Dear Presbytery Family,
This week's Staying Connected includes includes Vital Congregations resources and General Assembly updates. Be sure to read to the bottom of this email for lots of good stuff about the PW gathering in August, free books, and how to order a PC(USA) calendar!
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Pray for Our Congregations, Ministries and PCUSA Focus Sundays
Korean Presbyterian Church
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General Assembly Updates
The 225th General Assembly of the PC(USA) opened with worship on Saturday, June 18. Co-Moderator Gregory Bentley’s energetic message urged the church “to move from religiosity to righteousness.” At 8:00 p.m., following an afternoon of sessions focusing on the work of the church in the world, the commissioners elected Rev. Ruth Santana-Grace and Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis as Co-Moderators. In addition to moderating the rest of this assembly, they have pledged to spend the next two years as “ambassadors of hope.”
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The GA committees will meet on a rotating schedule from June 19 through July 2 (see docket). Every meeting is available live from the GA website. Plenary sessions return on July 5 and continue through July 9. Please pray for the work of the PC(USA) at the assembly, for our own commissioners (Steve Crowley, John Diller, Jennifer Hallberg, Connie Smith), and for Sandra Hedrick who will also travel to Louisville to serve the International Engagement Committee as its committee assistant.
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Vital Congregations Resources |
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Empower Servant Leadership
The fourth mark of Vital Congregations, Empower Servant Leadership, looks at how the church identifies, nurtures and supports the spiritual gifts of all people to serve. Some questions churches may use to evaluate its servant leadership are:
- How does your church empower servant leadership?
- Why is empowering servant leadership important today?
- What challenges / obstacles stand in the way?
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Vital Congregations Conversations
Pastors or a session representative are also invited to attend one of the 30-45 minute Vital Congregations conversations this week to learn more about the initiative, and how it might be of benefit to your congregation. The sessions will be held via Zoom (Zoom link - same for each session) at these times :
- Tuesday, June 21 at 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 22 at 9:00 a.m.
- Wednesday, June 22 at 2:00 p.m.
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Engaging Matthew 25 Through Film – Building Congregational Vitality
“Engaging Matthew 25 Through Film – Building Congregational Vitality” is a guide that helps the reader answer the question: What is congregational vitality? Lifting up the themes of five movies - Encato, All Saints, Lars and the Real Girl, The Long Walk Home, and Walking Across Egypt - this guide shows how the church can survive and become a vital force, despite a myriad of problems. It is available for free download here (PDF).
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The Great Realignment
The pandemic has taken a toll on congregational leadership. But it hasn’t been all negative. The pandemic also awakened pastors’ dreams and led to exploring new calls. This article in Presbyterians Today recounts the stories of several congregations and church leaders who have successfully navigated transitions and offers guidance on how to survive and even flourish in these trying times. Click on the cover image to read the full issue.
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Save August 27 for the PW Fall Gathering
The Fall Gathering of the Presbyterian Women will be held on Saturday, August 27, at Montgomery Presbyterian Conference Center. Watch for more details and registration forms coming soon! The theme is Celebrating Sabbath: Accepting God’s Gifts of Rest and Delight, which is the 2022-2023 PW Bible Study. Visit our website for more information about the bible study.
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Online Educational Opportunities
Our 12 PC(USA) seminaries provide wonderful opportunities for continuing ed and certificate studies. Click here for a listing and short article about our seminaries. In addition, we saw that the Candler School of Theology, Emory University, is now offering a Foundations in Faith and Leadership micro credentialing certificate program. Two new 8-month tracks in Conflict Transformation & Peacebuilding and Essentials for Biblical Interpretation are now accepting registrations for individuals or small groups. Click here to view current offerings and register.
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2022-2023 Presbyterian Planning Calendars
This 16‐month calendar (starting with September 2022 and ending with December 2023) contains many planning aids for pastors and other church leaders. Calendars will be available beginning in August, but you can pre-order now through our office! The discounted rate is $12.00 each … or you can pick up in the presbytery office for $10.00 each. Click on the calendar image to order your calendar(s).
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Books, Books and More Books!
Books, DVDs, CDs, and more from our former Resource Center are looking for a new home where they can be used. Books have been sorted into the following categories:
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- Youth Ministry
- Children’s Ministry
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Music / Hymns (including a Glory to God binder of hymns - pictured below)
- Presbyterian Belief
- Stewardship
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- Prayer, Sabbath & Worship Resources
- Smaller Congregations
- Transition Leadership
- Pastoral Care & Ministry
- Justice/Racial
- Communion
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If you are interested, stop by the presbytery office to browse the offerings (and take your treasures home!), or contact Lisa Wells at (904) 733-8277 or via email at lisa@staugpres.org and she can see if they have a resource that interests you.
Free Shelving to Disassemble and Take Away
There are also two 7-foot sections of metal shelving that we would like to donate to a church or ministry that needs it and will take it away. Contact Lisa Wells for a photo and/or more information.
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Employment Opportunities
Visit our website’s classified page to check out a wide variety of employment opportunities, including a new listing for a part-time administrative assistant for Fort Caroline Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville. In addition to full and part-time pastoral openings, other employment opportunities include music accompanist for Woodlawn, audiovisual technician for First Fernandina Beach, and several youth / family / children’s ministry positions.
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Montgomery Summer Camp Update
After two weeks of camp at Montgomery, the evaluations are coming back: Camp is FUN … best staff ever … good food … and the positive comments continue to come in. Montgomery is still registering campers for the weeks of July 10, 24, and 31. All other weeks are essentially full. There are scholarship funds available. Join in on the fun!
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Blessings,
Jerie Lukefahr, Moderator of the Presbytery
Holly Dillon Inglis, Ministry and Mission Coordinator
Sandra Hedrick, Stated Clerk
On Behalf of the Coordinating Council
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Previous Staying Connected emails are available on our website.
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