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The weekly newsletter from the
Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys
August 29, 2018
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We are congregations who seek to be a collective expression of the Body of Christ,
joyfully participating in Christ's ongoing life and work. "Therefore encourage one
another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing."
(I Thessalonians 5:11)
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Congregation of the week of September 1 - 8
First Presbyterian Church of Redwood Falls
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Staff: Rev. Scott Prouty, Rev. Pamela Prouty, Tina Halvorson, Nathan Zimmerman, Elaine Hagen, Peggy Dolezal, Ann Tiffany
Elders: Marlys Mathiowetz, Adrienne Danielson, Scott Kohler, Richard Aakre, Becky Bruns, Rick Hauge, Deb Hess, Shari Fuhr, Sonya Alexander
Deacons: Joyce Nolting, Maynard Nolting, Joleen MacHolda, Jenny Bloedow, Leon King, Sharon King, Joyce McKay, Kathy Peterson, Lynn Juell, Shellie Mammen, Dan Tiffany
Prayer Concerns:
- Prayers for Students, Teachers, and Staff for the upcoming school year.
- Prayers for the Johanneck Quads, born August 2nd.
- Prayers for the Raymond Family, former members of FPC Redwood Falls, regarding medical issues.
- Prayers for upcoming mission project in Omaha. The youth of our church are gathering items to take to the homeless in Omaha.
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September Ordination Anniversaries
09/02/2007 Murphy Ashley
09/08/1991 Michael Hartwell
09/09/1995 Pamela Prouty
09/18/1988 Ed Mark Godshall
09/21/1975 Bob Bartlett
09/26/1962 Roger Grussing
09/29/1985 Donald Ottenhoff
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Celebrate Rev. Merle Elrod's 90th!
Retired Pastor Merle Elrod turns 90 this year, and you are invited to help him celebrate on Saturday, September 1 from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. at an open house at Bethlehem United Methodist Church, 665 Miller Avenue SW, Hutchinson. Light refreshments will be served.
His residence is 3712 Damon St, Eau Claire WI 54701
Mail for Charlie can be sent to:
Charles Reid
c/o Kathy Reid Walker
3310 McElroy St
Eau Clair WI 54701
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Sept. 1: World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
Mission Yearbook
In 2015, Pope Francis proclaimed Sept. 1 as the "World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation," joining Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios I of Constantinople, who earlier extended an invitation for Christians to offer together "every year on this date prayers and supplications to the Maker of all, both as thanksgiving for the great gift of creation and as petitions for its protection and salvation."
The environmental work of the
Presbyterian Hunger Program is grounded in Scripture, Reformed theology, the numerous General Assembly policies that call us to care for creation, including the 1990 foundational policy "Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice," and prayer.
Jessica Maudlin, Associate for Sustainable Living and Earth Care Concerns, Presbyterian Hunger Program
Prayer of Confession
Holy God, we confess that for many of us the history of how we came to be here is more complex than we understand.
We confess that we have lost our connection to our local habitat - to the names of the birds of the air, and the fish of the waters, and every crawling thing that you have created. We confess that we are a people who have lost our connection to the dirt under our feet. The very substance into which you breathed life.
Transform us, O God, and give us roots.
Empower us to discover the history of this sacred place where you have called us. Embolden us to reconcile with all children of God who called this place home, and to honor their care for the land. Help us to learn the seasons of this sacred place - to learn the native flowers and trees, native birds and wildlife. Open our eyes to the seeds that have been sown here for millennia and the intentional care you have taken in crafting our habitat. May we be rooted and grounded in the family of God in our midst. Amen.
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Support Education for Children in Our Sister Presbytery in Guatemala
by Jim Krapf
Education yields opportunities. You can support this possibility for children in our sister presbytery of Occidente. Donating $250 scholarships provides funds for a student's required uniforms, books, and other expenses for a year.
Their next school year begins in January. We send the scholarships in late October. You can bring your checks made out to the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys to the August 21 Presbytery meeting in Brainerd. Or you can mail them to the presbytery office. Any amount is appreciated; but $250 per student is the goal. You may consider
making this more than a one year commitment.
This support would be in addition to the six scholarships that are provided through our presbytery's Occidente Partners budget.
Keeping our donations at current levels could support more children beyond elementary into middle and high school.
Donors will receive photographs, academic reports, and thank you notes from children and/or their parents. We do not reveal the donors to the recipients to avoid further requests for assistance. Some of these will be on display at the next Presbytery meeting. We have found presbytery-to-presbytery arrangements are a fairer more manageable way to offer assistance. Occidente's Committee on Ministry will continue to select the recipients from among their now 20 churches.
Thank you in advance
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What do these things have in common?
California wildfires
Porto Rico hurricane Maria
Houston flooding
School shootings in Parkland Florida
Immigrant distress at the southern border
They are all places where Presbyterian Disaster Assistance was on the scene to work with local churches to help those who are in need.
Find out more about Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). Hear stories about the ways that they serve and also learn what you and your church can do to be more prepared for an emergency.
Plan to attend a training an information and training session on September 15th, from 10:00-3:00 at First Presbyterian Church in Redwood Falls.
Presenters will be: Laurie Kraus - PDA Director
James Kirk, Associate for Disaster Response
Susan Krehbeil, Refugee and Asylum Catalyst
Rhonda Kruse, Mission Engagement Advisor, Midwest Region.
Our Presbytery is honored to have these individuals with us. Please make it a priority for you church to send representatives to this event.
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Planning Calendars
The 2018-2019 Presbyterian Planning Calendars arrived! Order from Karen Lange. You can pick them up at the presbytery office, or if you would like yours mailed to you, we ask that you would pay the postage.
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Western Presbyterian Church, rural Fergus Falls, has a pulpit, three traditional high backed chancel chairs and two extra large coffee urns looking for a new church home. Contact Joel Borowski at 218-739-6549 or John Lindholm at 218-739-3260. All you do is come and get them if still available.
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Leadership on the Line
Join the Presbytery in a book study of
Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Change
by Ronald Heifetz, Marty Linsky
Pastors, sessions and church leaders are invited to read along with other co-learners as we take the transformation conversation one step further. During our Zoom and in-person discussions, we will explore the topics of productive change, lowering the risk of change agents, avoiding leadership traps, and answering the question-What does it mean to see new chapters in ministry. These are just a few of the themes we will discuss. Leadership on the Line is a Harvard Business book commonly used by religious organizations. The book includes religious themes easily adaptable for the church context. The remaining Zoom book discussion will take place on
September 20 - Chapters 8-11
The discussion will be at 11:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., choose the time that works for your schedule. Zoom instructions will be in the Valley Bridge the week of the discussion.
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What does it mean to be a Presbyterian?
The National Capitol Presbytery, in responses to the 223rd General Assembly, invites mid-councils and churches to discern your answers to the question, "What does it mean to be Presbyterian" through the unique and consequential ministry of Rev. Henry Highland Garnet. Responses to the question will be used to republish a contemporary and practical reprinting of A Memorial Discourse, three messages from Rev. Garnet between 1843 and 1865, culminating in the memorial address on the occasion of the passage of the 13th Amendment. Garnet was the first African-American to give a speech in the U.S. Capitol. Had Rev. Garnet not been ordained by the Presbytery of Troy, called by Shiloh Presbyterian of New York City and again by 15th Street Presbyterian, that moment of deliverance may not have happened.
In 2019, the 400th anniversary of the first ship carrying kidnapped Africans to land in Virginia will occur. Our churches will have the opportunity to interpret how God moved through history to carry out Scripture through a prophet like Rev. Garnet. By participating, you can engage the format and content of this new resources for worship and study; organize your own observances and re-enactments of Rev. Garnet's extensive library. Contact the Overture Advocate, RE John William Templeton at
[email protected] or 415-240-3537 or Dr. Perzavia Praylow, pastor of 15th Street Presbyterian Church at
[email protected] for more information.
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Per Capita and Mission Dollars
The Commission on Operations is asking congregations to henceforth send their per capita and mission dollars directly to the presbytery office - 4055 Abbott Drive, Willmar MN 56201. If checks have already been sent to the Synod, that is just fine.
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What can the church do about the growing addiction crisis?
There is an opioid addiction crisis sweeping the nation and there is no distinction between urban and rural areas. A June 2017 article in The New York Times identified drug overdose as "the leading cause of death among Americans under 50, with two-thirds of those deaths from opioids." Churches want to help people find recovery, but critical knowledge and resources to address the crisis are just not consistently available across our region.
Those who struggle with addiction and those who care about them often look to the church but find little help because they are under equipped even if they are an ideal place to provide hope and healing.
The Synod of Lakes and Prairies has found a way to help churches fill that vital role and take steps to address the crisis by participating in the Faith & Addiction Conference, planned September 28-30, at the DoubleTree Hilton in Bloomington, Minnesota. The event is designed to help congregations, clergy and care givers address the opioid crisis. Hosted by
the Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy (FRLC), the scheduled speakers include
Nadia Bolz-Weber, Omar Manegwala and Anne Wilson Shaef and will feature interactive workshops and breakout sessions.
The synod encourages presbyteries to identify interested persons to attend. The synod will cover 20 registrations and invites not more than two per presbytery to apply for a scholarship. Attendees will be responsible for their own transportation and lodging costs. Priority will be for persons engaged in or representing existing addiction support collaborations, especially in urban areas, tribal communities, rural regions and marginalized populations. Those who receive a synod-paid registration will be expected to reconvene for a daylong session to share their experiences and resources to provide support at the synod level that could be offered across the region.
The Addiction and Faith Conference closes on Sunday morning. Commissioners and presbytery leaders attending the Fall Synod meeting, September 30-October 2, 2018, should note that the conference closes on Sunday morning prior to the evening opening of the synod meeting out at Mt Olivet Conference Center in Farmington, Minnesota. Please contact Elona Street-Stewart, synod executive, at 651-357-1149 for more information. Applications are available.
The Addiction and Faith conference is open to anyone interested in exploring the devastation of addiction and the remarkable healing process of faith. CEUs are available for health care professionals. The event will offer knowledge about addiction recovery, stories of learning and hope, and a celebration of God's abiding grace.
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Steering Congregations to Formational Resources
The Commission on Congregational Transformation and Development exists to resource congregations. We have identified six critical areas: discipleship, evangelism, mission, spiritual leadership, stewardship and worship. Each area has one or two individuals who serve as point persons. The point person's goal is to steer you in the right direction toward valuable resource. Please let us know how we can come alongside of your congregation.
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Pastoral Leadership Opportunities
The following congregation within the bounds of our presbytery is currently seeking pastoral leadership:
First Presbyterian Church, Fulda - Solo Pastor, 3/4 time up to full-time
Faith Presbyterian Church, Silver Lake - Part-time Solo Pastor
First Presbyterian Church, Mankato - Full-time Solo Pastor
Crosslake Presbyterian Church, Crosslake - Pastor (for a designated term)
Also: First Presbyterian Church, Lake Crystal - Interim Pastor, 3/4 time
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Scholarship Funds for Racial Ethnic Students available from Synod of Lakes and Prairies
The Student Scholarship Fund is an educational assistance program designed to encourage racial ethnic students in their preparation for academic success in higher education. Students must have a permanent residence within the Synod of Lakes and Prairies and be active members in a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation. The synod is committed to partner with students and schools for leadership development and quality instruction of clergy and lay persons for lifelong service. Application awards are based on personal achievement, financial need and recommendation from a teacher and pastor. Completed applications are
due September 30 and must include an official transcript and financial aid statement.
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When: October 1-5, 2018
Where: Minnetonka United Methodist Church (Twin Cities area)
Who:
Clergy and all persons in positions of church leadership who are interested in learning skills that will equip them to deal effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of church conflict
Participants are eligible for up to 32 hours of continuing education. If they register no later than September 10, 2018, they are also eligible for a $200 tuition discount!
The Mediation Skills Training Institute is designed to equip church leaders with the skills necessary to deal effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict. The five-day institute also includes a component on congregational mediation and consultation, placed within the context of family systems theory.
Although focused primarily on the church setting, the skills learned are directly transferable to other settings. Thus, managers in business, attorneys, experienced mediators, and others in leadership will be enriched by the training as well.
Tuition
Tuition is $695 when paid by September 10, 2018; or $895 after that date. Participants receive a training manual and other materials upon arrival. Cancellation Policy: All refunds subject to approval. Please contact LMPC at 630-627-0507
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Teachers say "Absolutely" to Respectful Conversations
The faith of John McCain
Nat'l Baptist Convention in Minneapolis
Refugee school supplies
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See what's happening on our Facebook site:
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