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The churches included
in the Eastern Area Council are all located in rural and small town
Adams, Brown, and Highland Counties of Ohio. They are 14:
Cherry
Fork, Decatur,
Georgetown,
Hillsboro First,
Manchester,
Mowrystown,
Red Oak,
Ripley
First, Russellville,
Sardinia
First, Seaman United,
West
Union, Wheat Ridge and
Winchester.
Three of these churches
do not have a pastor. Five are served by commissioned lay pastors,
and there are five clergy serving the other six churches.
The Cincinnati
Presbytery has been very generous and encouraging for many years by
granting funds to help support the budget of the Council. The
member churches that are able, each participate by paying a
per-capita amount to support the budget also. The largest part of
the budget is designated to pay a coordinator, who works to set up
program, worship, mission, and communication, and serve the churches
as a lay pastor commissioned to the Council. This structured
organization of churches has strengthened bonds among each other as
well as to the Presbytery and allowed the smaller churches some of
the benefits of those who are larger.
In 2008, other than regular meetings for the
Steering Committee, the Council, and the Pastors, the highlights
were:
-
Learning Day of
Workshops on Doing Mission in Our Communities by Building
Partnerships
-
Combined Ash
Wednesday Service
-
CROP
WALK /Picnic
-
Picnic/ Talent Show
-
Retreat
focusing on Leading Change in the Congregation
-
Women’s Gathering
-
Area-wide Pulpit
Exchange
-
Support of Small
Church Visionary group
The Presbytery has informed the Eastern Area
that they will be drastically cutting funds for 2009 and beyond, so
our support for the churches has a new challenge as we struggle to
find a different way to build upon the structure that is already in
place. We ask your prayers that we may discern the best path for
the future.
Barbara Jean Havens, Eastern Area Coordinator |
