E-Newsletter
August / 15 / 2017

Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard

Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy

Transitional Leader

[email protected]


"Being Prepared"  


     This weekend our nation experienced an ugly outburst of racism. Saturday morning I checked my Facebook page and saw a post from Erin Counihan about White Nationalist, KKK, and Nazi groups marching through a college campus in Virginia with torches, shields, and guns. I thought, “What country is this? Who allows people to march with torches and guns?” Perhaps this is what happens when we mix free speech with open carry laws.

  Read on...

Our Presbytery - Our Work
    This week's our prayer basket overflows ....    
   Please pray for Rev. Ed Wicklein's family in is sudden passing; for travel mercies for our Transitional Presbytery Leader, Rev. Craig Howard as he travels; for our students and teachers who are heading back to the classroom;  for Hannah Heyer, Troopers Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Berke M. M. Bates families who lost their lives in the struggle for peace; and our country and world where every day we battle hate and its power o earth.. 
   Click here to add a prayer slip to our basket, and please visit our prayer page often in unity and love of those who are listed there. You can find the page here.
Seeking Meals of Love 
  They will be starving students in August - but you can help! Click here, and then visit UKirk to see how you can connect with these students.
 Caritas Presbyterian Fellowship
Sat., Sept. 16 - 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.  

   Learn in person, or by viewing a live stream, about the genetics and environmental factors that increase a person's risk for mental health issues. Hear from a panel of people about their experience of severe and persistent mental health diagnoses like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders. Receive training in how to have supportive conversations with people who may be struggling to accept mental health diagnoses or to pursue treatment for mental health issues. Follow here for more information and to register.

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  Resource Center Update

   Barbi and Stephanie have been diligently working to update, add inventory, and labeling in the Resource Center. They are continuing to be supportive to all of our congregations and teams, by ensuring that each have what they need to build and maintain healthy vibrant ministries.

   If you have resources out that have ben used, but are ready for return, please bring them with you the August 31 Presbytery Gathering at Washington Presbyterian Church. Stephanie and Barbie will be at a table that day accepting resource material.

  Your help in utilizing and returning resource material gives strength to our presbytery.
Keeping the Faith Together
    Presbyterian Mission Agency high lights the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy in their latest edition of Keeping the Faith. Click here to see what other see about our region. 
Statement From PC(USA)
     In the wake of a weekend of violence in Charlottesville, Virginia fomented by the “alt-right,” four top leaders of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) today issued a statement condemning white supremacy and racism. (8.14.2017)

   To read further, continue here.
Team Events & Updates
 Upcoming Ministry Team Meetings
(All Teams meet at the Presbytery Center, unless noted)

Wed., Aug. 16
4:00 p.m. - Com on Representation/Nomination
Thurs., Aug. 17
10:00 a.m. - Stewardship
1:00 p.m. - Mission/Outreach
1:00 p.m. -Social Witness/Action
4:00 p.m. - Vision Team
6:30 p.m. - Com on Preparation for Ministry (Ladue Chapel)
Mon., Aug. 28
2:00 p.m. - Dismantling Racism & Privilege (Ladue Chapel)

    Call for the Stated Meeting
Has Been Sent  
  O n Thursday, August 31, 2017 Congregational Commissioners and Teaching Elders of the Presbytery  of Giddings-Lovejoy are encouraged to attend the Stated Meeting held at Washington Presbyterian Church.  The church is located at 4834 S. Point Rd., Washington, Missouri.
   The Call for the Stated Meeting can be found here. If you have an y questions, please let us know by emailing  Office Manager, Leigh Porter at [email protected]  
Please bring back any resource material ready for return.
In honor of our host church please bring a gift of love in the form of canned fruit, spaghetti sauces or bread mixes. This will in turn be giving to the local food pantry they support.  A simple gift of love!
Our Community Connected
  Presbyterians in Prison Ministry

    Has your congregation ever considered the call to minister to people in prison but not known where to start? Concordance Academy invites the congregations in the St. Louis region to start right at home. 95 percent of the people sent away to prison will eventually return to society where they will seek to build new lives. We at Concordance seek to empower success in building new lives by providing opportunities for employment, housing, education, and new life skills. The deepest need people have coming out of prison, through, is a restored sense of community. For this, we call on our congregational partners to match each of our participants with a "support team" to walk with them for their first year back home.

   The commitment these teams make is not financial--it is relational, and it can be as simple as treating someone like a person again, claimed and beloved by God. Our Presbytery has currently fielded five teams from Ladue Chapel, Second Presbyterian, Cote Brilliante (two of them), and First Presbyterian. Our goal is to recruit five more teams by the end of 2017. Please be ready to hear more from us soon!"  
     15th Annual Life and Hope Golf Tournament

    Please join St. Luke’s Hospital for the 15th Annual Life and Hope Golf Tournament, set for Monday, August 28, 2017, at the Missouri Bluffs Golf Club, located at 18 Research Park Circle, St. Charles, Missouri, 63304. Directions can be found here.

   Registration, buffet lunch, putting contest will begin at 11 a.m. The driving range and practice green will also open at that time. Shotgun start, shamble format begins at 12:30 p.m. and there will be a post-tournament appetizer buffet, silent auction, and awards.

    For information or to register, please call St. Luke’s Office of Development at (314) 205-6231, or see more information here. 

History Team Loss of Treasured Member

  Rev. Ed Wicklein was a treasured member of the Presbytery History Team.  Through his tremendous knowledge of Presbyterian history, he contributed greatly to our group.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
Educational Opportunities
  E4 Faith Formation Conference
Educate-Empower-Energize-Engage

    The 2017 E4 Faith Formation Conference will be held October 22-24, 2017 at the Embassy Suites (Kansas City Airport) in Kansas City, Mo. 

   This year our theme is “Christian Education Renovation”,  and we have built the schedule and planned our workshops with that in mind. Jason Brian Santos is the Mission Coordinator for Christian Formation (Christian education, children, youth, college, young adult, camps and conference ministries) at the Presbyterian Mission Agency. He also serves as the National Director of UKirk Collegiate Ministries. More information can be found here.
  Blessing the Waters of Life:

Justice and Healing for Our Watersheds


  The national biennial conference, held September 26-29, 2017, of Presbyterians for Earth Care will focus on water issues at the nexus of faith, climate change and indigenous people. Caring for and celebrating the “waters of life” has always been central to Indigenous people of the world much as water rituals and images in scripture are central in the Christian tradition.

    Our keynote speaker is the Rev. Dr. Barbara Rossing, an ordained Lutheran minister, and seminary professor, who is active in public theology in both the scholarly academy and the church, working on climate justice and the Bible. The worship leader is the Rev. Dr. Paul Galbreath, a professor of theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte.   Please continue hear to read more.  
Ministry Postings
    Small Congregation Seeking Pastor
Small congregation seeking part-time pastor. This community is in the western area of the Presbytery, approximately a one hour drive west of St. Louis.
   Interest parties, please read the position description, found here, and then email the Clerk of Session, Cindy Koppelmann, at [email protected].    
  Seeking: An Excellent Tenor for a

FUN Church Choir!

    Trinity Presbyterian church in University City seeks a qualified and versatile singer to serve as Tenor Section Leader for our chancel choir. Must have excellent sight-reading skills and sing comfortably in a wide variety of musical styles. Competitive compensation. For full details, please contact Vicki Carmichael, Minister of Music, at 314-725-3840 or email to: [email protected].
Children’s Ministry Assistant
    First Presbyterian, Kirkwood is seeking a Children’s Ministry Assistant will work closely with the Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries, the Director of Music Ministries, the Children and Family Committee of Session, volunteers, and staff to facilitate the faith formation of the children of the First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, MO. The Children’s Ministry Assistant will be supervised by the Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries. The position description can be found here. If interested please email, [email protected]