Congo Partnership is Making Remarkable Progress

The Rev. Donald Bobb has just returned from the Congo and brought back stories of great progress taking place with the partnership Mission Presbytery has with the Presbytery of Luebo. This partnership is in its second year of a five-year agreement.

To read about Don's recent trip and conversations he had with church leaders in the Congo, click here.

Scholarships Available - Multicutural Ministries Conference

"Gather All Nations and Tongues: Good News for All Congregations"

San Antonio, Texas, April 10–13, 2008 Hilton San Antonio Airport

Pre-registration has been EXTENDED to March 7

· Registration is $250.00, apply the scholarship and the final cost to you is $150.00
· There are approximately 30, $100.00 scholarships available
· Scholarships are available on a “first to register” basis
· Limit of 5 maximum per congregation

HERE’S HOW – To take advantage of the $100.00 scholarship you must mail your registration and payment to the presbytery office. You cannot apply the $100.00 scholarship to an “on-line” registration.

1. BEFORE you mail in your registration form and payment contact Lynne or Martha at the presbytery office and request these scholarships –
1-800-683-9999 or missionpby@missionpby.org

2. REGISTER – By Mail only and indicate on the registration form that you have received “scholarship confirmation”

3. Make payment of $150.00 (or $185 if after March 7) payable to Mission Presbytery with “Multi Cultural Conf.” In the memo line.

4. Mail registration form and payment to:
7201 Broadway, #303
San Antonio, TX 78209

For more information ...

Guatemala Partnership Mission Trip 2008

Join with others from Mission Presbytery on a mission trip to Guatemala this summer to build a new church working in partnership with CESSMAQ.

Saturday, July 5th to Saturday, July 12th, 2008

Cost: Approximately $900.00 Includes plane fare from San Antonio, food, lodging.

For a trip application, contact Lynne Powell at Mission Presbytery Office lynnep@missionpby.org or 210-826-3296

For more information please contact trip leaders:
Ed Esparza phone: 210-415-5889 silbia@sbcglobal.net or
Bob Yarbrough 210-661-9291 djyangel@sbcglobal.net

APPLY NOW! Space is limited to 10 persons

$200.00 deposit due with application ASAP - balance due by May 14, 2008 to secure airfare

Scholarships on a case-by-case basis may be applied for through Rev Shannon Pappas, First Presbyterian Church, San Antonio. Contact Shannon@fpcsat.org

Mission Challenge 07 - a Wake-Up Call

Mission Challenge 07 was a huge success and helped to bring the PC(USA) back to its roots. Mission Presbytery was blessed with presentations by Dennis Smith and by the DVD that was made showing how we are still active in global mission but could do so much more. We need to be awakened to our responsibilities around the world.

Linda Valentine, executive director of the General Assembly Council writes a very encouraging letter about our participation in Mission Challenge 07 and the future of world mission endeavors. Click here to read Linda's letter.

Update on Tabasco Flood Relief

Here is a letter from the Secretary of the General Assembly of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico about the situation in Tabasco.

Dear Ones in Christ Jesus,

This is a letter of basic and general information about the flooding in the state of Tabasco. Thanks to God and the missions, congregations, churches, Presbyteries, and Synods who responded to the General Assembly's invitation to make special offerings for assistance to the flood relief. We also thank the churches in the United States who have sent aid which has been very significant. All this aid will help hundreds and hundreds of people in Tabasco.

GENERAL INFORMATION OF THE SITUATION IN TABASCO
a) 1,200,000 people have been displaced due to the flood.
b) 54,000 are being sheltered by INPM churches.
c) Medical centers in the flood areas are still unable to function.
d) The churches and Presbyteries have helped with 45 tons of food, 20,000 liters of water, 5 tons of used clothing, 5,000 beds, 5,000 blankets, and, at this time, an additional 30 tons of supplies are in route from the Peninsula. More help is expected soon from Xonacatlan and the INPM National Presbyterian Women and various other Presbyteries.
e) Supplies that are needed include more beds, blankets, preventative and curative medicines, gloves, rubber boots, masks, cleaning supplies (disinfectants, chlorine). NOTE: This information was given to us by the Tabasco Committee.

INFORMATION ON THOSE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES
A) 762 people are being housed by the Organization Educativa TASCOOB
B) Various churches have opened their doors to shelter those displaced.
C) We have also received information that 24 churches in the Villahermosa area are housing 2,059 people.
ORGANIZATION: Coordinating the relief effort is the Synod of Tabasco, comprised of six Presbyteries; they have formed the committee Presbytery of Tabasco for the Displaced. The General Assembly is working with the committee and coordinating efforts with them. By sending out this general information we want to share with all of you what is happening and express our gratitude to you for your help. Let us remain motivated in our actions as Christians.

Fraternally yours,
Pbro. (Rev.) Samuel Trinidad B., Secretary of the INPM General Assembly

Note from Dave Thomas, Regional Liaison with Mexico, and Stan DeVoogd, Area Coordinator for Mexico and Central America - "If your U.S. presbytery or local church can help, please send contributions to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), using the following account code: DR000014 for Mexico . You can do this on the PC(USA) website by clicking here. PDA is working closely with the leadership of our partner denomination, the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, helping to coordinate the disaster response with the local Synod and local Presbyteries in Tabasco."

(Sent to us by Proyecto Amistad)

New Information About the Tabasco, Mexico, Catastrophe

National Presbyterian Church of Mexico cancels 60th anniversary celebration to divert funds to Tabasco needs.

Chris McReynolds, US cordinator of Proyecto Amistad, writes the following:

The severe flooding in the Mexican state of Tabasco has prompted Mexican communities everywhere to organize relief efforts, collect funds and supplies, and form caravans to haul supplies to where it's needed. The General Assembly of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico (INPM) is calling on all of its churches to help (about 30% of INPM's churches are located in Tabasco). The 60th Anniversary celebration of the INPM in Orizaba, Vera Cruz, has been cancelled and the leaders have asked that funds that would have been used to send delegates to the meeting be used, instead, to help the relief effort. PC(USA) has donated funds and is working in partnership with the INPM to help multitudes that are affected by the flooding. Information dated Nov 10 stated that 850 towns are flooded—approximately 70 percent of the state—with flood levels ranging from 2 inches to 36 feet.

The water is receding now but, as you know, the long recovery for thousands of people is just beginning. David Thomas and Stan DeVoogd of PC(USA) wrote "If your U.S. presbytery or local church can help, please send contributions to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, using the following account code: DR000014 for Mexico ." You can do this on the PC(USA) website .

Dennis Smith's Trip Through Mission Presbytery Well Received

Dennis Smith arrives home in Guatemala City tomorrow (November 04) to see his family for the first time in over a month. He traveled four presbyteries speaking in churches, often many times a day. This was part of Mission Challenge 07 which you may read about in our October 09 posting.

Here in Mission Presbytery he spoke at the Presbytery Meeting in Mission and inspired all with the need we have for working relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world. He then spoke at nine churches, many of whom invited other Presbyterians to share the opportunity to hear him, and also at the Seminary.

Everywhere Dennis spoke he made a strong witness for reaching out beyond our own congregations to the churches of the world and to receive the gifts that they have to give us as well as to share what we can with them. May God help us to put into action what we learned.

Presbyterians in Action in Tabasco, Mexico

70% of Tabsco's citizens affected by disaster

Here is some information on the flooding in the state of Tabasco from Dave Thomas, PCUSA liaison to the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, and the work that is underway:

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

We are writing to inform you of a disaster in Mexico that is not receiving much news coverage in the U.S., but one that has already had greater impact than the recent landfall of Hurricane Dean. Several days ago, there was a weather phenomenon that caused large waves to inundate the coastline of the state of Tabasco, accompanied by heavy rains in the area of two major rivers...the Grijalva and the Usumacinta...which both pass through the state in the city of Villahermosa. The resulting flooding has affected an estimated 70% of the state´s residents. The situation in Tabasco is severe and extremely critical for thousands of Tabasco residents. The presbytery office in Villahermosa has been converted into a major shelter, and the Tabasco Synod office there is completely flooded.

Earlier this week, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance sent $10,000 as a rapid response fund, but the magnitude of this situation -- which is beyond the control and capability of the local and state government -- demands a comprehensive effort. The good news is that the Mexican government is allowing and facilitating aid from a variety of church-related agencies including the Presbyterians. PDA needs funds right now to deal with this situation. What is desperately needed is canned food, bottled water, blankets, floor mattresses, first aid medicines, equipment and materials for purifying water, and clothing...but because of the limited access to the region, it's preferable that financial aid be sent. It's still possible to buy needed supplies in the local marketplace, which is the best way to meet the needs of the people.

If your U.S. presbytery or local church can help, please send contributions to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, using the following account code: DR000014 for Mexico . You can do this on the PC(USA) website .

PDA is working closely with the leadership of our partner denomination, the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, helping to coordinate the disaster response with the local Synod and local Presbyteries in Tabasco. Yesterday afternoon [November 02]there was a meeting with 8 presbytery representatives from the Tabasco Synod, but many others did not attend because they couldn't get there. The Mexican Presbyterian leaders who are coordinating the recovery in Tabasco have undergone special training that was conducted cooperatively by PDA and other disaster agencies.

As someone who is involved in a partnership with a Mexican church or presbytery, we urge you to consider making a financial contribution to PDA so that immediate assistance can be rendered in the state of Tabasco.

Que Dios le bendiga,

Dave Thomas, Regional Liaison with Mexico; and Stan DeVoogd, Area Coordinator for Mexico and Central America

Dennis Smith Coming to Mission Presbytery

Interest in World Mission to Be Revitalized!

From October 19 - 26 a missionary will speak at our Presbytery Meeting and visit around many of the churches of the Presbytery, taking part in "Mission Challenge 2007." Forty-eight missionaries will have this special assignment throughout the nation, bringing opportunities for us to understand the role of our denomination in the Lord's work of upbuilding the Church all over the world. According to Linda Valetine, executive director of the General Assembly Council, "Mission Challenge ’07 is the largest event of its kind ever carried out by our Presbyterian Church. We invite you to be part of it."

Mission Presbytery will be visited by Dennis Smith. He serves in Guatemala with his wife Maribel, who is Guatemalan. He will speak at the Presbytery meeting in Mission, Texas, on October 20 and then speak to churches in our presbytery during the following week.

Here is Dennis' schedule:

Oct. 20......Presbytery meeting in Mission, TX
Oct. 21......Church School and worship at First Church, Weslaco - 9:15 & 10:30
.............Lunch at Treasure Hills, Harlingen
.............Mission Fair at Island Church, Corpus Christi - Fair begins at 4:00
Oct. 22......St. Mark, Boerne -6:30 at Boerne Vistro
Oct. 23......Mission committee, Westlake Hills, Austin - in the evening
Oct. 24......Austin Seminary - noon
.............Supper at Central Church, Austin, 5:30
.............Citywide presentation at Covenant Church, Austin - 7:30pm
Oct. 25......Lunch at Harper Church
.............Citywide presentation at Divine Redeemer Church, San Antonio, 7:00pm

If Dennis is in your area, encourage your congregation to hear him. He is special!

We are sorry that big areas of the Presbytery are not covered, but one missionary for one week - there is just so little time available.

Information may be found about Mission Challenge 2007 on the PCUSA web site. Read all about it! Look at the video!

San Antonio Area Religious Leaders Encouraged to Attend "Soul of a Citizen"

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14: Engage in a passionate day-long conversation about the state of the world, the state of our souls, our role as citizens, and the legacies we will leave our children. Convened by the peaceCENTER, Fr. David Garcia and Judge Nelson Wolff.

The conversation takes place 9 am - 3 pm at the AT&T Community Centre at San Fernando.

Registration is $25 and is limited to 200 faith and civic leaders. Checks should be payable and mailed to peaceCenter, noted with "Soul of a Citizen." Each participant will receive a pre-conversation and preparation packet.

The address of the peaceCENTER is 1443 S. St. Mary's, San Antonio TX 78210, phone 210-224-HOPE.

Read more and download the flyer.

We hope that Presbyterian church leaders will take part in this chance for profound dialogue.