PresbyFest Audio is Live

All keynote, workshop, and sermon recordings from PresbyFest 2012 are available now. Click here to visit the download page.

Presbyfest Wrap Up

The Presbyfest gathering of 250 folks from Seattle Presbytery last Saturday represented more than just a fun, enriching, and enjoyable event (yes, I just used those words to describe a presbytery gathering!); it marked a change of focus, a step in a new direction for Seattle Presbytery. 

For many years, we've been wanting to move away from the old, bureaucratic mode of presbytery, to an engaged, responsive, relevant, and communal way of serving the gospel together. If I could be so bold, PresbyFest 2012 was an important turning point in that new direction. Three years of small steps in toward a more purpose-filled presbytery became an impressively large stride when we come together in common mission like we did on Saturday. 

 

Many kudos go out to those who helped to put everything together: Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, keynote speaker Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, the many presenters who shared their gifts and experiences, the kitchen crew at MIPC, and the presbytery staff - especially Rev. Eliana Maxim, Christa Peck, and Aaron Willet who together, organized the entire event. 

 

Yet even today, we're planning a follow up to Presbyfest so here's a preview - Session Saturdays or Saturday Sessions (the name still needs some work so feel free to chime in here with your suggestion). It was a common theme at Presbyfest that there just wasn't enough time to get into a topic. Though we'll make some tweaks to the schedule for next year, there is a limit to what we can accomplish in one day. To address that, we're beginning to sketch out a series of Saturdays where we can cover a topic in depth. And yes, these will be recorded too (we recorded our Presbyfest sessions, to be on our website soon!) so if you can't make it, we'll have a way for you to glean some wisdom from a distance. 

 

Thanks again to all who came for some part of Presbyfest and all those who helped make it a success. Hope to see you on a Session Saturday in 2012. 

 

Grace and Peace in Christ, 

Scott

Presbyfest 2012

by Rev. Eliana Maxim, Associate EP

“Christ calls the Church into being, giving it all that is necessary for its mission in the world, for its sanctification, and for its service to God. Christ is present with the Church in both Spirit and Word.” (Book of Order F-1.0202)
 
 Almost 200 folks have pre-registered for Presbyfest (Saturday. Jan. 28 at 9am). I have to believe that they – like me – have heard that God is doing some pretty amazing things in our presbytery. The testimony of Christ’s salvific grace is being proclaimed in all sorts of manners and from every corner of our presbytery. And we shouldn’t be surprised, really. Christ is present with us, in both Spirit and Word. We just need to hear about it from one another and be encouraged!
 
We’re delighted to welcome you all to Presbyfest and hope that you will find encouragement, food for thought, fellowship and manna for your soul. You’ll hear from Bruce Reyes-Chow, former PCUSA moderator as well as from Julia Thorne, PCUSA immigration attorney. Speakers will address topics as varied as healthy church growth initiatives and theology and culture, Bible study and church finance. A wealth of diversity!
 
If you haven’t signed up for the event yet, it’s not too late. Just visit www.seattlepresbytery.org/presbyfest and click on register. We’re excited to welcome you all and together bear witness to the good work and life-giving mission happening in our churches and fellowships!

Call for January Stated Meeting

At: Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, located at 3605 84th Ave. SE Mercer Island, WA 98040

On: Saturday, January 28, 2012
        4:00 pm Meeting Convenes

Presiding: Elder Bruce Manger, Moderator

Directions: click here

Emergency Calls: To reach anyone at this meeting,call Christa Peck at 206.569.8551.

Handicapped Facilities: The facilities are handicapped accessible.

Meal Arrangements: Because this meeting is only one hour, there is no meal.

Child Care: Childcare will NOT be available for this meeting.

Parking: Parking is available, but carpooling is always encouraged.

**NOTE** This called meeting of the presbytery will be immediately following Presbyfest. It's a highly limited agenda, and we should be finished in one hour.

On the agenda: 
- Elect Commissioners and Advisory Delegates to GA
- Receive reports from the Stated Clerk
- Four Ordination Exams (split into two rooms of two exams each)
- Arrangements for the above ordinations 

PresbyFest Approaches

By Rev. Scott Lumsden, EP

Greetings in Christ to you in this New Year. There is no greater hope to us than to know that as we begin a new year, the real beginning of all that we are and ever hope to be is found in Jesus Christ, "who is before all things" and in whom, "all things hold together." 

As we gather together for Presbyfest on January 28th, we will not only remind ourselves of this hope in worship, song and fellowship, but we will also learn about the many ways this body of believers we call a presbytery is serving the gospel both here and abroad. I hope you will join us on Saturday from 9:00am to 3:00pm at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church. Dr. Bin Nguyen will be among the many presenters, sharing about the Southeast Asia Ministry Team. 

By Dr. Binh Nguyen 
    & the Southeast Asia Ministry Team

Did you know that the Seattle Presbytery established the first Vietnamese Presbyterian Fellowship in Washington State? It happened in January 1999 at Brighton Presbyterian Church. This openness led the Seattle Presbytery to meaningful ministry in Vietnam, the country where US combat forces were involved for a decade. Just a few years after the founding of the fellowship, history was made again when, in October 2002, the Seattle Presbytery and the Worldwide Ministries of the PC(USA) recognized the establishment of the first Presbyterian churches in Vietnam.

With the guidance of the Seattle Presbytery, the ministry of Presbyterian churches in Vietnam has blossomed. The Seattle Presbytery has also helped the Presbyterian Church in Vietnam learn how to build healthy relationships with government authorities. The result is that the Vietnam Presbyterian Church has been given a permit to legally hold worship services at many different locations throughout the country. 

The history of Indochina (during French colonization this was the name given to the region encompassing Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos) shows that things happening in Vietnam have an effect on Cambodia and Laos as well. Therefore, this international ministry of the Seattle Presbytery has expanded beyond Vietnam to now include Cambodia and Laos. As opportunities arise, it is quite possible this ministry of the Seattle Presbytery could expand into other countries of Southeast Asia.

The Southeast Asia Ministry Team of the Seattle Presbytery invites and urges your congregation and missions committee to pray for these ministries, to give financially, and to consider participating in our upcoming trip to Southeast Asia.

For any questions related to the ministries or the trips, please contact the Southeast Asia Ministry Team of the Seattle Presbytery:

• Dr. Binh Nguyen at binh@seattlepresbytery.org or 206-965-0192
• Rev. Paul Kim at paulk@seattlechurch.org
• Rev. Dale Sewall at dalesewall@gmail.com

 May God bless you and your church abundantly.