PC(USA) software engineer asks ‘What if God was our customer?’

Question leads to launch of tech company, ‘Ceaseless’ prayer app

by Emily Enders Odom | Presbyterian News Service

Chris Lim at the Go Disciple Live “Be the Light” Evangelism Conference. (Photo by Mari Graham)

ST. PETE BEACH, FLORIDA – After earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the University of Washington and then landing a plum job at Amazon less than a year later, what more could a young software engineer want?

More—Chris Lim wanted more.

Lim, a ruling elder at the Indonesian Presbyterian Church in Seattle, wanted nothing less than what God wants—that God’s kingdom come. And, what’s more, he wanted to use his God-given gifts, specifically his expertise in technology, to hasten its coming.

Read more.

Sunday worship @ First Presbyterian Church Seattle

August 9, 2016

Dear Brothers and Sisters –

What a wonderful Lord’s Day celebration we had last Sunday – filled with worship, and a sense of community with God’s people – friends old and new – hailing from Canada, Tennessee, some originally from Iran, Vietnam, Mexico, some from across town, a few from the streets. And then to be “picked” by that quite amazing Lectionary text from the gospel of Luke: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom!” (Luke 12:32) And then to come to the Lord’s Table, and be assured once again of the sheer gift of it all, the sustained grace of it all in this life of following Jesus.

I think you’ll be glad to hear that we’ll be gathering regularly for worship at 10:30 am on Sundays in the Chapel at the building known as “First Presbyterian Church Seattle”.  Be sure to spread the word!

Until then…be the church!

Pastor Heidi

Parking information:  

Free parking will be available in the surface (south) lot on 8th Avenue and Madison. Overflow parking will be available in the large (north) lot on 7th and Spring.

Easiest entry to the Chapel is on Spring Street (about the middle of the block or so - look for the sign on sidewalk).

Update from Marta Bennett (TE, Validated Ministry in Nairobi)

July 31, 2016

Reports of my “retirement” have been greatly exaggerated!   Though the Presbyterian Church (USA) has now recognized me as “Honorably Retired” from mission service after 21 years as a PC(USA) mission co-worker, I have definitely not retired from Kenya, from ministry, nor from university teaching in East Africa! Not only have I not “retired”, I am excited about the way opportunities and engagement in the region continue to deepen and expand.      

Read more. 

Worship at First Presbyterian Church Seattle

Message from Pastor Heidi Husted Armstrong:

Dear sisters and brothers:

A long awaited day - much prayed for in recent months - has arrived: this Sunday we will be worshipping at the building known as “First Presbyterian Church Seattle.”

We plan on holding two worship services in the Chapel this Sunday, at 10:30am and 1pm.  The second service allows members of Presbytery to attend.  There will be a communal meal in between the services in the Whitworth Room (food will be provided).  We hope you will able to join us for any or all of this time – and ask you to please spread the word!

While there are still many unanswered questions, and the way forward is not entirely clear, we invite you to continue to trust God on this journey as we discern together God’s direction and will for First Presbyterian Church Seattle.

Grace and peace!
Pastor Heidi Armstrong

Rev. Dr. Heidi Husted Armstrong, Transitional Pastor

First Presbyterian Church Seattle

Email: heidi@seapres.org

Cell: 206/294-1544

Website: http://seafirstpres.org/

Parking information:

Free parking will be available in the surface (south) lot on 8th Avenue and Madison.  Overflow parking will be available in the large (north) lot on 7th and Spring. 

July 12 Meeting Photos

Thank you to our amazing hosts @ Madrona Grace! 

Prayer for Triennium 2016

We, your people, pray for these young people and adults, who we send to the 2016 Presbyterian Youth Triennium. We pray, God, you will move through all their experiences at Triennium. That it is a reminder of how you bring people together. That all are welcome. That everyone is accepted. That your word is embedded in their hearts.

We pray for the renewal of friendships and the birth of new ones. For deep thoughts, transformation and the freedom to be silly.

God, shape Triennium to be a life-altering, life-giving, life-forming, unbelievably awesome experience. That the joy, laughter and challenges shared by those gathered together will travel with them and carry them all the days of their lives.

In your loving name, we pray these things, and together we say, Amen.

Learn more about the SeaPres Triennium delegation.

Queen Anne PC Food for Kids Outreach

Queen Anne PC's Food for Kids:

Together with our partners, Queen Anne Helpline and Ballard Food Bank, we provide six nutritious meals and snacks for the weekends for children attending local schools who do not otherwise have enough to eat. Twice a month, we hold "packing parties" at the church to get bags of food ready that will be discreetly delivered by school staff to the participating kids. The program started in October, 2013 and has grown rapidly since.

Questions? Contact Queen Anne PC.

PC(USA) Board of Pensions launches new online portal

7/11/16 update from the Board of Pensions:

Log on to the New Benefits Connect Today 

Beginning today (7/11/16), the new Benefits Connect is live -- and it's your one-stop shop for everything related to benefits. With the new site, you can view contact and benefits information, search resources for additional information, and contact the Board -- all online. 

Log on to the new Benefits Connect to

• change password or register for the first time;
• view and change contact information for the employer representative, Retirement Savings Plan (RSP) representative, and/or billing representative;
• view your current invoice charges (and link to BoardLink to pay your bill);
• view member contact, service, and salary information; and
• access additional resources and support.

Paper Forms Needed During Transition

Our goal is to provide you with the ability to complete nearly all requests quickly and easily online through Benefits Connect. Through 2016, we will be working to reach our goal! Until then, paper forms will be needed to submit service changes, salary changes, and terminations between now and January 2017. Members will need to complete paper forms to

• change contact, dependent, or beneficiary information;
• change direct deposit or federal tax withholding information (for retirees only); and
• enroll for dental coverage or apply for supplemental death benefits coverage (when first eligible or after a qualifying life event)

For additional help, you can always call 800-773-7752 (800-PRESPLAN); Employer Services will continue to provide high level quality service and respond to questions and concerns.

Employer Decision Support Coming Soon

Our plan is to open employer decision support next week so you will be able to begin to use Benefits Connect to model 2017 benefit selections and costs (throughSeptember 30) to determine the benefit selections to offer employees during annual enrollment. Look for an email with more details coming your way soon! For a refresher of 2017 Benefits Plan features, view Overview of the 2017 Benefits Plan. Be on the lookout for information about employer decision support!

Transformed Service Delivery: Serving More. Serving Better. Serving the Church.

The new Benefits Connect is the result of months of thoughtful design, development, and enhancement of processes and technology that support the Board's service. Experience first-hand the meaning of transformed service delivery. Log on to the new Benefits Connect today!

Questions about the Benefits Plan, your benefits, or payments?

• Log on to Benefits Connect and check the Resources box on each page for more information.
• Still have a question? Go to Resources & Support and submit a question online. A service representative will reply.
• Call 800-773-7752 (800-PRESPLAN).

Comments/suggestions about this email, newsletter, or other publication?

• Write communications@pensions.org.

More resources:

2017 BOP Benefits Plan Overview

The Board Bulletin - Spring 2016

800-PRESPLAN  Information Update

March 2016 PC(USA) news story
 

Post-GA bulletin inserts available

2016 “What happened at General Assembly?” post-GA bulletin inserts

May 13, 2016 by The Presbyterian Outlook

What will they hear? Who will tell them?

Give your church members a fast, accurate and fair account of what happened at the General Assembly.  We’ll explain how the assembly voted on the most significant issues – from new denominational leadership to the world’s concerns.

You can provide them with a summary of the news in a bulletin insert the day after the assembly adjourns prepared by the award-winning Presbyterian Outlook news team. Download it and print as many as you need.

The PDF is just $20 for congregations with less than 250-members and $30 for congregations greater than 250-members.

Learn more.

Also available:

Assembly in Brief - 222nd General Assembly (2016)

Assembly in Brief, the popular bulletin insert-size summary of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) is now available as a free download. The insert is chock-full of information about the Assembly, complete with color photographs. Assembly in Brief is a partnership between PNS and the Office of the General Assembly. It relies heavily on the writing and photography staff of the General Assembly Communications Center.

Contents:

• “The Hope in Our Calling”
• History2: Two women elected Co-Moderators
• Belhar added to Book of Confessions
• ‘A new Directory for Worship
• Commission created to deal with PC(USA) structural issues
• Move to divest from fossil fuel companies defeated
• Two-state solution for Israel-Palestine reaffirmed
• With an apology, assembly vows to keep children safe
• ‘Regret’ expressed for harm to LGBTQ/Q members
• “Teaching Elder” out, “Minister of Word and Sacrament” back in
• Decision to reduce number of synods reversed
• Commitment to peacemaking reaffirmed
• Gradye Parsons honored

The bulletin insert may be downloaded below or you may:

• get 1/2 page readable order (6.3mb)
• or in a lo-res readable order (552kb)

Assembly in Brief (free downloadable bulletin insert from the Office of the General Assembly)

More links:

OGA General Assembly Page

General Assembly News 

Read assembly reports & recommendations

GA 222 Coverage from The Presbyterian Outlook

Brief guide to General Assembly (The Presbyterian Outlook)

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Seattle Presbytery's GA commissioners:

Ruling Elder Steve Aeshbacher, Bellevue
Ruling Elder Pattie Holt, St. Andrew
Teaching Elder Doug Early, commissioner
Teaching Elder Chris Pritchett, commissioner
Riley Drinkwine, Young Adult Advisory Delegate

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Just for fun:

The Rap on GA - "No Sleep Till Portland"

J. Herbert Nelson is new PC(USA) stated clerk

June 24, 2016 by Leslie Scanlon, The Presbyterian Outlook

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has elected a new stated clerk: J. Herbert Nelson II – a third-generation Presbyterian pastor, a prophetic voice for justice.

Nelson issued a call to Presbyterians stop focusing on internal church disputes, numerical survival, and labeling each other as progressives or conservatives, and to focus on “the impact God can make through us” in a broken world.

“I believe we are not dying,” Nelson told the 2016 General Assembly. “I believe we are reforming.”

On the first ballot, the assembly voted overwhelming 447 to 112 to elect Nelson – the official nominee and the director of the PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness – over challenger David M. Baker, stated clerk of the Presbytery of Tampa and its director of communications.

Read more.

Adopting Belhar, the 222nd General Assembly makes history

June 23, 2016 by Jill Duffield, The Presbyterian Outlook

PORTLAND, Ore. – The 2016 General Assembly made history by voting June 22 to add the Belhar Confession – a moving call for reconciliation, and a condemnation of racial injustice written in the crucible of the struggle over apartheid – to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Book of Confessions. Belhar becomes the first confession from the global south the mostly-white PC(USA) has ever adopted – and the PC(USA) has done so at a time when racial tension, injustice and violence in the United States make headlines nearly every day.

Read more.

First co-moderators elected: Anderston/Edmiston elected on first ballot

June 18, 2016 by Leslie Scanlon, Presbyterian Outlook

On the first ballot, the 2016 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) elected on June 18 the team of T. Denise Anderson and Jan Edmiston as its co-moderators – choosing leaders who say they want to “cast a vision of hope for the church we love dearly” and who have challenged Presbyterians to realize that change is both inevitable and can be a force for good.

The assembly elected Anderson and Edmiston – both teaching elders – by a vote of 432 (76 percent) to 136 (24 percent) over the team of Adan Mairena, a teaching elder and new church development pastor from Philadelphia, and David P. Parker, a ruling elder and lawyer from North Carolina.

That election marks the first time the assembly has elected co-moderators – and the first time the slate chosen has ever consisted of two women.

Read more.

Disciple making around a meal — and friendship between international students

New worshiping community at University of Washington breaks down cultural barriers

by Paul Seebeck | Presbyterian News Service

For Eric Hanna, what began as a dinner invitation became an integral part of a spiritual journey.

Last year a classmate at the University of Washington invited Hanna to a meal and Bible study at International Friendship House in Seattle. Friendship House is home to International Disciples, a new worshiping community that seeks to empower international and American college students in the Seattle area to be global Christian leaders.

A native of Amsterdam, Hanna had accepted invitations like this one before, but always felt as if the group ended up being too fanatical. After declining the initial invitation, he kept thinking about it and, after a long weekend, decided to give it a try.

“I really admire Eric,” said International Disciples leader Polly Yorioka. “I’ve appreciated his honesty about the spiritual journey he is on—that he doesn’t feel like he has to have the perfect answer or claim faith that he doesn’t have.”

Read more.

Dept. of Labor's New Overtime Rules

On May 18, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor announced changes to the White Collar
Exemption Regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The FLSA addresses which
employees are entitled to minimum wage and overtime. Those changes will take effect in
approximately 6 months on December 1, 2016. There is no exemption in the FLSA or its
regulations for non-profit organizations. Therefore, all non-profits, including churches,
presbyteries, and synods, need to assess the impact of the FLSA changes on their organization.

In order to determine if the recently announced FLSA changes impact your congregation or
council (hereafter collectively “Council”), there are several questions and a few analyses you
might consider.

Read more.

Prayer after the Nightclub Shooting in Orlando

by the Rev. Laurie Ann Kraus | Associate Mission Director, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Once again, Holy One, we cry, how long, O Lord? 

We wonder, when will it be enough?

We pray you will forgive our society which tolerates violence,

Our fearful xenophobia, and our willingness to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to words and deeds of intolerance.

Read more.

Watch video: "A Letter to Fear" by Elizabeth Gilbert, from SALT Project

People drawn to new worshiping community ask, ‘What is this space?’

Union provides high-tech neighborhood in Seattle a place of safety and refuge

by Paul Seebeck | Presbyterian News Service

SEATTLE – From the outside it’s a very nondescript place—a small building surrounded by offices filled with Amazon, Microsoft and other high-tech workers.

The first thing people notice when walking into Union, a new worshiping community in Seattle’s Westlake district, is a community coffee house with “this sanctuary like space,” says Renee Notkin, who is co-pastor of Union along with her husband James.

Read more.

Young Adult Home Host Program

The Accelerator YMCA Home Host Program is seeking church partners. The program serves young people ages 18-24 in King County who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The program provides young people with the space and opportunity to build independent living skills, gain stability, develop lasting relationships, and focus on goal attainment by matching young people with a caring and supportive host family they identify with.

Host families are volunteers from the community who offer a room in their home to provide safe, short-term, and supportive housing to young people who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Host families provide up to six months of supportive services to a young person, age 18-24 as they work toward stabilization. More importantly, young people have the chance to develop new and meaningful relationships with caring and supportive adults, allowing young people to create and expand their community. The Accelerator YMCA will recruit, screen and train all host families prior to a young person being matched.

Contact Nicole Gulberteaux at 206-462-9327.

Learn more.

Steel Lake PC Launches New Mission

Steel Lake Presbyterian Church in Federal Way launched its new mission on May 15 during a special Pentecost celebration. The church will focus on underserved aging and caregiving communities in the greater Federal Way area. 

"Our mission is in our name," asserts Pastor Will Mason. "Presbyterian means elder. It's not just our polity; it's our identity."

The leaders of the church believe a significant proportion of American society has drifted away from the tradition of caring for family members and valuing the wisdom of elders.  "How we care for our elders says everything about who we worship," says Pastor Mason. "The whole family system is affected by the issues of aging."

Community members, Seattle Presbytery leaders, and staff from Federal Way retirement communities also attended the celebration.

See event photos (courtesy of RE Steven Dent).

SeaPres & Colombia Partnership Covenant

“That they may all be one”

— John 17:21

Partnership with our sisters and brothers in Barranquilla, Colombia

In late January, ten delegates, representing our Seattle Presbytery, Seattle Pacific University and Whitworth University, traveled to Barranquilla, Colombia to formalize a missional partnership between our Presbytery and Presbytery of the Coast.  The delegation included: Tali Hairston, Staci Imes, Alex Maxim, Eliana Maxim, Terry McGonigal, Ben Notkin, Renée Notkin, Kevin Nollette, Ron Rice and Sharon Rice.    

The seed for this trip germinated more than 5 years ago when Mark Zimmerly became aware of the Colombia Accompaniment Program, hosted by leaders of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia and in conjunction with PC(USA) World Mission, that focuses upon a ministry of presence between the church, displaced communities and human rights leaders in Colombia. In his question of how our Presbytery might become more involved, he approached Eliana Maxim, a native of Colombia, and together they traveled to Barranquilla in February, 2015.   Last fall Adriano Portillo, Jairo Barriga Jaraba,  Diego Higuita and Gina Zabala - leaders of the Presbyterian Church in Colombia -  visited Seattle to meet with our church leaders and began to explore the various mission opportunities between our two communities as a way of sharing our faith and life experiences and unite us in our understanding of the Kingdom of God.  

The Seattle delegation experienced an overwhelming affirmation of the vitality of such a partnership during our visit to Barranquilla in January as we visited with displaced farmers, students, educators, pastors and lay leaders.   While we may have needed translators at times to help us in our dialogue with one another, there are two universal words that defined our time together and our excitement about our future partnership:  accompaniment and advocacy. Through the unique missions of our Presbyteries, we are covenanting by the guidance of the Spirit to partner with one another in these areas:  

• Ecclesial engagement through the sharing of liturgy, worship resources, biblical and theological reflections, pulpit exchanges and internships.
• Educational engagement through partnership with Seattle Pacific University and Whitworth University.
• Diakonia engagement through a mutual vision of accompanying the stranger in our communities and presbyteries as we pursue together the work of advocacy, humanitarian relief, reconciliation and sustainable development.

Both councils of Seattle Presbytery and Presbytery of the Coast have signed a partnership covenant to be reviewed every two years.  To support our partnership in Seattle we have formed a Colombia Mission Task Force and are making plans for a delegation trip in 2017.

If you wish to have more information or are interested in joining the team, please contact either co-chairs  Staci Imes at pastorstaci@wppcseattle.org or Renee Notkin at reneen@upc.org

Feds deny permit for coal export terminal

From Gary Payton, Environmental Advocate (May 9, 2016)
Member, Fossil Free PCUSA
www.fossilfreepcusa.org
Member, Presbyterians for Earth Care
http://presbyearthcare.blogspot.com/2016/04/pec-will-be-at-general-assembly-in.html

In an historic decision today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied necessary permits for the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal, a coal export facility located at Cherry Point, Washington. The Army Corps agreed with the Lummi Nation that building a 48 million ton per year coal terminal would have adverse impacts upon the Lummi Nation's fishing rights and way of life.  By denying permits for the largest proposed coal export terminal in North America, Army Corps upheld the Lummi Nation’s treaty rights and protecting the Salish Sea for all people who call the Pacific Northwest home.  Had the terminal been approved, hundreds of communities in multiple presbyteries across Montana, Idaho, and Washington would have been at risk through expanded coal train shipments from the Powder River Basin.

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article76545117.html

http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Media/NewsReleases/tabid/2408/Article/754951/army-corps-halts-gateway-pacific-terminal-permitting-process.aspx

Rev. Holly Hallman of Seattle Presbytery and I share this news with you recalling the modest, yet we believe important, role which the PCUSA played in this decision.

The 221st GA (2014) passed Overture 15-03 on expanded coal export projects which had been brought forward by Seattle Presbytery and concurred in by the Presbyteries of Cascades and North Puget Sound.  An action called for in the overture was the communication by the Stated Clerk of the content of the overture to the Corps of Engineers.  

https://pc-biz.org/#/committee/529/business

Holly and I would like to extend a special thanks to Leslie Woods, former staff person in the Office of Public Witness, Washington D.C., for the exceptional letter she drafted in 2015 for Gradye to send to the Corps.  The letter blended the thrust of the overture with a call to respect the treaty rights of the Lummi Nation. 

With letter in hand, Holly read its content last May to an assembly of Northwest tribal leaders.  Her presentation on behalf of the PCUSA was the only voice at the gathering from the faith community.

https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/eco-journey/2015/5/26/behalf-lummi-nation-and-northwest-native-tribes/

Our Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has taken profound and historic positions on a host of social justice issues through the decades.  We do not always know if our faithful voice is heard in the halls of power.  Thus, when we can draw a connection, however modest, between the 221st General Assembly's action, the denial of coal terminal permits, and the upholding of Native American treaty rights, it warrants a thankfully voiced "Alleluia!"

The power of the fossil fuel industry is great, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at the upcoming 222nd General Assembly in Portland will again be asked to made decisions about the industry, our investments, climate change, and as voiced by Pope Francis, "the cry of earth and the cry of the poor."

I thank you for receiving this email.  And, I thank all those who take an active roll in protecting God's creation.

Blessing to you this day, and Alleluia!

Gary
Environmental Advocate

More media coverage:

http://komonews.com/news/local/feds-deny-permit-for-giant-cherry-point-coal-export-terminal

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/tribes-prevail-kill-proposed-coal-terminal-at-cherry-point/

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Army-Corps-of-Engineers-blocks-giant-coal-export-7423531.php