GOOD NEWS
from the
Presbytery of Great Rivers
  
We are called to share Christ's love by partnering in service, 
uniting in worship, and risking in ministry.

January 21, 2022
As this pandemic moves, we urge all congregations to revisit your safety and mitigation plans so you and your community can be safe. Please see our COVID-19 website tab on our website for helpful resources by clicking HERE.
Click here for the 2022 Rotating Prayer List.
(Please let us know if you see any mistakes that we overlook so we can update our prayer list!)
Happy New Year!
Greetings from the Presbytery office

We are starting our transition to a virtual office.

Effective January 21st, 2022 we will have specific phone numbers to use depending on who you need to contact.

Virtual Office Assistant Lindsay Zubal 309-683-6980 Email: office@greatriverspby.org
Lindsay works remotely from Pennsylvania (Eastern Time)
Please leave her a message & she will return calls within 24 hours.

Bookkeeper Sabrina McGrath 309-683-6981 Email: smcgrath@greatriverspby.org
Sabrina works from Peoria IL.
Her regular schedule is Tues & Thurs between 8am-4pm (Central Time)

Bridge Presbyter John Rickard 309-683-6983 Email: jrickard@greatriverspby.org
He works remotely from Northern Illinois.
His regular schedule is Mon – Fri between 9am -5pm (Central Time)

Please be advised that the phone number 309-251-9958 previously used to reach Presbyter Ryan Landino is no longer in service.
Newsletter Announcement

As we get into 2022 the Newsletter will be published every 2nd and 4th Friday. If you would like to submit an article or announcement for publication, send your article to office@greatriverspby.org by the prior Tuesday.
2022 Assembly Dates

February 26, 2022 at 9:00am (Via ZOOM Only)
May 17, 2022 at 4:00pm (TBD)
August 30, 2022 at 4:00pm (TBD)
November 19, 2022 at 10:00am (TBD)

Communion during February's Presbytery Gathering:
We will be celebrating communion during worship at February 26th's Presbytery Assembly. If you will be at the meeting on Zoom, we encourage you to gather something to serve as the Bread of Life and Cup of Salvation so we can all share in this sacrament together. It is a blessing to be able to connect in communion, even when we are apart.
Our denomination is providing resources for this coming Sunday January 23rd which is designated as Per Capita Sunday.  Many helpful resources can be accessed through the following link, including a sermon starter for I Corinthians 12: 12-31a and a liturgy for worship. The link also provides a variety of two minute videos usable in worship as well as a hymn and materials suitable for inclusion in your newsletter.   
 
 
Thank you for your faithfulness in supporting the Presbytery of Great Rivers in connecting with each other.
 
Bill Strawbridge
Presbytery Treasurer
Invitation from our Bridge Presbyter

Greetings to Saints in Great Rivers-

The first few weeks of being with you have been rewarding and encouraging as I get to know you. Some questions have come about contacting me and when I am available, since I am only contracted for 20 hrs/week.

My presbytery email is now up and functioning, jrickard@greatriverspby.org. I will check that two to three times a day, Monday through Friday, and you can expect me to respond within 24 hours. You can also reach out to me through my personal email, john_rickard@comcast.net which I also check two to three times a day.

My presbytery phone number is 309-683-6983, please feel free to call or text.


God be with you all


John Rickard
Bridge Presbyter
Attention: Clerks of Session - It’s Annual Statistics time!

​REMEMBER! 
  • This is the time to go through your membership rolls.
  • Reduction of membership directly affects your per capita.
  • Packets will be mailed to your churches soon.
  • Included will be the General Assembly report from your last data entered
  • Churches can enter their own statistics online.
  • The portal opened on 12/3/21​.

However please determine your final 2021 numbers before submitting your numbers.
February 2/17/22 (Thursday) --  Last day entry option will be available to churches.

Please remember to send a completed remittance form when submitting any check to the presbytery. This will ensure your funds are directed as you intended. If your contact information has changed please us know. It allows us to reach you easier if there is a question.
Welcome to the Clerk's Corner

New clerks and seasoned clerks! I will be having a short article in each newsletter. If you have any particular questions in which we might all benefit, please let me know! I can best be contacted by email at pastorebailey@gmail.com. 

As the beginning of the year is upon us, this is a great time for Sessions to set communion schedules, elect a treasurer (if done on a yearly basis - must be elected by the session for a determinable amount of time), elect a clerk (if done on a yearly basis - must be elected by the session for a determinable amount of time, and set the session quorum. Yes, the Book of Order: G-3.0203 states: "Sessions shall provide by rule for a quorum for meetings; such quorum shall include the moderator and either a specific number of ruling elders or a specific percentage of those ruling elders in current service on the session." This means session quorum should not be listed in the by-laws as the by-laws are set by the congregation. Sessions should set or state in their permanent minutes the quorum at the beginning of each year.  

Record Reviews will be coming soon. Look for more information. We will be doing this in person but it will be very limited.

Thank you,
Rev. Elissa Bailey, Stated Clerk.
Looking for Terms of Call Renewal Form?


(We now have a fillable Terms of Call Renewal form that you can fill out and email to Committee on Ministry Chair Kathy Whitson at kathiewhitson_16.3@aol.com
A Message from the Nominating Committee

Presbytery of Great Rivers has a significant tradition of serving our churches. Our Churches and their members have a long proud tradition of participating in committees and holding offices in the Presbytery structure. Our Nominating Committee is reaching out for assistance.

If any of your members have an interest in learning about the inner workings of the Presbytery or assisting in guiding it during this transition period, please contact Julio Garcia at 309-235-3999 or julieman6@yahoo.com.

Travel has been minimized through the use of ZOOM for committee meetings. Attending a meeting does not always mean 90 minutes or two hours of travel time round trip.

The PGR website has material identifying all the committees and their responsibilities. They cover the same basic subjects as the FPC-L structure, i.e. ministry, mission, and administration. There is a good fit for anyone.

Please consider this opportunity. PGR is facing significant challenges and dependable talented assistance is needed
More information coming soon!
Matthew 25

United Presbyterian Church of Peoria, Illinois, has signed on to become a Matthew 25 church.

In Matthew 25, the call is loud and clear: we must actively engage in the world around us, so our faith comes alive and we wake up to new possibilities. Jesus calls us to act boldly and compassionately to serve people who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned and poor. By joining us on this journey, we are uniting in common mission to become a more relevant presence in the world.
Hymnals Available!

Knox Presbyterian Church is looking for a new home for their Celebration Hymnal collection. If any of our churches are interested or know of other organizations that might find them useful, please contact Pastor Paula Carmichael at (231) 288-6870 or Mike Orr at 217-546-6274. Or email: Paula Carmichael carfamily9@outlook.com 
Mike Orr mikeorr1@comcast.net 
Still looking for Alternative, Online Worship?
(PLEASE LET US KNOW IF ANYTHING HAS CHANGED!)
 
Here are several possibilities for connecting to different worship spaces around the presbytery. This is a listing of the last Sunday's offerings of different churches providing worship. Please let us know if there have been any changes so we can keep our list updated!


  • Alexis-Norwood Presbyterian Church, Commissioned Pastor Gary Denise Pullen, 10:30 am on Facebook live, on his personal page.

  • Bartonville-Trinity Presbyterian Church has on-line worship on Facebook page and Their Website



  • Bloomington-St Luke Union Church, Rev. Andy Gifford, Sunday at 10:30am in person, and Facebook live Sunday at 10:30 am and posted to YouTube Each Monday morning.






  • Elmwood-First Presbyterian Church, Rev. Marla Bauler, worship led by Zoom (link can be obtained by pastor), then posted afterwards to Facebook.

  • Farmington-First Presbyterian Church, Rev. Andy Sonneborn, 10:30 am by Facebook live.

  • Galesburg-First Presbyterian Church, Rev. Kay Daniel, 10 am by Facebook live


  • Jacksonville-First Presbyterian Church, Rev. Jonathan Warren, 10 am by Facebook live.

  • Leroy-First United Presbyterian Church, recorded YouTube videos of their services posted later on their Facebook page.

  • Lincoln-First Presbyterian Church of Lincoln, 10:00 am by Facebook live (older recorded sermons also on church website)





  • Peoria-First Federated Church, streaming and video on their Facebook





  • Rio-Rio Presbyterian Church, Rio (and Sunbeam Presbyterian Church of Aledo), Rev. Maura McGrath-Nagle, 9:00 am by Facebook live.

  • Rock Island-Gloria Dei Presbyterian Church, Rev. Drew Nagle, 10:30 am, by Facebook live, and posted afterwards.



  • Springfield-First Presbyterian Church, Rev. Susan Phillips, www.LincolnsChurch.org has links for Sunday 10:30 live worship and Wednesday 5:30 service.

  • Springfield-Hope Presbyterian Church, Rev. Chuck Goodman, 9:30 am by Facebook live


  • Springfield-Third-Presbyterian Church, We are continuing with our radio broadcast on Sundays from 9-9:30am. This is broadcast on Sportsradio1450 (1450 AM or 92.3 FM). We have returned to In-person Worship on Sundays, beginning at 10am. Our In-person Worship Service is also recorded and posted on Mondays on our Facebook page (Third-Presbyterian Church).

  • Springfield-Westminster Presbyterian Church, Rev. Blythe Kieffer, Rev. Christian Choi, 10 am worship streamed online, www.wpcspi.org


  • Woodhull-United Church, Rev. Cheyanna Losey, is still posting services on YouTube and will continue them for sure into August. YouTube videos of their services posted on Facebook page.

FRIENDLY REMINDER TO NOT FORGET TO MAKE SPACE FOR THE SPIRITUAL PRACTICE OF GIVING OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS!
Get Connected!

Be sure to encourage your congregations, sessions, and even your church newsletter editorial staff and volunteers to be sure to sign up for our presbytery newsletter and follow our Facebook page so you don't miss out on what is going on in our community of churches!

Have you liked our "Presbytery of Great Rivers" Facebook page?