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The Presbytery of New Harmony
South Carolina
The Cycle Sk8Boarding team loves skating and Jesus! Pictured: Michael Dean Wheatley, Elder Rick Hudson, Chase Rhodes, Gordon Weatherford, and Gavin Grimsley. Photo by Conley Wheatley.
Skateboards and churches don’t ordinarily coexist well. Well-meaning church folks often shoo skateboarders away for fear of injury, vandalism, or liability. But at Parkwood Presbyterian Church in Florence, skateboarding became a way of rejuvenating the congregation’s youth group and a tool for sharing faith beyond the church’s steps.
Elder Rick Hudson serves as manager of CycleSk8Boarding, providing advice, transportation, first aid, and a ministry of presence. Skateboarding is part of Sunday night youth fellowship and Wednesday night Bible studies. Through this skateboarding team, Parkwood Presbyterian is reaching many young lives. CycleSk8Boarding does skating demonstrations for other congregations and at skate parks. During these demos, team members share about faith and skating. Team member Michael Dean has learned that “the most important thing in evangelizing is that we plant the seed ... and then we rely on God to change hearts.” Michael shares that skating and sharing his faith have kept him active and made him “a lot more mature with Christ.”
CycleSk8Boarding and Parkwood Presbyterian hope that young disciples grow in Christ as they grow up. The presbytery is committed to utilizing its ministry through Camp Pee Dee and in its partnership and sponsorship of the Presbyterian Agency for the Developmentally Disabled. The 12,947 members and 78 congregations of the Presbytery of New Harmony are doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God in familiar ways, in traditional ministries, and through innovative and nontraditional means.
Presbytery Staff
The Rev. William Judson (Judd) Shaw, executive presbyter/stated clerk
The Rev. Dr. Franklin D. Colclough, associate executive presbyter for pastoral care and leadership development
Elder Julie L. Cox, associate executive presbyter for program and administration
Avery S. Dickson, presbytery educator/resource center coordinator
Elise H. Walker, financial secretary
Linda M. Borgman, office administrator
Netanyia G. Samuel, secretary/receptionist
Elder Matt Riley, director of camping ministries
Jason Steen, Camp Pee Dee staff
Allison Summey, Camp Pee Dee staff
Mike Smith, Camp Pee Dee staff
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Craig Smith, GAMC
Dorothy Smith, GAMC
God of all, we pray that we might learn new ways to seek justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you and all whom we encounter. Help us to be open to new ways to share your good news of love and welcome. Open us to you this day and every day through Jesus Christ, our Teacher, Redeemer, and friend. Amen.
Ps. 89:1–18, 147:1–11 Ps. 1, 33
Neh. 13:4–22 or Hag. 1:1–2:9
Rev. 12:1–12; Matt. 13:53–58
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