Blackhawk Presbytery

Connections



April 22, 2020

CALENDAR

Tuesday, June 2 at
Click for:
Offers the Song: 
or the
Sixty Second Sermon video  "Building God's Household"
please share!

Christian Education for 
Self-Isolation from
(Includes Free Resources!)

New Release from 

SERRV Supplies the Stronghold Gift Shop with Fair Trade Merchandise


April 14 Presbytery Zoom Meeting 
The Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Blackhawk was held on April 14 via a Zoom video conference with 96 people in attendance. It was good to see familiar, friendly faces, including some not normally able to attend. 

In addition to other business outlined in the meeting minutes, the Presbytery rejoices over the successful examination of Art Blegen on his approval for ordination. Blegen has been called to serve the yoked congregations of Elmira and Kewanee. The Presbytery also commissioned two pastors to serve Blackhawk churches: Mary Lynn Keir is commissioned to Elwood Community and Laurie Walker to Sandwich Federated. Blessings to all!

Minutes will soon be available on the website
Coins for Kenya Seed Distribution
Bwana Asifiwe, Praise the Lord!  

Thanks to a special Coins for Kenya collection, $5,100 was wired to our Imenti partners to purchase seed for people in Rwarera, Kenya who after surviving a recent draught were unable to afford seed to plant.  The distribution was coordinated by Rev. Joseph.  He reported in the following email that Covid-19 complicated the distribution as the government banned people from congregating so the distribution was limited to five families at a time.  
Rev. Joseph emailed...
The distribution was a great success.  We took the shortest time possible.  290 families got 4kg of maize to plant.  We intend to have sampled families that we can follow up till harvest time.  Thanks be to God the exercise is now behind us.  I can sleep with lots of peace tonight.

I hope you are all well n safe.  We are all doing well and hoping for a better tomorrow.  God take care of you all and stay safe.  Regards.

Coins for Kenya is an active year-around collection that is used to provide food for people in crisis.  Send your Coins for Kenya checks to Blackhawk Presbytery.


 
Choir Robes (and Hymnals) Available
Freeport United has choir robes they hope to give to a church. There are red satin and baby-blue satin. Please contact  Becky Aupperle if you are interested. There are 27 of each color (6 of the blue ones are shortened). 

They also have the blue PCUSA Hymnals - if you know of anyone who has use for them, please contact Becky as well.
Message from Blackhawk Presbyterian Women 
Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery of Blackhawk have cancelled their April 25th Spring Gathering. 

In case you missed it, information on the 2020 Kits Challenge is on the website. Collection will be at the November Presbytery meeting.  
The "O-fish-ial Fishing Derby" is extended!
Stuff your banks for One Great Hour of Sharing

*RCLPC's REEL big challenge has been extended until "after Covid". Please use this extension to let your church know the work of three great PCUSA agencies who receive funds from One Great Hour of Sharing are needed now more than ever. 

To Recap: 
No license or fishing gear required, just fill your fish banks with coins, currency and checks and your congregation may win bragging rights for: the largest fish (the fish bank that contains the most money), the heaviest fish (the fish bank that weighs the most), and total catch (overall gifts from a congregation).

Don't let this opportunity be the one that got away. Take the bait and dive into this challenge! Get hooked on sharing God's love with our neighbors in need! When we all do a little, it adds up to a lot!
 
Derby Rules and Regulations:

TO ENTER: Submit your congregation's name and totals for largest fish, heaviest fish, and total catch by ( TO BE ANNOUNCED) to   loreen@blackhawkpresbytery.org or mail to Blackhawk Presbytery P.O. Box 199, Oregon, IL 61061. It is the responsibility of the contestants to report their earnings (no exaggerating the size of your fish!). 

*Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church (aka rickle-pick)   
Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of
Joining Hands
Twenty years ago, the Presbyterian Hunger Program was invited and challenged by our global partners to deepen our response to hunger and poverty. Our partners were seeing and experiencing systemic injustices that cannot be addressed through "projects" alone.

At the invitation of our partners, we tried a different approach. One that brought together churches and civil society networks in many countries around the world with Presbyterians in the United States to challenge the global systems that create and maintain people in poverty. The approach was built on equal partnerships. Out of this new approach the Joining Hands initiative was born.

The World Needs Good Preaching...
Now More than Ever
The Festival of Homiletics ( May 18-22, 2020)  is moving online! And because there's no better time than our current crisis to learn how to "preach a new earth," registration for the virtual conference is totally FREE!                              Read more about it!
 
The PCUSA Office of Christian Formation, along with their related ministry partners have a series of QUICK SHEETS that could be helpful for you during the current COVID-19 situation:

Our Vision and Values
     Grounded in the biblical image for human community, as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, we challenge and support congregations to be thriving faith communities by facilitating competent leadership and resourcing to energize ministry and mission.
     As Christians, guided by the principles of love, trust, open communication, and genuine relationships, we value each other as sisters and brothers in faith in all our varied theological understandings. Therefore, we relish respectful discussions of differing opinions as a necessary part of discerning the will of God.