National Black Presbyterian Board Meeting-Conference Call Today

The NBPC Board will meet tonight (conference call) in follow-up to the exciting meeting at the Louisville PC(USA) Big Tent Event. The Northeast Regions Report will focus on our meeting in Louisville, our anticipated Fall Leadership Development Event (November 2013), the building of our communications network using social media (one of the fruitful workshops at the NBPC Conference), and the Region's efforts to strengthen our joint work for faith and justice.

More to come,
William

Encouragement from the National Office of NBPC

In a telephone meeting today, Rev. Jesse Swanigan, Director of Member and Chapter Development for the National Black Presbyterian Caucus, clarified for us todeay, August 23, 2013,  that the Regions, including the Northeast are encouraged to meet at least once, biennially, and to meet at such frequency for developing their ministries in the respective Regions as to support the development of NBPC in the Region.

I am proposing that we use the month of September to confirm and strengthen our Regional communication
structures. After initiating these efforts in September, we can build for maximizing participation in a Regional Leadership Development Conference in November 2013, likely in the Newark, New Jersey Area.

Please send let me know of events, and plans for November so that an opportune weekend date can be chosen.

Looking to working with and for our Region and NBPC,
William

Communication with Newark Area NBPC Member

In a telephone conversation (August 22, 2013) with Elder Warren McNiell, Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Newark, NJ, the need for a Regional leadership event was affirmed as well as the recent Northeast Regional Meeting at the NBPC National Conference. We are continuing to gather information and feedback from Regional Chapters, Congregations and members toward the goal of holding a Regional leadership event in the mid to late Fall.
Peace this day,
William

Northeast Region@Presbyterian Big Tent 2013

During this exciting Big Tent Event in Louisville, Kentucky, the National Black Pastors' Conference met. We enjoyed a comprehensive education and self-development series of workshops, designed and organized by the NBPC Board and Rev. Dr. Lonnie Oliver, of the PC(USA) Racial and Ethnic Support Office. Following this pre-Big Tent Conference, The National Black Presbyterian Caucus met for its biennial National Conference.
During this series of conference sessions, Regional Meetings were held, including the Northeast Region participants in the NBPC Conference.

During the Northeast Regional Meeting, the discussion focused on taking steps to assure that the Regional would change its status from inactive (according to the NBPC Biennial Report), that its leadership structure be developed in anticipation of its role in the support, strengthening and development of Northeast Regional NBPC works of ministry, and to explore the ways in which social media and face-to-face interactions could make contributions to the work over the next two years.

The Northeast Region participants at the Conference elected Rev. Dr. William Huston Wilkinson to serve as Moderator (Interim). We are hoping that this blog can be one social media effort in support of the communications life of the NBPC's Northeast Region.

Grace to you, and peace,
William