Stay Connected by joining in prayer, highlighting resources, learning about upcoming events, and sharing presbytery updates.  

Presbyterian Women Gathering

The Presbyterian Women are making plans for their Annual Gathering on Saturday, January 29, 2022. The meeting will be at Montgomery Center and hosted by the Presbyterian Women of Kirkwood Presbyterian Church. Save the date for now and watch for registration details.

A gentle reminder that the “Thankful Pies” season is quickly coming to a close. Please place your order by Tuesday, November 16, 2021; delivery dates are November 22 thru 24. The order form has all the details or email office@montgomerycenter.org with any questions.

Montgomery Center is kicking off a $1,000,000 capital campaign December 4, 2021 at the center’s First Annual Gala celebration “Christmas Under the Oaks.” Join us to share memories and celebrate praise in the Christian tradition. Please RSVP by November 20, 2021. Seats are $75, and tables of 6 are $500 and come with a promotional opportunity for those who purchase a table. Click here for the registration portal or use the QR code.

We invite campers in grades 2-12 for Winter Camp 2021 beginning Tuesday afternoon, December 21 through Thursday afternoon, December 23. Outdoor activities and Christian education activities abound and you’ll have time to finish up your holiday plans. Cost is $200. Follow Montgomery Center on social media for updates! We are on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

We reflect on the 2021 Summer Camp of Champions with gratitude for prayers of friends and service of volunteers who have shared time, energy, gifts, and love in Christian fellowship to contribute to the camp’s success. We extend heartfelt thanks and love to Monica Williams for her tenure as the Executive Director, leading many camp events and community outreach efforts during her time here - especially difficult during a global pandemic. Monica’s energy and spirit will be missed as we wish her blessings in the call for new adventures in Christian mission.

Coordinating Council Chair Edd Norris invites the presbytery to share in the reading and study of scripture. You are invited to read James 4: 1-12. 

Does your church provide an online daily devotional during Advent? Email Marigrace Doran with the details, and we will share it in our next Staying Connected! Here is a daily Advent devotionals resource from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

What will children's ministry look like in the Spring and beyond? How can we continue to serve families who crave in person interaction and/or online ease? These questions will be discussed during the free webinar on Thursday, November 18 at 2:00 p.m. This webinar is sponsored by Practical Resources for Churches and the New York Conference of the United Church of Christ. Click here for details.

Small is beautiful! In a Presbyterian News Service story about ministry in small churches, Rev. Dr. Ed Thompson, General Presbyter of the Presbytery of West Virginia reminds us that, “You don’t have to have 2,000 or 200 members. Even 20 people can witness to the gospel and care for the community. Small churches are on the front lines in our towns and rural communities.”

The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center is offering a workshop called “Healthy Congregations.” This one-day event uses the insights of family systems theory to help church leaders become more effective stewards of their congregations. Training is held via Zoom and will be offered on Thursday, December 2 (8:30 a.m. – 4:30p.m. CT). Click here for more information. 

This online course, offered by Columbia Theological Seminary from February 14-March 18, 2022, is a study of the often unseen congregational dynamics that affect the life of a congregation. Click here for more information and registration.

The next Matthew 25 event sponsored by the Presbyterian Mission Agency is scheduled for November 17 at 2 p.m. This online gathering will explore how Presbyterians are living out the Matthew 25 call to welcome the stranger as they accompany new immigrant neighbors from Central America to Afghanistan. Click here to pre-register via Zoom.

The Children and Anti-Racism Toolkit provides resources for children and the adults who love them to deepen their understanding of historic and ongoing systems of oppression and ideas to assist them in the work of becoming anti-racist. This resource was created in 2021 by the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) in partnership with the Office of Christian Formation in the Presbyterian Mission Agency of the PC(USA).

Previous Staying Connected emails are available on our website.