Cascades PW

Dear Sisters in Christ:

Welcome to the new version of the Pac News for the Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of the Cascades. We have moved from the costly paper and "snail mail" version to an e-mail version and now our very own web site! We hope this will be a cost-efficient and always up-to-date way to communicate with the PW of the Cascades. Please feel free to send any ideas or updates to: MTLandrith@gmail.com. It's your web site. Visit often and help spread the word!

Marsha Landrith
Pac News Editor

A Message from the Moderator

Hello everyone! Our Churchwide Gathering was held this summer. If you weren't able to attend, I invite you to attend vicariously by clicking here to see the pictures and share the joy. Congratulations, Marta Rodriquez, our new Churchwide Moderator! Also, congratulations to Rev. Debbie Blane, who was ordained to the ministry of the word and sacrament in the Presbytery of the Cascades in 2002! Debbie was one of several mission workers commissioned at the Churchwide Gathering. Click here for more information on Debbie.

I look forward to seeing you at the north fall gathering!

Your Sister in Christ,

Marsha Landrith, Moderator
Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery of the Cascades

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Fall Gathering

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Kenilworth Presbyterian Church
4028 SE 34th
Portland, Oregon

Registration and coffee hour begins at 9:30

Keynote speaker, Elaine Markison, former missionary to Pakistan.
Maureen from the Resource Center will be present with material available for checkout.
Lunch included with your registration.

To Register, send $10 with your name, address, phone number and the name of your church to:

Sharon Fries
1142 SW West Hills Pl
Corvallis OR 97333

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Bible Study Leadership Tips Shared

Cathy Ures led a Bible study at last year's fall gathering and collected the following tips:

Underline in my Bible what stands out or speaks to me.
Lots of prayer - before and during
Get help - from pastors or other study leaders.
Allow an adequate amount of time to prepare - read the Biblical sources, read the lesson. THEN, begin studying - Look for additional informational sources, that might add extra interest to the lesson.
Pray, Pray, Pray!
First Pray to understand. Then Read thru once without stopping to study. Then begin again and this time to study.
Practical tip: A large window is a great marker board if you are leading teaching in a home or room with no chalk/marker board. Regular non-permanent marker will wipe right off with a squirt of window cleaner and a paper towel. (A clean window is an extra bonus!)
Read, Read, Read !
Use 1. Humor (Laugh) 2. Many women do not read the lesson so you have to take that into account.
Two words to remember to use - when getting off subject ...."Moving On........!"
If you are fortunate enough to have access to the magazine, Presbyterian Outlook, use its monthly "Horizons" supplemental Bible study lesson - or have someone save it for you.
Have new member take part in lesson, sharing thoughts, etc.
Use background and reference materials.
Involve others, in presentation and discussion BUT keep focused, don't let this wander from the main point of the lesson as it applies to our lives.
Make your lesson personal. Put personal experience into it.
(Use) Anything in Psalms.
Bible Study - in the class I attend - it is made interesting by the discussions our teacher leads us in. He is a dedicated leader giving illustrations on the blackboard.
Tips: Used Jewish-Torah websites to do research on Old Testament Studies.
Used a familiar song tune and made up words for a study on Mary Magdalene.
I like to think of questions that make people get into a discussion about - Plan for about 4 or 5 of these.
Interaction!
Be open to discussion.
Find ways to encourage individual participation- Sharing.
Ask everyone in the group to help in some way.
Find a connection to our lives -
Consider the meaning of words in Jubilee - guess - give someone a reference to share the origin of the word.
Background History!