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 [email protected].
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Presbytery's next stated meeting
planned Sept. 11 in Buffalo
The Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area will conduct its next stated meeting Tuesday, Sept. 11, at Buffalo Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, Minnesota. Registration and fellowship begins at 3:30; the meeting follows at 4 p.m.
The presbytery welcomes Jessica Tate, executive director of NEXT Church, and Shavon Starling-Lewis, co-chair of the NEXT Church strategy team, who will help the presbytery imagine its call to a missional understanding of its ministry (see story elsewhere in EMerge). Tyler Holm, co-mission worker in Malawi, will also be present for dinner conversations and fellowship.
The Committee on the Preparation for Ministry will present inquirer Madeline Hart-Andersen for examination to become a candidate under the care of the presbytery.
The presbytery will also recognize Risa Anderson,
office manager of the presbytery, for her service. Anderson is retiring at the end of the month.
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 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.
Committee on Congregational Vitality plans retreat on 'Good News'
The presbytery's Committee on Congregational Vitality is asking, "How would you like to spend 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 [email protected].
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 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
Labor Day
By Jeff Japinga
Executive Presbyter
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us -
yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:17
 It's now a holiday better known as the last real weekend opportunity at the cabin up north, or the beginning of the football season.
That wasn't the original intent of Labor Day, of course. The inspiration first of a few municipalities and states in the years after the Civil War, Labor Day became a national holiday in 1884, a time set aside to acknowledge the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. I doubt those congressmen (yes, they were all men then) realized then what fertile ground they were creating for mattress sales.
The complete Jottings are at "Labor Day."
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Kim North starts YAV year in Albuquerque; writes blog
Kim North, a member-at-large of Peace Presbyterian Church in St. Louis Park, has begun her year as a  Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The YAV program is an ecumenical, faith-based year of service for young people, ages 19-30, in
22 sites around the world and in the United States. YAVs accompany local agencies working to address root causes of poverty and reconciliation while exploring the meaning and motivation of their faith in intentional community with peers and mentors. Writing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, noted her YAV year "has officially started and so far has been awesome. I appreciate all of your prayers and support and will do my best to keep you updated on my adventures." Her most recent blog post, up this Tuesday, notes, "
I thought it was funny on the first day when the YAV staff called the orientation 'disorientation' but they were right because during the week we began to exit our comfort zones and challenge not only ourselves but each other." The complete blog is at "YAV Year."
Middle East scholar will speak
at Westminster on Sept. 17
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
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 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.
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."
Crossing Borders concert to benefit children, families seeking asylum
Local artists Leo Hawkins, at left in photo, and Nici Peper will perform, as well as other local musicians, at Olivet Congregational Church in St. Paul on  Saturday, Sept. 8, beginning at 7 p.m. Hawkins has performed with Sounds of Blackness, at a tribute to Curtis Mayfield, and also performed while in the military during the Vietnam War. Peper, a soulful singer-songwriter, influenced by gospel music and storytellers, has recorded in Nashville, and earned the title "Most Authentic Artist" in a Minneapolis contest in 2016. Prior to the evening's concert, plans include a 6 p.m. Latin-themed buffet along with music by the duo Liliana and Harold, who have performed Latin music for more than 20 years. A free-will offering will be accepted. Details are at "Crossing Borders."
Israel as ancient symbol, contemporary reality is focus of preaching seminar
 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 [email protected], 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 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."
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Resources, conferences ...
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Justice, Peace newsletter posts
info about its travel study seminars
 The latest issue of Justice & Peace Close-Up focuses on the upcoming events around the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, including the visits to the United States this fall of several International Peacemakers. The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program has announced its schedule of travel study seminars for the next two years. Details can be found at "International Peacemakers."
Officer training: A quest of fearless failure
 This month's version of the NEXT Church blog on leadership offers various perspectives about how churches might best equip those they call to the ministry of ruling elder. The blog addresses how the church can feed, encourage, and enable the imagination of church officers. It offers ideas about the role of officers as discerners of the Spirit alongside church polity. There are five reflections at "Fearless Failure."
Sower, newsletter of PW in the synod,
notes upcoming synod gathering
 The July 2018 edition of The Sower, the newsletter of Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, is at "The Sower." There's also something for those planning nearly a year ahead - the flyer for the synod's Presbyterian Women's gathering planned June 20-23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. It's at "2019 Gathering."
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."
Interim Ministry Training Institute
planned to run October-May
Change is a fact of life in the world, and churches are facing transition of many kinds. The Interim Ministry Training Institute will provide the tools and  techniques needed for addressing transitions. The program is designed for working ministers who are interested in interim or transitional work, or work within their settled position. The class is limited in size to encourage interaction and each of the sessions has advance readings, lecture style presentations, discussion, case studies, and assignments to integrate the training. The class is planned for the second Thursday of each month from October through May in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Classes meet from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Details are available from the Rev. Dr. Marlea Gilbert at Streams of Wisdom by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or by calling 608.514.3290. Applications are due by Sept. 17. A brochure is available at "Interim Ministry Training Institute."
Resources for Evangelism Sunday offered
in Grace, Gratitude newsletter
Ray Jones, director of theology, formation and evangelism for the Presbyterian Mission Agency,  writing in the current edition of the Grace and Gratitude newsletter, noted, "As our ministries respond to our work coming out of General Assembly, we will be addressing what it means to 'reclaim Jesus.' From our reformed foundation we'll look at what it means to follow Jesus and obey him above all earthly powers." The newsletter also includes links to resources for Evangelism Sunday, Sept. 23. The newsletter is at "Grace and Gratitude."
Stewardship Kaleidoscope planned
in St. Louis in September
 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."
Deadline nears for PHS
records preservation grants
To assist congregations with the preservation of church records, the Presbyterian Historical Society awards annual Heritage Preservation Grants to congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), covering up to $500 of the cost to digitize official records. To qualify, congregations must be 250 members or less, at least 50 years old, interested in the preservation of historical records, and looking for financial assistance to digitize these records. Grants must be used within a two-year period. The application deadline is Oct. 31. The complete announcement from the Presbyterian Historical Society can be found at "Preservation Grants."
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Service opportunities ...
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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."
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."
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Denominations repent for Native American land grabs; PC(USA) joins
"You cannot understand our history as a country until you understand the history of the church." That's how Mark Charles -- a Navajo pastor, speaker and author -- began his presentation to a room full of missionaries in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,  gathered this summer for their annual meeting.
A number of mainline Protestant denominations have approved repudiations of the Doctrine of Discovery, including the United Methodist Church, the Unitarian Universalist Association, the United Church of Christ, the Community of Christ, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a number of Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) meetings. The executive committee of the World Council of Churches -- which includes 350 churches, denominations and fellowships around the world -- also issued a statement repudiating the doctrine and calling on member churches to learn about the history and issues facing indigenous peoples in their areas. The complete story by Emily McFarlan Miller of the Religion News Service can be found at "Repenting Land Grabs."
Celebration in Amsterdam commemorates 70 years of ecumenism
Hundreds of people gathered from across the world for an ecumenical prayer service at the Nieuwe Kerk,  a 15th-century church in Amsterdam, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) at the very spot in which the organization was founded. Under the theme "Walking, Praying and Working Together," the service featured special music, greetings from the Council of Churches in the Netherlands, and a procession of pilgrims from all over the world. The complete story from the World Council of Churches can be found at "70 Years."
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