College Scholarship Fund For Mission Partners

Several years ago, the Session of Sharon Presbyterian Church approved a Scholarship Fund for Mission Partners based on the following in order of priority:

• An international student from an economically challenged family identified through Sharon Presbyterian Church’s mission connections who is enrolled for study at an accredited college in the United States
• A member of Sharon Presbyterian Church who is enrolled in one of the PCUSA’s seminaries
• A member of Sharon Presbyterian Church who is enrolled at an accredited college or university who is preparing for a church vocation (i.e. Christian Education, Youth Ministry, Church Music, etc.)
• A member of Sharon Presbyterian Church who is enrolled in a college or university affiliated with the PCUSA

This award is also based upon scholarship, community involvement, and strength and determination of character. For Spring Semester 2015, the recipient of this award is Brenda Paredes. Many in our congregation know Brenda through her extensive volunteer work with our annual Adult Mission Trip to Perú, including interpreter since 2009, and primary group leader during the 2013 and 2014 trip. She will again be working as our interpreter during the 2015 trip.

Brenda has completed three and a half years of study at the University of Caesar Vallejo in Lima, Perú, two semesters at Winthrop University, and just completed one semester at UNC Charlotte. During her semester at UNC Charlotte, she had five challenging classes and earned an A in each one. Look for her on the Dean’s and Chancellor’s lists when published.

From her application: “My long term goals are to perfect my English skills and become stronger in French and Portuguese. I hope to pair these skills with my Christian beliefs and perhaps work in missions.”

Scholarship funds are based on availability and are paid directly into the recipient’s college account. The congregation is encouraged to support this fund by making checks payable to “Sharon Presbyterian Church” clearly earmarked “Scholarship Fund for Mission Partners”. Applications are being accepted for 2015-2016 school year.

Questions may be directed to David Beers, Chairperson of the Serving Committee.

Congratulations to Brenda Paredes for her continued dedication and hard work!

Summary Of 2015 Western NC Mission Trip

To the congregation of Sharon Presbyterian, thank you for providing the funds needed to purchase supplies used to begin renovating the Presbyterian Worship Center/Coffee House on the Western NC University campus. Following guidelines drawn up by design students of University, the work was done under the direction of Mark Hanna, member of the Bryson City Presbyterian Church, and the Western NC Presbytery Board of Directors.

In two days, eighteen of us were able to cut existing ceiling tiles to create a new modern ceiling design, demolish kitchen cabinets, counter tops, and pantry to prepare for renovations, strip vinyl and wall paneling in two bathrooms, remove and level topsoil and lay gravel for a new parking lot, build and attach a 20’ x 10’ pergola over the large front patio, build two outside wooden staircases, scrape and paint 100’ of wrought iron railing, scrape and paint several French doors, power wash the concrete porch, patio and staircase surrounding the worship center, trim trees, and remove overgrown bushes, weeds and ivy. We worshiped on Sunday with Rev. Terry Hanna at Bryson City Presbyterian Church before heading home. Through fellowship and work, we felt and hopefully showed God’s love and spirit.

A slide-show presentation will be given during a joint Sunday School class in the Chapel on a date to be announced. Participants of the trip included Phyllis Acton, Ann & Ray Cannon, Mark & Karen Earnhardt, John Harvey, Carol Howie, Lisa Moore, J.D. Pearce, Elizabeth & Todd Pickens, Don & Reese Presson, Tom Skinner, Cary & Mike Young and Sonya & David Stanford.

Again, thanks to the congregation for your support!!

Related:  The Gate: Presbyterian Campus Ministry at WCU

Mission Perú 2015

Hola everyone!

In a few short weeks our mission team we will be together at Casa Kolping Guest House in Lima, ready to begin the 2015 Peru Mission Trip!

PCUSA Missionaries (Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmonson) plan to accompany us this year! They will return to Lima on August 7th to meet another mission team arriving in Lima late that evening. They are currently working on our in-country accommodations and ground transportation.

All international travel reservations have been booked and ticketed. From Charlotte, we will travel to Orlando on Delta Airlines and take LAN's new non-stop flight from Orlando to Lima. Our itinerary will be reversed for the trip home. We will be required to claim and recheck our baggage in Orlando and in doing so, will incur checked baggage charges. Even so, the savings in airfare costs are significant.

This year, we will provide a portion of the funds for each church in The Presbytery (and two churches in The Presbytery of Nehemias) to build a new bathroom or bathrooms. We will also be providing a portion of the funds for The Presbytery to purchase a new curriculum and supplies for their youth Sunday School program. While in Huanta, we will travel to four (4) churches to finish work on the bathroom(s) and do some light construction work (e.g. repair wooden benches, light painting or other small projects).

The Bible Institute will also be in session while we are in Huanta.

We will be taking donations of clothing, shoes, craft items, reading glasses and toys again this year.

This year's trip again promises to be one of service and witness to Jesus Christ. I always look forward to experiencing the ways that God reveals Himself during these trips. It is both an honor and a blessing to walk beside our humble brothers and sisters and this year promises to provide another opportunity to do so.

Thanks and blessings to each of you as we prepare for our time together.

Randy

Are You Called To Mission?

Mark 16:

Jesus Has Risen

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.