Room In The Inn

Dear Teams:

Every year, the RITI church coordinators receive a summary report from the Room In The Innkeeper, Paul Hanneman, regarding the RITI season.

There were 17,191 bed nights city wide this year, Sharon Presbyterian Church accounted for 174 of these. There were 127 children this year, up from last year; Sharon had 17 children, the highest number we have ever hosted.

And there are more statistics...  but, more important, Paul goes on to say that "every spiritual tradition regards hospitality and charity as virtues to be practiced by the faithful. There are ways to offer - not a hand out, but simply a hand... of welcome, compassion, and respect." This is exactly what each of you did this past winter. Thank you for being a part of Room In The Inn at Sharon. Our guests appreciated, each in there own way, what you all made possible. 

As you went about the business of making RITI happen, I sincerely hope that you felt God tugging on your heart-strings - with a smile.

Again, many thanks.

David Beers
Sharon Presbyterian Church

Together In Mission

Middle School
The Middle School Mission Trip takes place again this year in Sapphire, North Carolina at the site of Camp Buc, a Presbyterian Camp owned by the Foothills Presbytery of South Carolina.  During their week at Camp Buc, the Sharon Presbyterian Church Middle School team will get the opportunity to serve by working with kids younger than themselves and being a witness to the love and caring of Jesus Christ.  The group will also be working on service projects to learn new skills and improve the facilities of the Camp.  Everyone will get to participate in group building trials, bible studies, worship services, and adventure activities to help them grow in their life and faith.

High School
Every year, our High School Youth Mission team travels the country to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and to be hard working and loving ambassadors of Charlotte and Sharon Presbyterian Church.  Last year the high school team traveled to the mountains of Tennessee to do remodeling and maintenance for a family in need.  This year our group will be taking their hard work all the way to Harmons, Jamaica.  There, they will work with locals with healthcare, education, and continuing construction in the community.  All of this will take place while the youth interact with locals and grow closer to the true meaning of global missions.

College
For a second year, our College Mission Team will travel to Johns Island, South Carolina to work with the Sea Island Habitat for Humanity.  During their week in Charleston, our college team will have the opportunity to help build houses for those in need.  The group will work side by side with future habitat homeowners as they contribute "sweat equity" into their very own homes.  In the time that the mission team is not busy, exploring Charleston will be available.  We pray that the week will result in each participant growing closer to each other and their faith.

For more information or questions about the Middle school, High school or College Mission trips, please contact Martin Pruitt at martin@sharonpcusa.org.

Adult
The 2015 Sharon Presbyterian Church Adult Mission Trip to Huanta, Perú is set for July, 31 through August 10.  The trip promises to again be one of service and witness to Jesus Christ.  For the experience, past trip participants have found themselves closer to God, each other and their Peruivian brothers and sisters.  This trip is open to adults and a limited number of youth participants.  For more information, contact Randy Ross at randy.ross@wellsfargo.com.

Western North Carolina
The Western North Carolina Mission Trip is scheduled for April 30 through May 3.  In conjunction with Bryson City Presbyterian Church and the Collegiate Ministry for the Presbyterian denomination, our group will be helping renovate a Presbyterian Worship/Christian Outreach Center on the Western North Carolina University campus.  We will be meeting in March to finalize the details.  For more information, contact Phyllis Acton at (704) 553-2464.

At Home
Serving those who are homeless in Charlotte has been a focus of Sharon Church since the 1980's.

• Currently we prepare and serve the evening meal at the Statesville Avenue campus of the Men's Shelter of Charlotte the first Tuesday of every month.
• We are responsible for the evening meal the last Saturday of every month at the Salvation Army Center of Hope for women and the Tryon Street campus of the Men's Shelter.  These programs provide in excess of 4000 meals per year due to the involvement of over 300 members and friends of Sharon.
• Every Friday night, December through March, Sharon Church hosts up to twelve homeless neighbors as part of the Urban Ministry Center emergency shelter program, Room In The Inn.
• Sharon Church joins the Church World Service CROP Walk, each October.  Sharon Presbyterian Youth participates in the Souper Bowl every February.  Both help to alleviate hunger in the Charlotte area.

While many already take part, more volunteers are always needed to make these efforts happen,  I you would like to get involved, please call or email the church office for contract information.

Argentina Oil Company Leaves Perú Town After Protests

Results Of Oil Contamination Reported In Amazon Region

Resource:  BBC

Sent to us from Tom Skinner

An Argentine oil company says it will withdraw from an area of the Peruvian Amazon where it has been prospecting for gas deposits.

The company, Pluspetrol, was asked to leave by the government after the death of a demonstrator in Junin province, during four days of violent protests.

The demonstrators, mostly indigenous people, accused the company of contaminating local rivers and soil. Pluspetrol denied causing any environmental damage.

It said it had met all legal requirements for exploratory work, including getting consent from more than 2,000 farmers in the area. The company said it would remove its remaining equipment from the area, known as Block 108, near the municipality of Pichanaki in the coming days. A spokesman denied the company was being forced to leave, saying it was going because it had finished its work in the area. He said the company had met all legal, environmental and social requirements for exploratory work in the block, including securing consent from farmers and communities.

Pluspetrol started exploratory activities in Block 108 last year with the approval of the government.
Energy and Mines Minister Eleodoro Mayorga said he believed the company had complied with its contract but was asking it to leave the block so that the government could evaluate its activities.

On Tuesday, a crowd of protestors stormed a military base being used by Pluspetrol as a storage area. They were driven back by police firing tear gas but a 25 year-old man was killed and 20 injured, police say.

Reuters news agency says the interior ministry is investigating the illegal use of firearms by police during the demonstrations.

Pluspetrol is also struggling to end conflicts in the northern Amazon, where indigenous protestors have taken control of oil wells and stopped output in the country's biggest oil block. Protests and demonstrations have continued for a decade in Peru in many areas of the country where foreign oil companies are prospecting and mining for oil and minerals.

Related story

Presbytery Leadership Conference Help Requested

Sharon Presbyterian is hosting this year's leadership conference on our campus on February, 28th. We need volunteers to help with set-up, lunch, and clean-up. 

Each shift has been set up into two hour intervals to minimize the commitment on the part of our volunteers.  In order to do this we do need a lot of participation. 

If you can spare any amount of time the weekend of the 27th and 28th it would be so, so appreciated.

Here is the link to sign up and thank you so much for your service!

Sincerely,

Dana Shawver

Projects Are Planned For The Western North Carolina Mission Trip

The Western North Carolina Mission Trip is scheduled for April 30 through May 3 in conjunction with Mark Hanna of the Bryson City Presbyterian Church and the Collegiate Ministry for the Presbyterian denomination.

Our mission group will be helping to renovate a Presbyterian Worship / Christian Outreach Center on the Western North Carolina University campus.  We will be asked to paint, pressure wash, renovate, etc., all tasks most anyone can do.

We will have a meeting on March 23, at 7:00 PM in the Heritage Room at Sharon Presbyterian Church to finalize the details. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Phyllis Acton at 704-553-2464.

Prayers Needed For Peruvian Families

It's sunny and hot in Lima. That means it's cold and wet in the Andes and jungle. The rains have come with a vengeance in the highlands. The new road from Cusco to Quillabamba is in the river and the San Martin area (Moyobamba region) is flooded.

Prayers are needed for many partners and their extension ministries in these areas: http://www.peruthisweek.com/news-san-martin-in-state-of-emergency-due-to-flooding-105135

Thanks for sharing this!
Sara

Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Coordinadores de Alianzas y Delegaciones con las Iglesias Reformadas de Peru'
Celulares: Rusty-975189205 Sara-998845847
http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/missionconnections/armstrong-sara-and-russell-edmondson/

Missions Sunday

Hi Folks,

February 15th will be our Missions Sunday and Martin and I have been working on a different kind of worship service that will both provide opportunities to share how God is working through SPC in various areas of the world and that will work through scripture and music to show why we serve in mission fields near and far. The Chancel and Children’s Choirs are already hard at work preparing some creative and inspiring music for that day.

To highlight the mission trips and specific mission service of the congregation, we are asking you to find some folks in those ministries/trip groups to read scripture and speak passionately but briefly (1 ½ minutes each) about that particular mission at each worship service as directed below. Please let me know as soon as possible as we are finalizing the bulletin now.

We think that this will be a meaningful way to bring attention to why we provide these trips and opportunities for service as well as stir interest in volunteering or supporting these ministries. Thanks for your help!

Sharon Vanpelt

Director of Christian Education

Sharon Presbyterian Church

5201 Sharon Rd., Charlotte, NC 28210

vanpelt@sharonpcusa.org

2015 Perú Mission Meetings Update

The 2015 Sharon Presbyterian Church Adult Mission Trip to Huanta, Perú promises to be one of witness and service to Jesus Christ. Do you feel God’s call to participate in this year’s trip?

There will be several informational meetings available for you to choose from.  All will be held at Sharon Presbyterian Church (5201 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC):

• Sunday, February 8th at 11:30 AM (Heritage Room of the Sanctuary)
• Sunday, February 8th at 5:00 PM (Heritage Room of the Sanctuary)
• Sunday, February 22nd at 11:30 AM (Parlor of the Charles Little Building)

The 2015 trip is open to adults and a limited number of youth participants. Youth participants must be at least a rising high school junior in 2015 and accompanied on the trip by a parent or legal guardian.

The trip is scheduled to take place from Friday, July 31st through Monday, August 10th.

Trip information/application forms will be distributed at each meeting. Forms will also be available in the Adult Mission Trip mailbox (located on the top row of mailboxes in the hallway outside the Sharon Church office) beginning Sunday, February 8th, or by contacting Randy Ross (704-552-5573 or mrandallross@aol.com).

Trip applications, deposits and passport copies are due Sunday, March 15th. Please contact Randy if you are unable to attend any one of the meetings but are still interested in participating or learning more about the trip.

Huanta Kids For Christ

Sharon Presbyterian Church Joins with the Presbytery of Huanta Perú to Sponsor “Huanta Kids for Christ”

At the end of the 2014 Perú Mission Trip, Luz Davila, the Director of Children’s Education for the Presbytery of Huanta, invited Sharon Church to join with the Presbytery to help sponsor “Huanta Kids for Christ,” a Christmas celebration for approximately 200 children in the five Presbytery churches in and around Huanta.

At each church, the children were treated to a puppet show along with a snack including chocolates and other sweets. Each child received a small toy, a first for many.

Luz recently wrote “We are very thankful to God for His great love for us. We were very happy to share God’s love with His children this Christmas. Thank you for all you did to make this possible and to bring joy to the kids of Huanta.”

Western North Carolina Mission Trip Scheduled For This Spring

The 2015 Western North Carolina mission trip to Bryson City, North Carolina will be April 30 through May 3.

The work will be organized by the Bryson City Presbyterian Church. Our mission will be to assist low income, elderly, and disabled people with home repairs and lawn services.

For more information, please contact Phyllis Acton at (704) 553-2464.

Called To Be A Bible Translator

Calvin Hubbard, 90, Still Works With The JAARS Group

Resource: The Charlotte Observer
By John Anderson

The JAARS family celebrated Calvin Hibbard’s 90 birthday Nov. 14.

Hibbard is among the few remaining living members of an early group that worked on Bible translation.

That work continues to be supported by the former Jungle Aviation and Radio Service, now known as JAARS, which has its headquarters on Davis Road, five miles south of Waxhaw.

JAARS uses pilots and mechanics, software developers, media specialists, maritime workers, purchasers and shippers to support those who do translation and literacy work worldwide.

Hibbard was born in Chicago on Nov. 11, 1924. He joined the Army at 18, and went to France and Germany during World War II.

He married in 1948, and together with his wife, Cornelia, went to the jungles of Peru in early 1952, where he worked for 23 years at the JAARS base in Yarinacocha, Peru.

In a series of reflections on his life, Hibbard tells a fascinating tale of devotion and faith.

He has spent the last 64 years as a member of Wycliffe Bible Translators, about 32 of those years as administrative assistant to founder William Cameron Townsend.

“Without a doubt, the greatest call of God on my life was when he put me to work as Cameron Townsend’s administrative assistant in September of 1950, just four weeks after we joined Wycliffe,” Hibbard said. “It was none of my doing, but God brought circumstances together, with the result of my serving with Townsend over a period of 32 years.

Read more...

Perú Attacks Illegal Mining Ahead Of Climate Talks

Police Occupy Illegal Gold Mining Village 

Resource: Yahoo News

Peru has sent 1,000 police into its southeastern jungles to dismantle illegal gold-mining camps, just weeks before the country hosts global climate talks.

Even before the officers began blasting away at miners' makeshift shelters, the Amazon rainforest nearby looked like a war-scape, pocked with craters and littered with the trunks of amputated trees.

Peru's anti-illegal mining czar, retired army Gen. Augusto Soto, marched the men 6 miles (11 kilometers) to the wasteland known as La Pampa, where 50,000 hectares of rainforest have been obliterated in the past six years.

They destroyed motors and dynamited a dozen motorcycles as they tore down dwellings that included at least one mud-flanked bordello. The miners had removed and hidden some machinery.

Peru first criminalized unlicensed gold mining in 2012 but only began enforcing the law vigorously this year with serious manpower and explosives. The operations have displaced thousands of the estimated 40,000 people who authorities say moved to the jungle to mine gold.

In addition to contributing to deforestation, which scientists blame for between 12 and 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the illegal alluvial gold mining contaminates the jungle with tons of mercury.

Mercury is a toxin and has already contaminated the food chain, including fish, the local population's main protein source.

Peru's environment minister says the country loses about 400 square miles (between 100,000 and 120,000 hectares) a year to deforestation. The South American country will host U.N.-sponsored climate talks that start on Dec. 1.

From Sara Armstrong:

Prayer requests are needed for the conference that the Red Uniendo Manos-Peru is planning? Link  It will run parallel to the UN conference on Climate Change taking place in Peru starting December 1st.

The PCUSA national moderator and his wife will attend as will the new Area Coordinator for Latin American and the Caribbean, Valdir França and the Regional Liaison for Andean Countries, Sarah Henken.

Prayers are appreciated for Jed Koball and his wife Jenny Valles as they plan for the conference, for the leaders of the partner denominations as they gather in Lima for meetings with our representatives and for Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson as they travel to Lima to be part of these events.

Huanta March Of Jesus 2014

Dear family and friends,

We want to personally thank each one of you who helped with prayer for the March of Jesus sponsored by the Pastors Fraternity of Huanta. We thank you for your love to the people of Huanta, and we wanted to update you on the March. The Lord has shown us His goodness and kindness. The March went very well this year. We had more participation from the churches and pastors than the previous year. It was rewarding to see the pastors working together with different details to accomplish our objective, the March for Jesus, 2014.

One of the things we did to help raise funds was a movie night. Each church sold tickets for the movie we were showing, and used the donations towards the March. During the march we were able to pass out Bible tracts and literature to the people watching. Also, different worship teams from the churches who participated, helped lead a praise and worship concert to the community in one of Huanta´s main squares. We hope the Lord will use these distributed materials, and the worship songs that were sung, to plant seeds in the hearts of the people who were watching. Thirdly, the pastors where given permission to enter the municipal´s balcony, which overlooks Huanta´s main plaza, and to pray for Huanta´s new mayor as he took office. The pastors were very excited about being able to pray for the new mayor. It was a wonderful opportunity the Lord gave us to do what His Word teaches and to publicly pray for our governmental authorities. Thank you for your faithful prayer support. All of this is the Lord´s doing. We are attaching some pictures from the March for Jesus, 2014 for you to see. Please take the time to look at them and continue to pray for us as we serve Him. Below is a list of some of our prayer requests. Blessings to you all!

1. The Lord´s protection for a school trip with the 6th graders this Thursday-Saturday, and for the Lord´s traveling mercies.
2. For the church and its leadership as we work to leave our duties for our trip back to the States.
3. For wisdom and discernment for our pastors to make the right decisions.
4. For the arrival of a SAM missionary, Henry, who will be joining us to help with ministry, for his adaption and transition into Huanta.
5. For our time back in the States as we get ready to start support raising, and for the Lord to provide what is needed.

That is it for now! Thank you!

In Him,

The Ticonas

Important Changes Made To U.S. Passport Rules

Resource:  Peru This Week

By Agnes Rivera

Updates to keep travels, far and near, stress-free.

For those who aren't in the know of all the superfluous holidays that keep popping up, September was National Passport Awareness month in the United States. And apparently the U.S. Government figured the best way to end such awareness was by making changes to the little blue books.

On October 1, the U.S. Government began a phasing out process of additional visa pages inside passports. Experienced backpackers and border-hopping businessmen who find pride in their decorated passports are going to have to request a new passport once the pages fill up.

Additionally, it should be kept in mind that visa pages will only be added to passports that had been issued before October 1 of 2014.

There is good news however.

While the standard U.S. passport has been 28-pages for some years, 52-page passport books are available without extra charge.

If carrying a thicker passport with more than twice as many pages as the classic doesn't sound convenient, just stay aware of how many pages are left so a new passport can be acquired in a timely manner. Hoping to make things a little easier for the unobservant, newly issued passports will have numbered pages, just as they had been in the past.

Luckily the modification comes with plenty of time to take prepare, as not until January 1 of 2016 will additional visa pages no longer be available.

As commented by Brenda Sprague, deputy assistant secretary for U.S. passport services, passport issues and concerns “shouldn't be an ordeal” and doesn't have to be as long as everyone is informed and prepares for updates.