Because Presbyterians Love Balloons in the Sanctuary
Captured from Sallie's wondering around the online worship services of churches throughout the Presbytery is this image from Cross Roads Presbyterian Church and Pastor Brian Diebold. We hope he found his way out of the balloon pit.
|
|
MISSION PRESBYTERY
WEEKLY NEWS
|
|
Free Virtual VBS Experience
|
|
The
Hope Presbytery Church invites all the congregations of Mission Presbytery to participate in their FREE virtual VBS experience.
The theme will be Compassion: for others, for ourselves, and for the world.
Interactive video presentations will introduce a new idea each session, and there will be opportunities for art, crafts, singing, and other activities using a few simple supplies, and more!
|
|
The Church Financial Leadership Academy is Here
|
|
The Presbyterian Foundation is
pleased to announce the launch of the Church Financial Leadership Academy (CFLA). The CFLA is an E-learning platform designed to help
pastors institute best practices for church financial leadership, introduce them to new models of giving and stewardship, and offer new ways to talk about money and form generous disciples within their congregation.
The CFLA will enable you to:
- Complete the courses at your own pace
- Use the courses as a resource later
- Share your playlist with other congregational staff
- Access courses and resources at no cost to you
Experience the interactive online educational tool for pastors today. Simply visit
Churchfla.org
and create an account using the registration code: PCUSA
|
|
Mission Presbytery invites you to the
Service of Ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament of
Ezequiel Herrera
Sunday, June 28th, 2020; at 2:00 PM
at First Presbyterian Church of McAllen, Texas.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those assisting in-person will be required to exercise" social distancing and adhere to current health procedures" as per recommended by the health and civil authorities. Thus, the Service will be broadcasted via YouTube.
We beseech your prayers as we prepare and move forward to the celebration of this meaningful and important milestone in our common Christian ministry.
|
|
In the midst of dealing with grief upon grief, of making sea change in how we live our lives and 'do church', and perhaps being in the middle of one of the worst crises in American life, we find ourselves to be 'pioneers'.
Are we pioneering on our own? Hebrews points to the pioneer of our faith. Find out why Hebrews 11 is marked-up and dog-eared in Sallie's own Bible in this week's edition of Ponderings.
|
|
Are You Ready for a Disaster During a Pandemic?
|
|
Hurricane season has started. The summer months are also known for fires and flash floods. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot expect outside groups to come in and help our area after a natural disaster. We must rely on local volunteers and resources to respond, which means pre-planning is more important than ever.
Mission Presbytery’s Disaster Preparedness & Assistance Committee (DPAC) has created extensive disaster planning guidelines. Follow the link to the guidelines below. We urge each church to form a disaster preparedness committee and work through the guidelines to form their church’s disaster plan.
However, given the pandemic and the urgency to have a plan in place, DPAC has identified
priorities
for churches to consider:
- Make sure you have updated phone numbers and contact information for all church members. Establish an alternative communication setup such as WhatsApp in case telephones fail, and for emergency group communications.
- Encourage members to create their family disaster plan and assemble emergency supply kits for their households. See ready.gov for help.
- Determine what your church can/will do to respond after a disaster. Create and distribute clean-up buckets? Distribute food?
- Once you have decided how your church will respond after a disaster, create a safety and sanitation plan to keep volunteers safe. Consider how you will maintain social distance while providing relief services. Because of the pandemic we cannot run disaster relief efforts as we have before.
- Stockpile supplies that you may need as a church to respond to a disaster. A sample list is provided in this document. Supplies must include personal protection equipment, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant. Remember that these supplies are already hard to come by so stock up now.
- Consider where volunteers and displaced people will stay in your community and how people can be housed and fed safely – including social distancing.
|
|
Synod Sunday is August 23rd
|
|
Stewardship Kaleidoscope is moving online.
Make me know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. - Psalm 25: 4-5
These are extraordinary times and while we can’t “do church” the way we are used to the needs of our communities and our call to be stewards of God’s kingdom has not been put on hold.
This year Kaleidoscope will offer learning over three weeks in the fall to help you respond to the needs of your community, adapt to change, and think about how to engage as church in new ways. We hope you can join us on three consecutive Tuesdays:
September 22, September 29, and October 6 at 11:30am eastern/8:30am pacific
.
On September 22nd hear from
Eric Barreto of Princeton Theological Seminary
on the Acts of the Apostles in the 21st century - imagination, vision, and creativity in responding to our call;
September 29th we will learn with consultant
Bonnie Ives Marden
about the ways in which faith shapes our financial health, and get practical tools for church financial management;
October 6th
Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow
will provide perspectives on engaging congregations across generations, cultures, and ethnicity to imagine building the church for forward thinking, funding and functioning.
|
|
In an effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19, the Presbytery has decided NOT to order the planning calendars in bulk this year.
You may purchase them individually if you’d like using the link below.
We will revisit this again next year.
|
|
Register for Summer Camp at
No Financial Risk
|
|
We are closely monitoring colleagues and partner organizations and will wait as long as possible to cancel camps. We know this may be the most important summer of camp ministry ever for our camp families. We encourage you to go ahead and register for camp this summer at no financial risk to you. You can request a full refund for any reason.
#johnknoxranch
|
|
Church Worship and Meeting Plans Worksheet
|
|
The Presbytery office has compiled a listing of worship opportunities and programs being offered by the Presbytery's churches. The file is in Excel format and can be downloaded from the website Virtual Community page. Please contact Melody Gonzalez at the Presbytery office with any updates.
|
|
Find it on our "Virtual Community" Web Page
|
|
- How to Live Stream, hosted by Ed Sackett
- A Pastoral Letter from OGA and PMA
- Video Tutorial on How to Use ZOOM, by Tricia Tedrow
- Resources from Presbyterian Foundation
- Resources from Mission Presbytery DPAC
- Resources for Church Meetings, Including Authoritative Interpretation
- Message from the Board of Pensions
- Protocols for Electronic Meetings and E-Voting
- Advisory on Communion in an Emergency/Pandemic
- Mental Well Being During a Pandemic
|
|
Presbyterian Pan American School is seeking a President.
Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly is seeking a President and CEO.
Emmanuel Presbyterian Church of San Antonio
, is looking for a part-time pastor who will lead the congregation in worship and ministry, care for the congregation, and equip them for mission in the community.
Community Presbyterian Church of Port Aransas
is looking for a Bookkeeper/Treasurer.
First Presbyterian Church of Rockport, Texas
is seeking a full-time, solo Pastor.
New Braunfels Presbyterian Church
is seeking an organist.
Gonzales Presbyterian Church
is seeking a full time solo pastor.
|
|
We are Mission Presbytery, serving Christ in the World. In the Reformed Tradition, together we,
- Establish and equip congregations and session to carry out their missions;
- Recruit, receive, ordain, develop, and care for those called to service in the church;
- Enable mission and witness to the Gospel that congregations cannot accomplish alone; and
- Steward our resources faithfully and generously.
We are better together.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
