Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois Newsletter December 3, 2018
Taylorville sees widespread damage; church responds to their neighbors in need.
Severe storms that blew through the northwestern part of the presbytery Saturday afternoon and evening.

Based on news reports and conversations with area pastors, it appears that the Taylorville area was the hardest hit with a tornado touching down in their area. As of Saturday morning, there are reports of injuries and property damage but fortunately no fatalities.

Please keep those impacted by the storms in your prayers as they begin their journey of recovery. And if you are aware of other impacted areas that may need assistance please contact the Presbytery office.

As the presbytery learns more about the recovery efforts and how we might assist our neighbors we will share that information.
The dedicated crew at the First Presbyterian Church of Taylorville, Illinois is busy making soup and brownies for their neighbors recovering from the tornado and storms that hit the area yesterday.
Grants available to help congregations, worshipping communities in year-long study of worship.
Grants for congregations, parishes, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and other worshiping communities in North America

This grants program for worshiping communities is especially focused on projects that connect public worship to intergenerational faith formation and Christian discipleship, a theme that can unfold in many facets of worship from Bible reading to preaching, public prayer, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, congregational song, visual arts, storytelling, and more. We encourage grant proposals developed through a collaborative process from emerging and established churches; seminaries, colleges, and schools; hospitals, nursing homes and other organizations.

Many congregations have discovered that a year focused on worship has led to revitalization that increases their ability to reach out to the world with the good news of the gospel. They have taught us that when churches are engaged in focusing on worship, others are drawn to worship with them. A Vital Worship Grant can plant seeds that will continue to grow long after the grant year.