The calendar of presbytery events is at the foot of the page

Contact stated clerk Pete Wells to add events to the calendar

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Christmas Joy Offering children’s art contest winners announced

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A hand-drawn, colored biblical cartoon of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, with an angel named Gloria.
A submission by Daniel Evans, first place winner of Christmas Joy Offering Children’s Art Contest for the 11 to 14-year-old group.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The winners of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Christmas Joy Offering Children’s Art Contest have been selected. The contest, in which children up to age 14 were invited to submit art representing their own visions of the Christmas story, attracted more than 250 submissions from scores of churches across the country.

In the 2- to 6-year-old group, the winners are:
  • First place — Audrey Farrell, 6, of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Wichita, Kansas
  • Second place — Jaedyn Lehman, 6, of Pendleton (Oregon) First Presbyterian Church

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Thursday, December 3, 2009

New IRS auto use rates

Based on the following, the mileage reimbursement for the Presbytery of Eastern Oregon for 2010 will be $0.25 per mile for one person in a car and $0.29 for two or more.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2010, the standard IRS mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

  • 50 cents per mile for business miles driven
  • 16.5 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

The new rates for business, medical and moving purposes are slightly lower than last year’s. The mileage rates for 2010 reflect generally lower transportation costs compared to a year ago.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Laura and Keith Hudson Installed at LaGrande


Rev. Keith Hudson and Rev. Laura Hudson were installed as co-pastors at the First Presbyterian Church in LaGrande, Oregon on Sunday, November 29. We look forward to a ministry that is fulfilling to the congregation, the ministers, and the community.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

LaGrande Presbyterian to install ministers

The First Presbyterian Church of LaGrande will install Rev. Keith Hudson and Rev. Laura Hudson to be co-pastors:

Sunday, November 29
4:00 PM
First Presbyterian Church
1308 Washington
LaGrande, OR

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Presbyterian Youth Triennium, July 20-24, 2010,

Every three years the Presbyterian Church (USA), Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America gather thousands of Presbyterian youth and adult youth leaders together for worship, play, music, community building, and Bible study. This is known as the Presbyterian Youth Triennium or PYT! PYT is for young people entering or completed high school (approximately age 14-19 years old by July 20, 2010). Adult Advisors must be 21 years of age by this date. A Work Crew track is available for college-aged young people who would like to apply to attend and volunteer to work behind the scene is. There is also a new Ambassador program for our more mature friends. Check it all out! We hope to see you all at Triennium 2010.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Synod of the Pacific - Summary of the October meeting

A summary of the October 2009 meeting of the Synod of the Pacific is available at http://bit.ly/1wn165. See what your Synod is up to. Form more information about the Synod of the Pacific see www.synodpacific.org

Monday, November 9, 2009

Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study, 2010.

The 2010 mission yearbook is here. I have sent the yearbooks ordered this summer and, as suggested by the Mission Committee, I've sent two copies of the 2010 yearbooks to each church. This is a tool to help you see the national and world wide reach of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

I have two additional yearbooks available for sale for $8.15 each.

Nominating Committee working

The Presbytery nominating committee is working to find appropriate candidates to serve vacant presbytery positions in 2010 and beyond. Some of the open positions are as commissioners and young adult advisory delegates to the 219th General Assembly, July 3 to 10 in Minneapolis. Young Adult Advisory delegates must be age 17 through 23 on July 3. Also, for members of the Committee on Ministry and the Program and Mission committee. There will be other openings as well.

If you have suggestions or questions contact Dorothy Knudson or Don Horneck.

Pete Wells

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Presbytery mutuileeting summary

The fall stated meeting of the Presbytery of Eastern Oregon is complete. We celebrated successes and transitions.

Success: The work of the Tutuilla administrative commission is complete. The church is functioning with the session meeting regularly, pastor Jack Schut leading worship regularly, and the church is reaching out to the community.

Success: The 50th anniversary of Roger Fisk's ordination. Celebrate not only the anniversary of Roger's ordination, but also his 50 years of service to Christ and the church.

Transition: Celebrate with us work of the pastor nominating committee of the First Presbyterian Church of LaGrande. On 10/25 they will recommend that the church call Keith Hudson and Laura Hudson as co-pastors. If that call is made the presbytery will recommend their ordination in Sitka Alaska and installation as co-pastors in LaGrande.

Success: The celebration of the 100th anniversary of the ministry of the Community Presbyterian Church in Mt. Vernon.

Success: The recognition by the PC(USA) General Assembly Mission Council that the presbytery was first in per capita giving in two categories in 2008. This recognition follows similar recognition last year.

Transition: Thanks for the work of Rev. Larry Loftus, stated supply to the First Presbyterian Church since 2008. Larry has provided leadership to Lostine for several years and most recently to LaGrande.

Transitions: Thanks for the work of intern Talitha Phillips from San Francisco Theological Seminary for her work during the past year. Talitha has provided great service to the Lostine church and the presbytery.

In addition the presbytery:
Set total General Assembly, Synod, and presbytery per capita assessment for 2010 at $26.00.

Heard the report from Eastern Oregon Presbytery Women on their work and their participation in the Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women in July.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Mission Yearbook of Prayer and Study (Children's too)

I've been told that the orders for mission yearbooks are being filled now. We should have ours by the end of the month. The Wednesday or Thursday before the presbytery meeting would have been better as I'll be leaving Pendleton for Lostine before I get deliveries on Friday. I'll find a way to ship them to you after the meeting, although they probably won't go out until November 3 at the earliest.

The material for the presbytery meeting changes daily

Even more information received today, Thursday. Because of illness, Linda Toth will not be able to lead a discussion about the national and international mission of the Presbyterian church, (USA). This will accommodate a request by Mary Lou Welby to engage in conversation about a mission statement for the presbytery.

The new new material to the Eastern Oregon Presbytery reference material site: http://bit.ly/16cPYf


Sunday, October 18, 2009

Christmas Joy Offering Material Now Available

Material to assist in receiving the Christmas Joy Offering is now available at http://www.pcusa.org/cjoffering/index.htm .



One of the features of this year's Christmas Joy Offering is material from Children's Art Contest winners. One of those winners (2d place in 1 to 6 year age group) is Jaedyn Lehman of the Pendleton First church. Congratulations Jaedyn!!

Art from the Chiildren's Art Contest is at http://www.pcusa.org/cjoffering/childrenart.htm

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Pension Board offers Tax classes for Ministers and Churches

The Pension Board offers a free Webinar for ministers and churches on how to reduce taxes for the 2009 tax year.

Tax Tips Webinar for Ministers and Churches
December 9, 2009
Noon Pacific Time


Register now. Deadline November 20

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Fall Meeting of Presbytery

See revised agenda posted 10/12/09

The fall meeting of Eastern Oregon Presbytery will be:
Friday and Saturday, October 23-24, 2009
Lostine Presbyterian Church
132 Highway 82
Lostine, Oregon
541-569-2451
Meeting background material is available at http://bit.ly/16cPYf

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

First Preview of General Assembly 219, July 3 - 10, 2010

I'm at the fall polity conference of the PC(USA) in Minneapolis, MN. This is the site of the 219th General Assembly, July 3- 10, 2010. More information is available at the GA web page, www.pcusa.org/ga219. At the October meeting, October 23-24, the presbytery will elect on minister and one elder to be commissioners and one youth to be a delegate to the General Assembly.

The facilities are exciting. Look at the Minneapolis information on the GA219 web site. We look forward to great hospitality.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Regional meetings with clerks of sessions to review, with the the stated clerk of presbytery, minutes of session and congregational meetings for the past year the weekend of October 17.

These meetings will be Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18 in Baker City, LaGrande, and Hermiston. Confirmed are

Baker City
10:00 AM, Saturday, October 17
First Presbyterian Church
1995 Fourth Street

Hermiston
2:30 PM, Sunday, October 18
Faith Presbyterian Church
1005 SE 9th Street

LaGrande
1:30 PM, Saturday October 17
First Presbyterian Church

The Presbytery of Eastern Oregon guidelines for session and congregational minutes is at http://bit.ly/11eKMx

A manual for clerks of session is at http://bit.ly/cWYxk
PC(USA) guidance to congregations on dealing with the H1N1 Swine flu. This was published in the spring of 2009. http://bit.ly/Sw68t

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Presbyterian Church's Synod Pacific's new site to connect donors to mission explained 9/24 10:00 PDT http://bit.ly/rDxZq register here and follow the instructions on the email you will receive

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Presbytery Meeting October 23-24
First Presbyterian Church
Lostine, Oregon

The next presbytery meeting will be October 23 and 24 in Lostine.

Information for the meeting is being posted on Google Docs. Return to the site as new material is posted.

I look forward to seeing you in Lostine.



Summaries of the September 12 Presbytery Council meeting are available on Google Docs in .pdf and documents formats. See the index of council meeting material here.
The Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage to the 219th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has released its Daft of Preliminary Report.

That draft report is at
http://www.pcusa.org/oga/newsstories/final-prelim-report-civil-union-marriage-spec-cmte-091809.pdf

Responses can be sent electronically to civilunion.marriage@pcusa.org
or mailed to

Civil Union and Christian Marriage Committee
Office of the General Assembly
Room 4621
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, KY 40202-1396

The committee will meet in January to write its recommendations to the assembly.

Read more about the work of the committee at
http://www.pcusa.org/oga/newsstories/ga218-spec-cmtes.htm#civil

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Recommended insurance coverage for churches is available on Google Docs. This is text document so you may be able to download it without registering with Google.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Contact information for those who have expressed interest in serving the insurance needs of the Eastern Oregon Presbytery;

Dawn St. Clair
PresbyterianOne Insurace
Heffernan Insurance Brokers
PO Box 69038
Portland, OR
Business: 800.208.6912 x204
Fax: 503.226.1478
dawns@heffins.com
www.presbyterianone.org

GuideOne Insurance
Doug Bacon

950 W Ironwood Dr, Ste 6
Coeur D Alene, ID 83814-2644

(208) 664-6000
guideone.com

UCC Insurance Board

Insurance Board
700 Prospect Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115

(800) 437-883

www.uccib.org




Wednesday, September 9, 2009

"Thank You's" received from PC(SAU GA Offices

Following the description of the presbytery in the Mission Yearbook of Prayer and Study, we received "thank you" cards from:
a. The six agencies of the PC(USA) [Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, General Assembly Mission Council, Presbyterian Church (USA) Foundation, Board of Pensions, and Office of the General Assembly.
b. Presbyterian Peacemaking Program Staff.

Thanks to you, for all you do.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Pacific Mission Exchange about to launch

The newest project of the PC(USA) Synod of the Pacific designed to allow church members and others to support mission is the Pacific Mission Exchange www.pacificmissionexchange. Each of he 11 presbyteries of the Synod of the Pacific may enter mission projects of the presbytery or churches in the presbytery. These will be displayed to individuals and groups who wish to contribute to specific mission opportunities.

This new tool for communicating mission will be announced at an on-line press conference on Thursday, September 24 at 10:00 AM, Pacific time. For more details, see the press conference notice at bit.ly/3xnIAD. For more information contact Pete Wells, pwells@oregontrail.net or Kathy Trott, mission@pacificmissionexchange.org.

Monday, September 7, 2009

PC(USA) task force releases final draft report on new Form of Government

The reconstituted task force on the new Form of Government has released the final draft of their report. The final report will be presented to the General Assembly in Minneapolis, MN, July 3 to 10, 2010.

The report is available at the task force's web site.

The final report will be available to the churches by January 1.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Celebrate

The Mount Vernon Community Presbyterian Church is celebrating its centennial.
Sunday, September 13
Worship at 11:00 AM
Celebration to follow

Presbyery Council meeting Sept. 12, by phone

The presbytery council will meet by phone
Saturday, September 12
1:30 PM, Pacific Time
866-941-8436
The passcode is 1047005#


To read the call to meeting, agenda, or other information click here. You will be redirected to a Google Docs site. You will be able to read any of the documents. To download or print .pdf documents you will have to go to the presbytery web site or sign in with a free Google account.