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A weekly newsletter from the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys
November 10, 2021
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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 14-20
First Presbyterian Church of Rushmore
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First Presbyterian Church-Rushmore session members include: Charlotte Dammer (Clerk), Brenda Krull (Treasurer), Gary Ailts, Travis Ailts, Arla Engelkes, & Corinne Hausmann.
Pastor David Choate is our Interim Pastor, shared with Emmanuel-Rushmore & Zion-Ellsworth.
Current membership is 50.
Prayer concerns:
- Prayers for our Pastor Nominating Committee as they search for a full time Pastor
- Prayers for all of our members for a safe & healthy upcoming holiday season
- Prayers for our Session and Emmanuel’s Session for upcoming discussions on the future of our Churches
- Prayers for the Joint Session of Zion, Emmanuel & First Church for planning and working on a budget for 2022
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A Word from Kathy
The pandemic has brought some changes to worship and the way we are doing church. Around March of 2020, most churches closed their buildings and tried to do something online, even if it was only Facebook Live using their cell phones. I think none of us knew at the beginning how long we would be dealing with this.
With vaccines and masks, we cautiously started returning to the church. There is still reason to exercise caution, because right now, Minnesota is experiencing the most cases in 2021. But if we are careful we can again worship together.
A concern for many churches is that people have become too comfortable watching services from home in their pajamas with a cup of coffee in their hand. I will admit I have done just that, worshipping in front of my computer a few times.
How should we think about how we do worship going forward? If our objective is to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to the world, we certainly can reach more people by putting our services online. I've heard many stories about how there are people watching that they have never seen inside the church building. It really is a no-brainer to keep using technology to reach out.
On the other hand, the community of faith that we call the church needs participation by its members. We need not only to hear the Word but to be in fellowship with each other. Most of us have come to realize how much we miss coffee time; to share table fellowship is part of our Christian tradition.
Hopefully, some day this pandemic will come to an end. Even then, things will not return to what we knew before. So it will take some thoughts, prayers, conversation and planning to move into what the future holds.
Thank you to all the pastors and others in the congregations who have worked so hard to make services available when we couldn't be in the building together and thank you also for your work in keeping each other safe.
Thought for the week:
"Christians aren't consumers, we are to be contributors."
Kathy Terpstra
Gap Executive Presbyter
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2022 Per Capita
$43.00 Total
$28.52 for Presbytery
$5.50 for Synod
$8.98 for GA
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Nov 6 Presbytery Meeting in Saint James Highlights |
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Emily Meyer joined by Zoom and led the morning's education, sharing the many resources available at Ministry Lab website. Seriously, check it out!! |
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We recognized the retirements of Elaine Boyd (above) and Kathy Blair. |
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Kathy Blair and Laura Messer (new pastor at Silver Lake) led communion. |
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This was David Lick's last presbytery meeting as moderator. Nancy Skoog is now moderator and Leanne Thompson is vice moderator. |
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A few other items:
- Approved a change in the presbytery structure, including disbanding the Transformation & Development Commission and redistributing their responsibilities
- Approved the one-year change in the presbytery meeting schedule in 2022, going from four to six meetings, four by Zoom and two in person:
- In 2022 we hold six presbytery meetings, four via zoom and two in person in the even numbered months (February, April, June, August, October, and December). Here is a schedule:
Saturday, February 5 via zoom from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
(a day we typically have a presbytery meeting)
Tuesday, April 5 in person from 10-3:00 p.m. (Hope Presbyterian Spicer)
Tuesday, June 7 via zoom from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, August 16 via zoom from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
(a day we typically have a presbytery meeting)
Saturday, October 8 (after Synod meeting) in person from 10-3:00 p.m.
(First Presbyterian Church of Saint Cloud)
Tuesday, December 6 via zoom from 6:30-8:00 p.m. or 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
- Approved the 2022 budget
- Saw the draft video introducing the presbytery for our website. We are looking for pictures and videos highlighting this presbytery's beauty, also a narrator with a great speaking voice.
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Presbyterian Youth Triennium 2022
Indianapolis, Indiana
DEPART July 23 – RETURN July 28
A gathering for High School age youth, youth leaders and young adults in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Cumberland Presbyterian Churches. presbyterianyouthtriennium.org
CLICK HERE for a PDF with more information for our 2022 MN Valleys Presbytery delegation
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Preaching Practicum with Tom Long
A Fall Learning Opportunity for Presbyterians
November 19-21, 2021
Mt. Olivet Retreat Center, Farmington, MN
This weekend class invites participants to explore the craft of preaching from one of the Presbyterian Church’s “master” preachers, Dr. Tom Long. Who should consider taking this class?
- Anyone who wants to grow in their faith and understanding of preaching the Word
- Session members and Deacons who may be called to preach
- Commissioned Pastors seeking a helpful continuing education opportunity
- Those who might be called to be commissioned pastors
This is a class offered through The Academy, a series of classes for church members designed to deepen faith as participants encounter Christ in a new way. For those who are called or are exploring a call to become a Commissioned Pastor, this is a program that can help that happen.
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November is Native American Heritage Month
Native American Prayer
Great Spirit,
Give us hearts to understand
Never to take from creation’s beauty more than we give,
Never to destroy want only for the furtherance of greed,
Never to deny to give our hands for the building of earth’s beauty,
Never to take from her what we cannot use.
Give us hearts to understand
That to destroy earth’s music is to create confusion,
That to wreck her appearance is to blind us to beauty,
That to callously pollute her fragrance is to make a house of stench,
That as we care for her she will care for us.
Give us hearts to understand
We have forgotten who we are.
We have sought only our own security.
We have exploited simply for our own ends.
We have distorted our knowledge.
We have abused our power.
Great Spirit,
Whose dry lands thirst,
Help us to find the way to refresh your lands.
Great Spirit,
Whose waters are choked with debris and pollution,
Help us to find the way to cleanse your waters.
Great Spirit,
Whose beautiful earth grows ugly with misuse,
Help us to find the way to restore beauty to your handiwork.
Great Spirit,
Whose creatures are being destroyed,
Help us to find a way to replenish them.
Great Spirit,
whose gifts to us are being lost in selfishness and corruption,
Help us to find the way to restore our humanity.
— Author Unknown
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GA #225 (2022)
General Assembly #225 will take place...in two locations in 2022...Louisville, KY and your living room! The format for this General Assembly will be different. Commissioners and advisory delegates will meet in person in Louisville at the Presbyterian Center for committee meetings then from July 5-9, the GA will meet in plenary sessions virtually using Zoom. The GA Committees will be coming in person to Louisville over three sets of days: June 18-23, June 22-26 or June 26-30. We seek applications for commissioners and alternates. For much more information about GA, go the website: 225th General Assembly (2022) | From Lament to Hope (ga-pcusa.org)
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Pictures or Videos from Our Presbytery Sought
We are working on a video for our new website, and invite you to send pictures or videos that we might use. We'd like high resolution nature pictures from within our Presbytery. Send links or pictures to Karen Lange.
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Chili Lunch at FPC Litchfield |
Litchfield First Presbyterian Church is hosting a Veteran's Day Chili Lunch on Thursday, Nov 11 from 11:00 to 1:00. $7 for all the chili and fixings you can eat. All Veterans eat free! |
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Support Education for Children in Our Sister Presbytery in Guatemala |
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by Jim Krapf
Our Occidente partners report that school there continues, some places in person and other places virtually. Mission Co-Worker Leslie Vogel tells of students climbing the mountainsides to get reception for their assignments and then climbing again to submit their lessons.
The need for scholarships continues. Your donations in the past have made a tremendous difference. Additional contributions will again do so, particularly in this stressful time with COVID complications.
Their next school year begins in January. You can mail your checks made out to the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys and noted for scholarships to the presbytery office (PO Box 431, Kerkhoven MN 56252). 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 add 22% of your donated amount. Five percent 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. Seventeen percent is given to our national office of the PCUSA, to pay for promotional efforts and to ensure the funds are used as intended.
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.
Communications have been difficult and delayed because of COVID, but we hope that donors will eventually 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. We do not reveal the names of donors to the recipients to avoid further personal 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. Education yields opportunities. It makes a difference for that child’s future.
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The Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities COVID-19 Update
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From Transformation & Development
The Commission on Transformation and Development is working to make sure we are serving you and your churches the best we can in this next year.
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. Please feel free to contact any of the members of the Commission on Congregational Transformation and Development as to what might be areas that you may be seeking assistance with locating valuable resources. Those currently serving on the Commission on Congregational Transformation and Development are: Randy Knuth, chair, Anne Veldhuisen, Michael Hartwell, Darlene Scherbing, Barb Wawrzyniak, Lindsay Jacaruso, Rollin Haynes and Steve Anderson. Please let us know how we can come alongside of your congregation. Please contact Randy Knuth, the chair, at 712-540-8243 or via email at knuthr758@gmail.com.
Having a difficult time finding pulpit supply? Have you considered a virtual sermon?
A Sermon for Every Sunday ( asermonforeverysunday.com) is a website that provides lectionary-based video sermons by America’s best preachers for use in worship, bible study, small groups, Sunday school classes, or individual use. All you do is push the button. If you have a computer and a projector, these professionally recorded sermons can be downloaded and viewed on Sunday mornings. The site features nationally known preachers from multiple denominations. Although donations are accepted, the sermons are free. Check out asermonforeverysunday.com.
Technology Grant
Thanks to the gracious generosity of the Budget and Finance Committee, we are now able to offer technology grants up $750.00 each year, not to exceed ½ of the cost of the total project. So, the total project will have to be over $1500 in order to receive that amount. This is effective May 27, 2021. Again, thanks to the Budget and Finance for graciously increasing these funds that churches may apply for in regards to technology upgrades or new projects. Please use the new form which is specific to the Technology Grant.
The above resources are shared by the Commission on Congregational Transformation and Development
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Prayer List
- For Rev. John Lindholm, undergoing surgery on Thursday
- For Rev. Jeff DeYoe, undergoing cancer treatment (former pastor at Hope Presbyterian Church, Spicer)
- For Rev. Mark Chamberlain, retired pastor, Willmar
- For Rev. Bob Bartlett, First Presbyterian Churches of Brewster & Round Lake
- For Rev. Michael Roys, retired pastor, Winnebago
- Pray for our brothers and sisters in the Occidente Presbytery of Guatemala - for their health, safety, and recovery from the effects of the Covid pandemic
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Pastoral Leadership Opportunities
Zion Presbyterian Church, Ellsworth, First Presbyterian and Emmanuel Presbyterian Churches, Rushmore - Pastor, yoked parish
Maine Presbyterian Church, rural Underwood - Solo Pastor
First Presbyterian Church, Slayton - Pastor
Harrison Presbyterian Church, rural Spicer - Pastor, yoked parish
First Presbyterian Church, Winnebago - Interim Pastor
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Friends of Water:
Good news! There's a free water/faith curriculum designed especially for the St. Paul area (and adaptable to any locale), made by community for community. You can download "Wade in the Water" for free here. Included are five Bible themes, links to water stories, local cultural connections, hands-on activities, and more.
Interested in learning more? Gather with creators, community partners, and other learners on November 18th, from 10:00am-12:30pm via Zoom to connect water and spiritual practices, enviroSTEM activities, water justice, and ecotheology. All are welcome. See the flyer for more info. This is a free event, but kindly register using this link.
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