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EMerge is a newsletter of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area. Through most of the year it is published weekly and distributed to congregations, teaching elders, ruling elders, church members, committees and friends of the presbytery. Please send submissions and address corrections to office@ptcaweb.org.
November 18, 2016
  
Presbytery news  
 
Presbytery affirms calls to ministry,
work of administrative commission
The national election which postponed the November meeting by one week of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area was not on the formal docket of the presbytery meeting meeting, but not far from our minds as we tended to the people and work of the presbytery Nov. 15. The House of Hope Presbyterian Church in Saint Paul welcomed Presbytery into its grand sanctuary and storied history. Pastor and head of staff David Van Dyke gave a welcome and brief oral tour of the church's history and ministry, and numerous volunteers provided a gracious and warm welcome. Affirming two more calls to ministry again highlighted the docket and work of Presbytery. The complete summary is at "Meeting Summary." The complete meeting packet can be found at "The Details."
 
Listening session planned
on proposed amendments to BOO
The Bills and Overtures Committee of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area will conduct a listening session Dec. 10 on proposed amendments to the Book GA 222 Portland of Order that resulted from this summer's General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The session will begin at 9 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in South St. Paul. The session is open to all in the presbytery to ask questions and offer insights. The committee is asking the presbytery to vote on the proposed amendments during its Jan. 21 meeting. The complete committee report is at "Amendments."
 
Presbytery has 15 copies
of 'Reverberations' to give away
At some point in the 1990s the women who were ordained by the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area and those who had been members of the presbytery were invited to tell their stories. Those stories were collected in the book, "Reverberations." Edited by Bebe Baldwin, the book was published in 1998 by the Women's Focus Committee of the presbytery. The book contains more than 40 stories of women in the presbytery. The presbytery recently discovered copies of the book in its storeroom. Fifteen copies remain. The books are available on a first-call, first-served basis. The presbytery can be contacted at 651.357.1150 or by sending an email to office@ptcaweb.org.
 
Presbytery Thanksgiving
hours announced
Presbytery Logo This is a holiday note for the upcoming Thanksgiving week: the presbytery office will be closed Thursday, Nov. 24, and Friday, Nov. 25, to observe Thanksgiving.  Risa Anderson will be taking vacation Monday-Wednesday, Nov. 21-23. Jeff Japinga will be in the office Monday, Nov. 21, but will be out of the office Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 22-23. Bill Davnie continues to be out of the country for the full week. Also note, there will be no EMerge next week. We will all check emails periodically. If there is an emergency, please reach out to Jeff. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
 
Jeff's Jottings
Structure is not the most important
 
Jeff Japinga By Jeff Japinga
Transitional Executive Presbyter
 
At Presbytery meeting this past Tuesday, I offered two reports. The first was written and included in the Presbytery Packet; you can find it beginning on page 14. It reviewed the work we've done on systems, structures, and staffing over my 18 months with you, a key part of what you've asked me to do.
 
But too often, this structure stuff grabs our attention and pretends to be most important. And that's not right. This week's Jottings is my second, oral report to Presbytery. I hope you'll read it; I think it's a key reminder of who we are as the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area.
 
The complete Jottings is at "What We Do."
Resources, conferences ... 

 

Ruling Elder Resource Regarding Ruling Elders:
After session service
Steve Lindsley, senior minister of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Charlotte, N.C., and advisory team member for NEXT Church, wrote the current installment of Regarding Ruling Elders, a resource of the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Lindsley wrote, "The congregation I serve has a lot of ruling elders, and at no time is this more evident than on ordination and installation Sunday. ... The old adage is true: once an elder, always an elder. Their collective voice matters as we move forward in ministry. There are three specific ways that our congregation taps into their collective history and knowledge, and reinforces the truism that they remain important leaders of our church long after completing their term(s) on session." Lindsley's complete column can be found at "After Session Service."
 
Presbyterian Association of Musicians
set to gather Jan. 19-21 in Texas
Presby Musicians The Presbyterian Association of Musicians have planned their winter 2017 gathering Jan. 19-21 at University Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. The gathering will offer opportunities for professional renewal, a chance to recharge batteries after the Christmas rush, and a hymn festival led by Eric Wall. Details can be found at "Musicians Gathering."
 
Winter Pastors School planned
in February in Nebraska
The Rev. Dr. JC Austin, vice president for Christian leadership formation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City, will be the featured speaker at Omaha Presbyterian Seminary the 2017 Winter Pastors School planned Feb. 6-9 at Hastings (Neb.) College. Austin works with faith leaders across the country through a range of programs and consultations to develop the personal resilience, entrepreneurial spirit and practical wisdom needed to lead social and congregational change. Winter Pastors School is sponsored by the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation. Details are available at "Winter Pastors School."
 
APCE's Annual Event set in January
The 2017 annual event of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators promises to be a time Presbyterian Church Educators of grounding, a place of renewal and rest, and a refuge of peace. The event runs Jan. 25-28 at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. Speakers include the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, the unconventional Lutheran minister and author of "Pastrix: the Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner and Saint." Details, along with links to registration information, can be found at "Annual APCE Event."
 
Disciple-making church conference
set Jan. 16-19 at St. Pete Beach
Disciple making Carrying the theme, "Abide in Me ... A Spiritual Purging," the Disciple-Making Church Conference of the Presbyterian Mission Agency takes place Jan. 16-19 at St. Pete Beach, Fla. The conference will explore the spiritual concepts of St. Ignatius: interior freedom, disordered attachments, and spiritual indifference. Conference details are at "Abide in Me."
 
NEXT Church scheduled
March 13-15 in Kansas City
NEXT Church With the theme "Wells & Walls: Well-Being in a Thirsty World," the annual gathering for NEXT Church is planned March 13-15 in Kansas City, Mo. Keynote speakers are Dr. Rodger Nishioka, the Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah and the Rev. Dr. Linda Mercadante. Conference details are available at "NEXT Church."
Service opportunities ...  

 

Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis is seeking a full-time director of educational ministries who will, in partnership with lay leaders, pastors and church staff, lead the development of inclusive educational programs for all ages. Details can be found at "Educational Ministries."
News of the wider churh  

 

PC(USA) stated clerk issues
statement following election
J. Herbert Nelson II, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) issued a J Herbert Nelson statement in response to the violence that followed the election of Donald Trump as President-Elect of the United States. Nelson wrote, " I read several post-election statements and heard news accounts of violence, riots, and protests while in Central America visiting ... mission partners. The news images were shocking to both our partners and me. We struggled to understand the results of the election, particularly given Mr. Trump's stance on immigration, which was the theme of my visit. However, I was not as startled as my Central American friends." Nelson's complete statement can be found at "Incivility."
 
Somali refugee women's project supported by PC(USA) SDOP
Business is looking good for a group of Somali refugee women seeking to support their families in Columbus, Ohio. The group is part of the Capital Park Women's Empowerment Project, working to give low income women an opportunity to forge their own path and sdop market their business. "The Sewing Cooperative at Capital Park is moving forward into new territory," said Beth Stock, the group's director. "We've created some new products and recently took them to a three-day festival in downtown Columbus." The Sewing Cooperative has been supported by a number of organizations including the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP). Last year, SDOP provided a $10,000 grant to help the group grow its business. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Rick Jones can be found at "SDOP at Work."