the cincinnati sampler...“the lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. people judge by...
TRANSCRIPT
“The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Samuel 16:7
Week of August 10, 2020
Presbytery of
Cincinnati
4309 Cooper
Road
Cincinnati,
Ohio 45242
The Cincinnati Sampler MORE PRESBYTERIANS—MORE ENGAGED
Let’s Make the Table Bigger
Not one but TWO Presbytery Gatherings
Via ZOOM
Tuesday August 11 6pm-8pm
Saturday August 15 9 am-11:30 am
Zoom links and documents are on the website.
Please register your attendance and
Commissioners with Stated Clerk Erwin Goedicke at
“See” you there!
Connecting and equipping
congregations to bear
witness to the
overwhelming hope,
audacious joy,
and contagious love
of Jesus Christ
PRESBYTERY STAFF AND OFFICERS
Lisa Allgood, Executive Presbyter— [email protected]
Rev. Erwin Goedicke, Stated Clerk—[email protected]
Margaret Heidenreich, Office Manager—[email protected]
Barbara Jean Havens, Coordinator Eastern Area Council
Bill Maney, Treasurer—[email protected]
Bill Bogdan, Moderator
Rev. Carol Ferguson, Vice Moderator
Rev. Adam Fronczek, Council Chair
PRESBYTERY OFFICE HOURS ARE 9AM-2PM Monday through Thursday
AUGUST 2020
CALENDAR
PRESBYTERY OF
CINCINNATI
Tuesday 11 August
9:30AM Bible Study for
Pastors and Preachers, by
Zoom (Rev. Stacey Midge)
Tuesday 11 August
6:00PM Presbytery
Gathering, by Zoom
Saturday 15 August
9:00AM Presbytery
Gathering, by Zoom
Welcome Reverends Anne and Gray Marshall, at the Presbyterian Church of Wyoming!
Anne and Gray met while in seminary at Union Presbyterian Seminary and have two sons, Henry (7) and Simon (4).
Anne has served large and small Presbyterian congregations. Most recently Anne was on faculty at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, OH as the Director of Contextual and Experiential Formation. Her doctor of ministry thesis focused on creative worship and understanding approaches for helping congregations embrace change.
Gray has served Presbyterians congregations in Virginia, Indiana and Ohio over the last 11 years. He has a passion for pastoral care, worship and youth ministry. Before coming to the Presbyterian Church of Wyoming, he was serving as Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Washington Court House, Ohio.
This will be the first time Anne and Gray have served in the same church.
Need a way to Pass the Peace virtually…? Check out the American Sign Language version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C5WhR2tHLw
Want a GA Commissioner to speak? The recent 224th General Assembly was historic on several fronts, and its structure and impact is worth sharing with your congregations and Sessions. Contact our Moderator Bill Bogdan at [email protected] if you’re interested in having him share perspective!
Golfers! Wouldn't it be fun to have a Presbytery of Cincinnati Foursome (or a couple of foursomes) for the City Gospel Mission Golf Outing? I'm signing up again this year, and would love to have others join me. Let me know if you'd like to be part of my team, or form your own. Erwin Goedicke: [email protected]
Job Opportunity in Batavia Batavia Presbyterian Church is seeking part time help, approximately 6 hours per week, to help with light office duties. Computer and copier experience preferred. Contact Elder Dan Krueger at [email protected].
Supporting the Work of the Presbytery and the Denomination
Per Capita Per Capita is a fundamental way in which all of the nearly 10,000 congregations and mid coun-cils of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) connect, participate and share in the work of the wider church. Per capita is the primary source of funding for the Presbytery, as well as the Synod and GA, and is how Presbyterians mutually and equitably share the costs of coming together to discern the Spirit’s leading for the future.
It is how Presbyterians are trained to become better ruling elders, teaching elders and
deacons, and ministers. It is how Presbyterians are helped to discern God’s call in their lives. It is how Presbyterians participate in the life of the wider church by serving committees and
commissions, regardless of distance or financial resources. It is how Presbyterians participate in the life of the Church universal as we commit
ourselves to work and live in fellowship with “all persons in every nation” (Book of Order, G-4.0101)
All Presbyterians are called to take part in the ecclesiastical and administrative work shared by the whole church though per capita giving. The GA and Synod annual rates are a per-member apportionment that is assessed biennially by the General Assembly (Book of Order, G-3.0106). Likewise, the Presbytery does an annual assessment to ensure the best possible solution for our congregations so that we can continue to support your ministries and missions in the Greater Cincinnati region.
Shared Mission Your gifts to the Presbytery Shared Mission Fund go into the One Hopeful Fund, the fund from which applications are granted to continue important mission programs across the churches of the Presbytery of Cincinnati, and to fund the Congregational Renewal work bringing learning opportunities and resources back into the congregations. Please continue to support the work of the Kingdom in the greater Cincinnati region!
Please remember to send in Per Capita and Shared Mission giving so we can continue the ministry of
the Presbytery!
Presbytery of Cincinnati Mission: Always Serving!
Indian Hill Presbyterian continues ministry to Our Daily Bread! Back in the early days of the pandemic, 35 churches in the Presbytery banded together to provide more than 15,000 sandwiches to Our Daily Bread. The Indian Hill Church has continued to donate sandwiches, bananas, oranges and desserts to Our Daily Bread for 14 weeks, over 4800 sandwiches! Way to go Indian Hill!
Presbytery of Cincinnati Mission: Always Serving! West Cincinnati Summer Program
Reading and Writing and Friends, oh my!
PCUSA and the Presbytery of Cincinnati invites you to join us in the
Presbyterian Week of Action, Aug. 24–30
It is an endeavor to provide a public witness that facilitates education, visibility and activity reinforcing our PC(USA) statements and policy supporting the eradication of racism and acknowledging that God loves all Black lives. Those statements include “Responding to the Sin of Racism and a Call to Action,” from the 224th General Assembly in June.
Check out the Week of Action website, where you can find the full daily schedule of events and ways to share the news, using our digital toolkit.
Also check out resources at PC(USA) Racial Justice Resources Yard signs Youth Rising Coalition Presbyterian Historical Society Black Lives Matter resources
By coming together as national staff and the greater Church, we can provide faithful leadership in the area of justice, love and equality within our denomination and communities.
The 21-day Racial Equity Challenge: Join our churches taking the plunge!
Lakeside Mt. Washington
The Presbytery of Cincinnati
Want to immerse yourself in a way to heighten your understanding of racial equity? Challenge yourself and your congregation by taking the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. For 21 days, do one action to further your understanding of power, privilege, supremacy, oppression, and eq-uity Plans include suggestions for readings, podcasts, videos, observations, and ways to form and deepen community connections. Suggestions are in the following categories: Read Listen Watch Notice Connect Engage Act Reflect Stay Inspired Resources at https://www.eddiemoorejr.com/21daychallenge
Did you know the Matthew 25 Website offers online courses?
Each module of our new Matthew 25 curriculum consists of a biblical foundation, theological reflection and practical tools to help you adapt and apply the content to your own ministry. Courses will be available for each of the three Matthew 25 focuses: nurturing vital congregations and communities of faith, dismantling structural racism and working to end systemic poverty.
Each series consists of 4 two-hour, highly-participatory online classes. You may take the class in a small group or as a self-paced, individual study.
We have partnered with Stony Point Center and Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary to develop these courses.
First course coming August 10: “Awakening to Structural Racism”
Visit presbyterianmission.org/matthew-25/curriculum.
This course is for people interested in learning more about structural racism and how to resist and deconstruct its destructive power in our own lives, our churches, our communities and the broader culture.
Learn more today or register
COVID-19 UPDATE Some things to think about and work through with your Sessions as you move through the next few weeks of most of us being subject to mask orders and rising numbers:
In Ohio, consider keeping the church building closed while we are red or purple and consider opening, and what needs to be true from a communications and logistics standpoint, when we get to orange and/or yellow. These are outside objective assessments of risk that are data-driven, valid, mandated, and easier to defend.
Masks are mandatory in Ohio and Indiana, even with social distancing. Kentucky has now limited gatherings to 10 people. We should be in compliance with all governor’s orders whenever they are in place and whatever they say with regards to COVID.
Make sure your communication of “policy” is really clear, both for closing/opening decisions and for what must be true in a sanctuary if you are open.
You must close and contact the Health Department (to permit contact tracing) if any of the following is true:
Anyone who has active COVID and has been in the church building/in contact with church staff and/or someone in the congregation within the previous week
Anyone who has symptoms of COVID (fever, child, cough, loss of taste/smell, etc.) and has been in the church building/in contact with church staff and/or someone in the congregation within the previous week
Anyone who has been told they’ve come into contact with someone positively diagnosed and has been in the church building/in contact with church staff and/or someone in the congregation within the previous week
Governor begins to re-order public closures (restaurants, bars, gyms, etc.) You should consider closing if there is a significant localized outbreak to the church or staff (or
key volunteers) home locations
Don’t be afraid to think in stages—not everything needs to happen at once. Different churches will make different decisions about meetings, worship, Bible study, children’s activities, and youth ministry. Not everything needs to happen at the same time.
Be aware that some of our churches have already notified us that they may not be able to resume in-person worship and activities until there is a vaccine or it is safe for large groups to gather. Do not feel pressured to resume in-person gatherings if you do not believe you can make safe arrangements. Your plan could be to continue your present arrangements in accordance with the state mandates, and Presbytery guidance.
Make shorter term plans – for the next month or two. Review this plan weekly and make adjustments as you go. Communicate that you will be making adjustments. Ask for input and advice and take into account the level of risk people are prepared to assume for themselves and others, as well as what medical professionals say is safe.
Make sure Session understands that they will have to monitor this on an ongoing basis – there is not “one-and-done” on these decisions while the situation is this fluid.
Make longer term plans over the next several months. These plans will take into account what you have learned in the short term and assess what to continue, modify, and discontinue.
Know that these are all likely to change: CDC has noted that we are “just beginning” the pandemic in the US and that the US does not have a handle on this. More than 25 states have paused on re-opening plans. Total US known infections have topped 3 million, with more than 60,000 a day now being reported; part of that is increased testing but most of it is simple community spread and about half are people under 40 (many under 5). New consequences are being reported every day. There is no vaccine, no real treatment, and no real immunity. It’s estimated that as many as 35% of infections are asymptomatic and therefore unreported.
One more—once infected, it’s possible you can get infected again. New observations include sustained / permanent organ damage in some cases—only 12% are fully recovered after 2 months.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL!
Presbytery of Cincinnati
Pandemic Action Plan at Re-Opening
Level 1: Monitoring the situation (likely June)
Presbytery office open
Increased sanitation and safe distancing practices throughout the building
Update all personal contact information of staff and members
Increase food handling precautions (in the local church this includes Communion Elements)
Encourage those who are ill, medically vulnerable, and those who have travelled to infected areas to stay home
Work with local congregations, Pastors, and other leaders to care for their faith communities in a time of increased anxiety, illness, and isolation.
Encourage local congregations, Pastors, and other leaders in safe practices (Consult the Questions docu-ment on the Presbytery Website for ideas)
Encourage continual giving of pledges and offerings so ministry is not hampered; consider online giving
Encourage congregations with a preschool to continue working the Pandemic Action plan
Continue alternate meeting technologies where feasible
Communicate plans and updated information through the Presbytery communication channels: Sampler, Presbytery Facebook page, Presbytery website
Level 2: Limiting and Watching (current)
Presbytery office open for essential functions
Rigorous sanitation practices
Consult the Questions to Consider document for specifics to think through, including music
All non-essential meetings and gatherings should continue to be cancelled or scheduled virtually
Encourage Pastors, Elders, and Deacons (the spiritual leaders of the congregation) to create worship liturgy, prayers, devotions, etc. that can be shared with congregation members who self-isolate and for widespread use as slow re-openings occur
Consider continuing online worship even as you begin to meet in the Sanctuary
Work with congregations, Pastors, and local leaders as they open the building for only worship and essential leadership functions.
Continue to use technology resources to gather as a faith community
Encourage safe distancing in all gatherings
Level 3: Closing (if local spikes in infection occur)
Presbytery office closed
Work with the congregations, Pastors and local leaders as local churches close for worship and all activities
Presbytery staff work from home
Implement use of technology for essential leadership functions
Communicate with local congregations, Pastors, and other leaders to offer updated information, encouragement