Maintenance or Mission

MAINTENANCE OR MISSION?

This was the theme of the Fall Meeting of Presbytery.  Actually, it felt more like time of worship, inspiration, teaching, sharing, and equipping than it did a meeting.

In this year of 2013 we began to meet in clusters –having our own regional times of northern, middle, and southern clusters, whereby we would not be traveling over the mountains in the winter.  We now meet just twice a year with the full presbytery (all 16 congregations), but gather with our clusters (four, five, or six congregations) another time or two during the year.

These cluster gatherings vary from region to region, but generally are times of more fellowship with meals and time for leadership training.  These cluster times have given us a taste of what presbytery can be when we gather all together…less business and reporting and more engaging with one another to further mission and ministry in and through our congregations.

We long to more fully live out the mission statement of our Presbytery…
…to assist
…to support
…to equip
…to challenge congregations within our presbytery bounds
Also, to provide:  GUIDANCE, ENCOURAGEMENT, & RESOURCES FOR THEIR MINISTRY

After such an uplifting, positive time together, we look forward to have Presbytery carry more focus and direction, choosing not to be distracted by those things that try to divide us, but rather focusing on those things that lead us to bear witness to Christ in the world.

A ministry team of Tom Hansen from the northern cluster, Alan Gibson from the middle cluster, and Beau Smith from the southern cluster, who all ably led us this past meeting and facilitated discussion, are eager to hear from you your ideas as they put together themes for the next three years for each of our “meetings” of Presbytery.  They would like your input as to the kinds of training your congregational leaders and members could appreciate, so that others (beyond voting delegates) can come together to be enriched and “poured into” for ministry, as well!

So in this New Year enjoy gathering with your clusters for more times of equipping and sharing, and we will see you at First Presbyterian Church, Glenwood Springs, Wednesday and Thursday, May 14th and 15th.  Be sure it’s on your calendars now.  We are grateful to the Glenwood Church for hosting this time…don’t think you will want to miss.  See you in the Springs…that’s Glenwood Springs in May!

Blessings this fall, that we may not only be “gathering in,” but also sending out!  In Jesus’ name,

Mary Hammond Atkinson

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