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Seattle Presbytery
Washington
Families from White River and Iglesia El Buen Pastor congregations enjoy a picnic.
White River Presbyterian Church of Auburn, founded in 1867, is the oldest congregation in Seattle Presbytery. After nine difficult years, the congregation found its membership declining and its neighborhood changing, but that members still believed its mission statement: “to disciple all people through commitment to prayer, worship, study, care, and outreach.” In 2005, a Ministry Vision Team led the congregation in discerning its identity and God’s plans for the future.
In November 2007, White River was awarded a Congregational Transformation Grant. Its successful proposal included a more intentional partnership with Iglesia El Buen Pastor, which shares its building. The presbytery pledged to match the grant through partnerships with other congregations. White River will use the funds for outreach programs that include making disciples of Jesus; integrating evangelism and social action; offering the good news to the community through courses and classes; and hiring a director of neighborhood outreach programs to develop leadership and coordinate ministries with Iglesia El Buen Pastor.
In the midst of the grant application process, the congregation developed a Ministry Vision Plan. Members held a “40 Days of Purpose Campaign,” hosted a free school lunch program, and trained and placed volunteers at the elementary school in the neighborhood.
Seattle Presbytery is comprised of 55 churches and 10 ethnic fellowships serving 20,949 members.
Elder Steve Aeschbacher, member, GAC
Presbytery Staff
Rev. Scott Lumsden,
executive presbyter
Rev. Dennis Hughes, stated clerk
Elder Barbara Ranta, associate stated clerk
Heidi Francis, communications director
Michelle Perry, executive assistant/office administrator
Rev. Ken Sunoo, communications assistant
Joan Hill, bookkeeper
Mission Volunteers in the U.S.A.
Young Adult Volunteers, YAV Seattle
Urban Intentional Community, Seattle, Washington: Whitney Booth, Shawn Dawson, Amber Donaldson, Brittany Harvey, Kelli Houpt, and Sierra Pressley-Tucker
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Linda Crittenden, GAC
Lindsay Crosby, BOP
We give you thanks, O God, for the mission and ministry of the churches and ethnic fellowships of Seattle Presbytery. Open our eyes to the world as you see it, and to love and accept the people around us with your unconditional love. Alert us to the human needs you have equipped us to meet. Grant us strength and resilience to feed our hungry neighbors and to promote peace and justice near and far. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Ps. 43, 149 Ps. 31, 143
Deut. 7:17–26
Titus 3:1–15; John 1:43–51
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