The Rev. Tosu Sinkaman from the Tayal Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan will be in Yukon Presbytery from mid-August until mid-November as part of the presbyteries’ partnership.
He will spend several weeks in the Aywaan Parish, working alongside the Nome, Gambell and Savoonga Presbyterian Churches. He will attend the October Presbytery meeting before traveling north to spend several weeks with the churches of the Ahmaogak-Akootchook Memorial Parish ― Chapel in the Mountains (Anaktuvuk Pass), Atqasuk, Olgonik (Wainwright), Utqiagvik (Barrow), Kuukpik (Nuiqsut) and Kaktovik.
The Tayal Presbytery in Taiwan has become self-sufficient. Yukon will be exploring with Tosu how ministry is done there and how those concepts might transfer to Yukon. He will also be learning from the churches in Yukon about preserving the indigenous language.
IOWA CITY, Iowa ― Marue White, Associate for Communications and editor, feature writer and photographer of the Presbytery of East Iowa e-newsletters “Out and About” and “Reading Between the Times” has resigned. She is moving with her husband, John, to Waupun, WI, where he has accepted a call as pastor of Trinity Reformed Church.
White has served the presbytery and the PC(USA) for distinction for the past eight years. She has developed the increased use of technology at presbytery meetings, designed and produced many brochures, led workshops to train church members on practicing hospitality with strangers, and written for many PC(USA) publications, including Presbyterian News Service.
CLEVELAND ― The Presbytery of Western Reserve is co-sponsoring a presentation by Warren Clark, executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace on Sept. 17 at Trinity Cathedral here.
The title of Clark’s presentation is “Ending conflict in the Holy Land: What you can do to help!”
Other sponsors include Canaan Fair Trade, Cleveland Peace Action, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Interfaith Peace Builders, Interfaith Council for Peace in the Middle East, United Church of Christ & Disciples of Christ: Global, Witness & Justice Ministries and United Protestant Campus Ministries of Cleveland.
Churches For Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of 24 national church denominations and organizations, including Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. It encourages U.S. government policies that actively promote a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ensuring security, human rights and religious freedom for all the people of the region.
MINNEAPOLIS ― The Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area has moved into temporary quarters while its offices are renovated. The renovations will take two to three months.
The temporary offices are in the basement of the Minnesota Church Center here. Communications should remain the same during the construction period.
LEXINGTON, S.C. ― Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, has planned a mission trip to New Orleans this fall and is inviting folks from Trinity Presbytery to join them.
From Oct. 24-29, the group will help with construction of Habitat for Humanity homes in cooperation with New Orleans’ St. Charles Presbyterian Church.
SEATTLE ― Four years ago, Rainier Beach Presbyterian Church in Seattle Presbytery hosted a Prayer Walk, beginning and ending at the church’s Peace Garden, in response to the tragic death of a local man in a traffic accident.
On July 20, the congregation gathered for another Prayer Walk, this time in response to a series of shootings in the neighborhood that claimed the life of a 19-year-old woman.
Along with local media and political leaders, more than 40 people of varying ages, races and faith communities joined in the walk, which began at churches Neighborhood Peace Garden, traced a route to the nearby site of the shooting and returned to the church. At each stop, a member of the clergy prayed for peace.
EAGAN, Minn. ― The Synod of Lakes and Prairies is helping recruit clean-up crews in the heavily-damaged Minot, ND, area where the Souris River flooded aerlier this summer.
Volunteer work teams may schedule to serve in the area with All Hands, an ecumenical long term recovery organization, between now and Oct. 1, according to an announcement distributed by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Groups can register interest online or by email or by calling (701) 347-1588.
Writing in the Presbytery of Northern Plains newsletter, Nancy Emerson, co-chair of the presbytery's Flood Task Force, noted, "The greatest obstacle to volunteering is the lack of temporary housing and portable showers. All Hands Volunteers does have ability to house 40-60 volunteers. Groups staying with them do not have to pay anything for accommodations or meals. However, groups need to register now to ensure availability. ... All Hands Volunteers has committed to the clean-up effort until the onset of winter. In their eyes that means the end of September."