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The weekly newsletter from the
Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys
October 30, 2019
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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 November 3-9
First Presbyterian Church of Saint James
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Pastor: Rev. David Lick
Secretary: Alyssa Style
Clerk of Session/Choir Director: Jerry Olson
Organists: Patty Brandts and Gloria Lewis
This year, we are starting a confirmation class for the first time in three years. We have also begun an after school program on Wednesdays. We will be celebrating our 150th anniversary as a congregation in June of 2020, so we are beginning preparations for that.
Prayer requests: Harold Loewen (ongoing health issues), Kevin & Kate Christenson (recovery from motorcycle accident), Kurt Curry (blood cancer).
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Sign up today for the Pastors’ Retreat
November 11-13, 2019
Leaning Tree Lodge
Presbyterian Clearwater Forest
16595 Crooked Lake Rd
Deerwood MN 56444
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Begins with lunch on Monday and ends before lunch on Wednesday.
Cost: $40, includes meals and lodging
Come and enjoy the fall beauty of Presbyterian Clearwater Forest and spend time with presbytery colleagues. We will reflect on the year of transformation and take a deep breath. The retreat is in the planning stages, but mark your calendars to attend.
Retreat Speaker Rev. Jennifer Hope Kottler is a spiritual director/certified life and leadership coach and yoga teacher in private practice in Florence, SC. An ordained pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with standing in the United Church of Christ, Jen serves clergy and lay leaders who want to deepen their own spirituality and lead their communities with intentionality and grace. Jen facilitates retreats and events for congregations, non-profit organizations, and church leaders. In all her work, Jen incorporates ancient spiritual practices with modern techniques including Energy Leadership Coaching and Conversational Intelligence®. Jen is married to Rev. Gavin Meek, Transitional Executive Presbyter and Stated Clerk in New Harmony Presbytery (NE South Carolina) and she enjoys hiking, tennis, cooking for family and friends, and traveling with Gavin.
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Presbytery meeting is Nov 2 at Ebenezer Presbyterian in Renville
If you are not on a commission or committee, you are invited to attend the restorative justice forum, which begins at 10:00 a.m. See the info below:
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The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study is by far the
largest public health discovery of our time—probably the most important discovery as well. There is scientific evidence proving that what happened in our early years is a huge indicator as to one’s health, both physically and mentally as we grow older. The facts are rather alarming and this session will present the science of ACEs as well as local statistics that will amaze you. We need to stop the cycle of ACEs. We can ALL be part of the solution. That is the exciting and encouraging aspects of ACEs. We hope to present to you
- The science of ACEs.
- Resilience.
- Local ACE data.
- How to make a difference!
The ACE study will change your way of thinking about people and how to interact and make a difference.
Ned Wohlman, Jail Administrator
Renville County Sheriff’s Office
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Committee on Representation wants you to help us be the best presbytery we can be!
We have been busy these last few weeks finding folks to serve the presbytery on several commissions, and we are still looking for:
Commission on Leadership
2 pastors to serve a three-year term, at least 1 from the NW, if possible
1 elder to serve a two-year term
Commission on Presbytery Life
1 elder to serve a one-year term
Commission on Transformation and Development
1 elder to serve a three-year term
Committee on Congregational Nurture
1 elder to serve a three-year term
1 elder to serve a one-year term
1 pastor to serve a two-year term, preferably retired, with time to travel to different congregations 4-8 times a year
Must be a teaching elder or a ruling elder.
Please, if you feel called, or know of someone who would be great on one of these commissions, contact Audrey Knuth at 507-830-0520 or David Lick at 414-334-9385.
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Prayer List
- For the family of Sara McKay, Chair of the Committee on Representation
- For Rev. Michael Roys, pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Winnebago
- For Rev. Elaine and Kent Boyd at First Presbyterian Church of Amboy
- Sue Thompson, Clerk of Session at First Presbyterian Church, Maynard
- Rev. Araceli Itzep from the Occidente Presbytery; surgery scheduled for Oct 23
- For Beatriz (Betty/Beti) Cifuentes, the treasurer of the Partnership Committee, who is beginning chemotherapy.
- For the "Men in the Mirror" program. Men from Occidente that MVP supported financially to attend the classes a couple of years ago are going to share the information they gained with different churches in the eastern and central parts of Guatemala. They, along with the chaplains of the national Presbyterian church, will also be training Christian policemen in what they learned from "Men in the Mirror."
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Upcoming events at a glance
Nov 2: Presbytery meeting at Ebenezer Presbyterian in Renville
Nov 11-13: Pastor Retreat at Presbyterian Clearwater Forest
Dec 16: Gerald Lui's second webinar on preaching at 1:00 p.m.
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Greetings from the Synod of Lakes and Prairies Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team!
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The synod of Lakes & Prairies Coordinating Team (SLAPCT) meeting was hosted by the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne on Oct. 11-13. Our new moderator is Sue-Medsker-Nedderman from Central Nebraska Presbytery, and our new Secretary is Kitch Shatzer from East Iowa Presbytery. Our speaker was Rhoda Frasier from the Synod of Mid-America. Her presentation was on her USA Mission Experience (USAME) in western New York - "Standing on the Shoulders of Empowered Women." One of our activities was a Scavenger Hunt through the PW Website! A Saturday offering was taken and half of this offering goes to the host church PW and the other half stays with the SLAPCT. A check for $230.00 was received which will be used for a mission project of our choosing. A great time was held with business meetings, activities, food, and fellowship, and establishing new friendships. Our next meeting will be April 17-19, 2020 at the Lacrosse/West Salem area.
Blessings!
Gloria Rust, Moderator
MN Valleys Presbytery
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Reflection on Stewardship Kaleidoscope
Submitted by Darin Seaman, pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Saint Cloud
Recently, I attended the Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference in San Diego. The conference covered many components of stewardship and offered fresh ideas covering the topic.
One of the ideas offered is the gratitude component to our ministries. We are sometimes good at offering thanks, in writing, at specific times of the year but most churches, they believed, do not express gratitude in ways that make an impact.
Here’s an example: When your elder or worship leader calls for the offering it is, most likely, a routine ritual of asking for the offering during the worship service. There is nothing wrong with that. But, what if we asked for someone to stand up and say, “Thank you for allowing me to attend this year’s Synod School. Your scholarship assistance helped me attend this year’s event. It was an amazing experience of community and Christ. Please know that when you give to this church, it makes a difference in the lives of many folk.”
Here’s another example just before the offering: “Thank you for your support of the emergency food pantry. Your giving allowed us to serve 50 people during the past couple of months. Your contributions made it happen and I am grateful for your generosity. Your gifts to this church make a difference in our community.” The gratitude is personal, public and not limited to the newsletter.
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Support Education for Children in Our Sister Presbytery in Guatemala
by Jim Krapf
Education yields opportunities. We are grateful for your support of 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. It makes a difference for that child’s future.
Their next school year begins in January. You can bring your checks made out to the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys and noted for scholarships to the November 2 Presbytery meeting in Renville. Or you can mail them prior to that date 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.
You might also added 5% of your donated amount, which is given to the national office of the Presbyterian Church in Guatemala as a part of our partnership agreement. This money assists in paying their administrative and program cost at the national level.
Your donations will be in addition to the six scholarships that are provided through our presbytery’s Occidente Partners budget. Our goal for several years has been a total of $4000, providing 16 children with $250 each. Keeping our donations at this level can support more children beyond elementary into middle and high school.
After their school year ends in December, donors will receive photographs, academic reports, and thank you notes from the children and/or their parents. Many churches display these to express appreciation and promote further contributions.. Examples will be on exhibit at the next Presbytery meeting. We do not reveal the names of donors to the recipients to avoid further requests for assistance. 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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Join the mission trip to Occidente
An opportunity to "do it to the least of these" is open to you. In these relationships, an encounter with Jesus will be experienced by you. Our presbytery's commitment to be a part of a Matthew 25 church can be advanced by you.
How? Participating in the mission trip to Occidente, our sister presbytery, and in the Guatemalan Network Meeting will give you the opportunity to:
- Minister with struggling people including projects that increase income and decrease the urgency to migrate.
- Be blessed by their faith and joyful worship.
- Understand the threats that do motivate migration.
- Reflect on a shared ministry that implements the biblical call to resist greed and to pursue the common good in our communities.
- Learn best practices from other partnerships
Please click on the
link for further information and an application form.
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Bible study added to growing body of Matthew 25 resources: ‘Audacious’ vision is attainable only because of God’s abundance
by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE — The vision for the Matthew 25 invitation is “admittedly audacious,” a new Matthew 25 resource acknowledges. The three Matthew 25 challenges — building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty — “are enormous.”
The Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency; the Rev. Dr. Barry Ensign-George, coordinator for theology and worship; and the Rev. Dr. David Gambrell, associate for worship, co-authored the Bible study.
The study has this to say about the three focus areas:
- Building congregational vitality — “If your church were to close, who would miss it and why?” the study asks. Congregations committed to the work and witness of Jesus Christ follow his example: He would “gather his followers, teaching them and modeling a very different way of life. Then, out of compassion for those in need, he would send them out in mission to teach, heal and confront evil. This rhythm of gathering and scattering is at the heart of worship and service of the church.”
- Dismantling structural racism is defined as “breaking down the laws, policies, practices and structures that reinforce and perpetuate discrimination, bias, prejudice and oppression of people of color.” Disparities encountered by people of color in housing, education, employment, health, immigration and incarceration “aren’t individual issues, but institutional injustices in our society … We follow the example of the early Christians, who sought to build new forms of community in which there was no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female.” In addition, “while the focus is on racial oppression, the intersectionality of racial oppression against other oppressed groups — including women, LGBTQIA+ people, and people who are disabled — is a vital consideration. We encourage Presbyterians to include efforts to combat discrimination and oppression of these groups under the rubric of racism.”
- Eradicating systemic poverty “refers to the elimination of the economic exploitation of impoverished people through laws, policies, practices and systems that perpetuate an impoverished state.” “We try to fix people who end up on the margins,” the study says. “While it is important to respond with compassion to each person who is impoverished, the bigger question is: What is causing them to end up and remain there?” Jesus wasn’t crucified for feeding the hungry and healing the sick, the authors point out. “He was persecuted and executed when he ‘troubled the waters’ — disturbing those with political, social and economic power … Confronting systems is challenging work — systems develop powerful defenses.”
The hopeful aspect of the third and final parable in Matthew 25, the study points out, is that we still have time to get our acts together.
“If the purpose of Jesus’s stories is to transform those who learn from them, then the good news in this story is that goats can become sheep,” the authors write. “It is our hope that the PC(USA) will align with the sheep so we may be transformed and become agents of transformation through Jesus Christ.”
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Advent Resources - Order devotionals by Nov 4
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Straw for the Manger: Creating a Matthew 25 Advent season
During this holy season of Advent, we are invited to follow Jesus’s command epitomized by Matthew 25:31–46 to love one another and care for “the least of these.”
This year’s devotional is very special. The Rev. Sherry Blackman, a Presbyterian pastor, chaplain and award-winning writer and poet, challenges us to fill our days of Advent with simple, practical and loving deeds that help our neighbors — calling each act of kindness a piece of “straw” for the manager to make a soft bed for the Christ child when he arrives on Christmas. It is our hope that you invite family, church friends and those in your community to join you in adding straw this Advent season, so that together you prepare for Christ’s birth. An added bonus to this year’s devotional is the space provided each Sunday of Advent to jot down your reflections and prayers.
Perfect for congregations, families and individuals, each day provides a Scripture excerpt, meditation and prayer to deepen the Advent experience.
The presbytery office will order these Advent devotionals in bulk for interested congregations. Please order from
Karen
at the presbytery office by November 4. If our order reaches at least 100, we'll place the order, and the cost will be $2.00 per copy, plus any shipping to each church.
From the Presbyterian Outlook:
Bulletin Inserts:
Are you looking for theologically sound, inspiring and affordable Advent devotions for the congregation?
The Presbyterian Outlook has you covered. Download the PDF, print as many as you need and insert them into your weekly worship bulletin. Written by Outlook editor Jill Duffield, each week includes a reflection, daily Scripture readings, suggestions for living out the Bible reading and a short prayer for each day.
Hymns for Advent and Christmas:
Beloved Presbyterian hymn writer, Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, has composed hymns set to familiar Christmas tunes and well-loved hymn melodies.
Hymns for each Sunday of Advent and Christmas use the lectionary Scriptures to enhance your worship.
And, "
The Candle of Hope
" follows the themes of each of the Sundays in Advent (Hope, Peace, Love and Joy). If you light Advent candles as part of your worship during the season, this hymn is ideal!
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Don’t miss out — make your elections for 2020 benefits by November 15!
Annual enrollment — your chance to make changes or elect benefits for 2020 — starts today and ends Friday, November 15.
Unless you have a qualifying life event during the year (such as getting married or adopting a child), annual enrollment is your only chance to make changes or elect benefits for 2020.
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Karen Lange attends 2019 Administrative Personnel Association National Conference
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This is the group that attended the National APA Conference in Charlotte, NC, last week at the Myers Park Presbyterian Church. It was a wonderful conference, and I was impressed with this talented and supportive group. We shared plenty of ideas, asked questions, and had a great time of learning.
My classes included (I'll include one little nugget learned from each class):
Dilemma of Plateauing
Be willing to change how you do things.
Microsoft Excel
So many! Dragging a cell down to copy instead of retyping the same thing.
Records Management in the Computer Age
Documents "in the cloud" can become corrupted over time.
Racial Diversity
Aim for full inclusion, not just inviting bodies.
If you work in the office for a Presbyterian Church, I highly recommend joining this group. We have national and regional conferences every year, and the classes are geared to what we do, and we get to be with people who do what we do!
APA link
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Pastoral Leadership Opportunities
First Presbyterian Church, Ashby
- Pastor, yoked parish
First Presbyterian Church, Fulda
- Solo Pastor
Faith Presbyterian Church, Silver Lake - Solo Pastor
Hope Presbyterian Church, Spicer
- Solo Pastor
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Self-Awareness as the Foundation of Leadership
by Cindy Halvorson
I wish I didn’t lie. I value integrity and truth. I strive always to speak accurately and honestly. And yet, I lie. Sometimes, it’s simply cowardice speaking; other times, the inaccuracy is born out of a lack of understanding. And the one to whom I lie, the one I deceive, is ME.
I tell myself that if I try harder, I’ll figure it out…but really, my pride is stopping me from asking for help. I tell myself that I’m too busy to tackle certain tasks…but truth be told, I don’t like those tasks because I have limited success when I attempt to do them. I tell myself that my feelings didn’t get hurt because I don’t want to be vulnerable …when actually my heart stung from the words that were spoken to me. I tell myself that I’m not to blame… even though, I likely contributed to the problem. But if I need help, if I experience failure, if I am vulnerable, if I contribute to the problem… well, what does that say about me?Healthy leadership requires wisdom and wisdom originates in knowing ourselves. Wisdom often manifests itself with an acceptance of our person. But how can we accept ourselves if we don’t know ourselves? Aristotle has been credited with saying, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Being a student of our inner person is crucial.
Occasionally, we respond to a situation in ways that surprises even us. Our tone is sharper than we wanted to display. Our words are more negative than is necessary. Our defenses rise in order to protect ourselves… and sometimes, we are unaware of the reason we feel attacked. Taking time to understand what plays into our responses can lead us to better knowledge of ourselves, as well as enhancing our ability to lead others. Whatever the core is… be it an emotion such as, fear, anger, sadness, or a combination thereof… or even a sense of helplessness… comprehending our inner self can lead us to making decisions beyond our initial reaction.
But how can we delve into our inner self? Asking questions of our hidden self takes courage. What are our deepest fears? How do those fears drive us? How do we work to placate those fears? What do we truly value? Dwelling in questions like these takes time and effort, but the learning is valuable. As we increase our self-awareness, we are able to lead from a platform that is not controlled by our fears. Strategic thinking and creativity have more space to unfold.
LeaderWise is committed to developing healthy leaders. Because of our commitment to leaders, especially those who desire to grow in self-awareness, we offer assessments, counseling, and coaching to assist in the journey.
Getting Out of the Box
A good read on the topic of self-awareness is a book entitled
Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box
. Arbinger Institute published this fable-type story. It is filled with insights on the topic of self-awareness and telling ourselves the truth. Goodreads describes that "the authors demonstrate that breaking out of these patterns leads to improved teamwork, commitment, trust, communication, motivation, and leadership."
Conflict and You
In a condensed workshop on Tuesday, December 10 (5:00 to 6:00 pm), you'll learn about conflict styles and why being adept at conflict is vital to effective leadership. Prior to the workshop, you'll complete a conflict styles assessment (TKI) and gain awareness about your own conflict styles.
Click here to register
. Find more information about our December 10 event
here
.
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From the Presbyterian Historical Society
Preserve vital church records for free at the Presbyterian Historical Society. Order digital copies at a PC(USA) discount. Join our Church Membership Program and receive further digitization savings. Find out more at
www.history.pcusa.org/records, email
records@history.pcusa.org or call 215-627-1852
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