We at First Presbyterian, Sandusky found that we desperately needed to rebuild our dated Website.  Who would do this for us at a reasonable cost?  We are now paying approximately $300 a year for website hosting with a for profit agency.  What to do?  Then, I found that Sara McLaughlin hosts and helps churches of the Presbytery build new websites and rework present sites.  I thought perhaps this would be a long process.  Was I surprised, providing Sara with some updated and new material and e-mailing back and forth the project was finished in 3-4 days. We have some tweaking to correct some minor mistakes but basically we are ready to go live.

Thank you Sara for your super help in accomplishing our project.  Thanks to Maumee Valley Presbytery for making this service available.

Bob Bottoms
Interim, First Presbyterian Church, Sandusky

Bill Treadway, the leader of our Sacred Conversations has completed a spiritual direction formation program offered by Stillpoint: The Center for Christian Spirituality at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM. The two-year program consisted of regular residential intensives at Ghost Ranch and supervised home readings, writing, and practical application. Bill is available for individual spiritual direction and leadership of small group or church retreats. He can be reached by telephone at 941-705-2308 or via e-mail at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Bill is a member of Spiritual Directors International (http://sdiworld.org/).

Alena Henry of First Presbyterian Church Tecumseh has sent us the following link which includes lovely pictures from the Presbytery meeting on Tuesday.   Please feel free to share these or use them in any way you would like. 

The front of the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church in Tecumseh, Michigan was overflowing with an abundance of loaves of bread during the Spring Stated Meeting.  Members of the Presbytery of Maumee Valley brought many varieties of breads to be given to “God’s Bread Basket”, a ministry addressing hunger in Tecumseh.   More than 40 loaves of bread were donated.  

The gathering began with an address by Rev. Gradye Parsons, stated clerk of the PCUSA, who challenged the Presbytery to consider the Biblical journey into Antioch. Later in the day, during worship, he encouraged participants to “pay attention to the invisible people” and to display the community love of Jesus Christ. 

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Please help assemble clean-up buckets....Heavy precipitation from early 2013 storms and floods has resulted in widespread and severe flooding in Illinois and other states.
 
Recently, PDA National Response Team members assembled 500 clean-up buckets as part of their service project during the annual conference.  Those buckets are among the 2,500 Church World Service (CWS) Clean-up Buckets on the way to help families who will return to the daunting task of beginning to clean up what the flood waters leave behind.
 
We are thankful to Presbyterian congregations and other groups who prepare clean-up buckets throughout the year so that they are ready to send as soon as a disaster strikes. 

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While pastors and church leaders are focused on the spiritual life of their congregations, an opportunity to pray, reflect, and spend sacred time with one another is provided by the Presbytery through our Sacred Conversations. Our purpose will be to gather in prayer and in Scripture on the Fifth Thursday of on the following dates:  August 29^th, October 31^st, 2013.  We will be led by Spiritual Directors within Maumee Valley Presbytery as part of our emphasis upon becoming a covenant community of ordained leaders. You may come to all four, or come to the one which feeds your soul or meets your schedule.

The youth group of First Presbyterian Church of Defiance, Ohio won 2nd prize in the Pentecost Offering youth video contest!   Look at their video, along with 1st and 3rd places, on the special offerings page.  http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/specialofferings/pentecost-offering/. 

Use it to prepare your congregation for receiving the offering on May 19^th!  

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Effective April 1, 2013, the presbytery office address FOR RECEIPTS ONLY is changing. The office will be utilizing a lockbox system, whereby all monies received at the lockbox address, will be deposited immediately and reported to our office daily.

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Plans are underway for the 2013 Mobile Health Fairs in Maumee Valley Presbytery to be held June 25-July 3. As in the past we would like to have hygiene and/or dental kits to hand out to those coming to the fairs. Kits may be preassembled with a washcloth, soap, comb and shampoo and possibly a nail brush. Dental kits could include a toothbrush and toothpaste.

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Healthcare Committee Postpones Providing Recommendation to the Board of Directors for 2014 Medical Dues. Voices from throughout the Church have been responding to communications by the Board of Pensions about a potential restructuring of healthcare dues for the Medical Plan Traditional Program for active members. From pastors to mid council staff to churches and other employers, we have heard many voices through many channels. We want you to know that we are listening. Click this link for the full article.