Boston Presbytery Newsletter for Sept 9

Notice of the Stated Meeting
of the Presbytery of Boston

Date/Time: Thursday, September 23, at 7:00 PM
Location: Zoom Meeting

To receive the link to enter this meeting, you must register online in advance of the meeting. The link to register is available on our website here. That page also includes instructions for participating in the meeting through Zoom.

The meeting packet will be available one week prior to the meeting. When it is available you will be able to find it on our website here.

All teaching elders and ruling elders with the privilege of vote are expected to attend all presbytery meetings. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Stated Clerk, T. J. DeMarco at statedclerk@presbyteryofboston.org or 401-523-7417

A Letter from Ken and Jennifer Dewar, Burlington Presbyterian

Dear Presbytery Friends,

We are reaching out to ask for prayers and ultimately to find someone willing to donate a kidney to our daughter Laurie. Laurie has been living with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) for many years and her condition has reached the point that she will need dialysis or a kidney transplant soon. She is now on the list to receive a kidney transplant from a deceased donor.

However, the best option for Laurie to have the chance of living a long, healthy life is for her to receive a kidney from a living donor. Living donation can expedite the transplant process and offer a better outcome than from a deceased donor transplantation. The wait for a kidney from a deceased donor can be 5 years or more, with dialysis needed while the patient waits. Unfortunately, none of our family members is a match to be a donor for Laurie.

So, we are reaching out to as many people as possible about our daughter’s need to find someone willing to be a living kidney donor. We hope you will share this information with family and friends and colleagues. Please do so by word of mouth, phone calls, texts or emails. We are not yet sharing this on social media.

If you or someone you know have ever thought about being an organ donor and want to find out more, please contact us directly. You can also find out more at: www.transplantliving.org or www.pkdcure.org or visit https://www.bmc.org/transplant-surgery/living-donation. To learn more about the process of evaluation to be a living donor, you may contact Karen Curreri, RN, CCTC, Clinical Transplant Administrator at Boston Medical Center:
Text: 617-638-8368, Pager 617-638-5795 #9159
Karen.Curreri@BMC.org.

With much gratitude and faith in the grace of God,
Jennifer and Ken Dewar
Laurie Dewar
yoganana@verizon.net
laurie.dewar@gmail.com
C: 508-574-0411 H:978-667-1358

NE Glow Retreat

Faith Talks: September 12 at 7PM. Click here for the Zoom link. Meeting ID: 882 9192 2819
Passcode: 077555

Fall Retreat Postponed: We have decided to postpone the fall retreat until the spring. There is increased concern over the rapidly spreading delta variant of the coronavirus and also concern over what will happen when youth start back at schools. We will share more information about a spring retreat next month!

Joint Confirmation: Joint confirmation class will begin via Zoom the week of September 26. This class is open to any youth who would like to participate. Leadership will be shared across participating church communities. We will meet once a week on Zoom for one hour for 24 weeks and will be using the "Big God Big Questions" curriculum. You can find the participant registration form here. We are also looking for more leaders. If you are interested in leading one or more sessions please sign up here.

Youth Leaders' Cafe: We will also be hosting a monthly (to start!) Youth Leaders' cafe via Zoom starting in early fall. This will be an opportunity for youth leaders across the region to grab a cup of coffee or tea, discuss plans for youth ministry in their congregations, share resources, youth ministry stories, and experiences. Zoom link and more information to follow.

New! Newton Church Gets Creative with the Arts: Check out this article in the Presbyterian Mission Agency news about Newton Presbyterian Church!

It is about the pandemic and how Newton Presbyterian Church has been reaching out and inviting artists, writers and musicians to showcase their works in its worship space and through the church’s social media platforms as a way to glorify God and reflect on the gift of grace

Presbytery Directory: Several months ago our Presbytery Directory was changed to an online format, though a PDF was made available to download for those who preferred the old directory format. That PDF will no longer be posted on the website, but you can download your own if you so desire by following these steps:

After accessing the online directory, click "file" from the menu at the top of the screen.
Then, click "download" from the menu that appears.
From the list of download options that appear, select "PDF" (or any other file format you wish to convert the directory into).
To ensure you download the entire directory, make sure that the "Export" option is set to "Workbook" instead of "Current Sheet"

Update! Job Openings: Church of the Covenant in Boston is seeking a part-time Child Care Worker for Sunday mornings. More information, including a job description with instructions on applying, can be found here.

The United Presbyterian Church of Whitinsville is looking to hire a part-time Administrative Assistant. More information, including instructions on how to apply, can be found on our website.

The Presbyterian Church of Topsham Vermont is seeking a Pastor. More details and full MIF can be found here. The 200-year-old continuously running, historically restored church is seeking a ¼ time pastor. Contact: Tom Otterman. Phone: 802-439-6252 Email: Ottermansurvey@gmail.com

Connect Throughout the Week: We have two opportunities during the week to connect for support and encouragement. The login information can be found in the Presbytery calendar on the website.

Mondays at 10:00 am
Tuesdays at 3:00 pm