THE ADVOCATE African American Ministry Newsletter. Advent/Christmas

Transcription

1 THE ADVOCATE African American Ministry Newsletter Gye Nyame NOVEMBER 2013 Advent/Christmas We re about to enter the season of Advent/Christmas (December 1 January 5 th ). It s time for us to prepare so we enter the season with our eyes focused on celebrating the birth of our Savior. We can provide the kind of experiences that will help each other do more than get caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping for gifts and decorating. Resources are available for study and to give you a different way to celebrate. Check out resources available from your church at: Our resource center in Winston Salem can be a big help. Advent John the Baptist points to Christ, as depicted by Matthias Grünewald ( ). This was a favorite image of the theologian Karl Barth. Advent means coming or arrival. During the season of Advent, we celebrate Christ s coming into the world and watch with expectant hope for his coming again. In its historical origins, the season of Advent was patterned after the season of Lent, a six-week period of penitence and preparation for Easter. Similarly, the four weeks of Advent present an opportunity for communal discernment and personal examination, as the church prepares to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord and looks with hope for Christ s return.

2 Nativity of the Lord / Christmas Since at least the fourth century in Rome, Christians have celebrated the incarnation and nativity of Jesus Christ on December 25. There is more than one theory about the origin of this festival day. Some have suggested that it was established to replace the Roman feast of Natalis Solis Invicti (the birthday of the unconquered sun ). Others believe that Jesus was conceived on March 25 (coinciding with the date of his crucifixion, as recorded by some witnesses in the early church); December 25 is exactly nine months later. Regardless, the time between December 25 and January 6 (Epiphany) has become an occasion for the church to celebrate and give thanks for the arrival of God s Word made flesh the light of God that has come into the world, the light that even death could not extinguish. From the PCUSA website Let us Pray, For: Dr. Catrelia Hunter and the Mt. Vernon family, on the death of Rev. George Hunter - We extend our sympathy to Dr. Hunter and the faith communities of Mt. Vernon and Trinity- Olen Bruner, Pastor, Trinity, Salisbury Howard Patterson, Mt. Tabor Evelyn Caine, 2 nd Mocksville Work and ministry of Salem Black Presbyterian Caucus Salem Presbytery, her churches, pastors and educators Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. 221 st General Assembly Detroit, Michigan (June 14 th 21 st ) Churches and Pastors Calvary and Rev. Timothy Bates Grace and Rev. Toure C. Marshall Rev. Eustacia Moffett-Marshall, Interim Director of Worship and Arts Lloyd and Rev. Laura Spangler

3 Mt. Tabor and Rev. Eulando Henton St. Paul Presbyterian Church Allen Temple and CRE J C Byers Freedom and CRE Stedman Newsome Logan and Rev. Samuel Stevenson Mebane First and CRE Nita Henderson Reid Memorial and Rev. Brenda Tapia Beulah Presbyterian Church Cameron and Rev. Timothy Bates Dellabrook and Rev. Carlton Eversley St. James and Rev. Diane Givens Moffett Rev. Eustacia Moffett-Marshall, Campus Minister Trinity and Rev. Olen Bruner Boonville First and CRE Jerry Moore Mocksville Second and CRE Fred Terry Mt. Vernon and CRE Emery Rann Shady Side Presbyterian Church 100 th Stated Meeting of Salem Presbytery, November 9 th at Prospect Church in Mooresville. Packet available by November 5 th. 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Buscan, Korea October 30 th November 8 th Plan to journey with the assembly through prayer and Bible study The upcoming 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches will be held in Busan, South Korea October 30- November 8, It will be more inclusive and welcoming of the wider ecumenical movement than before. And it will be planned and carried out in a spirit of madang(the traditional Korean courtyard connecting different parts of a house), inviting participants into a common space of discussion

4 and celebration. You are cordially invited to join other faithful pilgrims in this historic event for Christian fellowship. I will be coordinating a special Visitors Program for PCUSA members. Plan to journey with the assembly through prayer and Bible study Life Together in Faith: Unity and Mission Life Together in Hope: for Justice, Peace and Reconciliation in the World Life Together in Love: for a Common Future A few WCC Bible study, music resources are available for your use now or later. Remember to utilize our presbytery year long prayer list. For more info contact Chris at Chris Campbell at ccampbell@salempresbytry.org Ad eep Payi Highlights for November November 2, 2013 Mount Vernon News Community Garden dedication on November 2, 2013 The community garden dedication service is 11am November 2nd and Rev. Dr. Diane Givens Moffett will conduct the service. Following the service there will be a reception at the community garden site. Approximately 2hrs, gospel music by G3 Ensemble, a local family in the community, gift bags, and Frogmore stew. Bring Your Own Chair if you would like to sit, fellowship, and enjoy the music.

5 Dr. Diane Givens Moffett, St James Presbyterian will preach on November 2nd for our Community Garden Dedication service and Mr. Franklin will be in attendance for that service as well. He is an avid gardener. Our reception will follow immediately at the garden site with gospel music being performed by the Geter Family of Woodleaf. John W. Franklin, Smithsonian Institute, 11am service for the Dedication Service for the 19th Century Cemetery which will be held on November 3rd, afternoon service at 3pm we will celebrate our 143rd Church Anniversary with Rev. Rudolph Cornelius This is just a quick note to you. I will follow up with more details. 143rd Church Anniversary is November 3, 2013; lunch following morning worship and afternoon service will begin at 3:00. Reverend Rudolph Cornelius Pastor of Zion Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church in Troutman, NC will be the 3:00 speaker. In November we celebrate: November 9 th th Meeting of Salem Presbytery, Prospect, Mooresville November 10 th Reid Memorial will celebrate our 146th Homecoming at 3:00 p.m. The guest speaker will be Pastor Kevin Little of New City House of Praise, Mooresville. The theme for the event is "Raising the Standard". Thank you! November 17 th Mount Tabor 146 th Church Anniversary Celebration Rev. Eulando Henton, preacher, lunch served following morning worship at 11am Church News and Celebrations! November 10 th Installation of Rev. Eulando Henton at Mount Tabor, 3:30pm

6 November 10 th Homecoming at St. Paul, High Point, 11am The Campus Ministry Committee of Salem Presbytery seeks to be a creative resource and advocate for campus ministries in Salem Presbytery and to connect campus ministries and local congregations in order that all God's people may be transformed through the grace of Jesus Christ and grow in their relationships with God and one another. Dear Partners in Ministry, We need help locating PC(USA) students at colleges and universities located in Salem Presbytery. If you have a young person in one of these schools please let me know. Our campus ministry programs would like to connect with them while they are away from home. This includes students at Appalachian State University Winston Salem State Wake forest university A & T University Bennett College Gilford Technical Community College Salem College UNC at Greensboro How your church can help: Send us student names and contact information and we will invite them to coffee, to attend our weekly programs, and to get them connected to other students on campus who are interested in exploring their faith. Put an announcement in your Sunday bulletin or newsletter encouraging parents and youth leaders to send college student s information to campus ministers Pray for students, professors and the Presbyterian campus ministry at so that we might be a place that students feel welcomed and affirmed.

7 Association of Presbyterian Church Educators Annual Event January 29 February 1, 2014 REGISTRATION FOR SAN JOSE EVENT WILL OPEN IN SEPTEMBER, Scholarships APCE is pleased to offer several scholarships to attend each year's Annual Event, and for Certification Courses. For more information and for Application forms, check out the APCE webpage at

8 Members of the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song (PCOCS) are excited to sing, beat, and dance with you! Join us for worship at APCE's annual conference. Old favorites and new tunes will be sung; Korean, Arabic, and English will be used; guitar, drum, and flute will be played. Let's make a joyful noise to the Lord! Registration for the 2014 Annual Event will open in Mid- September! You may now get a sneak peak at workshops by CLICKING HERE. Pre-events and Post-events and much more will be added when registration opens. Start browsing and planning now so that you can get the early bird rate when you register.

9 Coming Your way around Salem Presbytery. IMPORTANT DATES TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR TODAY!!!!! 2014 Presbytery Meetings 2013 Schedule November 9 Prospect, Mooresville 2014 Schedule February 4 th (11 th alternate in case of snow) May 17 th August 5 th November 8 th The Proposed Amendment resources are now online under the Clerk s Corner web page. BLACK PASTOR S RETREAT April 27-30, 2014 (Sunday-Wednesday) Community News-

10 Take a Look - These resources are available to you as sources of information: The Weekend update from Sam Marshall, What s Happening in Salem Presbytery- check out our new website, and Facebook page PCUSA s website Pastors group on Facebook An interim pastors group on Facebook The Neighborhood Newsletters For Zion s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; And you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give. Isaiah 62:1-2 Have a Blessing Month!