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July 1, 2021
The Spark of Service and Mission

Welcome to the MIDWEEK MUSINGS,
our bi-weekly newsletter to equip, spark and grow our mutual ministries. 
We invite you to share our publication with your church and community ... with thanks!

"Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
~Galatians 6:9
Embracing International Mission


The Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) program is an ecumenical, faith-based year of service for young people (ages 19-30) in sites across the United States and around the world. YAVs accompany local agencies working to address root causes of poverty and reconciliation while exploring the meaning of their Christian faith and accountability to their neighbors in the community with peers and mentors. 

NCP is proud to announce the accepted call of Grace Fulda from First & Central Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE as a YAV to service commencing this August in South Korea.  Each YAV is asked to raise a portion of their costs (currently $5,000) to cover the full cost of a YAV year (@ $24,000).

Meet Grace through her YAV flyer and please consider ways you might be able to support and encourage Grace during her YAV experience.
 


People in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been hit hard again. This time it has been the volcanic eruption of Mt. Nyiragongo in eastern Congo near Goma.



An estimated 450,000 people have been displaced and over 1000 homes destroyed. There is immediate need for food, water and shelter. Residents are gradually moving back. Our PDA has already committed resources for immediate assistance and to meet future ongoing needs.

Our friends in Kananga Presbytery are also collecting funds to send. They ask for our prayers. Our mission co-worker Christi Boyd visited the area, and both Jeff and Christi advise that the best way to give is through the PDA online: https://pma.pcusa.org/donate/make-a-gift/gift-info/DR000088/ 
Training
Training opportunities for July include: 
  • PC(USA) Leadership Transformation for Deacons and Ruling Elders
    • July 14, 7-8:30 p.m., Parliamentary Procedure for Leaders.
    • Register no later than July 6, 2021
  • New Castle Presbytery Training and Equipping for Elders and Deacons 
    • July 15, 5-6:00 p.m., Session Personnel Guidelines 
    • View the guidelines to be discussed on our training webpage, in addition to access information for the Zoom link for the training
NCP Session 2020 Minutes Review 
REGISTER TODAY! 
 
The confirmed dates/locations are as follows: 
  • Sunday, August 15 at 3 p.m. – Elkton Presbyterian Church, 209 E. Main Street, Elkton, MD 21921
  • Sunday, August 22 at 3 p.m. – Seaford Presbyterian Church, 701 Bridgeville Highway, Seaford, DE 19973
  • Room specifics will be confirmed and emailed to registrants the week prior to the gathering
 Please register online to facilitate our planning. The form has been updated to allow you to indicate neither date works for you so that we may plan accordingly. 
 
Our Committees - CORN
Nominations Deadline: August 1!
The 225th PC(USA) General Assembly will be held June 18, 2022 - July 9, 2022, both virtually and in-person in Louisville, KY.
 
At its September meeting, New Castle Presbytery will elect one Minister of Word and Sacrament Commissioner, one Ruling Elder Commissioner, one Young Adult Advisory Delegate, and one alternate for each position.
 
The Committee on Representation and Nominations (CORN) is responsible for presenting the slate of nominees for these positions to the Presbytery. CORN requests that the Session of each congregation and worshiping community of New Castle Presbytery prayerfully identify a Ruling Elder and/or Young Adult in their congregation who would be faithful representatives of New Castle Presbytery as a Commissioner or Delegate to the General Assembly.

View guidelines and online application forms on the Committee on Representation and Nominations webpage here.  Nominees for Commissioners and Alternates will be selected from the nominations received by August 1, 2021 and submitted to CORN through the appropriate nomination form.

If you need additional information, please contact Rev. Caitlan Gartland, Committee on Representation & Nominations chair via email.
Appreciation for Journey Partnership
Dear friends,

Thank you so much for the outpouring of care, compassion, and love following my Dad’s sudden death on June 13. Even as I both reeled from the news and started to manage the many tasks that come with a loved one’s death, I knew I was being held up in prayer and supplication. I am especially touched because I’m still so newly come to minister alongside you.
 
We will be traveling back to Washington State in September for a Zoom celebration of life for both of my parents, (my Mom died on April 10, 2020), followed by a scattering of Dad’s ashes in the same area we spread Mom’s last year. Then Eric and I will drive back, bringing my Dad’s car and some of the smaller items that will help us remember him.
 
While grief is always unique and personal, it is good to journey through it as part of the body of Christ. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being journey partners with me and my family.
 


Peace,
Cindy

Rev. Cindy Kohlmann
NCP Connectional Presbyter
 
Our Churches
Westminster PC-Wilmington
All children Pre K – 6th grade are welcome to participate in this year’s VBS at Westminster with the theme “Knights of North Castle: Quest for the King’s Armor” by Cokesbury Publishing. Stories, music, crafts, and games will be lively and fun as we explore Bible stories about the armor of God in our lives. Ready to register your child(ren) for VBS? Fill out this short form to let us know, and we’ll send you an online registration packet! The registration fee is $25 per child or $40 maximum per family. Teen and adult helpers are invited to email VBS Director Robin Rosser as soon as possible. Concerned about COVID? Click here to read our COVID-19 safety guidelines. Is your church not having VBS this year? You are welcome to join us at Westminster!
Our Churches 
Community PC - New Castle


Community PC is partnering with the Food Bank of Delaware to host a Mobile Food Pantry. Click on the image to sign-up. 
PC(USA) Matthew 25 Churches
The PC(USA)'s Matthew 25 Initiative is a bold vision and an invitation to "multiply this loving commitment to radical and fearless discipleship by partnering with mid-council and congregations to help them embrace one or more of three focuses: 
  • Building congregational vitality 
  • Dismantling structural racism 
  • Eradicating systemic poverty
Your congregation may actually be living this initiative in one or more ways, however have you officially "Become a Matthew 25 church" through the PC(USA) invitation and prepared your impact statement? View the list of Congregations, Presbyteries, Synods and Other Groups who have already joined.
 
"Love is the only force capable of transforming
an enemy into a friend"
 
Our Partnerships
Congo
In addition to prayers for our friends in eastern Congo near Goma for safe harbor from the volcanic eruption, additional news from our Congo Partnership includes: 
  • Executive Director Pastor Thierry sent pictures from youth Sunday held June 6 at his church, the Ecumenique parish, sister church with Westminster PC-Rehoboth. 
  • Elkton Presbyterian Church celebrated “Congo Sunday”, on June 13 with bright African attire,  music and dancing up the aisle during the offering and a Congolese meal in fellowship hall following worship. The offering they collect that day goes to support their sister church, Kananga One. 
  • Dover Church has just approved a sister church relationship with another church in Kananga Presbytery, the Bobume church, led by Pastor Justin Tulume. He announced the news during worship on Sunday and all were overjoyed! If you’d like to know what’s involved having a sister church partnership, call (302-593-2474) or email me (Pastor Laurie) for more information. Any of our team would be happy to share a brief presentation with your session or mission committee. It can be as simple or involved as you make it.  

 
  • There is a serious shortage of bibles in Tshiluba. Simon Ntumba bought one for $25 in Kinshasa for a pastor who had been preaching from an old tattered one that only had the gospel of John and Revelation. We are exploring ways to get a big shipment to Kananga (from South Korea) at $10 per Bible. If you would like to donate towards this order, see our donation page on our Congo Partnership website.

 
  • The Sunday school children from all the churches in Kananga Presbytery (316 total!) gathered to celebrate the silver anniversary (25 years) of Kananga Presbytery. They heard a message from Romans 12:21 on “Conquering evil with good”, and sang and played games. They ask our prayers for the children that God will bless them. 

 
Please continue to hold our Congolese brothers and sisters in your prayers, both personal and corporate, as they minister to so many needs there.


Thank you,
Laurie Loveless, NCP Congo Partnership convener 
PC(USA)
Week of Action
SAVE THE DATE! August 23-29, 2021 
THEME: Shades of Oppression, Resistance & Liberation 

The week and theme are crafted to bring attention and action to the plight of those suffering from differing forms of oppressive situations. Events will be both virtual and potentially in person. The Week of Action has at its core the idea of being a visible arm of justice in our communities around the denomination as we stand on the foundations
of both Matthew 25 and the Hands & Feet Initiative. View the Week of Action webpage for further details.
Board of Pensions 

What's Possible? Strategies to Serve Better Webcast
Save the Date
Wednesday, August 25, 2021|1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET or
Thursday, August 26 |3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET

Many church leaders are asking a broad range of questions as they evaluate what mission and ministry will look like in a post-pandemic world. As you review your Employer Agreement for 2022 and consider which benefits to offer, you also may have questions about how to best serve your employees and congregation in this evolving world. 

To help guide you through these questions and benefits decisions, The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will host a one-hour webcast to examine how churches may attract, retain, and motivate employees to adapt to the changing circumstances of ministry. You will hear from several Board of Pensions representatives, including from our Benefits, Church Engagement, and Plan Operations teams.

During the webcast, we will consider the following questions:
  • Why does our church need a benefits strategy?
  • What are the different benefits options available? How may these be tailored to meet the needs of our employment situation?
  • Which benefits are available to part-time church workers?
  • Why should we offer the Retirement Savings Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)?
  • How might the Board of Pensions assist our congregation as we develop our benefits offerings and submit our Employer Agreement for 2022?
REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN LATE JULY.  Watch this space for more details!
Policy Updates
Collaboration builds strong policies. To assist in your efforts to create safe church policies, the Presbyterian Mission Agency provides valuable resources:
 
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/legal-resources/creating-safe-ministries/ 
LAST CALL!
Order your 2021/22 Planning Calendars
The Presbytery office offers bulk purchase price planning calendars for members within New Castle Presbytery.  This price reflects bulk order rates at a per copy price for the calendar only $10.25 each, plus shipping to your location if required.  The bulk order is delivered to the Presbytery office and I will individually package each order and provide an invoice with shipping charges included (USPS Priority Mail is utilized for this purpose).  Special arrangements are required for pick-up from the Presbytery office if you do not choose the shipping option.
 
ORDER ONLINE NO LATER THAN Tuesday, July 13 to insure availability.  To facilitate the order process through the Presbytery at the reduced bulk price, please click on the following link: https://newcastlepresbytery.breezechms.com/form/a149ee
Synod of the Mid-Atlantic
2021 Virtual Men's Conference
Brothers and sisters across the Synod are invited to the 2021 Virtual Men's Conference to be held July 17.  View full information and register online for this year's event: "Be joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction, Faithful in Prayer".

Although the event is virtual, teaching and fellowship of breakout sessions will continue to be the hallmark of this event.
Presbyterian Mission Agency -
Inclusive Language Guide Updated
Presbyterian inclusive language guide updated
As reported in Women's Ministries June 30, 2021

"When the last edition of the “Well Chosen Words” guide to inclusive language came out in 2010, “brothers and sisters” were listed as “Words that include,” and preferable to the commonly used “brothers” and “brotherhood,” which were listed as “Words that exclude.”

In the latest edition of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s guide, “brothers and sisters” is now listed as “Words that exclude,” with “siblings” and “humankind” being the inclusive terms." View the full June 30 article online.


Youth Director
Covenant Presbyterian Church
Malvern, PA
 
Searching for a new youth director! This part-time position (approximately 25 hours/ week) seeks an individual interested in joining a new-er team of pastors and ministry leaders who seek to support the spiritual development of families on the Philadelphia main-line. Please email resumes to elder Ginger Pohlman at . A full job description can be found online.

DON'T MISS VALUABLE NEWS ARTICLES FROM PC(USA) or THE BOARD OF PENSIONS! 


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Presbyterian Mission Yearbook
PASTORS WEEKLY GATHERINGS
ZOOM meeting times:
Tuesdays, 9 a.m. – General sharing time
Wednesdays, 9 a.m. – Lectio Divina and prayer
Thursdays, 12 p.m. –Transformational pastors

Pastors are gathering with Presbytery staff “online” through Zoom each week to laugh, share experiences, ask questions, and find support.  All pastors are invited to join us at one or more of these times.  A link to join the ZOOM meetings is sent each Monday.  Misplaced the email? 
Contact the administrative office and we'll send it to you!
https://www.facebook.com/NCPresbytery/
Website
NewCastlePresbytery
Email
Visit NCP's Website here
Presbytery staff are here to serve you!
The NCP physical office is closed during this time, however the staff are available via email and cell phone.  "Normal" business hours, with noted sabbath exceptions, include: 

Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
Friday closed  (limited staff available via email)

SABBATH DAYS: 
Tracy Keenan - Fridays
Cindy Kohlmann - Mondays 
Donna Scully - Fridays (during the summer months) and Weekends 
Jerry Hunter - Thursdays and Weekends

UPCOMING HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURES INCLUDE: 
Monday, July 5 (in observance of the July 4 holiday on Sunday)
 

View the ABOUT tab and OUR TEAM on our website for contact information.
 
NCP Mailing Address:
1102 W. Church Road, Newark, DE 19711
( Please email or call the Presbytery administrator before mailing important letters/packages to insure your information is not delayed.)


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