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.
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TCA hears from J. Herbert Nelson;
has unique presbytery meeting
One hundred seventy-seven animated Presbyterians (no, that's not an oxymoron) filled the halls and meeting rooms of Oak Grove Presbyterian Church last  Saturday for a stated meeting with a twist -- actually, several twists -- on its usual practice. The principal attraction was the presence of the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, stated clerk of the General Assembly. Elected last summer in Portland, Ore., Nelson has drawn much attention -- both as the first person of color in that position, and as a well-known preacher and speaker across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and beyond from his service as director of the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C. The complete meeting summary can be found at "Meeting with Twists."
Jeff's Jottings
 A prayer for peace
By Jeff Japinga
Transitional Executive Presbyter
In keeping our Lenten commitment to prayer, with and for each other and for the world, today is a prayer for peace from Swiss theologian Hans Kung, courtesy of a friend of mine in Europe. (People read about this presbytery all over the world!)
We live and witness to our faith in a challenging time. Last Friday, a group of us from the Presbytery, accompanied by our stated clerk J. Herbert Nelson, attended Shabbat services at Temple Israel in Minneapolis as a symbol of our support for the Jewish community increasingly under threat in this country. We educated ourselves at Presbytery last week on complex -- and all too often divisive -- issues of religion, gender and sexuality, and the role of faith in the public square. This morning, I read of the rapidly escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula, a place I had the privilege of visiting last spring. The political conflicts of this country continue unabated.
How do we, as followers of the Prince of Peace, promote peace in our world?
The complete Jottings can be found at "Prayer for Peace."
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Affordable housing shortage
is topic of Tuesday Dialogue in Chaska
Kristin Gilbert of Families Moving Forward and Beacon Interfaith Housing will address short-term  measures to move homeless families into shelter and housing during the Tuesday Dialogue at Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska on Tuesday, March 21, at 7 p.m. Gilbert's appearance is part of the program that will address the shortage of affordable housing that often forces individuals and families into homelessness. Event details are at "Affordable Housing."
Mission co-workers will be guests
at First Presbyterian in Stillwater
Les and Cindy Morgan, medical mission co-workers of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s World Mission, will be  guests at a potluck supper at First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater on Tuesday, March 21, at 5:30. The supper is open to the presbytery. The Morgans help churches plan and implement congregation-based ministries of healing as well as broader community health programs integrated with other social development activities. More about the Morgans' work can be found at "Les and Cindy Morgan."
Chemberlin: 'Still called ...
to welcome the stranger, support refugees'
 The Rev. Canon Peg Chemberlin, CEO of the Minnesota Council of Churches, writes, "We are still called by our sacred scriptures to welcome the stranger and support refugees." Chemberlin issued the statement
in response to the revised executive order from President Trump.
Chemberlin's complete statement can be found at "Welcoming."
Tour of Dakota sacred sites is planned April 15 Jim Bear Jacobs and Bob Klanderud, of Mohican and Dakota tribes respectively, will lead a tour of Dakota sacred sites around the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers Saturday, April 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The tours provide history from the American Indian perspective. During the past two years more than 500 participants have gone on the tour. Details can be found at "Sacred Sites."
PTCA Presbyterian Women set Spring Gathering April 22 in Stillwater
The Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area will hold their Spring Gathering  on Saturday, April 22, at First Presbyterian Church in Stillwater. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The theme for this year's event is "Caring for Yourself and Caring for Others." The keynote speaker will be Carolyn Klaver, a registered nurse and community dementia care specialist from Lyngblomsten, a provider of healthcare, housing and services for older adults in the Twin Cities area. Gathering details are available at "Presbyterian Women."
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Resources, conferences ...
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Regarding Ruling Elders:
This times it's baptism
 Rodger Nishioka, director of adult educational ministries at the Village Church in Prairie Village, Kan., offers the current installment of the Regarding Ruling Elders, a resource of the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Nishioka, who served 15 years on the faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., began: "
Clive Gregory Guerra was clearly not having a good time. He was struggling in the arms of his mother. Perhaps he sensed her anxiety as they all stood in front of the congregation. When she passed him to his father, it did not help. He struggled in his dad's arms and let out a loud cry. He did not want to be passed from his father to Pastor Tom." The complete column can be found at "Baptism."
Synod School registration
numbers are adding up
 As of Tuesday this week, the registration total for Synod School stands at 370, according to Deb DeMeester, synod staff for the midsummer ministry. This year's weeklong program features J. Herbert Nelson, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), who will be this year's convocation speaker, and Cláudio Carvalhaes, a well-known speaker and worship leader, and a former Synod School convocation speaker, who will lead evening worship. Beyond those two items are the 70 classes listed in the catalog. Synod School runs July 23-28 at Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa. Details, including everything necessary for registration, can be found at "Synod School."
Synod, 3 presbyteries
underwrite
'The Academy'
The Academy, a series of 11 courses "designed to develop well-equipped, thoughtful people to better  serve councils in a variety of capacities," will offer its first classes this summer at Synod School, which runs July 23-28 at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. Described as a "unique, cohort-based learning community," offers participants an opportunity to grow in faith and knowledge, grow as a leader, and have more opportunities to serve God as needed. A new cohort begins each year at Synod School, while subsequent learning takes place in online and in-person settings. The Academy is a joint effort of and underwritten by the presbyteries of Minnesota Valleys, North Central Iowa and Prospect Hill, and the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. Details can be found in a brochure at "The Academy."
Webinar planned on equipping
 families for faith journey
Rebecca Kirkpatrick,
associate pastor for mission and adult education at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and author of "100 Things Every Child Should Know Before Confirmation," will lead a 90-minute webinar Tuesday, March 28, titled "Confirmation: Equipping Children, Parents and Congregations for the Journey of Faith." The webinar begins at 1 p.m. CDT. Designed for pastors and Christian education leaders, the webinar will address ways to equip and inspire parents and grandparents to take an active role in teaching the basics of the Bible and the Christian faith to children. Details are at "Confirmation."
Great Plains Wee Kirk Conference
takes place in May at Calvin Crest
 The Great Plains Wee Kirk Conference is planned May 1-3 at Calvin Crest Camp, Conference and Retreat Center near Fremont, Neb. The theme of this year's conference is "Overflowing with Hope" and the plenary speaker will be the Rev. Eunice "Junior" McGarrahan, a minister, author and speaker. Conference details can be found at "Wee Kirk."
Big Tent registration opened March 15
This summer's Big Tent conference takes place July 6-8 in St. Louis and registration opened March 15. The  theme of this year's conference is "Race, Reconciliation and the Reformation." The event features plenary events, Bible study, workshops and worship. The three-day event, held on the Washington University campus, will provide a variety of opportunities to engage with the issues facing the church and society today. The complete news release is at "Big Tent."
Healthy congregations is subject
of retreat planned this summer
 Working toward a healthy congregation is at the heart of a retreat July 31-Aug. 3 at Techny Towers and Retreat Center in Techny, Ill. The fifth annual Habits of the Heart summer retreat, titled "Making Our Home with the Other," will feature an interactive learning experience with author Parker J. Palmer and singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer. Details are at "Making Our Home with the Other."
Stewardship Kaleidoscope annual conference set this fall in Florida
The annual Stewardship Kaleidoscope event, an annual conference offering speakers, workshops and  networking opportunities, is planned Sept. 25-27 this year at St. Pete Beach, Fla. Among the keynote speakers this year is Adam Copeland, a member of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area and director of the Center for Stewardship Leadership at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Stewardship Kaleidoscope is designed to help participants explore stewardship across many dimensions. Event details are available at "Kaleidoscope."
New book looks at faith
 of Jackie Robinson
A great deal has been written about Jackie Robinson and far more has been written about spirituality and faith, but "Jackie Robinson: A Spiritual Biography" is the first book to explore the faith that, Robinson said, carried him through the torment and abuse he suffered for integrating the major leagues and drove him to get involved in the civil rights movement. As authors of previous works on Robinson, Michael Long and Chris Lamb explain, "Only when we see faith in every part of Robinson's life -- from his birth to his death -- will we understand that Robinson was a man for whom Christian faith acted as a source of inspiration and motivation, comfort and strength, wisdom and direction." The complete news release from Westminster John Knox Press can be found at "Robinson."
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Service Opportunities ...
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The University of Jamestown
in Jamestown, N.D., is seeking a full-time (10-month) chaplain to begin in the fall of 2017. The chaplain will report to the president and will serve as a pastor to the university community as well as an educational resource for the university's programs and departments. Complete details about the position and application procedures can be found at "Chaplain."
Community Presbyterian Church of Plainview, Minn., is seeking a coordinator of music. The coordinator will direct musical leadership for the adult choir and praise band, and support for all other musical groups of the congregation. The complete position listing can be found at "Coordinator of Music."
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NEXT Church wraps with challenge
to 'make America, America again'
The 2017 gathering of NEXT Church concluded this week with worship and a sermon by the Rev. Paul Roberts Sr., president of Johnson C. Smith Seminary in  Atlanta. In its seventh year, the three-day conference drew 550 people under the theme "Wells & Walls: Well-Being in a Thirsty World." Roberts said, "We didn't come to NEXT to usher in what has already been and to sit on our laurels. We came to NEXT to be active participants in what God is doing in the world. We are here to mount a massive redirect. We dishonor what we've done here these last three days if we don't leave this place and mount-up a redirect in our churches, in our cities, in our states, and in our country." The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Gregg Brekke can be found at "Massive Redirect."
NEXT Church attendees explore
ministry to 'nones,' 'dones'
The 550 attendees of the 2017 NEXT Church National Gathering this week were treated to inspiring  testimonies, over a dozen workshops, worship opportunities and a discussion on the "spiritual but not religious" research of the Rev. Dr. Linda Mercadante as the conference concluded its first day and began the second. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Gregg Brekke can be found at "NEXT Church."
PC(USA) study addresses
hidden sexism in denomination
In a room filled with women from around the world, participants attending the opening of the  Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s parallel event at the 61st Commission on the Status of Women waited expectantly to hear what presenters had to say about gender discrimination within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In 1956 the denomination was among the first to ordain women as ministers of word and sacrament. However, today only 38 percent of women serve as ministers, although they make up nearly 60 percent of the denomination. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Gail Strange can be found at "Hidden Sexism."
Board of Pensions commits
$100 million
to environmental markets
The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is significantly expanding its commitment to  environmentally responsible investing by retaining Impax Asset Management Group, a London-based investment manager that specializes in resource efficiency markets. The Investment Committee of the board of directors of the Board of Pensions voted to commit $100 million to the Impax Leaders Strategy. The Leaders Strategy is a fossil fuel-free portfolio that invests worldwide in resource efficiency and environmental markets. The complete news release from the Board of Pensions is at "Environmental Commitment."
Office of Public Witness speaks out against Trump's environmental position
Hundreds of people braved cold and windy conditions in Washington, D.C., to participate in an "Emergency Lunchtime Rally" at the headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency this week. A number of organizations, including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness, took part in the rally. The rally was organized by Green For All, a national organization fighting pollution as well as working to build an inclusive green economy that creates jobs and opportunities for low income workers. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Rick Jones can be found at "Environment." More information about the Office of Public witness can be found at "Public Witness."
Grace, gratitude newsletter offers newsletter of ministry stories
Chip Hardwick, director of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Office of Theology, Formation and  Evangelism, writes of the gratitude and grace he observed during a recent presbytery visit. "At February's Whitewater Valley Presbytery meeting," Hardwick notes, "a Syrian refugee family of seven, who had been welcomed and cared for by churches in the area, surprised us by providing tabbouleh salad and pastries for everyone there. It was a sign of gratitude for the grace extended by the presbytery. ... I pray the ministries described below will equip you to point to this love today, too." The complete newsletter can be found at "Grace and Gratitude."
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