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News around the Synod of Lakes and Prairies
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Churches, faith-based groups
respond to historic Nebraska floods
Tara Hollis couldn't see any floodwaters when she first peered out the window at 5 a.m. on the morning of March 14. Cars still were driving by on the road, Hollis said. Half an hour later, water from the Loup River, which runs along the south side of the city into the Platte River, had crept up to the house she shared with her son, her boyfriend and her brother in Columbus, Nebraska, a city of about 22,000 people west of Omaha. The complete Religion News Service story by Emily McFarlan Miller, published earlier this week by The Presbyterian Outlook, can be found at "Historic Flooding."
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
 is at work in Nebraska
There was a time, it seems to the Rev. Jim Kirk of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, that specific phenomena were isolated to different parts of the calendar. That is no longer the case. Spring has brought severe storms, tornadoes and flooding. "What we're finding -- and this is anecdotal -- is less and less defined disaster seasons," says Kirk, associate for national disaster response for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Indeed, as spring has sprung, Kirk and PDA personnel are managing several domestic disasters including flooding in the Midwest and late winter severe storms and tornadoes in the Southeast. "I expect PDA will be involved at several levels," said Greg Smith, a member of the PDA National Response team deployed to the Presbytery of Missouri River Valley to assess damage from flooding that has affected 70 percent of Nebraska, as well as significant portions of Iowa and Missouri. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Rich Copley can be found at "PDA Responds." Contributions to flood relief can be made through "Missouri River Basin Floods."
Presbyterians in Nebraska respond
In Nebraska, Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church of Lincoln is a collection site for PDA Gift of the Heart clean-up buckets and hygiene kits. Those in search of clean-up buckets and hygiene kits are invited to contact Tammy Rikli at 402.450.4362 or through e-mail at [email protected]. The Presbytery of Missouri River Valley is also assisting with buckets and kits and posted this video on Facebook.
Synod plans to aid response across synod
The Synod of Lakes and Prairies is also in touch with Presbyterian Disaster Response and associated organizations to determine ways it can best respond to flood conditions across the breadth of the synod. To report flooding conditions or Presbyterian responses to flooding, contact Elona Street-Stewart, synod executive, by e-mail at [email protected], or by calling either 651.357.1149 or 800.328.1880 (ext. 204).
Classes galore
at this summer's Synod School
 When it comes to classes, there's a lot to choose from at this summer's Synod School. There are about 80 -- from "Bible Study for People with Short Attention Spans" to "Globalization -- and its Discontents" and from "Good vs. Evil -- Movie Heroes and Villains and Biblical Ethics" to "Making the Most of Your iPhone Camera." Those who would like to find a way around reading through the many course descriptions can check out Page 23 of the catalog for a succinct list of more specific subject areas. The midsummer ministry of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies takes place July 21-26 in Storm Lake, Iowa, on the Buena Vista University campus nestled along the lakeshore. Everything you need, from the catalog to a link to registration information can be found on the Synod School page of the synod's website; it's at "We're Going to Synod School."
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
."
Presbyterian Women in the synod
will gather in June in Ames
 Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies will conduct their triennial gathering this summer in Ames, Iowa. The event runs June 20-23. The keynote speaker is
the Rev. Kathy Reeves, who recently retired after serving the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for 26 and a half years with Presbyterian World Mission and Presbyterian Women. Plenary speakers are Elona Street-Stewart, executive of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, and the Rev. Mary Newbern-Williams, executive presbyter of the Presbytery of Missouri River Valley. Details and registration information can be found in the booklet at "Gathering of Presbyterian Women."
Several from synod named to General Assembly committee, commission
Sarah Moore-Nokes, general presbyter of Winnebago Presbytery, and Kevin Veldhuisen, transitional mission coordinator of the Presbytery of South Dakota, have been named to the Special Committee on Per-Capita Based Funding and National Church Financial by Vilmarie Cintron-Olivieri and Cindy Kohlmann, co-moderators of the 223rd General Assembly. Elona Street-Stewart, executive of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, was named to the Administrative Commission to Address Issues in the Synod of the Covenant. The complete list of appointments can be found in the announcement from the Office of the General Assembly at "Appointments Made."
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?
"
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| Conferences, camps, resources |
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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.
Wee Kirk Conference
planned
next month 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
."
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
."
OPSF offers Shift 2.0, a workshop
 on intentional discipleship
Shift 2.0, an intentional discipleship workshop, will teach church leaders how to structure a discipleship process that grows disciples, will provide relationships for each phase of the journey, and designs a core curriculum that equips disciples to grow in each of the dimensions of discipleship. The workshop, sponsored by the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation, takes place Monday through Wednesday, May 20-22, in St. Charles, Missouri. Details are at "Shift 2.0."
Wilson-Hartgrove headlines
Washington Island Forum in June
 Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, a celebrated spiritual author and sought-after speaker, will headline this summer's Washington Island Forum planned June 24-28 in Wisconsin. The Forum features worship, workshops, discussion and contemplation in an ecumenical retreat setting on Washington Island, just six miles off the tip of Door County. Wilson-Hartgrove, a graduate of Eastern University and Duke Divinity School, and his wife Leah founded Rutba House, a house of hospitality where the formerly homeless are welcomed into a community that eats, prays and shares life together. Details are available at "Washington Island Forum."
Registration is open
for the Big Tent in Baltimore
 "As we grapple with the emerging church of the 21st century, it is imperative that we come together to listen, learn and envision the future. God, through Jesus Christ, is providing us an opportunity at Big Tent to go deep in our theology and faith while renewing our spirits." That's the way the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is calling Presbyterians to this summer's Big Tent event. Big Tent runs Aug. 1-3 in Baltimore. The website for the event notes, "Through worship, Bible study, learning opportunities, and active engagement with one another and the community, attendees will encounter the Church participating in God's mission for the transformation of creation and humanity." Details and registration information are at "Big Tent."
Tori Smit issues comments
on 'intergenerational church'
 Tori Smit, a diaconal minister with the Presbyterian Church in Canada, recently wrote an article on intentional intergenerational ministry. She notes, "
If I could attribute one tagline to Dr. Rodger Nishioka, past professor of Christian education at Columbia Theological Seminary, it would be 'Our faith is communally constructed.' It is through rubbing shoulders with one another, telling stories of our faith to each other, and by experiencing God's incredible love in Christian communities that our youngest members grow into faith, our oldest members pass on their faith, and our families learn to practice their faith together. It stands to good reason that if we desire to maximize these opportunities for communal construction that all the ages of our community of believers need to be together more often than not. In fact, that's how we started out." Smit's complete column can be found at "Intentionally Intergenerational."
Star Thrower collaborates
with John Noltner on 'There is Only US'
Star Thrower, a Minneapolis-based organization that develops and produces training programs designed to engage both the heart and mind, has collaborated with author and photographer
John Noltner to
 create "
There is Only US," a 19-minute video and learning guide for leading conversations that challenge biases and encourage inclusiveness. Nolte is the author of "
A Peace of Mind," an exhibit and a book featuring a series of black-and-white photographs and interviews of holocaust survivors, refugees, political leaders, artists, homeless individuals and others, who were asked to reveal what peace means to them. "There is Only US" features memorable stories, powerful images and sincere storytelling. The goal of the program is to open the door to honest dialog about empathy, civility, and inclusion. Program details can be found in the announcement at "
Video and Learning Guide." Special pricing is available to Presbyterian pastors and church educators.
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
."
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| News around the PC(USA) and more |
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White Privilege Conference explores Presbyterian role in white supremacy
Historically, Presbyterians have contributed to white supremacy culture. But they've also done plenty of reparative work in recent years, three Presbyterian officials said during a Friday workshop at  the White Privilege Conference. Ruling Elder Elona Street-Stewart, at right, synod executive for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies; the Rev. Denise Anderson, coordinator of Racial and Intercultural Justice in the Presbyterian Mission Agency; and the Rev. Molly Casteel, an assistant stated clerk and the manager of Equity and Representation for the Office of the General Assembly, offered the Friday workshop "The Christian Gaze: Disrupting White Supremacy Within Presbyterian Communities of Impact." Street-Stewart, the PC(USA)'s first Native American synod executive, began with the papal bull issued by Pope Alexander VI in 1493. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Mike Ferguson can be found at "Presbyterians and White Privilege."
The message on white privilege
to white liberals: Just row
 Thirteen hundred people gathered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, last week for the 20th White Privilege Conference. When the conference opened, attendees were treated to a pair of thoughtful keynote addresses and the first of their choices of more than 100 workshops. Relationships -- "imbued with love and accountability" -- are at the heart of racial justice work, said morning keynoter Dr. Heather Hackman, who consults nationally on issues of equity and social justice. The trouble is that many white liberals stand on the shore watching others row in the race toward inclusion, she said. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Mike Ferguson can be found at "Just Row."
Appellate court reverses lower court, preserves housing allowance
The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago ruled earlier this month that the clergy housing allowance is a constitutionally permissible tax benefit. The Seventh Circuit reversed a 2017 decision by a federal district judge in Wisconsin, which favored leaders of the tax-exempt atheist organization Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). The FFRF leaders brought the lawsuit after their efforts to claim housing allowances were denied by the Internal Revenue Service. In light of that rejection, they argued the housing allowance exclusively benefits ministers, violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The 2017 decision jeopardized the benefit for clergy in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin -- the three states covered by the Seventh Circuit -- and many predicted similar consequences nationwide. The complete story by Matthew Branaugh for Church Law & Tax can be found at "Housing Allowance.'
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| Just one more |
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Spring is in the air,
in the house, on the ground
It is springtime. As noted in several pieces above, springtime hasn't brought joy everywhere. But in this time of struggle, there can be humor. Steve Harvey presents a few children's notes about springtime. Even a young girl laments, "The cute boys are not smart." The short video is at "Funny Notes."
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