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.
April 8, 2022
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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.
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(Please let us know if you see any mistakes that we overlook so we can update our prayer list!)
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IMPORTANT: May 17th Assembly Online Only
The Leadership team had an emergency meeting on 4/7/22 regarding the May assembly. The transition to in-person meetings will take more time and energy to figure out details. We reluctantly decided that the May assembly will only meet on Zoom. We are creating a task group to work out the best plan for future meetings.
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Presbytery of Great Rivers Virtual Office
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 your call.
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)
Stated Clerk - Elissa Bailey- 309-371-2511 Email: pastorebailey@gmail.com
Starting May 1st: the Stated Clerk's Office hours will be Mon - Thurs from 7:30am - 3pm. (Central Time)
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First Presbyterian Church of Milan Welcoming Refugees |
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First Presbyterian Church of Milan heard about refugees leaving Afghanistan and wanted to welcome our new neighbors to the Quad Cities. We partnered with an organization called World Relief to prepare an apartment and collect donations for families from Afghanistan, and wanted to build a longer-term relationship with a refugee family.
A month ago we were matched with a Congolese refugee family as their Good Neighbor Team, and we've loved it! At first, we simply took turns driving the mom to her dialysis appointments and checking in with her family. Since COVID rates have gone down, we've been able to have dinner together and take some more time to talk with each other.
With translating help from the family's oldest daughter, we got to pray for each other and share stories. The family told us that having our team drive to dialysis has been much more dependable than hiring a service, which has been a relief for the family. For us, it's simply one way to be good neighbors and take care of each other. It's a blessing to spend time together with people we might not have ever met otherwise!
At the dinner we got to laugh and eat together, and explore how else we could help this family put down strong roots in the QC. We were very excited to learn they're buying their own home, and hope to help them renovate it in the months to come! Our team isn't large, but we've been able to make a difference.
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Presbytery Condolences
Condolences to the family of Reverend George Cottay, Jr. passed away March 17, 2022. Click HERE for his obituary.
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Staffing & Finance Task Force
INVITATION
Greetings Great Rivers!
The Staffing and Finance Task Force is inviting you to add your voice to our work in finding the path forward for our Presbytery. Recently we submitted to you the attached 10 recommendations that we hope might strengthen our connections and ability to serve our communities in the name of Jesus Christ. While these are not the final product or answer to our situation, we believe this list, if implemented, can serve us well. Now it’s your turn to share your thoughts on these suggestions. We know you have a lot of wisdom, and that’s exactly what is needed. The 4 discussion times will be one hour of your precious time—we will honor our promise to not keep you longer.
Here are some questions that might get us started:
1. How do you see these recommendations beginning to address the needs of our Presbytery?
2. What would make these recommendations better?
3. Which recommendation most excites you? And why?
4. How have people within your orbit responded to these recommendations?
5. Which of these recommendations might you personally work to fulfill? How?
The zoom links attached will work with any of these discussions. Please plug in on the day that works best for you, and join your colleagues to think forward for the life and well-being of our Presbytery:
Wednesday, April 13 at 4:00 PM
Ten Action Items to Strengthen our Presbytery
Click the button below to check out the action items!
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Wednesday, April 13 at 4:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 826 9258 8475
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BUILDING A LIFE OF FAITH
Our gifts to the Pentecost Offering connect us with children, youth and young adults and offers them opportunities to build futures of hope, and lives of vibrant faith.
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Thank you for your generous gifts.
Text PENTECOST to 91999 to support these vital ministries
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Ukraine Emergency Appeal
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance | Ukraine Emergency Appeal
The current Russian invasion that started on February 24 follows eight years of conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of people across the country are enduring bombings and assault by Russian military forces; and have lost power, been cut off from water and fuel. As people head toward the western regions, there is a shortage of food and other basic supplies. The reports of displaced persons inside Ukraine continue to rise every day, already in the hundreds of thousands.
GIVE. ACT. PRAY.
GIVE
Gifts can be made online, by calling (800) 872-3283, by texting PDAUKR to 41444, or by check made payable to Presbyterian Church U.S.A. with "DR000156-Ukraine" on the memo line. Mail to:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
ACT
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Download the bulletin insert
- Urge the U.S. government to support generous aid for refugees and civilians suffering in Ukraine, and call for engaging a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Donations can be made here
PRAY
***Already our church communities donated about $65,000 toward the
Ukraine Emergency Appeal!***
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Session Record Review Information |
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Reminder! Church Session Trustee Report for 2021 |
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If your church has not submitted these please send them to smcgrath@greatriverspby.org.
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RULING ELDERS
Regarding Ruling Elders: A monthly series for serving faithfully
A seat at the table
Julie Hester - January 18, 2022
Round or rectangle? That was the question on the table. Literally. Two ruling elders and I were pondering the shape of the tables we were ordering for a newly spruced-up fellowship space. One elder served on the property committee, and the other had a gift for interior design. Rectangles were what we were used to. They stored well, and we already knew how to set them up to maximize space. Even though someone was always having to shift in their seat to talk to someone farther down the table or twist to listen to a speaker behind them, rectangles were familiar. But we kept flipping back to the dog-eared catalog page of round tables. They were a bit more expensive, but something about them felt right.
As in the best discussions between church leaders, the conversation drifted from how much things might cost to the why behind our decision. Why did the shape of table matter to our church gatherings in that space? Was it just a question of the budget? Storage? What we knew already? What would look best? Or might there be something else at work? Something about our ecclesiology — what we believed about the church?
Click HERE to read the rest of the article.
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With Threads of Connection, caring is the tie that binds.
Acts of love, compassion and support can make a welcome impact in our communities. Whether it's a gesture of congratulations following a promotion, a thoughtful keepsake to show your appreciation, or to simply recognize someone special in your life, something created by the loving hands of your Presbyterian family creates a connection that benefits everyone.
Encourage your church members to participate in the Presbyterian Giving Catalog’s Threads of Connection activity, so your congregation can wrap neighbors in the warmth of Presbyterian love.
In this activity, members of all ages and skill levels come together to create unique masterpieces, while also enjoying fellowship with a purpose. The joy experienced when showing kindness paired with the fun of creating something from scratch has made this activity extremely popular with congregations from California to Connecticut.
"It was thrilling to see the Threads of Connection activity flying off our table at the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators event last month," said William McConnell, interim director, Presbyterian Giving Catalog. "Church leaders seemed to be most excited about the opportunity to vividly demonstrate that when we join our efforts together, we can create something beautiful. And that the activity can be used for people of all ages!"
Don’t wait – encourage your congregation to start their first Threads of Connection project today!
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For more than 70 years, our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing
have connected us in God’s healing, tending and growing
to create a world where all needs are met.
Thanks to your heartfelt gifts, One Great Hour of Sharing currently supports projects in more than 100 countries. Visit pcusa.org/oghsmap for locations and ministries.
Each day at or after a meal time, consider these reflections and questions for the week ahead. Place a coin or a “gift” in your fish coinbank or a jar, and end by saying the prayer of the week or one of your own.
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Find daily activities for the entire Season of Lent here:
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Confirmation for the Matthew 25 Congregation: Commissioned to Change the World
In the spirit of Matthew 25:31-46, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seeks to act boldly and compassionately to serve people who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned and poor, showing God’s love, justice and mercy. In so doing, congregations will enliven their shared faith, shared worship and shared outreach in a biblical response to the compassionate justice of God.
Commissioned to Change the World: Confirmation for the Matthew 25 Congregation, written by Mark D. Hinds, marries adolescent confirmation with the theological focus of “serving the least of these.” The curriculum affirms teenagers as God’s beloved children, anointed for ministry in the context of a covenant community of mutual encouragement and accountability.
Click HERE to read the rest of the article.
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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
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2022 Assembly Dates
***May 17, 2022 at 4:00pm - On Zoom**
August 30, 2022 at 4:00pm - Springfield, Hope
November 19, 2022 at 10:00am - Milan, First
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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?
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