What Is Happening?
After a long process of prayerful discernment, Mebane Presbyterian Church has decided to seek dismissal from the Presbyterian Church USA in order to join another Presbyterian Denomination.

The Issues At Hand
There are several key issues that are driving this decision.  As was addressed in the recent presentation given to church members, while there are certain topics which are media hot-button issues, the simplest explanation is that the PC(USA) has moved away from its Biblical, Reformed foundations in a way that we believe creates a theological gap that is impossible for us, as a congregation, to bridge.

Big Questions
Dismissal is a difficult process, and there are lots of questions about how it affects us as members, how it affects our staff members, and how it affects their benefits.  We have a few documents that we hope will address your concerns.

Do you have questions about the dismissal process?
Do you have questions about Salem Presbytery's dismissal policy?
Do you have questions about what will happen to our teaching elders?
Do you have questions about pensions held by the PCUSA?

Where Will We Go?
The Task Force has recommended that Mebane Presbyterian Church affiliate with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, a denomination that is aligned with Mebane Presbyterian's theological beliefs, mission outreach, vision, and calling to fulfill the Great Commission.  There are other denomination options that we may also consider.

Other Resources
There are other resources on the web available for you to research this issue, the denominations involved, and the affects it will have on our church.

Presbyterian Church (USA)
Evangelical Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Church in America
Evangelical Covenant Order of Fellowship Presbyterians

Other sources

The Layman
The PC(USA) 2012: How We Got Here
Eight Leaders Urge Congregations to Rethink Leaving

A native of Franklin, NC. Jason is an English Teacher at Providence Grove High School in Randolph County.  He worked as a lifeguard and youth worker before earning his Bachelor of Science degree in education at Western Carolina University. He and his wife, Megan, reside in Whitsett, NC. Jason has been at MPC since February, 2012.

You can contact Jason at youth@mebanepresbyterian.org

The dynamic 27-year-old comes to Mebane Presbyterian with an impressive background in teaching, ministry and missions, as well as an intense interest in guiding young Christians.

Beginning Feb. 19, Jason will assume oversight of junior high and senior high school youth. Working with parental assistants, he will strive to strengthen the Church's youth programs.

His task is to maintain a balanced program of spiritual, physical and social growth. Among his responsibilities will be the Youth Groups, Youth Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.

"My goal as the youth leader will be two-fold," Jason said following his selection. "I want students to form their beliefs Biblicaly and understand why they believe the way they do, and I want them to implement their beliefs practically by learning how to share and minister to others."

"I have many ideas of ways to accomplish those two goals that include Bible studies, weekend activities, ministry work trips, and spiritual growth retreats," he added.

Pastor Jeff said, "We are very excited to have Jason join the leadership team here at Mebane Presbyterian."

"Jason has a solid background in Christian ministry and brings a wide variety of experiences to the church from his high school teaching and his work as a youth minister & assistant to the pastor," Pastor Jeff said. "We look forward to growth and outreach to the community under his direction."

Since 2010, Jason has been teaching high school English at Providence Grove High School in Climax, N.C. His extensive experience with young people also includes a stint as summer youth leader at Sharon Baptist Church in Reidsville, acting as a part-time youth director of Bethany Baptist Church in Hartwell, Georgia and serving as a cabin leader at Camp Caraway, a Christian boys summer camp in Asheboro.

A native of Franklin, N.C. Jason became an Eagle Scout and worked as a lifeguard before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in education at Western Carolina University. His and wife Megan, a graduate student in physical therapy at Winston Salem State University, now live in Whitsett.

Jason said he has "always felt a strong desire to work with teenagers and children,” and he said, “I feel that God is continually grooming me for that type of ministry."

"Recently, I have realized that I strongly miss working with teenagers in a youth group atmosphere; as a youth leader I can speak to students about my relationship with Christ in addition to modeling it for them...," he elaborated. "I feel that God has brought me to this point with a plan in mind, and I look forward to discovering what that plan is."

As he prepared to take over the reins of the MPC youth programs, Jason said "one of my primary goals will be to have fun but for us to also work together to discover what it means to be a Christian, and what that looks like in the lives of teenagers today."

Here’s what you’ll do during a Surviving the Holidays event:
• Watch a 40-minute video, filled with practical tips on how to survive the holidays
• Hear from others in your group who are dealing with grief this holiday season
• Have the opportunity to share how grief is affecting you (if you’d like)
• Receive a personal Holiday Survival Guide.

The seminar will be held in the Sanctuary on Sunday, December 11th from 3:00 -5:00pm. There is a $4.00 fee to cover the cost of the workbook. Scholarships are available. The deadline for registration is December 4th.

For information and registration contact the church office at 563-1660 or Elaine Olson at 563-0308. (Please leave your name and phone number if no one answers)

For more information and articles please visit:

www.griefshare.org/holidays

Audio Devotions for 40-Day Journey to a More Generous Life

Click the "Play" Button next to each day.

Day 4 - 10/13

To become an Eagle Scout a boy must earn at least 12 required Merit Badges and a
minimum of 9 elective Merit Badges. They must also hold a position of leadership within the Troop as they reach the higher ranks and participate in numerous community service projects logging volunteer hours. The final step is the completion of the Eagle Project. The Scout must choose a project then check any code requirements and get any required permits. They must get approval from the group or organization that will be the recipient of the project and then prepare a detailed description including materials used, cost and assistance required. The project must be approved by the Troop Committee and then be submited to the Eagle Board. Upon approval, the Scout must organize the project, materials and work force. Before, during and after pictures of the project must be taken. All volunteers who work on the project must document the time they spent and the total time of the project must be reported. The completed project book along with all the accompanying paperwork and reference letters are then submitted to the Eagle Board of Review. Each Eagle Scout candidate is given a date and time to go before the Board of Review and is questioned by the Board about changes or adjustments to the project, his leadership and organization in completing the project, and how he has followed the Scout Oath and Law in his everyday life. If the project is accepted and the candidate is approved, the Eagle Board of Review records that the Scout has met all of the requirements for the rank of Eagle, and the project book and accompanying paperwork is submitted to the National BSA (Boy Scouts of America) office for the final signatures. The project book is then returned to the Eagle Scout along with his Eagle Badge and Medal, Certificate recognizing him as an Eagle Scout and a letter from the National Scout Executive and the President of the BSA stating that he has met the requirements to call himself an Eagle Scout.

Joshua’s Eagle Scout Project
Joshua wanted to do a project that would benefit the Church. He looked at several
different options but decided to build 6 heavy duty benches that would last for many
years and could hopefully be incorporated into another Eagle Scout Project in the future. The final design called for each bench to be made of 50 separate pieces of wood. It took 148 work hours to complete the project.

Alex’s Eagle Scout Project
Alex’s completed eagle scout project has linked almost all of the computers in the
sanctuary building with Ethernet wires. It also has greatly expanded the wireless Internet
in the first building and brought wireless Internet to the Baker building. In doing this it
has centralized the church's main computer systems and has made them easier to maintain.

2. We felt genuinely welcomed by the congregation, but not overwhelmed, which can
be common when a congregation greets ‘new blood’

3. The church building has a good ‘feel’ to it

So, we decided to come back and were greeted by a very pleasant outreach by some of the church members – Dwight Johnson, who got me involved with the Men’s Ministries, where I met Bob Graham (we share a passion for aviation). Karen Richmond
took Sheila under her wing and quickly got her involved in the Ladies’ breakfast on Wednesday mornings. I also started attending the Men’s breakfast on Wednesday mornings and have had the pleasure of breaking bread with Bob, John Parham (and we
can’t forget his lovely wife Janet), and the Wards – Joe and Steve. Then, when we joined the church, the welcome by the congregation was touching – especially the welcome we received from Jane Bailey – who must be one of the sweetest people to
walk the earth.

Even though we haven’t been home to attend since we joined the church in May, the entire congregation makes us feel so welcome and part of the family – Mebane Pres really does feel like home. Thank you all so much for being such dear people.

Living our Motto: “Growing in Faith”
by Sarah Saunders

I wasn’t raised in the church. We went to a church daycare and through them I learned some basics about Christianity. My parents told us that if we wanted to go to church, they would take us. But as most teens would, I preferred sleeping late on the weekends.

I went on to further investigate different religions as an older teen, but without a personal connection or the guidance of a mature fellowship of believers, those intellectual pursuits never developed into a spiritual awakening. It was like being adrift at sea without navigation.

However, as I look back, I see that God had been working in my life for a long time before I was aware of it. He brought Garth into my life, and through that relationship and
my relationship with his mother, Connie, I was introduced to Mebane Presbyterian Church. At first it was through occasional worship services, then through Pre-marital
counseling with Pastor Jeff and the wedding ceremony at Mebane Pres.

Over time, we began attending more frequently though still not with much regularity. With the birth of our first child, a yearning for a closer relationship with God was also born. I felt it was very important not to set my children adrift, to provide them a Lighthouse to keep them on the right path for their own salvation.

Mebane Presbyterian has provided a welcoming, supportive and encouraging community for me to build Christian-centered relationships and to further my spiritual
development. Through Pastor Jeff’s encouragement, I participated in the Alpha Course,
which I have since repeated with my sister, Karyn. MOPS has provided me with the
inspirational guidance and encouragement of a strong Christian “Mentor Mom” in Cyndie Smith and allowed me to enjoy fellowship with other Christian mothers. Garth and I have benefited from joining the Cornerstone Sunday School Class, which has provided invigorating and thought-provoking discussions, expanding my Christian education. Through service opportunities in Children's Ministry and Sandwich ministry, I have been able to participate in my own children’s Christian education and it has been wonderful to see them begin their own relationships with Jesus.

Through all of these avenues, God has placed Mebane Pres. in my path as a beacon
to help me set a safe course Home, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
 

Living Our Motto: “Sending to Serve”
by Christie Smith

Good morning, my name is Christie Smith and I am here to share about a way that you
as a congregation have helped 'Send to Serve', as it says in our church motto.

This summer I participated in an experience through Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
called GUPY. GUPY stands for Greensboro Urban Project, Y'all, and it brings together
college students in the city of Greensboro to learn about God and His vision for his
children. Marshall Benbow heads the project and lives with his family in the Glenwood
neighborhood, one of the poorest communities in Greensboro.

The first 8 weeks of the summer I lived and worked in the Glenwood and participated in service projects, trips, and Bible studies that helped us understand and realize the themes of the summer, which were reconciliation, redistribution, responsibility, and relocation. First, we went in depth about how God wants us to find our identity first and foremost in Him, not as sisters/brothers, wives/husbands, teachers/nurses/businessmen/or pastors. When we do this, we begin to fully realize how much He loves
us, what He has done for us through His son, and that no matter what we do, we can
never fail as sons and daughters of the King. This paved the way for us to begin thinking
of His other sons and daughters in a new light, namely the people of Glenwood neighborhood. We did various activities each week that brought us in direct contact with children and adults in the community and we learned what it looks like to love the
impoverished and downtrodden with the heart of Christ. We participated in reading
groups with elementary students, afternoons in the park with middle and high schoolers,
Wednesday night dinners at Grace Community Church for primarily homeless and those in need of an extra meal, and weekly Bible studies and small group times.

Over the course of the summer, we delved into scripture about God's vision for His
kingdom on earth and the reconciliation of races and nations in our own Christian communities. We learned about the importance of the sharing of our wealth and blessings, just as God shares with us so richly, and we were able to learn of His desire
for His children to live in community with each other. The strength of the experiences this summer were that we saw these Scriptures come to life through what we did.

The second part of the summer was spent in Costa Rica with a larger group of  volunteers from Grace Community Church in Greensboro. There we were able to witness big ways in which God is working through the Young Life organization in San Jose, Costa Rica and were able to take part in some of the physical labor needs that Young Life has identified throughout the city. We worked on the broken-down homes of students, a group facility for the elderly, and I was in a group that helped paint many surfaces (including the roof!) of a church where a Young Life group for students with disabilities meets each week. It was so fantastic and fulfilling to see some of the concepts we had been studying come to life in such a different part of the world. Through worship and fellowship with other believers, God's character was revealed in such new and beautiful ways.

I know that God was working so much in me through my experiences in Greensboro
and in Costa Rica, and I know that you all played a huge role in sending me to serve in
those places. Many of you supported me financially and I'm sure even more of you sent
essential love and prayers my way throughout the experience. The missions committee
also allocated funds toward the cost of my summer. Thank you so much for helping me
participate in this project that continues to impact me and the perspective I have on my
relationship with Jesus Christ and the people God places in my path. He wants all of us
to come to know Him in such an intimate, beautiful way. I am so blessed to be a child of
the King, and so blessed to be a member of His family with you.
Thank you.

Team Leader
by Shannon Taylor
I want to share with you all a little about my experiences with serving as the team leader of Fellowship at Mebane Pres over the last 2 ½ years and how I came to be in this area of service.

Mike and I joined about 3 ½ years ago. When we joined I desperately wanted to meet people inthe church and make friends, but I am a relatively shy person. I have a hard time getting to know people. Thankfully, Cheryl Durham called and invited me to attend the evening circle group which allowed me to meet some of the ladies in the church. I got to meet Laurie Stadler and I heard that she was involved with the Long Range Planning committee. This is where God’s plan began for me. For reasons that I still can’t explain, I asked Laurie if they needed help on Long Range Planning.

Keep in mind that I did not grow up in church and really had no idea of what this would involve.  But something (now I know someone) pushed me to get involved. The group (Ken White, Ralph Olsen, Dwight Johnson, and Pastor Jeff) welcomed me with open arms. I worked with them for over a year. During that time, the fellowship team was created. We talked monthly about needing someone to hold the first meeting to get it off the ground. A few people in the congregation were asked, but everyone had a full plate.

A few months went by and every time we talked about needing to have a kick off meeting, I had to bite my lip to keep from volunteering. I knew someone needed to do it, but I was too scared. After all, I did not know anyone in the congregation… I had not grown up in church… and what did I know about Fellowship… I have a hard time talking to people, I can’t cook, I have never organized anything. There was a battle going on in my head. God kept putting the opportunity in front of me and I kept saying no. Finally I offered to lead the first meeting. I was still adamant to myself that I was not going to lead the Fellowship team, just get it started with the first meeting. So that is what I did. To try to be successful, I wrote an agenda for the first meeting. The first thing on the agenda was to decide from the people there, who wanted to lead. The first response
to this topic came from Phil Langley. He said, “Anyone who writes an agenda would make a great leader.” And so it was… I was the leader of the Fellowship Team.

Over the last two years, I have come to realize that no matter how many times I said no, this is where God wanted me. I had no experience, but he has provided everything I have needed to keep going. He knew that through this experience, I would have the opportunity not only to serve the congregation of this church, but to develop relationships with so many in my church family. Serving this congregation has been a blessing to me. Through this service, I now feel at home here and feel comfortable interacting with everyone in the congregation. It has also made Mebane feel more like home. There are not many places I go in town now without seeing someone I know.  Just a few weeks ago we had a church gathering at Lowe’s when I saw Shirley Johnson and Dave and Mary Kimball.

I want to challenge you all to open your hearts and minds to what God is calling you to do. Even if it means jumping out of your comfort zone into unknown territory. He has a plan for you and knows where your service is needed most. Let him lead you there.

Living Out Our Church Motto: What the Men’s Ministry has Meant to Me
by Mike Taylor

I was introduced to the Men’s Ministry by Dwight Johnson. He invited me to be a
member of the newly formed Men’s Ministry Team. I have not always been active in
church and wasn’t sure what would be expected of me as a part of this group.
Reluctantly, I went to the first meeting. I quickly realized that I had no reason to be
concerned. I had a great time getting to know other men in the church that I probably
would have never talked to except to say hello on Sunday morning. Participating in the
events sponsored by the Men’s Ministry has allowed me the opportunity to serve God
through serving the community and by fellowshipping with others. Three events that I
especially enjoyed this year were the car show, the fishing trip to Atlantic Beach and the
Siloam Missionary Homes work day trip. The car show was especially great because we
were able to get people in the area to the church for a day of fun and fellowship. I also
think it helps to let people know we are here and active in the community. The Atlantic
Beach fishing trip was a good get away with members of the church. It was the first
event I headed up so I stressed over it some but with a little prayer the stress went away
and everything turned out fine. Though our numbers were few, the people who came
enjoyed beautiful weather, fellowship and some good fishing. The Siloam mission trip
really opened my eyes to how God works in people and how everyone is connected in his
plans for us. We went to help clear out the property and paint for the mission who in turn
builds housing for missionaries from are all around the world to live in when they are in
the states.

My experiences with the Men’s Ministry have helped me develop Christ centered
friendships with other men in my church family. It is a lot of fun and it has helped me to
feel more at home both in church and in Mebane. I encourage men of the church of all
ages to join us in a few events. Interacting with Christian men is important to help you
grow in your faith and become closer to God.

 

Mebane Presbyterian Church wishes to encourage giving to support its mission and goals. This policy is intended to provide guidance for both donors and church representatives in the acceptance of gifts. The general policy of Mebane Presbyterian Church is to accept all unrestricted cash or cash-equivalent gifts. Restricted gifts of any kind, or unrestricted gifts of real or tangible property, will only be accepted with explicit approval from the Finance Ministry Team.

Some gift situations can be complex, and decisions should only be made after careful consideration of a number of interrelated factors. Therefore, this policy requires, in some instances, that the church consider the merits of a particular gift and a final acceptance decision be made by the Finance Ministry Team, in consultation with the Session as appropriate. Mebane Presbyterian may refuse any gift if judged not to be in the best interest of the church. The church will not accept any gift if there is any question as to whether the donor has sufficient title to the assets, or whether the donor is legally able to transfer the property as a gift. Responsibility for gift valuation, tax deductions, and the filing of tax forms rests with the donor. Acknowledgement (tax receipts) will be provided for any gift valued at $50 or higher.

Donors are encouraged to give unrestricted gifts to be used at the discretion of the church. However, donors may wish to designate a gift of cash or tangible property for a specific purpose or program. While attempt will be made to accommodate the donor’s wishes, the Session will ultimately determine how the gift will be used subject to the church’s existing policies and its commitment to further the work of Jesus Christ. In such cases, the proposed gift will be considered from the standpoint of the Church and its mission. Some gifts may be of limited use to the Church, create an administrative or financial burden, or come at a time when the Church’s other needs are much greater and more immediate. To avoid any misunderstandings, donors whose proposed gifts contain designations, restrictions or entail some potential liability, are urged to discuss these issues with the Finance Ministry Team as their gift is being planned.

Mebane Presbyterian may liquidate real or tangible property at any time, with or without consulting the original donor or family. Permanent plaques or similar forms of acknowledgement are discouraged. Rather, gifts of real or tangible property will be recorded in a Church Remembrance Book, to be kept on display in the church narthex or other appropriate area.