We hope you enjoy this week's Staying Connected with a focus on Vital Congregations. Next week’s issue will share Matthew 25 resources. 

Our Staying Connected newsletter is planning to feature recipes this summer. We invite our church cooks to send recipes as a PDF (and if available, a picture of the dish and/or the cook) for us to share with our presbytery readers. Any recipe of your church members or pastor can be submitted, and we are especially interested in dishes that are favorites at your pot-luck fellowships. Recipes can be sent to our Communications Coordinator, Marigrace Doran, at marigrace@staugpres.org.

Photo by micheile dot com on Unsplash

The third mark of Vital Congregations, Outward Incarnational Focus, looks at how the church is about how the church serves as the gathered community with the marginalized, poor, suffering and sick. Some questions churches may use to evaluate its outward focus are:

Learn more about the Vital Congregations Initiative in our presbytery, and email Holly Dillon Inglis if your church would like to explore this further.

As an expression of Vital Congregations Mark 7, Ecclesial Health, we share this blessing written by Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, ELCA pastor and author. 

A blessing for a pastor's heart (and for other helping professionals too). Listen to the blessing read by Nadia or scroll down the page for the written text.

Convergence, Digivangelism, and The Riverside Church in New York City are collaborating on a 5 day Digital Ministry Summit from June 27 – July 1, 2022. The Digital Ministry Summit provides an in-depth look at hybrid worship, online church, virtual community, and more. Learn how to take your hybrid ministry to the next level. It’s free to register, or you can purchase access to the recordings.

The South Atlantic Puerto Rico region (SOAP) of the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE - new name, same acronym) will gather on St. Simons Island from November 3-5, 2022 for Playology. Registration is open to all, not just those in the region (serving South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico). Contact Jerie Lukefahr, RE First in Fernandina Beach, for more information.

We congratulate Hunter Camp on the release of his book The Glide, Confessions of a Florida Surfer, which “is both a surfing memoir and a meditation on what makes for a meaningful life.” Hunter serves as Pastor and Head of Staff of Memorial Presbyterian Church. In the book, he “explores the beauty of surfing - with friends and alone, the physics of waves, and the spirituality that infuses what Camp calls the ‘glide’. In his search for the perfect Florida glide, and through far-ranging experiences, Camp reflects on subjects like patience, joy, travel, depression, love, and God.”

Our website’s classified page includes several full and part-time opportunities for educators and pastors throughout our presbytery. 

Highlands Regional Ministry Center recently hosted three benefit concerts in their renovated hall, which used to be the sanctuary space for Highlands Presbyterian Church. A Gainesville news station did a story on the ShabbaTones Chorus Concert, linked here. If you know of a community musical group that would be interested in hosting a concert at this venue, email Geoff Spiegel for details.

Camp Montgomery Summer Camp is kicking off with Summer Staff training! Camp Counselors are building their team, preparing themselves spiritually, and getting ready for a fun-filled summer of camp adventures. Presbytery staff and other leaders will be assisting with the staff training. Keep the summer staff and all the campers in your prayers as the summer unfolds.

Previous Staying Connected emails are available on our website.