, Jon Stewart, Byron Borger, Mark Perry, Benjamin George and John Burgess. There will also be a “Timothy Track” discussion on the resurrection of congregations with Jim Farrer. More information is available on the Wee Kirk website here. A pamphlet is available for viewing here. PDA assisting flood victims Not only were areas in Kentucky affected by the heavy rains this summer, counties in West Virginia were also under water. Please keep everyone who is affected by these storms in your prayers. You can donate to assist in the recovery through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance by clicking here. Resources available for Triennium reboot Unfortunately, the Presbyterian Youth Triennium was cancelled due to COVID precautions. However, there are some resources available online for groups to use to explore the theme “When Did We See You?” Three online resource guides have been published so that youth and their leaders can participate in their own way and at their own pace. A Group Study Guide, Recreation Guide and Worship and Prayer Guide are now available for download. They are available by clicking here. Sept. 11 is Disability Inclusion Sunday Presbyterian Disability Inclusion Sunday is Sept. 11. Prepared worship material has everything to plan an inclusive experience that promotes participation by everyone: scriptures, reflections, articles, videos, bulletin images, art and reflection activities, Sunday School material, a brand new hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, and more. Find these resources and more by clicking here. Student Loan Debt Webinar set for Aug. 25 Are you struggling with student loan debt? The PC(USA) is offering free student loan debt advising and document preparation to all PC(USA) leaders and free webinars for anyone with student loan debt. Learn more at the next webinar on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 1 p.m. To register, click here. Presbyterian Men offer Manual for Church Building Care The Pittsburgh Presbyterian Men organization has been active in providing building maintenance and restoration care for many years. This Christian Presbyterian Men volunteer work has now produced a Manual for Church Building Care and Related Operations. This 127-page document includes sections on Funding & Design Resources, Maintenance and Project Implementation. There are also areas related to roofing, stained glass, food service, building security and solar power. Numerous inspection checklists are part of this document to help buildings and grounds people determine the life of their facilities. The manual is available by clicking here. APCE plans Educator Certification Course in '23 The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Educator Certification Course will be held at the 2023 APCE Annual Event, which is scheduled for Jan. 25-28, 2023, in Birmingham, AL. This Educator Certification Course in Reformed Theology is designed to provide Presbyterian Christian Educators with a clear understanding of the Reformed tradition as it is expressed within the PC(USA) and in other local, national and global communities of faith. It also invites students to identify distinctive theological convictions within the Reformed tradition and make powerful connections between these convictions and their educational ministries in the church and the world today. Registration for the APCE Annual Event (and this certification course) will open later this summer here.
The Synod of the Trinity | Being More Together Have a story tip? Email Mike Givler, Communications Coordinator, here. Like us on Facebook.  Follow us on Twitter.