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The next Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay will be on Zoom at 9:00 a.m. on
Saturday, August 27, 2022.
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IT'S OVER HALFWAY THROUGH AUGUST ALREADY! |
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And this eNews includes the first part of the meeting packet for our Presbytery meeting on Zoom at 9:00 a.m. on August 27 |
We're one week out from our regularly scheduled August Presbytery meeting, so this issue of the eNews includes the packet of meeting reports and materials.
- Keep scrolling for more details on the meeting below.
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Look for a supplement to the packet coming on Monday or Tuesday with additional information for the Commission on Ministry report following congregational meetings scheduled to occur on Sunday, August 21.
Our outgoing Associate Presbyter for Emerging Ministries, Rev. Libby Shannon, has been at Emory University this week for her last --- and first onsite --- Doctor of Ministry cohort this week before starting her new role as Transitional Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery of Twin Cities Area on August 22 (and getting one step closer to being "Rev. Dr."). Libby has also introduced 8-month-old Kit to seminary this week. 😏 We'll be recognizing Libby's service with us during our August 27 presbytery meeting.
Meanwhile, our new General Presbyter, Rev. Dr. Holly Dillon, has found a place to live in our presbytery and is working on turning over her duties in St. Augustine Presbytery. Holly's last official day there is September 9, after which she'll be taking a week or so off to prep for moving before starting with us on September 20 and moving into her new home on October 1.
Because Holly won't actually be able to move in until October 1, please give her some room to get settled in a little before trying to jump on her schedule. We'll be working first to get her oriented and introduced to leadership of our standing administrative commissions (Commission on Ministry, Commission on Preparation for Ministry, Commission on Church Vitality, Board of Trustees, and the Coordinating Team), along with the Committee on Nominations and Representation and the Racial Equity Task Force. At the same time, we're looking at regional chances to meet with her, and scheduling visits to churches and ministries.
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Read more about the presbytery meeting on August 27 in the next block. But before we get there:
If you are a minister or ruling elder commissioner from a congregation planning to participate in our meeting on Aug 27 and you have NOT also registered in Zoom or received a confirmation email yet, please look for either of two separate emails from me via Constant Contact in the last few weeks and/or reach out to me ASAP for the registration link.
If you have already registered but haven't found your confirmation, look for this email with your unique-to-you Zoom link to attend:
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FROM: Zoom <no-reply@zoom.us>
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SUBJECT: Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay, 9:00 a.m., Saturday, August 27, 2022 Confirmation
If you don't fit the categories to be a participant, you are welcome to observe the meeting on YouTube starting at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 27 at this link: https://youtu.be/FqGJpd5cyE8.
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After the meeting info below, along with other information you'll find an update that came in this week on a free webinar in September for ministers and elders in churches under 100 members, ministers in part-time pastoral ministry, and COM members. The "Designing for the New Norm Webinar: Part Time is Plenty" comes to us from PneuMatrix and the Synod of the Pacific (which is almost the synod farthest from us in the PC(USA)). Look for more below. There's also a link to the latest issue of "re:RE - Regarding Ruling Elders," and more!
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The next "regular" issue of the eNews will come out after the August 27 meeting. Also, I'll try not to send so many emails so close together again for a while!
Blessings,
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Rev. William A. Wildhack III
Stated Clerk and Temporary General Presbyter
(813) 868-4800, opt. 2 (landline; no text messages)
P.S. As Libby begins her new position with the Presbytery of Twin Cities Area on August 22nd, and Holly Dillon won't be starting with us until the third week of September, please be patient with me and Ann Marie in our office as we work with commission and committee chairs to keep things going, and please don't expect the two of us to be able to do what three of us could do the last few months or four of us could do last year. Thanks for understanding.
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My work is supported by per capita funds from congregations in the Presbytery of Tampa Bay, which also help unite all Presbyterians in sharing God’s love through mission and ministry. Thank you!
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Download the August 27 Meeting Packet Here |
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The meeting packet includes the docket, order of worship, all reports (some with recommendations and some for information), along with information for first-time commissioners and our special rules and additional guidance for online meetings.
You may want to print out portions to have on hand during the meeting or download it to a different device than the one you're using for Zoom.
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ICYMI in the JULY 29 eNEWS:
NEXT STATED MEETING OF THE PRESBYTERY, 9:00 a.m. SATURDAY, AUG 27, ON ZOOM
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Our next REGULAR meeting of the Presbytery will feature Rev. Dr. Diane Givens Moffett, Pres. and Exec. Dir. of the Presbyterian Mission Agency! |
We'll be back on Zoom for our Stated Meeting on Saturday, August 27, starting at 9:00 a.m. Ministers and elders serving as a clerk of session should have received an email on Friday, August 12 (and again on Monday, August 15 if they hadn't opened it yet --- and a follow-up earlier today) with more details on registration and the link to sign-up in Zoom to attend as a participant.
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We hoped to be able to offer an opportunity to interact with Dr. Moffett outside of the presbytery meeting as we have done in the past with some other guest speakers, but the weeks since the 225th General Assembly adjourned on July 9 have been very busy for Dr. Moffett and others, so we'll try again to arrange for that opportunity sometime in the future.
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We also expect to be examining TWO candidates for ordination to the ministry of Word and Sacrament at this meeting, receiving greetings and brief updates from the Beth-El Farmworker Ministry and Cedarkirk Camp and Conference Center, probably acknowledging a retirement or two, and taking care of some other business.
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While the meeting will be conducted in Zoom, and all participants must be in the Zoom meeting, here's the YouTube link for others to observe the meeting: https://youtu.be/FqGJpd5cyE8.
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The deadline for ALL Zoom registrations is NOON on Thursday, August 25.
If you are planning to participate in our meeting as a minister member of this presbytery, a ruling elder commissioner from a congregation, or in some other role and you have NOT also registered in Zoom or received a confirmation from Zoom yet, please reach out to me ASAP.
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DESIGNING FOR THE NEW NORM WEBINAR: "Part Time is Plenty" |
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An invitation from the Synod of the Pacific and PneuMatrix to join a FREE webinar at 4pm on Thursday, Sept. 22 |
This webinar is for:
- leaders of churches under 100
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Pastors serving part-time pastoral calls
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Presbytery Execs and COM folk seeking ways to better serve these congregations and pastors.
A colleague in New Castle Presbytery (Delaware and eastern Maryland) points out that this webinar addresses more than just part-time pastoring, and will explore several creative options for small, struggling congregations.
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From the Synod of the Pacific at the link:
Over half of our PCUSA congregations have under 100 members.* The first time a church can’t afford full-time clergy leadership affects that church’s psyche. Some adopt. Some don’t. The Synod of the Pacific decided to focus on these congregations as well as clergy who serve less than full-time pastorates to see how together we might DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!
*NOTE: 34 of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay's almost 60 churches reported fewer than 100 members at the end of 2021.
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Stewardship Kaleidoscope, Sept 26-28 |
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Over 30 workshops spanning theology, practical stewardship planning, creative ventures, and legacy planning |
Stewardship Kaleidoscope is an annual conference offering excellent plenary speakers, informative workshop leaders, provocative worship experiences, and incredible networking opportunities for all who are passionate about stewardship and generosity. Drawing leaders from across the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), the ELCA, and other ecumenical partners, Stewardship Kaleidoscope is designed to help participants explore stewardship, in its many colorful dimensions!
Our mission is to create an annual event that:
- Ignites generosity in faith-based communities
- Gives practical tools for cultivating generosity in congregations
- Expands the leadership capacity of those who lead stewardship initiatives
- Cultivates adaptive approaches for funding Christ’s mission
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2022 Evangelism Conference, Oct 30-Nov 1, online AND in-person at Montreat! |
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Addressing Harm, Embracing Hope |
We have a call upon our lives to share and live the good news of the love of God for people and Creation. The call of Jesus in Matthew 28 is to go and make disciples in the way he lived, served, and taught. The call of Jesus in Matthew 25 is to form disciples who care about people who are hungry and thirsty, people who are sick and in prison, and people in need of clothing and welcome. Scripture is clear that the gospel leads us into forming disciples who will bring justice, good news, and hope to our neighborhoods.
This event will be held online and in-person at Montreat Conference Center. Everyone will join together for plenary and worship.
A discounted conference fee of $70 is made possible by the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
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"Awkward Pauses—Question G" |
This month's issue of re:RE leads off with this question asked at ordination or installation of all deacons, elders, and ministers: "Do you promise to further the peace, unity, and purity of the church?"
From the link, remembering a ruling elder asking her the constitutional questions at her ordination as a minister, a pastor writes:
She began the questions, but when we got to this one, she accidently skipped over part of it. “Do you promise to further the peace and purity of the church?” she asked. I hesitated. Did she leave out unity? Would she correct herself? Should I correct it in my answer? My pause stretched out, awkwardly. In the end, I just said, “I do,” and we continued.
That moment has come back to me over the years, often in times of church conflict. I never actually promised to further the unity of the church, so what would it mean to not work toward it? But then I always wonder, is it possible to further the peace of the church without a common goal of unity? And what good is any move toward some kind of purity of faith or mission if we can’t be united in its meaning or value?
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We're happy to share openings among our member churches and ministries (and occasionally beyond). Send information about openings to info@pbty.com with "eNews - Employment Opportunity" in the subject line --- and be sure to let us know if/when you fill the position!
If you had a job posting here before AND the position is still open, please send it in again!
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COORDINATOR OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRIES (Part-time)
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PARISH ASSOCIATE FOR PASTORAL CARE WITH WORSHIP (Part-Time)
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MUSIC LEADERSHIP POSITION
- Organist
- Pianist/Accompanist for Praise Ensemble, soloists
- Director of Chancel Choir-Rehearsals once a week, September - May
- Director of Handbell Choir-Rehearsals once a week, September - May
- Collaborator in worship planning
This position involves one service on Sundays. Salary is negotiable. This is part-time
salaried position.
Please submit letters of inquiry and resumes to:
Worship and Music Ministry Team
First Presbyterian Church of Brandon
121 Carver Avenue
Brandon, FL 33510
--or--
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Have you found, "liked," and "followed" the Presbytery of Tampa Bay on Facebook yet? Click the button below to visit our Facebook page and be sure to click on "like" or "follow" to be notified of updates! |
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The next regular issue of the eNews will come out the week AFTER the Stated Meeting on August 27.
As always, thanks for reading all the way to the end! -- Bill
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