Important Presbytery Meeting Change! I hope everyone has gotten the word that our upcoming Presbytery meeting will be held in-person on Saturday, June 1. The Coordinating Team will be meeting on Tuesday, May 7 to finalize the plan on location, time, and schedule.  The plan is for the meeting to be live streamed for those who want to keep up with the discussion, but voting members will need to be present in order to vote.  

This will be a one-day meeting with the highlight of the meeting being a Read more...

May 7-8 Boundaries Training - Do you still have "complete the required boundary training" on your to-do list? Here’s an easy (and free!) option to get that done. The Synod of the Sun and Leaderwise offers specialized training for clergy to promote mental health, emotional resilience, and overall well-being. The training teaches a 3-step strategy to prevent boundary violations, emphasizing the importance of stress management and balance. Participants leave with a personalized prevention plan. This training is required by our Presbytery for all minister members, CREs, or ministers of other denominations serving in the Presbytery of Arkansas.

There are only 75 openings in each session and the next session won't take place until August, so click here and register today!

Sign up your session to get the Update - I (Julie Price, Presbytery Connector) recently received an email from a church member/administrative assistant telling me that she had used our new "Sign up For The Update" button at the top of the newsletter to sign up everyone on their church's session.

I thought, wow, what a great idea! I wish every church would do that. Hmm. Now, if only I could think of a way to share that idea with everyone...

Ruling Elders, have you ever felt called to preach, or officiate at the Lord’s Table? If so, the Second Annual Elders’ Retreat at the University of the Ozarks on June 7-9 is for you! Participants will receive basic instruction around the pastoral tasks of preaching, public speaking and officiating at the Lord’s Table. We will also have a conversation about small and rural church ministry in Arkansas. While this retreat will be geared toward rural and small membership churches, any and all ruling elders in the Presbytery of Arkansas who are interested in learning to preach or exploring the role of the Lord’s Supper in worship are encouraged to attend. 

Registration is capped at 25, and the deadline to register is May 24 or when the retreat is full. To register, Click here. Click here to see the schedule for the retreat. All expenses will be paid by the Thriving in Rural Ministry program at the University of the Ozarks. If you have questions, please contact the Rev. Phillip Blackburn at pblackburn@ozarks.edu. 

High School Sabbath Saturday will be Saturday, June 8th, 9am - 3 pm along the King's River. Weather-permitting, high schoolers (9th-graduated 12th Graders) will enjoy a day of playing outside, playing in the river, relaxing and decompressing. We will limit our technology use and spend the day enjoying a little corner of the Natural State.

The cost is $30 per youth. Please register by June 1st, 2024. Click here to register.

Ballgame Registration Deadlines Getting Close! Join Presbytery staff members at baseball games in both Springdale and North Little Rock this summer.

On Friday night, May 31, Presbyterians will head to Dickey-Stephens Ballpark for a ballpark dinner and to watch the Travelers take on Amarillo. Fireworks will follow the game. $15 per person. Click here to register.

Deadline to sign up is noon, Friday May 17.

On Wednesday night, June 5, we will be at Arvest Ballpark rooting the Naturals on as they play Wichita and you will have the opportunity to join a NWA Presbytery choir in singing the National Anthem. $9 per person. Click here to register.

Deadline to sign up is Sunday, May 12.

Sharing Spaces: Exploring Possibilities - Is your church currently sharing space with other worshipping communities and/or organizations? Or maybe you are considering the idea. Wouldn't it be great if you could listen, ask questions, and learn from the experiences of these other churches as they came together to talk about what they are doing and how they got there?

I am working on scheduling an in-person event sometime this summer to do just this, at a location that's central to all the participants. Click here and share your contact information and let me know where you are in the process and I'll be in touch.

Blessings, Julie Price, Presbytery Connector.

Adultquake '24, Save The Date - Are you looking for a weekend of rest & renewal with other adults at camp? Are you a clergy person who needs a Thursday - Saturday Sabbath event? Are you a former Arkansas Presby kid who is missing your YouthQuake days?? 

We have a retreat for you! Join us in November 7-10 for a restful weekend at Ferncliff. Thursday evening will be an optional add on for clergy (or anyone) who needs to be back to their gigs on Sunday. Mark your calendars now and watch for the registration link and more details to come in the next month!

SOS! Ferncliff's "Support Our Summer" Day - On Saturday, May 18th from 9:00am-3:00pm, Ferncliff is welcoming volunteers of all skill levels to work on various projects around their site to help transition into the summer camp season. Come for the morning, come for the afternoon, or come for both! Families or individuals are welcome. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.



Lunch will be served from 12:00-1:00pm for FREE for volunteers! Click here to read more and to let them know you want to participate and if you have any dietary restrictions.

Want more people to attend your events?

We've got you covered. Join the Persuasive Promotion Facebook group and get: 

• Access to the Persuasive Promotion workshop replay - awesome training!
• Templates to save you time
• Your church marketing questions answered in our group threads.

Click here and join today!

Upcoming PRC Webinars - PRC, Practical Resources For Churches, has a number of FREE upcoming webinars you might be interested in.

• Raising Kids Beyond the Binary in Church, Tuesday, May 7, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM
• Practical Practices for Faith in Families, Tuesday, May 14, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM
• Strategies for Reaching and Developing Gen Z, Thursday, May 30, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM

To see all of the upcoming and recorded webinars from PRC, click here.

AV & Media Specialist wanted at First Presbyterian, Springdale. Click here to read the job description and apply.

Church Secretary opening at First Presbyterian Church of Batesville. They are currently accepting applications. The job will begin July 22, 2024, and the successful applicant will be paid for 2 weeks of on-the-job training, including one week in June and one week in July. Interested applicants may get a detailed job description upon request through the Church Office. Applications with resumes should be returned to the office by mail, e-mail or in person marked to the attention of the Personnel Committee.

Sharing in Ministry - On Sunday, April 28, Lyon College and Second Presbyterian Church, Little Rock had a joyous worship with not one, but two Kirkin of the Tartans. It was a great day celebrating the connectional nature of the Presbyterian Church USA and the relationships we have through the Presbytery of Arkansas.

The congregation was encouraged to bring donations to worship for Lyon's SOS Pantry. The members of Second graciously offered over $700 in food donations for the SOS Pantry. It somehow all fit into Chaplain Maggie's car to be transported back to Batesville. The SOS Pantry has been restocked and is ready for the last two weeks of class and final exams.

Mission Possible Recap - Jr. High students from throughout the Presbytery gathered for Mission Possible April 19-21^st in Hot Springs and Mena. Westminster Presbyterian Church of Hot Springs graciously housed the group and provided breakfasts. First Presbyterian Church of Mena organized service projects for the group. The group served at a local food pantry Saturday morning and then packed hygiene kits in the afternoon. After serving, First Presbyterian Church of Hot Springs hosted a downtown scavenger hunt where the Jr. High students got to explore Hot Springs. We are so thankful for the generous hospitality of the churches who partnered with us and who helped provide this opportunity for these students to serve, explore, and build community together.