Category Archives: Presbytery

Tornado Damage in Sullivan & Martinsville

The following is adapted from the Prayers of the Presbytery announcement sent by the Rev. Susan McGhee on Sunday, April 2, 2023.

Another news article, Tornadoes damage PC(USA) churches and destroy homes in the presbyteries of Ohio Valley and Arkansas, was published by PCUSA on 4/4/2023.

In Sullivan, where the Rev. Dawn Black serves as pastor of First Presbyterian Church, one hundred fifty homes in town and another fifty in the county were destroyed as a (preliminary) EF-4 tornado swept through the area (the church building was not damaged). Peak winds were 155 miles per hour during the storm that traveled 8.94 miles. As of Sunday evening, there where three confirmed fatalities and at least 300 displaced residents.

In Martinsville, an EF0 tornado with wind gusts of up to 85 miles per hour traveled through the area. The Rev. John Erickson serves as pastor of First Presbyterian Church, which sustained considerable damage, ripping the steeple from the building and sending debris into the sanctuary.

The Rev. Susan McGhee, Executive Presbyter, has contacted Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), and a National Response Team is being deployed. She will meet with the leaders of that team Wednesday through Friday to tour the affected areas, offer support to pastors and people, and work on next steps.

Monetary support is always helpful at times like this, as it can quickly be sent to where it is most needed. Gifts can be made to the Presbytery of Ohio Valley marked “disaster assistance” and mailed to
Presbytery of Ohio Valley
P.O. Box 7003
Bloomington, IN 47407

LEARNING CIRCLES

Six weeks of communal learning this January and February

NEXT Church is offering a six-week training and conversation Learning Circle focused on antiracism during January and February 2023. Each circle is curated with similar content while creating space focused on a specific context or lived experience. Learning circles will unpack the six values upholding white dominance and practice the transforming values to create conditions for equity. Circles will meet once a week for six weeks and will be led by trained NEXT Church antiracism facilitators.

Through the Myrtle Collaboration 2.0, the Matthew 25 Cohort churches of First Presbyterian Columbus, First Presbyterian Bloomington and Fairlawn Presbyterian Columbus, are offering a limited number of scholarships to cover registration fees for those wishing to attend. This Learning Circle provides another step towards our shared Matthew 25 Vision of dismantling structural racism.

The cost is $99 and spaces are limited for optimal conversation. Because People of Color will labor in a more costly way as participants in the Learning Circles, the participation cost for People of Color in any circle is $49.

To apply for a scholarship, please email Reverend Felipe Martinez (felipem@nullfpccolumbus.org), then sign up at the link (Learning Circles – NEXT Church). Registration expenses will be reimbursed through Christy Jerman, First Presbyterian Church, 512 7Th Street, Columbus, IN 47201 by mailing in your receipt.

Faith and Climate Crisis Virtual Sunday School

You are invited to participate in a free 4-part virtual Sunday School program on the Climate Crisis. We hope this opportunity will engage hearts, minds and spirits in recognizing the urgency of the climate crisis, and will inspire individuals and congregations to take action to address this crisis. (Click to view and download a flyer)

The programs will be offered on four consecutive Sundays; April 11, 18, 25 and May 2 at 4 pm EDT, 3 pm Central, and will be 75 minutes long using the Zoom platform.

Resources, videos, slides and break-out discussions are all components of the programs. This is the third series of presentations to be given within the presbytery. You will find more information on the Presbyterian Climate Advocates website, where you can register for the Sunday School program.

Presbyterian Climate Advocates
Carol Dunn, elder and Earth Care team chair at FPC Scottsburg
Kristina Lindborg, CCL representative, Bloomington
Beth Snyder, elder and Green Team chair at FPC Jeffersonville
Trisha Tull, emerita professor of Bible, Louisville Seminary

Presbyterian Women Spring Gathering Postponed

Updated: 8/25/2020

The Fall Gathering Date has been cancelled.

The Presbyterian Women Spring Gathering in the Presbytery of Ohio Valley was originally planned for May 9, 2020; however, it has been postponed and now has a new date.

The Presbyterian Women Fall Gathering: Celebrating Female Clergy will now take place:

Saturday, September 26, 2020 at the Brown Memorial Chapel, College Ave, Hanover, IN.
Registrations begins at 9:00 am EDT
Lunch cost will be $10

Please make reservations by Monday, September 14, 2020

Downloads: Fall 2020 Meeting Flyer | Spring 2019 Minutes

Contact: Donna McCreary, 812-256-2370 or mtlincoln@nullhotmail.com

The Presbytery of Ohio Valley is Posting a List of Online Worship Opportunities

In an effort to help us stay connected with one another, the presbytery has complied a list of our churches offering online worship services. The presbytery cannot provide technical support for any of the links, and if you experience any difficulties, please contact the specific church directly.

Churches, should email Stephanie Worden by noon each Thursday with new or updated worship service information. If you are posting on Facebook, please include a direct link to your Facebook page.

Click here to go to the Online Worship Services page.

PC(USA) Articles: Social Distancing and Ways to Stay Connected

Here are links to some of the recent articles published by PC(USA) regarding social distancing, and ways to use technology to keep congregations connected.

Social distancing and the love of neighbor
Zooming to the rescue in the face of COVID-19
Three hundred participate in 1001 Zoom conversation on streaming worship services

Free Resources from the PC(USA) store may be found HERE.

Presbytery Council Recommendations for Worship & Meetings

Dear Family in Christ,

I bring you greetings from the Presbytery Council, eighteen wise leaders who have been elected to attend to the overall health and wellbeing of the Presbytery of Ohio Valley, and to act as a Commission of the Presbytery between Assemblies.

The Council met via Zoom video-conference today to address the evolving COVID-19 situation. It was the unanimous opinion of the Council to recommend that sessions and congregations follow the guidelines of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that all in-person worship and meetings of ten or more people be cancelled through May 10, 2020 (eight weeks from the beginning of the CDC guidelines). Out of an abundance of caution, we also recommend that congregations of fewer that ten worshippers adopt the same practice, as many of our folks are in a higher-risk category and should be staying home as much as possible. One member of the Council, the Rev. Deborah Fortel, noted that “as an older member of society, I recognize that my job is to be careful and stay home and healthy to avoid putting additional burdens on the medical system at this time.”

This is difficult news, both to give and to receive, but we believe it is vital to the health and safety of our members, friends, and communities. Another member of the Council, Rev. Kevin Fleming, reminded us that this is now one of the ways that we can embody the second great commandment, to “love our neighbor as we love ourself.”

Some congregations will be able to offer worship online, mostly through facebook live. This is a good option for those who have the means to do so. The Presbyterian Mission Agency will be hosting a webinar tomorrow, March 19, at 12:00pm EDT / 11:00am CDT on adapting worship for streaming. You can find more information here: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/1001-to-host-zoom-conversation-thursday-on-how-to-stream-worship-services/.

Producing and providing online technology may be difficult for some of our churches and pastors. Later this week, I will send out a list of churches who are providing online worship, along with the links, so that anyone who wishes might join in. We are also thinking about ways to connect our presbytery and its people through Holy Week and Easter. Please stay tuned…

The Council will meet next week as well, and we will continue to address the situation as it evolves, including the financial implications that our congregations are likely to face.

As Rev. Felipe Martinez said to the members and friends of First Presbyterian Church, Columbus: Our plans to weather this storm won’t be perfect or polished, but they will be our faithful effort to remain connected with one another. We need to feel that we’re there for one another.

Please know that the Presbytery Council is praying for you and your congregations. And know, as well, that in life and in death, and in all the circumstances of life, we belong to God. And we belong to one another. Thanks be to God for these blessed connections.

Peace and all good,

The Rev’d. Susan C. McGhee
Executive Presbyter
The Presbytery of Ohio Valley