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EMerge is a newsletter of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area. Through most of the year it is published weekly and distributed to congregations, teaching elders, ruling elders, church members, committees and friends of the presbytery. Please send submissions and address corrections to office@ptcaweb.org.
August 24 , 2018
  
Presbytery news  
 
Painting Your Own Landscape:
A Missional Workshop
from Next Church and the PTCA
This year, our Presbytery meetings will carry a renewed intentionality around four unique elements: worship, fellowship, required business, and  Tate Starling education/inspiration under the theme, " Nurturing thoughtful expressions of God's mission in the world." You'll hear more about that plan on Sept. 11 in a joint report to Presbytery from the moderator and the executive presbyter.
 
For the September meeting, the moderator, Rocky Rockenstein, has invited the Rev. Jessica Tate, top photo, director of the dynamic Presbyterian organization Next Church, and the Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis, co-chair of the NEXT Church Strategy Team and pastor of a Presbyterian church in Rhode Island, to help us explore a deeper missional understanding of ministry.
 
Then, on Wednesday, Sept. 12, from 9:30-to-1 at Oak Grove Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Jessica and Shavon will follow-up on their spoken challenge at Presbytery meeting with some hands-on teaching, conversation, and coaching for teaching and ruling elders.
 
You can sign up for the workshop at "Painting Your Own Landscape." There is no change. Lunch will be provided.  The complete announcement is at "A Missional Workshop."
 
Connectionalism? At Macalester-Plymouth it's pie, per capita ... dunk tank
At Macalester-Plymouth United Church in St. Paul last Sunday they talked about per capita as a church's contribution to the total pie of the denomination. Per  per capita capita is just one part of the whole, a part of the connection in each denomination. After worship at Macalester-Plymouth, fellowship featured pies of all types.  And as an added incentive to contribute per capita, lead pastor Adam Blons climbed into the dunking booth. Of course, the opportunity to dunk the Rev. Blons cost a contribution to per capita. The video is available at "Per Capita and the Dunk Tank."
 
Committee on Congregational Vitality plans retreat on 'Good News'
The presbytery's Committee on Congregational Vitality is asking, "How would you like to spend  Good News a Friday and part of Saturday at the beautiful Clearwater Forest at the peak of the fall-color season reflecting on 'Good News?' Does the 'Good News' look different as seasons change? Do we proclaim a message that is 'Good News' to the world we now inhabit, or are we propping up a church built to address the needs of a world that no longer exists?" The committee is sponsoring a retreat, beginning Friday, Sept. 28, that will reflect on the proclamation of the "Good News" in a world that remains divided and filled with inequality. Registration details can be found at "Good News." Additional details are available on request by sending e-mail to ccv.ptca.program@gmail.com.
 
Boundary training offered
in October at Oak Grove
The presbytery's Committee on Ethics will be host to a Level 1 boundaries training Oct. 8 from 8:30  Boundaries 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Oak Grove Presbyterian Church in Bloomington. This training is required for all teaching elders in the presbytery, and is also appropriate for youth directors, Christian education staff, music staff, ministry volunteers, and people serving on church personnel committees.  The training provides basic foundations and frameworks for healthy and safe Christian communities in terms of ministry relationships, finance, social media and confidentiality. Registration can be completed at "Boundaries Training."
 
Jeff's Jottings
Pain and prayer in farm country
 
By Jeff Japinga
Executive Presbyter
Jeff Japinga
For weeks the people of Iowa -- in fact, people across the country -- had become familiar with the smiling face of Mollie Tibbetts. Mollie disappeared from her rural Iowa community last month while jogging; the search for her made headlines across our country. Tuesday we learned that Mollie will not be coming home. Her lifeless body was found in a field, the victim of evil and violence, which seems to pervade our world more deeply each day.
 
Anxious days have become almost the norm across our rural heartland, and not just because of the search for Mollie Tibbetts. While the economy booms in so many places, life on the farm -- and in the rural towns and churches that find their livelihood from an agricultural economy -- only gets harder. ... More and more, family farmers can't make ends meet. The handshake of a farmer, I've learned, is as firm as ever. Just not their confidence.
 
The complete Jottings are at "Pain and Prayer."
Around the presbytery   
 
Forum on hunger issues
planned Aug. 28 in Burnsville
Hunger is a growing problem in the Twin Cities area, striking children and youth, seniors and families. A forum on local hunger issues and solutions will take  Crop Hunger place Tuesday, Aug. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Burnhaven Library Community Room, 1101 West County Road 42, in Burnsville. The event, open to the public, is being presented by the steering committee for the sixth annual South of the River CROP Hunger Walk. The forum will feature four panelists who will speak from different aspects addressing hunger in the area. Complete details about this forum and the upcoming Crop Hunger Walk can be found at "Hunger Issues."
 
Middle East scholar will speak at Westminster in September
Yitzhak Reiter, a professor of Islam, Middle East and Israel studies Ashkelon Academic College in Israel, will speak Monday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. at  Yitzhak Reiter Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. Reiter chairs the department of Israel studies and is the head of the Research Authority at Ashkelon. His presentation is titled "Sharing Sacred Spaces in Jerusalem: Between Contestation and Tolerance." As a location of different ethnic, religious and national groups, Jerusalem has become a hub of conflicts, especially after 1967, as it contains many sacred sites shared by more than one religious group. Reiter is the author of 13 books, in addition to five edited books, and numerous articles. Reiter is active in track-two diplomacy meetings regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict and his expertise has sought by members of the media. Additional details are available at "Sharing Sacred Spaces." Free and open to the public, parking information at Westminster is available at "Getting There."
 
Disability Concerns Ministry urges participation in NAMI Walk
It's a relatively short message from the presbytery's Disability Concerns Ministry: "We Need Presbyterians to join the NAMI Walk on Sept. 22."  NAMI is the short  NAMI version of National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the NAMI Walk raises awareness about mental illnesses. More than 4,000 people from around the state are expected to join in NAMI Walks Minnesota. Last year, NAMI Minnesota served more than 180,000 people through programs of education, suicide prevention and family support. The 5K walk begins at 1 p.m., at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis. There will be live music, picnics and food trucks, speakers, resource tables, a kids' tent, a tree of hope, a t-shirt contest and more. Registration, including forming or joining a walk team, can be completed at "NAMI Walk" or by calling 651.645.2948.
 
Spirit of Life Apple Valley Fall activities kick off
Sept. 9 at Spirit of Life
Sept. 9 will be Kickoff Sunday at Spirit of Life Presbyterian Church in Apple Valley. The day begins with an outdoor worship service at 10 a.m. featuring the church's jazz band. Children will meet their Sunday school teachers, and all members and visitors will enjoy a cookout after the service. There will be games, a bounce-house and other activities for children. Fall activities begin Wednesday, Sept. 12, when the congregation's "Meet in the Middle" - M&M - begins at 4:30 p.m. Sunday school begins Sunday, Sept. 16, at 11:10 a.m. following the 10 a.m. worship service. The complete story is at "Apple Valley Sets Kickoff."
 
Israel as ancient symbol, contemporary reality is focus of preaching seminar
hosanna preaching A seminar, designed to help preachers understand and challenge biblical interpretation that benefits one group at the expense of another, is planned at Central Presbyterian Church in St. Paul Sept. 26. It is, according to the seminar announcement, "at the theological heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict." Reading materials will be provided prior to the seminar. The seminar is a Hosanna Preaching Seminar sponsored by the Israel Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). To register, contact John Anderson by e-mail at janderson.stjohns@gmail.com, including name, e-mail address, and mailing address. Additional seminar details are at "Hosanna Seminars."
 
Mediation skills workshop planned
in October in Minnetonka
Minnetonka United Methodist Church in Minnetonka will be host to a "Mediation Skills Training Institute  Lombard mennonites for Church Leaders," a program of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, that runs Oct. 1-5. The workshop is designed to equip pastors and other church leaders with the skills necessary to deal effectively with interpersonal, congregational and other forms of group conflict. The daily sessions emphasize hands-on skills training and real-life role-plays based on the kinds of conflicts faced by participants. Details about the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center mediation training and upcoming session can be found at "Mediation Skills."
Resources, conferences ... 

 

Resources available
for Theological Education Sunday
The Rev. Emily Zeig Lindsey, a Pennsylvania pastor, summed up the importance of theological education beautifully in a video the Theological Education Fund shared in late 2017. "There are people waiting in our pews and in our communities, hungry to learn, and be fed, and waiting for a leader to come alongside them and help with that journey," Lindsey says. "Seminary prepares you to do exactly that, in many ways, and teaches you to be receptive to the lessons you will learn during ministry." This year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) celebrates Theological Education Sunday, Sept. 16, and resources have been prepared to observe the day. The complete story, and the resources, can be found through "Theological Education Sunday."
 
Stewardship Kaleidoscope planned
in St. Louis in September
Stewardship Kaleidoscope This year's Stewardship Kaleidoscope, an annual conference offering speakers, workshops and networking opportunities for all who are passionate about stewardship and generosity, is planned Sept. 24-26 in St. Louis. Diana Butler Bass, an award-winning author and internationally known public speaker, and Chick Lane, pastor for stewardship and generosity at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Maple Grove, Minnesota, will be the keynote speakers. Details about the conference can be found at "Stewardship Kaleidoscope."
Service opportunities ...
 
Plymouth Presbyterian Church in Plymouth seeks a part-time music director. This permanent position is approximately 20 hours per week, with fewer hours in the summer when the choir does not meet on a regular basis. Minimum job responsibilities are Sunday worship and one evening of choir practice per week. Skill sets include organ, piano, and choir direction. The complete job announcement is at "Music Director."
 
Peace Presbyterian Church in St. Louis Park seeks a part-time office manager to provide administrative support to a small church. Responsibilities include preparing bulletins for worship services, doing the layout for a monthly newsletter, sending a weekly e-mail to church members, maintaining a calendar of church activities, website updates, answering the phone and similar office tasks. The job description is at "Office Manager."

Valley Community Presbyterian Church in Golden Valley is seeking a full-time office administrator. The complete job description, which includes responsibilities in administrative support, communications, finance and leadership, can be found at "Office Administrator." Applications can be submitted by e-mail to the Rev. Richard Buller at richard.buller@valleychurch.net, and additional details are available by calling the church office at 763.588.0831. Applications will be accepted through Aug. 22.
 
Central Presbyterian Church  in Saint Paul is seeking a children and youth ministry coordinator to help create and oversee a program for children and youth that is dynamic, age-appropriate, multi-cultural, connected to worship and mission, and supportive of the church's goal to grow our membership. This is a part-time (10-20 hours per week, average) position that requires an energetic presence on Sundays from at least 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Other hours are flexible depending upon the varying weekly needs of the church program. Interested individuals are asked to contact the Rev. David Colby at dcolby@cpcstpaul.org.
News of the wider church  

 

Remembering Kofi Annan's
Presbyterian, Macalester connections
While many voices vied for the attention of Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary general consistently  Kofi Annan listened to people seeking peace from the vantage point of faith, according to a Presbyterian mission leader. "Kofi Annan took seriously the perspectives of churches and faith-based non-governmental organizations," said Sara Lisherness, director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency's Compassion, Peace and Justice ministry area. "He invited and encouraged our voices." Annan, who served as secretary general from 1997-2006, died Saturday in Bern, Switzerland. He was 80. Annan's connection with U.S. Presbyterians began at least as early as his young adulthood when Annan, a native of Ghana, came to the United States to study at Macalester College in St. Paul, a Presbyterian-related institution. The school now houses the Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship. The complete Presbyterian News Service story by Pat Cole can be found at "Kofi Annan."
 
OGA announces hire
of new budget manager
J. Herbert Nelson II, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has appointed DeAmber Clopton as budget manager for  DeAmber Clopton the Office of the General Assembly. She begins her new work September 4. Clopton, a native of Louisville, earned both a bachelor's degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration degree from Louisville's Sullivan University. She has served in both auditing and senior accounting positions for businesses and nonprofits. Clopton was an auditor for Ernst & Young; a senior accountant for Seven Counties Services, a Louisville-based nonprofit behavioral health organization that serves more than 150,000 people of all ages in a five-state region; and as senior accountant for Churchill Downs Inc., which owns and operates several horse-racing tracks, including the fabled home of the Kentucky Derby. The complete announcement from the Office of the General Assembly is at "DeAmber Clopton."
 
Help Wanted: Mentoring today
fills the pulpits tomorrow
Growing up in South Africa, Bobby Musengwa couldn't imagine coming to America to attend seminary. The path simply wasn't visible to him -- and  Presbyterians Today magazine he couldn't imagine serving as a pastor. But it was his uncle's friendship with Heath Rada, who later served as moderator of the 221st General Assembly, that brought this possibility to light for him -- and the mentoring community of professors, pastors, family and friends reinforced Musengwa's call. Musengwa soon found himself in the United States, encouraged by his family to leave South Africa amid growing concerns about his safety in apartheid South Africa. He attended and graduated from St. Andrews Presbyterian College (now St. Andrews University) in Laurinburg, North Carolina, and worked at Montreat Conference Center each summer. That's where he reconnected with Rada, who then invited him to attend the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now part of Union Presbyterian Seminary). Although Musengwa initially rejected the idea, he decided to try it out. The complete story by Lee Hinson-Hasty, which previously appeared in Presbyterians Today magazine, can be found at "Mentoring Pastors."