Spring, 2018 PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN PRESBYTERY of EAST TENNESSEE Moderator’s Corner Judy Toole, Moderator Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God. (Matt. 5:9) My command is this: Love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12) We have just finished the season to celebrate Here it is almost March, and our Annual Spring the birth of our Prince of Peace. And now, we Gathering is just around the corner, scheduled have just begun the season to get ready for for April 28, at Northside Presbyterian Church remembering the time of His death on the in Chattanooga. The PWPET Coordinating cross. During the rest of the year, we study His Team and Spring Gathering Committee have teachings, hoping we are worthy of the been working diligently planning the program sacrifices He made for us. Through it all, two and hope that everyone in the Presbytery will main themes, represented by the Bible verses consider attending this intriguing event. quoted above, keep coming up. I’ve been Our theme for the gathering is, unfortunately, a thinking a lot about both those topics lately. So timely one. I say “unfortunately” because of all much violence. So much hatred. So much war. the things that have been happening, here and It seems like every day, something comes out around the world: The tragic school shooting, in the news to remind us of the elusiveness of the continuing threat of nuclear war, the both love and peace. Everybody wants to love continuous bickering of the politicians of every and be loved. Everybody wants peace. So why stripe. Peacemaking is our theme, and recent is it so hard to come by? events have impressed upon us how important it is that we achieve it. NOW. In fact, it is I have just been watching the news reports of imperative, if we want to continue to exist. the horror that occurred in a south Florida school on Valentine’s Day, the day we set With the help of the Rev. Dr. Ralph Hutchison, aside every year to celebrate love. But this we will explore the difficult, and at times, year, that loving day was turned to a day of controversial, question of “What does our faith violence and hate. The one place where require of us in times like these?” I am looking children should always be able to feel safe forward to hearing what he has to say about it, became a scene of unspeakable carnage. And and hope everyone will welcome Dr. Hutchison even before the news reports finished their first into our fellowship and heed his words. Breaking News reports, the politicians were out Also at the Spring Gathering, as we do every there pointing fingers at one another and year, we will be receiving the Least Coin blaming one another for causing these horrors Offering and will be collecting an offering for to exist. But we are all responsible. We live in a the Scholarship which will be awarded to a broken world, full of broken people. We are as deserving seminary student, to be announced broken as the rest of them. We cry for peace at the Gathering. So we’d like to encourage but never find it. Why? everyone to contribute to those offerings as A somewhat simplistic answer to that question well. is because we do not have enough love. I believe that the only way to achieve true Christ told us what we need to do: “Love one peace in this broken world is to obey Christ’s another as I have loved you.” So simple. So command to “Love one another as I have loved hard. So profound. So complicated. you.” Not just our friends and family, not just those who share our political and religious beliefs, but also our enemies and those who hate us and would do us harm. That is Christ’s As the famous song lyrics say, “Let there be command. And that is the only way to true peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” Let peace. us all go out into the world and be peacemakers. AMEN. 2018 Dates to Remember: April 26 Come See Columbia Day April 28 Spring Gathering – Northside PC(USA) Chattanooga May 10 PWPET CT Meeting, Clover Hill PC(USA), Maryville May 17-18 PW Synod Annual Meeting, Tupelo, MS June 15 Reports due for PW directory July 28 PWPET CT Meeting, John Knox Center, Ten Mile Aug. 2-5 Churchwide Gathering PW, Louisville, KY Nov. 8 PWPET CT Meeting Shop the World is a fair trade shop headquartered in Englewood, Tn. Their merchandise comes from missionaries and 45 fair trade organizations. They feature jewelry, décor and clothing. When you buy fair trade you – Help artisans build schools, churches, hospitals and communities Support the fight against slavery and child labor Support conservation of the environment Empower women and minorities Shop the World will be at our Spring Gathering. Come prepared to shop! The Yearly Report of Local Church PW officers is due June 15, 2018. The information is used to create the 2018-2019 PW directory. The Directions to Northside Presbyterian Church form can be found in the front of your current 923 Mississippi Avenue, Chattanooga, TN directory, or simply list your officers with Directions from I-75 South: Take Exit 4 for Hwy contact information including emails and send 153 North, Chickamauga Dam/Airport. After to [email protected] crossing the dam, take the first right for Access Road, Lake Resort Drive. At the first traffic circle PWP Search Committee. take the first right. At the second traffic circle follow What an opportunity to experience a directions to Access Road North. Access Road leadership role in the PW. A secretary is ends at Hixson Pike, at the traffic light turn left onto needed and a liaison for Mission Haven in Hixson Pike. Follow Hixson Pike approx 4 miles. Atlanta. Also a person is needed for Together Upon entering the Riverview area (where there are in Service to encourage each local PW to restaurants and shops) Hixson Pike will narrow to choose a mission project and promote active one lane. DO NOT take Google’s directions and participation. Cluster 1 needs a coordinator; turn right on Tremont Street at the traffic light. Go this is a fun way to get to know many local one more block and turn right on Hanover Street. leaders in your area. Cluster 1 consists of the Follow Hanover up the hill to the four way stop. Greater Knoxville area and churches north of Turn left on Mississippi Avenue. Northside will be Knoxville. at the top of the hill on your left. The search committee of Loretta Bradley, Gail Hardy, Charlotte Rhodes, and Corita Swanson, Chair is waiting to hear from you. Please see form on following page… PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN OF THE PRESBYTERY OF EAST TENNESSEE SEARCH COMMITTEE __The Search Committee is seeking a few good names of women you would suggest as members of the Presbyterian Women’s Coordinating Team. __We meet quarterly at different locations in the Presbytery and this provides us all with a chance to see other churches at work. The host church takes this opportunity to tell us about their missions and other church activities. __Car-pooling is encouraged so you interact with other team members when attending these meetings. __Leadership skills are developed and encouraged, so please suggest someone or volunteer, to start a new journey with P.W. of the Presbytery. NAME_______________________________________________________ CHURCH____________________________________________________ CONTACT PHONE NUMBER OR E-MAIL ____________________________________________________________ ADDRESS___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Please return this form to your Cluster Leader, or directly to Search Committee: Corita Swanson, 921 Shannondale Way, Maryville, TN 37803). Additional names can be added below. Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery of Tennessee Annual Gathering – April 28, 2018 Blessed are the Peacemakers The PWP Annual Gathering will be Saturday, April 28, 2018, at Northside Presbyterian Church, 923 Mississippi Avenue, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37405. Registration will be from 9:15 to 9:45 AM. Morning and afternoon sessions will be held in the church sanctuary from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Lunch cost is $10.00 per person. This form should be completed and mailed to: Northside Presbyterian Church PW, 923 Mississippi Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37405 Make checks payable to: Northside Presbyterian Women, write Annual Gathering on the notation line. The last date for registration is April 18, 2018. Church Name:_________________________________________________________ Number Attending:________________ Total Number of lunch reservations @ $10:_________ Number of vegetarian lunches requested: __________ Check enclosed for total amount of $____________________ Name of person completing this form: __________________________________________ Phone: ______________________________ Please print the names of those attending the gathering: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Child care needed? There is no charge for child care but please register so that arrange- ments can be made. Please bring your child’s lunch and drinks. Children’s names and ages: _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ Presentation of Annual Spring Gathering PWP Seminary Presbyterian Women of East Tennessee Scholarship Keynote Speaker Rev. Dr. Ralph Hutchison, Coordinator, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Least Coin Alliance; ordained Presbyterian Minister. Offering and Peacemaking: The Moral Imperative of Our Time. Dedication Everyone on this earth faces the existential threat of nuclear weapons. It has been said that we now have the power to destroy everything God has created for us. For more than 70 years humankind has faced the Installation of public threat of a possibility of a nuclear exchange that would, literally, render this planet uninhabitable. PWP Officers Recent events have reawakened public awareness of the awful reality of this threat in our time.