No lead article this week. ============================================== A Calendar of Prayer for our Presbytery January 6 The Staff of the

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1 No lead article this week. ============================================== A Calendar of Prayer for our Presbytery January 6 The Staff of the Presbytery Christine Rogalski, Administrator Chris Burger and Becky Kindig, co-stated Clerks, Lisa Heckman, Treasurer 13 Bainbridge 1st, Patty Wolff Temp Supply Pastor 20 Masonville Federated 27 Nichols 1st George Budine, Commissioned Lay Pastor = Prayers: Prayers for Deb Fleming and family ( Warren Rowlands, father of Deb Fleming) passed away yesterday morning. He had been in O'Connor Hospital in Delhi. The service will be on Saturday, 1/19/2019, at the West Delhi Presbyterian Church. There will be calling hours at 11:00 AM at the church. The service will be at noon with a dinner to follow. Please keep the Rowlands and Fleming families in your prayers. In addition, Deb's son Matthew and his wife Jesse welcomed their second daughter yesterday. Life certainly has its ups and downs. Please contact Committee on Ministry co-chairs, Marsha Muller and Lisa Ruth Mays if you have a pastoral care concern or need. ======================================== Other News The St. John's Bible Event - Tuesday 12:30 PM Interfaith lunch for clergy 6:30-8:00 PM Public lecture on the art of Creation, the Psalms, and Ezekiel's Valley of the Dry Bones Wednesday Retreat Day of Immersion Morning -Prayer and Presentation Afternoon -Visio Divina Evening Closing vespers worship Thursday 5:00 PM Public lecture at the University More information about: More about local arrangements: UPC Binghamton LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRESBYTERY'S LAY PREACHING COURSE

2 After the Presbytery Assembly, Feb. 9th, at Johnson City, I will be available for questions and suggestions. We will need about five-six persons to enroll in order to start the new class. You can also reach me through therentons1@gmail.com (Rev. Dr.) Barbara Renton Chair, Committee on Lay Preaching Ministering in Times of Spiritual Distress Saturday, January 12, :00 a.m. to 12 Noon St. Mary s RC Church, 39 Walnut St., Oneonta The crisis of our time has left so many people in spiritual distress. In pastoral ministry, sadly, we often encounter such people. You are invited to join Father Joseph Mali and Sister Kitty Hanley as they explore this topic and how not to lose sight of the treasures in darkness. The program will be live-streamed. People of ALL faith traditions are welcome to attend. 1) Flyer: Ministry in Times of Spiritual Distress 2) Registration form: Ministry in Times of Spiritual Distress For more info. go to OR contact Mel Sperti at St. Mary s, Oneonta at (607) , ext. 202 or carmelannsperti@yahoo.com Carmel Ann Sperti, D.Min. Oneonta, NY =========================================== POSITION OPENING FOR OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR PRESBYTERY OF GENEVA Penn Yan, New York Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) The Presbytery of Geneva is a regional ruling body consisting of the clergy and representative elders from 56 Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations within the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York. The Presbytery oversees and supports the mission and ministry of congregations through committees, programs, and mission efforts. We are seeking a competent and trustworthy candidate to fulfill the position of Office Administrator beginning February 14, 2019 or close thereafter. Blessings, Linda Badger Becker Transitional Leader Presbytery of Geneva < =====

3 Geneva Presbytery The Presbytery of Geneva is seeking a part-time Stated Clerk to begin service around April 1st, The Rev. Dr. Val Fowler will be retiring from service pending the identification, election, and orientation of a new Stated Clerk. Initially the position will be shared with Val for an orientation period of 4-12 weeks depending on the applicant's experience and need for such training. During this period, compensation will be shared equally. The length of the orientation period will be determined by the Personnel Committee in consultation with the Co-Stated Clerks and the Head of Staff. Although the earliest that the Stated Clerk can officially be elected is at the March meeting of the Presbytery, the Personnel Committee would like to identify the Stated Clerk candidate by mid-february in order to arrange for the candidate to attend the PCUSA Office of the General Assembly New Stated Clerk Training. March 25 27, 2019, in Louisville. Ruling and Teaching Elders who are interested in being considered for this elected position may send a cover letter and brief resume with three references to this address: statedclerkapp@presbyteryofgeneva.org *The deadline is February 1st, 2019.* Blessings, Linda Badger Becker Transitional Leader Presbytery of Geneva < ===== Owego Presbyterian Church - MLK Day of Service and Learning - January 21st Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2019 will be celebrated as A Day of Learning and Service for All Ages on Monday, January 21st, at the First Presbyterian Union Church, TempleStreet and North Avenue, in Owego. January 2019 is the 90th anniversary of the birth of Dr. King, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, civil rights activist and preacher. Boy Scout Troop 38 is participating in this event. The public is invited, especially children and youth accompanied by adult family members, on this national holiday. The day will start at 11:00 a.m. with an intergenerational project of making hygiene kits to help in disaster relief efforts and school kits to help children needing basic resources for learning. These kits will be distributed by Church World Service (CWS), the ecumenical relief agency supported by Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists,Lutherans and many other Christians. Donations of items needed (see lists below) to help make these kits and/or financial donations to buy the items are welcome. A simple lunch of pizza, hot dogs and veggie trays will be offered at 12:15 p.m. The lunch is free with donations welcome. At 1:00 p.m. there will be two free movies: the Academy Award-winning movie Selma for adults and older youth and the Disney

4 movie Ruby Bridges for children and youth. Selma is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by Martin Luther King, Jr., James Bevel, Hosea Williams, and John Lewis. The actors are David Oyelowo as King, Tom Wilkinson as LBJ, Tim Roth as George Wallace, Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, and Common as Bevel. A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote: "Even if you think you know what's coming, Selma hums with suspense and surprise. Packed with incident and overflowing with fascinating characters, it is a triumph of efficient, emphatic cinematic storytelling. Ruby Bridges is a Disney film of the true story of the six year-old African American girl who alone desegregated the William Franz Elementary School in New Orleans in Norman Rockwell s famous painting, The Problem We All Live With, shows Ruby Bridges being escorted by four deputy marshals with a vandalized wall behind them. On July 15, 2011, Bridges met with President Barack Obama at the White House, and while viewing the Norman Rockwell painting of her on display the president told her, "I think it's fair to say that if it hadn't been for you guys, I might not be here and we wouldn't be looking at this together. See painting at Donations for items needed for kits on MLK Day service project are welcome. Donated new items can be left at the church office at 111 Temple Street and financial donations (note MLK Day on check memo line) sent to that same address. Hygiene kits: hand towels measuring approximately 15 x 28 to 16 x 32 (no fingertip, bath, dish towel or micro-fiber); washcloths; wide-tooth comb; fingernail or toenail clipper; bath-size bar of soap in the wrapper; toothbrush in the package and standard size Band-Aids. Additional information about this event is available from the church office: or by pastorbrucegillette@gmail.com. ============================================== 2019 Standard Mileage Rates WASHINGTON The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2019 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2019, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 58 cents per mile driven for business use, up 3.5 cents from the rate for cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, up 2 cents from the rate for 2018, and 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.

5 Presbytery Pastoral Care Network (PPCN) is a 501(c)3 non-profit providing professional development, support, and resources for those caring for ministers throughout the Presbyterian Church (USA). January 2019 Developing and Measuring Spiritual Health The Case for Spiritual Development by Rev. Paul Burns I wonder if we, Presbyterians, are so adamant that the world recognize we are saved by the grace of God alone, that perhaps we are afraid to even hint we might need to put forth effort as followers of Christ. No! We are not saved by our works!! I think we all get that. But a work begins when the grace so freely given is so freely received in our hearts, and it is an arduous work. No, it is not our work alone. It is the work of the Holy Spirit, the Church, and our own effort and willingness. It is - dare I say - a cooperative effort. It is an undertaking that leads us deeper into the life of Christ and further toward the way of Christ. It is the work of cultivation of souls; ourselves and others. We are all in this together. We can t make the fruit of the Holy Spirit spring forth from our souls, but I do believe we participate with the Spirit in making ourselves ready for what God seeks to do in us. Prepare ye the way of the Lord! This is discipleship. It s the primary work of the Church and every church. Much of the Church world has focused on leading people to Christ, but it seems to me that the Church has struggled to lead people into Christ-likeness. MORE ===========