Newark Presbytery will be receiving a special offering at its presbytery meeting on Saturday, January 16, 2010. More information about this opportunity to pray and give is posted under Forum tab on this Web site, Moderator's Musings. Click here for Moderator's Musings.

Newark Presbytery's congregations are deeply concerned for the people of the small, impoverished nation of Haiti who suffered a major 7.0 earthquake on Tuesday, January 13, 2010. Reports described the collapsing of a hospital, the presidential palace and other buildings, triggering massive panic and claiming an as-yet uncounted number of lives. The President of Haiti recently told CBS News that more than 100,000 are feared dead, with estimates from other sources approaching 500,000.

The Presbyterian Church (USA), through its congregations across the United States, has reported several mission teams currently working in Haiti. A mission team from a Presbyterian congregation in Lawrenceville, New Jersey has reported their team members are all safe. As news reaches loved ones and response team organizations via erratic mobile phones, Twitter, and other Internet social networking sites, people gather in prayer and are are generously responding financially to the crisis.

If you’re trying to reach a U.S. citizen living or traveling in Haiti, you should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747.

In the mean time, you may make donations to the Haiti relief effort thru PC(USA) disaster assistance http://bit.ly/67ZXm3. Visit www.pcusa.org/pda for updates. Thank you. Your faithful giving and prayers are deeply appreciated.

Kevin