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.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Presbytery plans to meet
Jan. 21 at Kwanzaa Church
The Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area will meet Saturday, Jan. 21, at Kwanzaa Community Church, 3700 Bryant Ave. N., Minneapolis, coming together for  worship, and to learn and act. The presbytery will learn of the Kwanzaa congregation's mission efforts in north Minneapolis; celebrate the plans for a joint Presbyterian-Lutheran ministry with the Anuak-speaking community; hear from James Rissler, president of the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program; and hear a report from the presbytery's Leadership Team concerning presbytery structure. The complete call to meeting is at "January Meeting."
Spirit of Life helps Dakota County homeless during biting cold
Both the Sun Thisweek and Star Tribune newspapers carried stories over the holidays about churches  serving as shelters for homeless in Dakota County. The work of Spirit of Life Presbyterian Church in Apple Valley received mention in both articles. Spirit of Life served as a temporary shelter for about 25 homeless during the Christmas weekend, Dec. 23-26. The Sun Thisweek story is at "Shelter." The Star Tribune story is at "Warmth for the Holidays."
Shepherd of the Hill plans
interfaith dialogue on King Holiday
Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska is planning an interfaith dialogue --"Building the Beloved Community:
Fighting Poverty, Violence and  Discrimination" -- to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday on Monday, Jan. 16. The event features spirituals sung by Brian Grandison, formerly of the Chanhassen Dinner Theater. He will be accompanied by pianist Ted Godbout. The Rev. Dean J. Seal, pastor of Shepherd of the Hill, will speak, and there will be a guided discussion with audience participation. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. event. A free-will offering will be accepted and light refreshments will be served.
 Jeff's Jottings
The Gospel Truth
By Jeff Japinga
Transitional Executive Presbyter
It's the time of year when people use the turn of the calendar to reflect on the year gone past and the one ahead. Regrets, resolutions, accomplishments. I've done that over the last week or two; perhaps you have as well. What has been unusual, at least to my hearing, are the two most common phrases I have heard most among those many New Year's reflections that have come my way, an odd-couple pairing if there ever was one:
Happy New Year
. And, You've been lied to.
Now maybe, in light of the still-raw election, in particular, and the more general confrontational climate in our society, I ought not to be surprised.
|
ASDIC Metamorphosis sets
workshops at Cherokee Park
ASDIC Metamorphosis, an anti-racism workshop provider based in St. Paul, will conduct two workshops this winter at Cherokee Park United Church. The workshops are designed to challenge white-framed thinking and racism in  everyday life. The first workshop, "Sleight of Mouth," takes place Friday, Jan. 13, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The second workshop, "Antiracism Study - Dialogue Circle," is planned Saturdays, Feb. 4 through April 8, with sessions running from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The programs of ASDIC Metamorphosis, recommended by the Anti-Racism Advisory Team of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, are noted for their depth of analysis, dialogue and reflection, relationship and community building, and transformative change. Individual workshop details are at "Sleight of Mouth" and "Antiracism - Dialogue Circle."
Launch Ministry offers training event
for serving struggling young adults
Do you work with homeless and struggling youth or young adults at a church, service agency, or are you interested in learning how to better assist those having difficulty transitioning in society's concept of adulthood? If so, Launch Ministry is  offering a research-based best practices training session for serving this population. The free training event is slated Saturday, Feb. 11, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Launch Ministry drop-in center in Chaska, Minn., located at 115 East 4th Street (Walnut Sreet entrance). Launch Ministry is a faith-based non-profit organization established to expose young adults between the ages of 18-29 to opportunities that will promote healthy, productive transitions into adulthood. Those who would like to participate in the event are invited to sign up at "Serving Young Adults."
|
Resources, conferences ...
|
Lilly Endowment seeks applications
for its Clergy Renewal Program
The Lilly Endowment is seeking applications for the next round of its Clergy Renewal Program. The program is administered by the Center for Pastoral  Excellence at Christian Theological Seminary of Indianapolis. Congregations can apply for grants of up to $50,000 to underwrite a renewal program for the church pastor and the pastor's family, with up to $15,000 for those funds available to congregation to help cover costs for ministerial supply while the pastor is away. The application deadline is April 21. Details are at "Lilly Renewal Program."
The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) also offers Sabbath Sabbatical Support Grants to help pastors serving small congregations take sabbaticals that can strengthen a pastor's skills and renew their ministries. Details about those grants are available at "Sabbatical Support." The grant application is at "Applying."
Registration opens today - Jan. 6 - for Clearwater's summer programs
 Registration begins Friday, Jan. 6, for the summer program at Clearwater Forest, the Presbyterian camp and conference center in the heart of Minnesota's lake country. In addition to the opening of registration for the summer, two popular winter events are coming up soon at the camp -- Snow Camp and Chrysalis. Details are in the Clearwater Forest's recent newsletter at "Summer is Coming."
Keynoter at synod's Leadership Summit to address bi-vocational ministry
 SanDawna Ashley, right, assistant stated clerk and manager for call-process support for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), will address bi-vocational ministry when she keynotes the Synod of Lakes and Prairies' Leadership Summit that opens Jan. 31. The Summit is a training event for presbytery leaders who work with congregations, pastors, ministry candidates and inquirers, and commissioned ruling elders. The Summit runs through Feb. 2 at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, Minn. The Summit brochure is at "The Call to Build." Online registration is available at "Leadership Summit."
Registration opens for Compassion, Peace, Justice Training Day
With an emotionally charged 2016 now ended, Presbyterian leaders are seeking new ways to address many of the issues that took center stage in the  previous year. Advocacy Training Weekend, which includes Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day and Ecumenical Advocacy Days, is scheduled April 21-24 in Washington, D.C. The theme for this year's conference is "Confronting Chaos, Forging Community - Racism, Militarism and Materialism." The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Rick Jones can be found at "Training Day."
Early-bird registration
open
for Summer Pastors School
It's not too early to think about summer -- at least when it comes to Summer Pastors  School sponsored by Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation and held each summer at Hastings (Neb.) College. Summer Pastors School runs June 4-9 and early-bird registration is already open. Featured speakers at next summer's School are the Rev. Dr. Gary Neal Hansen, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Hamilton-Poore, and Dr. Anna Case-Winters. Dr. Marcia McFee will lead worship. Details, including biographical information on the speakers, can be found at "Summer Pastors School."
|
Service Opportunities ...
|
Moving ordination exams
 online saves dollars
Passing the standard ordination exams is a major milestone for candidates seeking to become teaching elders (ministers) in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Until recently, the exam system depended on a cumbersome process involving mountains of paper, hefty fees, travel to test sites, and waits of several months for results. Today, a streamlined online exam system, now in its fifth year, is saving candidates time and money and has already eliminated more than $1 million in expenses for the denomination. The complete story, from the Office of the General Assembly, by Eva Stimson can be found at "Ordination Exams Online."
PC(USA) daily prayer app provides pathway to ancient practices
What if a smartphone could breathe new life into time-honored spiritual disciplines and age-old practices, such as making New Year's resolutions? According to recent statistics compiled by the
 Presbyterian Mission Agency's Theology, Formation and Evangelism ministry area, not only can it revitalize such practices, but for over 10,000 users of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s daily prayer app, it already has. Since the Presbyterian Church(USA) launched its first smartphone application four years ago, it has dramatically altered the contemporary landscape of doing daily devotions. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Emily Enders Odom can be found at "Prayer App."
From North Carolina to Scotland: Earth Care congregation partners across ocean
If you've ever been to Montreat, North Carolina, it's easy to get caught up in the beauty of the mountains, trees and streams. The small community has drawn  many visitors for spiritual re-awakening, prayer and a place to call home. It was an easy choice for Bill Seaman, a retired environmental scientist, who moved to Montreat in 2007. He and his wife quickly connected with the Montreat Presbyterian Church. Before long, the couple became involved in the church's environmental initiatives. "As I developed the Earth Care Congregation in our church, I came across the concept of Eco-Congregations, first in Canada and that led me to find similar congregations in Scotland," he said. "So I did some comparison between the PC(USA), Scotland and Canada and got a lot of good background information." The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Rick Jones can be found at "Partnerships."
|
|
|
|
|
