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News around the Synod of Lakes and Prairies
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Synod School registration climbs
 above 400; classes galore
When the last issue of Keeping in Touch went out -- that was Feb. 28, if you're wondering -- Synod School registration was slated to open the following day. It did. And now, just a couple weeks later, registration stands at 410 as of the morning of March 14. Synod School runs Sunday through Friday, July 21-26, at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. The number of adult classes tops 80 this year, and there's much more, too. Synod School typically draws about 600 people each year, and if you're wondering about the attraction, just take a look through the catalog. For example, there's "God at the Box Office - 'Boom Pow'" and "Bible Study for People with Short Attention Spans." And artist-in-residence David Barnhart, an award-winning filmmaker who produces and directs films for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, will lead a class titled "Connecting through Story." And there are many more. The catalog, registration link and other details are at "
Synod School
."
Synod offers numerous grants, scholarships
 This could be a bit like the conversation that starts, "Did you know that ... " That's the way someone who's been to the website of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies might open a conversation about grants. The synod awards both grants and scholarships. In the links and resources section, information is available about collegiate, ecclesiastical and ecumenical ministry grants; emerging mission grants; racial-ethnic scholarships, and Self-Development of People grants. Details are at "
Did You Know?
"
Synod's Leadership Summit addresses presbyteries, personnel committees
The Synod of Lakes and Prairies Leadership Summit, formerly known as the COM/CPM training event, is slated April 23-25 under the theme, "Nurturing Wholeness and Mission: The Work of Presbyteries and Personnel Committees." The conference, which takes place at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, Minnesota, will explore issues of pastor nominating committees, best practices for personnel committees, communication tools, and ongoing support through cohort groups, coaching and other means. Mary Kay DuChene, a staff associate at LeaderWise, a counseling and consulting organization headquartered in New Brighton, Minnesota, will be the keynote speaker. The conference brochure and registration information are at "
Leadership Summit
."
The Academy will begin another
cohort at Synod School this summer
Called simply The Academy, a series of 11 courses designed to develop well-equipped, thoughtful people to better serve councils in a  variety of capacities, will open for another cohort this summer at Synod School. Described as a unique, cohort-based learning community, The Academy offers participants an opportunity to grow in faith and knowledge, as a leader, and to have more opportunities to serve God as needed. For some participants, the courses may lead to becoming commissioned pastors. The Academy is a joint effort of the presbyteries of Minnesota Valleys, North Central Iowa and Prospect Hill, and the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. A current brochure, with a link to registration, is at "
The Academy
."
Wauwatosa church member, occasional preacher writes mental health issues
 Pam Parker, an active member and occasional lay preacher at Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church in Wisconsin, wrote about mental health and mental illness in the March 11 issue of The Presbyterian Outlook. Parker began, "Mental health and mental illness are terms that, unfortunately, can carry shame, guilt, confusion, misunderstanding and stigma. But of all these,
stigma causes the greatest problems. Arguably, stigma brings with it not only discomfort, but for some disgrace. And the church is called to promote grace, not disgrace. Thankfully, we've experienced leaders, athletes, singers and other celebrities with high media presence opening up about their own mental illnesses in the last few years." Parker's complete story in The Presbyterian Outlook can be found at "
The Stigma
."
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| Conferences, camps, resources |
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Annual White Privilege Conference
planned March 20-23 in Iowa
 The annual White Privilege Conference, with the theme Understanding, Respect and Connecting, is slated Wednesday through Saturday, March 20-23, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The conference provides a challenging, collaborative and comprehensive experience, according to its website, as it strives to empower and equip individuals to work for equity and justice through self and social transformations. Additional information about the conference is available at "
White Privilege Conference
." In registering for the conference, the Presbyterian discount code is PRES2019 (entered at the end of registration).
Ecumenical Center for Clergy
Spiritual Renewal seeks applicants
The new Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal, located at Holy Wisdom Monastery, a Benedictine monastery near Madison, Wisconsin, is seeking applicants to its first cohort of ministers who will participate in a renewal program through immersion into the Benedictine spiritual practices of the monastery. Supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., all costs for participation are covered. The program, directed by Presbyterian minister Nancy Enderle and Lutheran minister Jerry Buss, is designed for early and mid-career clergy. The first cohort begins in June. The application deadline is March 31. Details can be found at "
Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal
."
'Protecting the Lifegivers' conference
takes place in April in Minneapolis
 Titled "Winyan Awanyankapi: Protecting the Lifegivers," the April 5-7 conference at
First Universalist Church
in Minneapolis will address the missing and murdered American Indian women, and indigenous peoples sovereignty of housing and water. The conference, open to everyone, is designed by and will be led by indigenous women. Keynote speakers are Ann McKeig, the first American Indian to serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court, and Patina Park, executive director of the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center. The conference will offer place-based learning experiences, keynote speeches, breakout sessions and opportunities for conversations with fellow conference attendees. Meals will be provided by indigenous-owned catering companies offering traditional foods. The image above is by Jillian Elaine Stately, Red Lake Ojibwe, Santee Dakota. A flyer is at "Winyan Awanyankapi." The conference is
also on Facebook
. The registration page is at "Lifegivers."
SDOP Sunday is slated
April 7; resource noted
 Alonzo Johnson, coordinator of the Presbyterian Committee for the Self-Development of People (SDOP), says the committee "is about helping people, which means that we share in the work of making justice and hope real for all in our communities." Quoted in the current Justice & Peace newsletter, Johnson adds, "This is why communities matter, because we are all in it together." Presbyterians will celebrate SDOP on Sunday, April 7, and the current newsletter also includes a link to a liturgical resource for the celebration. The complete newsletter is at "
SDOP Sunday
."
Iowa group plans to assist
in Habitat for Humanity 'blitz'
 Habitat for Humanity is planning a "Blitz Event" in Marshalltown, Iowa, to assist in the rebuild from last summer's heavy tornado damage, and the Ministry and Mission Committee of the Presbytery of North Central Iowa is planning to help. The blitz takes place April 23-27, and the presbytery committee meets April 27 in Marshalltown. The two events overlap, so the committee, after members expressed interest in helping out, is doing just that. Volunteer opportunities include home repairs, landscaping, handing out lunch and more. No construction experience is necessary. Those interested in joining in are asked to contact Denise Group at 515.298.3464 or by e-mail at
[email protected]
. There is a limit of 25 people.
Festival of Homiletics encourages
'preaching as moral imagination'
The 27th Festival of Homiletics returns to Minneapolis in May with the theme, "Preaching as Moral Imagination." The Festival plans to  "inspire and encourage preachers to embrace once again their identity as those called to give voice to God's vision of goodness and mercy, to recover and reimagine leadership in the church that seeks justice for all," according to the Festival's website. The Festival runs Monday through Friday, May 13-17, and encourages ministers to "come renew, refresh and recharge. ... Come and tap into God's moral imagination for the sake of the world God loves," the site notes.
Central Lutheran Church
is host to this year's conference.
Westminster Presbyterian Church
will also house events during the week, located less than three blocks from the main venue. Complete details are at "
Festival of Homiletics
."
Augsburg Youth Theology Institute
planned in June in Minneapolis
 Students in this year's Augsburg Youth Theology Institute that runs June 23-28 at Augsburg will, according to the university's website, develop leadership skills and put creation care theology and science knowledge into action.
Augsburg Youth Theology Institute is a summer program for young people in high school, grades 9-12. It has been called "a year of spiritual growth concentrated into one faith-filled week." Details about the program are available at "
Augsburg Youth Theology Institute
."
Addiction, Faith Conference planned
in September in Twin Cities
 Noting on its website the "growing concern over the devastation of all forms of addiction, including the ever-increasing opioid crisis," organizers of this fall's Addiction & Faith Conference say the conference will "raise awareness of the terrible addiction problem we face and how the church and people of faith can help to address it." The conference is planned Friday through Sunday, Sept. 20-22, at the Doubletree by Hilton in Bloomington, Minnesota. The conference is presented by the Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy in partnership with the Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church. Conference details are at "
Addiction and Faith
."
Registration opens for Pastors School
 in May at Lakeshore Center
It used to be Winter Pastors School; now it's simply Pastors School. And now registration for Pastors School, hosted by the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation, is open. Pastors School will run May 13-16 at
Lakeshore Center at Okoboji
. The Rev. Dr. Ken McFayden will be the main speaker. McFayden serves as academic dean of the Richmond campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary and professor of ministry and leadership development. He teaches courses in the areas of congregational leadership and administration. The schedule for Pastors School is at "
Schedule
." Registration can be completed at "
Registration
."
Ecumenical Advocacy Days planned
in early April in Washington, DC
The website of Ecumenical Advocacy Days notes, "The history of engaging in "good trouble" is embedded in our faith tradition  and our history as a nation and in the world. In the Bible, we read stories of the midwives who resisted Pharaoh and preserved the lives of Hebrew baby boys. We see Moses challenging the authority of Pharaoh, and Jesus overturn tables run by money changers." In the spring, Ecumenical Advocacy Days will draw on the "good trouble" pioneers from the civil rights era and inspiration from young leaders. The event is planned April 5-8 in Washington, D.C. Details can be found at "
Good Trouble
."
Wee Kirk Conference
planned
in May at Calvin Crest
 Kris and Brian Peterson of
Leadership Harbor
will be the plenary leaders at this spring's Great Plains Wee Kirk Conference planned May 6-8 at Calvin Crest Camp, Conference and Retreat Center near Fremont, Nebraska. The conference provides opportunities for pastors and lay leaders of smaller membership churches to find ideas for ministry in their contexts, to experience encouragement, and to have their souls fed. Additional details are available at "
Wee Kirk
."
Early bird registration underway
for series on decolonizing Bible reading
The Church of All Nations and
Underground Seminary
has scheduled a continuing education event in June that offers week-long classes that  seek to "decolonize our reading" of the Bible. The Underground Seminary website notes, "The white, Western, capitalist framework that has dominated the globe the last few hundred years is collapsing, but not without a fight. This has led to a global neoliberal system where everything is a commodity to be devoured for profit. Ours is an age that calls for prophets and healers. But how do we do that as Christian leaders when Christianity has been the primary ideological center of this destructive worldview?" Details about the event can be found at "
A Postcolonial Survey of the Bible
." Early bird registration ends March 31.
Presbyterians for Earth Care plan conference at Stony Point in August
 Presbyterians for Earth Care, a national eco-justice network that cares for God's creation by connecting, equipping, and inspiring Presbyterians to make creation care a central concern of the church, will conduct its 2019 conference Aug. 6-9 at Stony Point Center in Stony Point, New York. William Brown, professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, will be the keynote speaker. Confirmed workshop speakers are Emily Brewer of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship and Ryan Smith of the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations. Additional details are at "
Presbyterians for Earth Care
."
Registration is underway for Women's Connection 2019 at Montreat
 Registration is underway for Women's Connection 2019, described as a time to connect with old and new friends, and a time for space and sabbath. Women's Connection is planned August 9-11 at the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina. The keynote speaker is
Valarie Kaur
, a civil rights activist, award-winning filmmaker, lawyer, faith leader and author. Conference details are at "
Women's Connection
."
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| News around the PC(USA) and more |
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Ecumenical leader, advocate for justice Robina Winbush dies in New York
Ecumenical and interfaith groups across the world mourned the death this week of the Rev. Robina Winbush. The director of ecumenical  relations in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Office of the General Assembly died March 12 while returning from a 10-day visit to the Middle East. She was deplaning in New York when she collapsed at the airport. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Winbush received her education from Kent State and Harvard Universities as well as Union Theological Seminary in New York. The complete story by Rick Jones of the Office of the General Assembly can be found at "
Robina Winbush
."
Acting A Corp. chief financial officer dies
 Staff and volunteers with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) were once again rocked by the sudden passing of an executive leader. Mike Miller, acting chief financial officer for the PC(USA) A Corp., died March 12 of an apparent heart attack. Miller joined the staff in April 2018 as acting director of shared services for the Presbyterian Mission Agency and was named to his latest role last September. He brought extensive experience in all areas of finance, banking and leadership. The complete story by Rick Jones of the Office of the General Assembly can be found at "Mike Miller."
Jennifer Harvey asks NEXT Church:
'Who are your people?'
 "Who are your people?" That's the question that Jennifer Harvey, a professor of religion and ethics at Drake University and the author of "Dear White Christians: For Those Still Longing for Racial Reconciliation" and "Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America," put to Presbyterians at the NEXT Church 2019 national gathering March 13. Harvey contends that it's "who we name and claim as our people that determines how we understand what the path towards liberation is." In other words, it matters who we see (or do not see) as part of the family ... And she says white Christians have much to account for -- including a history that favors racial reconciliation over lament or reparations for wrongs inflicted. The complete story by Leslie Scanlon of The Presbyterian Outlook can be found at "
Reconciliation or Lament or Reparations
."
Stewardship is calling
 for a modern view of tithing
About five years ago, Adam J. Copeland met with a husband and wife who were co-pastoring a church. The couple tithed their income to the congregation and had no extra income to give to other charities and causes that they wanted to support. That reality had made them resentful of the church. "If tithing to church is the goal, there needed to be a reality check," Copeland says. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Robyn Davis Sekula can be found at "
A Modern View of Tithing
."
 Presbyterian Outlook offers additional NEXT Church stories ...
Additional stories about the recent NEXT Church conference can be found at The Presbyterian Outlook at "
NEXT Church
."
What about per capita?
Stated clerk offers his thoughts
In these days of diminishing resources and tight budgets, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) continues to seek new and innovative  ways to provide ministry and support to mid councils across the country. Presbyterians have used per capita -- an annual per member apportionment assessed by the General Assembly, and by many synods and presbyteries, to enable Presbyterians mutually and equitably to share the ecclesiastical and administrative costs of sustaining the church. In his monthly video conversation, the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, stated clerk for the PC(USA), discusses the importance of per capita and what it means to the larger church and Presbyterians in general. The complete story and video can be found at "
Talking About Per Capita
."
Omaha Seminary Foundation
receives $1 million Lilly grant
The Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation has received its $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish its Pastoral Leadership Revitalization program. The grant will cover the first three years of the program and will focus on pastors in three geographical areas: Central Nebraska, Omaha and the surrounding area in the Missouri River Valley and Missouri Union presbyteries. Fifteen pastors from each of the three areas will receive mentoring from trained coaches as well as spiritual direction, including two annual weeklong retreats for formation and renewal. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Paul Seebeck can be found at "
Grant for Mentoring
."
Office of Public Witness welcomes
bill to restrict use of force
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Office of Public Witness, signing on this week to a letter with a number or organizations, welcomes a bill that would restrict the presidential authorization for the use of military force. In part, the letter states: "We share a common view that the Executive Branch has expanded its interpretation of the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force ... far beyond Congress's original intent, in order to justify an ever-increasing number of military operations around the world." The complete letter and a list of signatories can be found at "
Use of Military Force
."
Churches try to be source
of hope
during rural opioid crisis
Annalie Korengel wasn't just having a bad week. She was having a horrific one. Five funerals in seven days can push any pastor to the  brink of physical and spiritual exhaustion. But for the pastor of Unionville Presbyterian Church in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, standing almost daily at the gravesides of young people who had overdosed on opioids pushed her into an indescribable hell. When the last funeral had concluded, Korengel and the local funeral director, a good friend of hers, sat down to process what they had witnessed. They couldn't. Nothing made sense. All they could agree on was that "we didn't get into this business to bury kids," Korengel said. The complete Presbyterians Today story by Donna Frischknecht Jackson can be found at "
Rural Opioid Crisis
."
Presbyterians celebrate 70 years
of One Great Hour of Sharing
 As the world struggled to recover from the ravages of a global war, churches across America bore witness to their faith in a united act of generosity that helped relieve human suffering. On Easter Sunday in 1949, the offering now known as One Great Hour of Sharing was received for the first time. It brought much-needed aid to people reeling from the destruction World War II, which had ended just four years earlier. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) joined other mainline Protestant denominations as well as Anglican and Orthodox communions in this effort. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Pat Cole can be found at "
One Great Hour of Sharing
."
Nuns and Nones: Unlikely partners
 tackle the big questions
Global Sisters Report, a project of National Catholic Reporter, is producing a series on the relationship between "experienced Catholic sisters and young people identifying as 'nones' - shorthand for the box they check next to religion." Writing in the first installment of the series, Soli Salgado writes, "As a college student in Michigan, Katie Gordon began exploring atheism and agnosticism, despite being raised Catholic. But a trip to Northern India awakened in her a new appreciation for spirituality. ... A few years later, Gordon read that religious women were in the process of selling their oversized properties, prompting her to write a column for the Grand Rapids Press in Michigan in early 2017." Salgado's complete story in the Global Sisters Report is at "
Nuns and Nones
."
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| Just one more |
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Today it's hard to find the words ...
Today is not a day for humor. When the death toll, by most accounts, stands at 49 in the New Zealand mosque murders, there is not room for humor. Your editor's friend Jeff Japinga, the executive presbyter of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, writes a column called "Jottings." It runs in the presbytery's newsletter, EMerge and it came out a few hours ago. Parts of it are quoted below. He notes:
"This morning I am wearing an old, stretched out, somewhat misshapen wool sweater I bought 13 years ago at Michelle's Handknits, a local artisan's shop in Hagley Park in downtown Christchurch, New Zealand. I remember noting that day the strikingly beautiful mosque across the street from the park, and the equally beautiful Knox Presbyterian Church just around the corner. And I remember the words of one delegate to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, the meeting I was in New Zealand to attend, when I asked him about the relationship of the faith communities: 'Our Muslim friends are a part of us. They are our partners.'
"Today, we have experienced again what Curtiss DeYoung, CEO of the Minnesota Council of Churches, named after the mosque attack here in Bloomington in 2017: 'An attack on a mosque is an attack on a synagogue is an attack on a church is an attack on all faith communities.'
"Today we have experienced again, as we did in Bloomington, the evil that is white supremacy and those who practice it. As we reach out to our neighbors in love, we must also continue to stand against this ideology that shows itself in killing and death."
Japinga's complete column is at "Crucial Voices of Lent.
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