PSEI Newsletter - January 16, 2019

Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois Newsletter January 16, 2019

McKinley Presbyterian Church and Foundation invite participants in Alternative Spring Break Trip.

The McKinley Foundation Alternative Spring Break empowers students to engage with new communities through education, service, and advocacy.

A team of approximately 16 people will travel to Fort Myers, Florida area to assist with the long-term recovery from HURRICANE IRMA that took place in September 2017. As part of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) program, we will be hosted by Buckingham Presbyterian Church. The church and many of its worshipers were impacted by this major hurricane. Many experiences flooding in addition to the massive wind damage. A year later there is still much work to be done.

The cost of only $600 per person includes roundtrip airfare from Chicago O’Hare, 6 nights lodging at Buckingham Presbyterian Church, 3 meals a day, beach day trip on the Gulf of Mexico, Trip t-shirt.

WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF 3-4 MORE PEOPLE FOR THIS TRIP!

Questions regarding the application process may be directed to Rev. Keith Harris at k-harris@mckinley-church.org .

Clerk of Session training classes offered

Ideal for brand new Clerks of Session. Experienced Clerks and Moderators of Session are also welcomed.

All training events will be held on Sundays from 3:00pm-5:00pm. (Click on church name for church website; click on address for Google map).

February 17 - First United PC/Pinckneyville

3811 State Rt 13/127, Pinckneyville, IL 62274

February 24 at FPC/Effingham

600 W. Temple, Effingham, IL 62401

March 3 at Mt. Zion PC/Mt. Zion

345 W. Main St., Mt. Zion, IL 62549

A Registration link will be available on the Presbytery's website shortly.

2019 Stated Meetings

(Click on church name for church website; click on address for Google map)

Saturday, February 23rd - First Presbyterian Church, Greenville

501 N. Idler Lane, Greenville, IL

Thursday, June 6th - First Presbyterian Church, Golconda, IL

118 W. Main St., Golconda, IL

Thursday, August 29 - First Presbyterian Church, Taylorville ,

116 E. Franklin St., Taylorville, IL

Thursday, November 21 - First Presbyterian Church, Effingham

600 W. Temple St., Effingham, IL

Small Membership Churches' Forum provided by the Presbyterian Foundation

This Forum will provide a structure within which leaders from small (typically defined as 50 or fewer members) congregations may meet, learn from one another, and identify and model "best practice" approaches to the ministry of their churches, The Forum will gather for lunch on a quarterly basis. The Foundation will provide a "topic expert" for a brief presentation on a subject relevant to small congregations, but the primary focus of the meetings will be to stimulate discussion around how various churches are addressing the challenges they face.

Through interaction and conversation, church leaders, both clergy and laity, with similar roles and responsibilities will become acquainted with one another, develop a network of local expertise to consult when facing a new challenge, and can receive information from the Presbytery and the Foundation that may be of interest. The Forum will serve as yet another element of the connectional nature of the Church. Representatives from the Foundation will be present, and presbytery leaders will attend as their schedules allow. Individual congregations will have access to information about the successes and lessons learned from other congregations facing similar opportunities and challenges.

Small-Membership Churches, please plan to join us at these forums. The program, materials and lunch are FREE for all participants. Registration will be open shortly - watch the newsletter for registration details soon. The schedule follows, with all forums taking place from noon to 2pm. (Click on church name for church website; click on address for Google map)

Tuesdays

Philo Presbyterian Church - 105 E. Jefferson, Philo, IL

March 26

May 14

September 10

November 5

Wednesdays

First Presbyterian Church - 1200 S. Carbon, Marion, IL

March 27

May 15

September 11

November 6

Ministry Theme provides mission focus

At their Annual Congregational Meeting (January 27, 2019), the First Presbyterian Church of Mattoon is excited to present a ministry theme for 2019: “All In,” which was approved by the Session back in November of 2018. Those two words will provide some mission focus in the coming year.

“All In” means two things, primarily. First of all, it is a reminder to the church that we are to be “ALL IN” for God - body, mind, and spirit. We are living offerings, and each day God desires that we offer all of ourselves to Him - even our questions and sins and fears and wildest dreams. Secondly, it is a challenge to all the minister members of the church to get involved in a deeper way in the life of the church this coming year. We desire for ALL to be INVOLVED, whether that’s sharing in prayer or Bible fellowships between Sundays, engaging in our programs, committees, missions, or activities beyond worship services on Sunday morning. In order for the church to carry out its mission of making disciples more effectively, we need all hands on deck. As Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Our own Brandon Barta has designed a logo for us to put on our church publications (and maybe T-shirts?) this year as another way for us to keep our mission on our minds.

May God inspire you and your churches to consider ways of following Jesus faithfully this year and in every year to come. Until He returns! To God be the glory!