november 17, 2016 e-news -...

“Serving Jesus Christ by equipping congregations for ministry and mission.”

P. O. Box 186, Waterloo, IA 50704

319-233-1747

November 17, 2016 E-NEWS

Prayers of the Presbytery Nov. 20 Reinbeck, Amity – Darryl Widmayer, CRE

Nov. 27 Burt, Burt & Woden, First – Rev. Dr. S. Glenn Wilson

Dec. 4 Ackley, East Friesland – Lynn Arends, CRE

Dec. 11 Washburn, St. Paul’s – Rev. Dr. Clemens Bartollas

Dec. 18 For those Ruling Elders and Teaching Elders who have gone before us.

Dec. 25 Pray for the 2017 Presbytery Staff including new positions to be filled.

Prayers: - For the continuing flood recovery in our Presbytery,

Hurricane Matthew flood recovery on the East Coast,

and for other areas where Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has been called.

Presbytery Calendar Dates: Nov. 17 11:30 a.m. SE Pastor Cluster gathering Grundy Center,

Bethany

Nov. 18 Camp Board Meeting Ft Dodge, First

Nov. 20 10:00 a.m. Rev. Dr. Daniel Voigt preaching Waterloo,

Westminster

3:00 p.m. Rev. Dr. Dan Voigt Installation Waterloo,

Westminster

6:00 p.m. Macedonian Ministry East Cohort Dinner Supervisors

Club, Waterloo

Nov. 21 9:30 a.m. Seminar registration

10:00 Dr. Tom Tewell - Iowa Falls, Bethany Lutheran Church

Taking Your Preaching to the Next Level

6:00 p.m. Macedonian West Cohort Dinner Iowa Stater, Ames

Nov. 24-25 Thanksgiving holiday observed, Presbytery offices closed

Nov. 25 Presbytery Position Applications Deadline

(see page 6 for information)

Nov. 30 3:00p.m. Academy conference call

Dec. 1 3:30 p.m. Open House for Vicki Thordsen, see page 5 Ackley, First

5:00 p.m. Presbytery Council Dinner and meeting Ackley, First

Note: The Storm Lake Presbytery office will be closed Nov. 21-25 during the Thanksgiving

holiday.

THOUGHTS FROM DAVID FELTMAN:

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

How do we live in this time? We, in the church, are called to live in both worlds; I know it is a bit

too simplistic to narrow it to two worlds but this is a short article – so, left and right, Trump and

Clinton. It is uncomfortable to straddle both worlds. We may be tempted to run off the other

world, whichever world it may be. It would seem so much easier if we would just BE alike or

think alike. I don’t suppose one of your first resources is normally the BOOK OF ORDER, so I

bring it to the conversation.

F-1.0304 The Great Ends of the Church are:

- The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind;

- The shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God;

- The maintenance of the divine worship;

- The preservation of the truth;

- The promotion of social righteousness; and

- The exhibition of the Kingdom Heaven to the world.

Number four – truth was a casualty in this election, from all sides. Are we lifting up the search for

truth?

F – 3.0101 God Is Lord of the Conscience

a. That “God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and

commandments of men which are in anything contrary to his Word, or beside it, in matters

of faith and worship.”

b. Therefore we consider the rights of private judgement, in all matters that respect religion,

as universal and unalienable; We do not even wish to see any religious constitution aided

by civil power, further than may be necessary for protection and security, and at the same

time, be equal and common to all others.*

F-3.0104 Truth and Goodness

That truth is in order to goodness, and the great touchstone of truth, its tendency to

promote holiness, according to our Savior’s rule, “By their fruits ye shall know them”……

F-30105 Mutual Forbearance

That while under the conviction of the above principle we think it necessary to make

effectual provision for all who are admitted as teachers be sound in the faith, we also believe that

there are truths and forms with respect to which men of good character and principles may differ.

And in all these we think it is the duty of both of private Christians and societies to exercise mutual

forbearance toward one another.

I offer this for your personal reflection and your conversations.

With love in Christ,

David Feltman

* This section comes from the Form of Government in 1788. The words “men” and “man’s”

throughout this quotation from the 18th century should be understood as applying to all persons.

Below is the General Assembly YAAD Report from Joanna Wilson

[Joanna was unable to present her report at the October Presbytery meeting due to

illness. We share it with you now.]

I have never flown without my parents. Leaving for Portland, I grasped the sense

that what was laid out before me was bigger than myself. Entering the big world of

General Assembly was a culture shock. Seeing everything Presbyterian was like laying in

your bed after a long day. I was one of 140 YAADS, which we all had to arrive three days

early to learn the ways of General Assembly, full of orientations, icebreakers, Robert’s

Rules, and learned how we fit into the whole Presbyterian puzzle.

Once our other commissioners arrived, it was time to enter the fun world of

plenary meetings and agenda. We elected two wonderful co-moderators, Denise

Anderson and Jan Edmiston, who I know and believe will do great things looking

forward to 2020. After voting, we went to our separate committees. I was a part of a

committee (Committee 8, Middle East Issues) that put a lot on our plates. The business

in this committee was very sensitive, and involved a lot of talk about Israel and

Palestine, where we decided what would be the best and most effective way to show

peace to our brothers and sisters in both Israel and Palestine.

Though we passed, amended, got heated, calmed down, and eventually closed our

countless discussions, we had something to present to the body that we could all be

proud of.

Our YAAD group became a family by the end of General Assembly. Every night

we would close with worship and talk about our days, have devotions, and then return to

bed. It reminded me of summers at Presby Camp, because of our common mission: to

serve our presbyteries and the PCUSA in an efficient and respectful way. And let me tell

you, we have so many brilliant future pastors, ministers, and leaders coming out of this

year’s YAAD group. I was convinced to visit Princeton and Fuller, and of course Austin

Seminary courtesy of a wonderful TSAD I sat next to in committee.

One thing that was agreed by all YAADs was the wished that youth had more

participation in the church, locally and nationally, and how we could promote more

awareness within our congregations and presbyteries. Seeing that this is something that

affects our presbytery, it was very prevalent that I brought this to both our new Co-

Moderator’s attention and also my fellow YAADs. Another idea agreed by the YAADs

was this: wanted to break the young person stereotype that seemed to echo in the back

of our heads. That we didn’t contribute or participate in General Assembly, which was

definitely challenged. We worked hard to be part of it all.

Several of my fellow YAADs and I led energizers and prayers for the body. I was

even honored to lead the closing prayer the same night we passed the Belhar confession,

which was a pivotal moment within the 10 days in Portland. Sitting backstage, seeing the

faces of the creators and our guest speakers from South Africa who lived during the

Apartheid when it was finally passed was amazing. The sound of “We shall overcome”

bouncing around the huge hall, the feeling that I am a permanent part of history. This is

something some people wanted to live to see, and I was a part of that.

One thing that I learned more than anything, was what I learned from the Belhar

Confession. Reading and hearing it spoken aloud, it reminded me that everyone, and I

mean everyone, deserves a seat at Christ’s table. During General Assembly we had

prayers given by those of other faith, which was very different, but very gracious. It

showed that even though we are different, even if we are cast among the stones, that no

matter who we are, Christ loves us and we are all God’s children, and we should love all

God’s children, even if they believe differently.

Rev. David A. Feltman

Pastor to the Presbytery/Stated Clerk office: 319-233-1747

[email protected] cell: 319-231-3570

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

FAREWELL AND THANK YOU FOR VICKI THORDSEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1300 4th AVENUE,

ACKLEY, IOWA

RECEPTION 3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

DINNER* 5:00 P.M.

Vicki has served the Presbytery faithfully since 2004, rising to the occasion again and again as the needs have

arisen. We praise God for her service and invite you to thank her in person or send a greeting to:

Vicki Thordsen

NCIP

P. O. Box 186

Waterloo, Iowa 50704

She will conclude her service at the end of the year.

*Dinner plans include current Council members. If you would like to be included in the dinner, please make a

reservation by calling Kay Lenhart at 712-732-2097.

mailto:[email protected]





Presbyteries of North Central Iowa and Prospect Hill

Position openings: Position: Full time Administrative Assistant The Presbyteries of North Central Iowa and Prospect Hill are seeking applicants for a full time Administrative Assistant. Qualified applicants will have an educational background/experience in Office Operations/Management; computer proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, database management, electronic communication, Publisher, Front Page, and church software experience helpful; have the ability to maintain confidentiality; be a self-directed worker as well as the ability to work as part of a team. The job requires the ability to multi-task, relate well and serve the public. Submit a letter and resume to Lakeshore Center at Okoboji, Attn. Rev. David Feltman, 1864 Hwy 86, Milford, IA 51351 or by email to [email protected] by November 25, 2016. Position: Part time Finance Manager The Presbyteries of North Central Iowa and Prospect Hill and Lakeshore Center t Okoboji are seeking applicants for a part time Finance Manager. Qualified applicants will have an educational background in bookkeeping or accounting and office operations; computer proficiency with QuickBooks or other financial software, Excel, word processing, database management, and electronic communications; experience in bookkeeping or accounting; be detail oriented, relate well and serve the public with ease; ability to meet deadlines and interpret financial reports to others. Submit a letter and resume to Lakeshore Center at Okoboji, Attn. Beth Ehlers, 1864 Hwy 86, Milford, IA 51351or be email to [email protected] by November 25, 2016. Position: Part time Stated Clerk The Presbyteries of North Central Iowa and Prospect Hill are seeking applicants for a part time Stated Clerk. The Clerk will be elected by both presbyteries and be responsible for all Stated Clerk duties as dictated by the BOOK OF ORDER. Submit a letter and resume to Lakeshore Center at Okoboji, Attn: Rev. David Feltman, 1864 Hwy 86, Milford, IA 51351 or by email to [email protected] by November 25, 2016.









2017 Presbytery Mission Trip to Baton Rouge, LA Feb. 4 – Feb. 11, 2017

The Annual Presbytery Mission Trip registration is now open!

We will travel to the gulf area of Baton Rouge, Louisiana where we will stay at the First Presbyterian Church of Hammond. The cost to each participant is $150. Your completed Registration form and Participant Deposit of $75.00 is due by December 7, 2016 and the $75.00 balance is due to the presbytery by January 4, 2017. We will have one overnight lodging each way.

To receive registration forms, email to: [email protected] or contact David Feltman at [email protected]

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Give - Act - Pray

Give - to the PDA through your church designating for disaster relief

Act - Sign up for our Mission Trip (see above), collect needed items

Pray - Pray for those hit by the disaster, for those volunteering,

for staff working to bring relief agencies and groups to the disaster areas.








First Presbyterian Church, Algona is offering

New York Super Saver – an Economical Tour of New York City March 24 –April 1, 2017

DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS JANUARY 3, 2017

The Luxury Motor Coach tour will visit

Hershey, PA; Philadelphia; New York City, and more.

Tour includes

Tours, admissions, attractions, 8 nights lodging; 8 breakfasts;

luxury motor coach; luggage handling, professional driver.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE RESERVATIONS

CONTACT:

First Presbyterian Church, Algona

515-295-2226

or Walter Reemtsma, CRE, Dir. Missional Outreach

515-341-1052






Speaker: Rev. Dr. JC Austin

" Fearless Leadership in an Anxious Age" Hastings College, Hastings, NE

REGISTER NOW!

View 2017 Winter Pastors' School Schedule

REGISTRATION BEGINS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

LAST DAY FOR EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017 LAST DAY TO REGISTER IS TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017

You can also register at the OPSF Website


https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07edap1v7j8c86766d&oseq=&c=&ch=

http://www.omahapresbyterianseminaryfoundation.org/2017-WPS-Schedule.html

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HX-XITMi2ozDh4bzEji-kDzAAgzVTp4wRFbH9lrjc6ri1H3_SiowXRVqsCrBqk1Xqq1qT0kybBUR3eM70DIus6UtFjjPKZSitZu3vnZxA9IUyHec7jOjvfIbQ84mYn3v3flrrrADo8ATHz0kgsmSP1DQ1ONxQpovMP8SybG6WWEJ6uUBaESE5bugmbowo-liA9UByYQOGqgjm99bM2rjAc643Bt70d9rI_wlb5FF3voebkmdRTv_OEqEep0GT0n5&c=J0vQ-evZ2cYxtCjhDCsDfIL11mzWTx1NIqbNChKbQ0Nil6wF3Ngwwg==&ch=FvzSvoBpMYVwo2Vni-8FPQQiZW3o5NYGBsZJGvWqS9eQ2dSWVz_XWw==





2016 Presbyterian Advent Calendar = A Journey of Memories

To order, call 800-524-2612

Ask for PDS# 17116-16-007

Costs: 2-9 copies $300 ea.

10-99 copies $2.00 ea.

100+ copies $1.50 ea.

Or order online at pcusa.org/advent

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UPCOMING EVENTS TO ATTEND WITHIN THE PCUSA

DISCIPLE-MAKING CHURCH CONFERENCE January 16-19, 2017

Theme: “Abide in Me…A Spiritual Purging”

St. Pete Beach, FL

presbyterianmission.org/abide

PRESBYTERIAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSICIANS January 19-21, 2017 - Theme: “One in the Spirit”

Austin, TX

presbymusic.org/pam_professionals.html

ASSOCIATION OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH EDUCATORS (APCE) ANNUAL EVENT - January 25-28, 2017

Theme: “God with Us in the Chaos”

Denver, CO

apcenet.org

March 13-15, 2017 NEXT CHUCH 2017 NATIONAL GATHERING Theme: “Wells and Walls: Well-Being in a Thirsty World”

Kansas City, MO

nextchurch.net/gatherings/theme-general-information

July 6-8, 2017 BIG TENT Be inspired - Become equipped - Get connected

St Louis, MO, Washington University






presbyterianmission.org/big tent


november 17, 2016 e-news -...

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