Presbytery of Northern Kansas Newsletter -
June 1, 2021
PNK News/Events
PNKS Youth Work Camp!
Youth are invited to participate in the Presbytery of Northern Kansas’ Youth Work Camp at Heartland Center from August 1-6, 2021. It includes the work camp, fun activities at Heartland Center, and a one-day visit to Worlds of Fun. Youth who have completed fifth grade through those who have completed twelfth grade are eligible to participate. We also need adult volunteers to accompany our Presbytery leaders on the trip.
 
The cost per youth is $255. The Presbytery will pay one-third of each youth’s fee ($85). We encourage churches that are able to pay one-third of the fee, as well ($85). That means youth could pay as little as $85 for this whole week of fun!!

Please find the registration form and liability release below. All materials, including payment, must be received by June 15th.
Comfort My People
Pathways to Congregational Mental Health Ministries
Save the Date: June 15th 1:30 PM
Comfort My People: A Pastoral Response to Addiction
 
Addiction has increased during the pandemic and it has taken many forms (shopping, food, alcohol, drugs, online gambling, etc.) Join this webinar to learn more about:
  • recognizing signs of addiction (and debunking stereotypes), 
  • gaining insight into the needs of individuals suffering with various types of addiction, as well as support of their family members
  • how to pastorally support individuals on the road to recovery
  • resources for various forms of addiction treatment
Healing the Heart
A Virtual Afternoon Pastor's Retreat
June 24, 2021, 1:30 – 4:30 PM
 
Sponsored by the Presbyteries of
Missouri Union, Giddings-Lovejoy, Northern Kansas, and Southern Kansas
"Where there is sorrow, there is holy ground." - Oscar Wilde

Strengthening our skills in grief work is essential in these days of constant uncertainty and pervasive loss.
Our faith story gives us perspective and meaning. There are also stories of our bodies that are woven into our experiences.
Within our Christian tradition, there are way of praying and moving that are being re-discovered, especially in light of neuroscience. Knowledge of how we are created brings wisdom and compassion.
Simple practices involving our whole selves better equip us to welcome grief as an opportunity to deepen and transform us and those we serve.
Session Report Review has been Launched
Clerks of Session across the Presbytery of Northern Kansas have begun the task of reviewing their 2019 and 2020 session minutes. As in past years, Session Record Review (SRR) begins with each clerk reviewing their session minutes using the presbytery checklist. This year rather than packing up the session minute books, the church register and their checklists and heading off to one of four area gatherings, the clerks will send those checklists off to Stated Clerk Bob Frasier. Some will send the checklists by email and others will use the USPS. A few clerks have already completed this much of the 2021 plan. All clerks are encouraged to schedule this task so as to have their checklists to the stated clerk by Monday, June 21.
 
One new step--Clerks are encouraged to invite another knowledgeable person to sit down with them, their session minutes, and the church register and go over the checklists. The goal is to have one more person providing input, asking questions and confirming the work of the clerk. While this is not required, it is encouraged that clerks of session take this extra step. The second person might be the pastor or other moderator of their session, another elder in the congregation, or the clerk of session of a neighboring church in the presbytery.
 
The Clerks’ Reports & Review Committee (CR&RC) will be scheduling small group electronic gatherings for clerks to report on their reviews and share insights. A response form is including with the information sent to clerks to provide information to help in scheduling the small groups.
 
Clerks are encouraged to contact the stated clerk Bob Frasier (bfrasier@pnks.org / 785-479-6308) if they need assistance or have questions.
 
The stated clerk’s report to the October presbytery meeting will include a listing of sessions whose records have been reviewed and those that have not. The report will not note any exceptions that have been noted.
Covid-19 Mitigation Strategies for Choirs
Newest Books in the Resource Center
SILENCE by Jerome W. Berryman, Illustrated by Lois Kilberg
In today’s frenzied world, children need ways to discover silence and stillness from within. This book, written by the founder of Godly Play, offers children (and those who love them) a means to experience contemplative silence.
THE POWER OF A FOCUSED HEART by Mary Lou Redding
Designed for individuals or small groups, this eight week in-depth study of the Beatitudes leads and challenges us to become truly centered in God and to know the power of a focused heart.
GOOD WHITE RACIST? Confronting Your Role in Racial Injustice by Kerry Connelly
A challenging yet accessible guide to recognizing our unconscious biases and our techniques of avoidance that keep white people comfortable and complicit and perpetuate racism in the U.S and elsewhere.
THE PURPOSE GAP: Empowering Communities of Color to Find Meaning and Thrive by Patrick B. Reyes
Through unforgettable stories and penetrating insights, Reyes has written a love letter to future generations of Black and Brown people, by both calling out unjust systems and calling in community to practice abundant life and love together.
Summer Concert Series from the Presbyterian Giving Catalog
Beginning in June, the Presbyterian Giving Catalog will host a Summer Concert Series featuring three unique virtual concerts over the course of the summer months.
 
Concerts will premiere on YouTube and are absolutely free! Elizabeth Stockton Perkins, a vocalist, student at Vassar College and longtime Presbyterian Mission supporter, kicks off the concert series on June 21. The Stillman College Choir concert will premiere on July 21, and on Aug. 21 the Mission Musicians of the PC(USA) will close out the series. Once they premiere, all concerts will be available to enjoy through September.

Hold a viewing party for the concerts, gathering safely in person or virtually, to enjoy beautiful music and connectivity with the wider Church.
 
We would also love for you to include this invitation in an upcoming newsletter. You can find promotional images at bit.ly/PGCSummerConcert.
 
As we head into the summer months, let’s celebrate and make music together!
Emergency Broadband Benefit
Millions of American households now may apply for help to pay for computers and home internet service through the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program. The $3.4 billion program, which launched May 12, provides eligible households up to $50 a month ($75 for households on tribal lands) toward a home internet subscription and a $100 discount toward a computer.

Millions stand to benefit, but those most in need also are the hardest to reach. Please help get the word out! With a little help from you, people will be able to compare plans and sign up.
Workshops, Webinars, Resources
The Scattered Church
Theological Reflections and Practical Resources for Socially Distant Ministry
The Scattered Church | Theology, Formation & Evangelism...

Welcome to the landing page for The Scattered Church. We're glad you're here. As the COVID-19 pandemic stretches into months of imagining and reimagining the ways we gather as disciples of Jesus, the offices that make up the Office of Theology,...

Read more
www.presbyterianmission.org
Please contact the Presbytery Office with any joys or concerns you would like to have added to the PNK Prayer List.