Volume 110/January 23, 2025 | |
Connecting & Informing the Presbytery of Arkansas
January 23, 2025
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Seeking Nominations for Key Presbytery Teams. The Committee on Nominations is inviting input from the Presbytery to identify candidates for two critical teams:
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The Strategic Plan Implementation Team will consist of 6 to 8 members and will take on the important task of carrying forward the work of the Visioning Team by assisting the Presbytery in putting the strategic plan into action beginning in 2025. The commitment time is anticipated to be one to two zoom meetings per month and occasional attendance at Presbytery meetings as needed. Ideal candidates will have a passion for the Presbytery and our new strategic direction.
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The General Presbyter Search Committee will consist of 5 to 7 members and will be responsible for identifying the next General Presbyter. There will be more frequent meetings early in the process to compile and draft necessary documents followed by a phase of reviewing candidate profiles and conducting interviews. It is hoped that a nominee will be found by the fall of 2025, however, the timeline for the search committee will be however long it takes to find the right person.
If you or someone you know would be a strong fit for either of these teams, please contact the Chair of the Nominating Committee, TE Robert Lowry by February 1, 2025.
Thank you for helping us build the future of our Presbytery!
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Leadership Training for Sessions – The Resource Team has been able to access short videos with questions from PRC (Practical Resources for Churches). These can be used by Sessions to comply with changes to the Book of Order which require all sessions to have boundary training at least every 36 months, specifically, Pastoral Boundaries, and Protecting Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults.
The videos currently available are: Shared Shepherding, Crafting a Leadership Covenant, Healthy Communication for Leaders, Pastoral Boundaries, Protecting Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults. This collection will be added to and PRC welcomes suggestions for the Training Series.
Click here to download the videos with questions and suggestions for ways to use them. Click here for more training resource options.
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Annual statistical reporting for congregations of the presbytery is now open. Click here to link to the reporting page. All reports must be completed by February 15th. If you need help with your log-in or password, contact Kim Palmer or Blake Brinegar.
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All but 19 churches have completed their Visioning Survey! Yeah!!! Please, if you are one of those 19 churches, click this link and have one person, pastor/CRE, clerk, administrator, complete it ASAP.
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New 2025 Clerks of Session - if you have a new clerk in 2025, please let Blake, Kim, or Julie know so they can keep the directory updated and make sure the clerks receive important information.
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2025 Presbytery Meeting Dates - All three meetings will be in-person, February 21-22/Lyon College, May 31/TBD, October 17-18/TBD.
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R.E.M., Ruling Elders in Ministry, returns Friday, February 28-Saturday, March 1. All ruling elders in the Presbytery of Arkansas are welcome to gather at the University of the Ozarks at a retreat to explore the opportunities and challenges facing congregations today. This gathering will focus on membership integration and care, as well as public, personal, and congregational prayer. The event is offered free of charge through the Thriving in Rural Ministry program. If you have questions, please contact the Rev. Phil Blackburn.
Click here to register. We hope to see you there.
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Youth @ Presbytery, February 21-22 at Lyon College (Batesville, AR). The event will begin at 6:30 pm on February 21st and end approx. 2 pm on February 22nd.
Register here
Your voice matters! High School youth are invited to attend the Spring meeting of the Presbytery, this year at Lyon College in Batesville. Youth will have voice on the floor and advisory votes on specific pieces of business. We will attend worship Friday evening, and we will get to know each other better. We will also hear from speakers who will let us know what business to expect during our Saturday meeting. Friday dinner and Saturday lunch will be provided.
Who can attend:
• High School Youth (9th -12th Grade)
• Adult leaders who will serve as chaperones.
Register by: Feb 15th
Questions? Contact Sarah Leer, Transitional Youth and Young Adult Developer
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Presbytery Wide Confirmation Retreat, February 28-March 2, 2025 @ Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center. Are you a small church who has a few youth who haven't been through Confirmation? Did COVID or a staff transition interrupt your Confirmation rotation? Do you have youth who would like to connect with others in the Presbytery as they go through your church’s Confirmation process? Well, you are in luck!
In order to better support our congregations, the Presbytery of Arkansas is offering a Confirmation opportunity for youth grades 7-12 for churches throughout our Presbytery. This Confirmation model is a Retreat weekend + some digital classes after the Retreat to round out Confirmation instruction. Youth will then be confirmed in their own congregations. We will work with the individual churches in order to make sure the youth have support as they move through the process.
We will begin the retreat around 7 pm on February 28th and end by 10 am on March 2nd, Register here by February 15th.
Due to the generosity of our ministry partners at Ferncliff, this event is free!
Questions? Contact Sarah Leer, Transitional Youth and Young Adult Developer
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Mission: Possible 2025, April 4-6 at in Northwest Arkansas (for Middle School/Junior High youth).
This is a weekend event for junior high/middle schoolers. The youth will be serving with our Presbyterian partners in Bentonville. Mission: Possible is a Junior High/ Middle School retreat in the Spring centered on service. This year we will be serving throughout Northwest Arkansas and staying in Bentonville.
Cost: $75 per youth (financial assistance available by request)

Who can attend:
• Youth (6th-9th Grade)
• Young adults (18-23) and Adult leaders who will serve as chaperones.
Register here by Friday, March 21
Questions? Contact Sarah Leer, Transitional Youth and Young Adult Developer
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The Presbyterian Planning Calendar, a publication of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is once again seeking photo submissions from congregations and worshiping communities, mid councils, camps, conference centers and education centers for use in its 2025-2026 edition.
The deadline to submit photos for the upcoming Presbyterian Planning Calendar is Feb. 14. Click here to read more and learn how to submit photos.
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Mission of The Church Grants - The deadline for this year's first round of MOC grants is Tuesday, April 15. Dream big about the mission work your church/Presbyterian organization might undertake this year and let the MOC help you realize your dream by awarding you a grant of up to $1,500.
Click here for information about registering. Direct questions to committee moderator, Peg Falls-Corbitt.
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Proposed Amendments Discussion - In case you missed the webinar in real time, click here to watch the on-demand recording that our stated clerk, Blake Brinegar did. He does a very thorough job of explaining each of the 13 proposed amendments, breaking them down into the pros and cons of each side of the argument as well as answering participants questions.
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Upcoming PRC (Practical Resources for Churches) Webinars presenting fresh ideas to help your church do ministry:
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Around The Presbytery & Beyond | |
Montreat College Conference 2025 - Ten students from the Arkansas Presbytery and Arkansas Colleges attended the Montreat College Conference this year.
From the Presbytery at large we had Riley Button, student at Stephen F. Austin in Texas.
From UCM at the U of A we had Drew Parker and William Nevill travel with us and Nora Miller and Joseph Unruh, who travelled and stayed with Preston Hollow, Dallas.
From Lyon College we had Drew Chalberg, Ella Holyfield and Landon Jackson
From University of the Ozarks we had Naila Pierre on leadership team and Douglas McKenzie, who traveled with First, Dallas.
It was a wonderful conference with great worship and keynote speakers. This was the first conference after the devastating hurricane Helene flooding. We were able to volunteer in the community as a part of the workshop times. Read more...
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How To Help With The CA Fires - PDA deploys disaster spiritual care providers to support the operations of the American Red Cross. They award emergency initial assistance grants to assist Presbyteries as they support the impacted communities. These grants are typically used in partnership with congregations serving the impacted communities. PDA is in touch with the Emergency Network of Los Angeles (ENLA), working to create a sense of community and focus and providing necessary resources to those in need.
This will be an ongoing recovery and rebuilding process - entire communities are gone. The scale is devastating and inconceivable.
Follow the most recent updates from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance on Facebook.
Photo shared from @pcusafoundation from threads.net
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Thursday, 1/23, 2:00 AM MOC Meeting
Tuesday, 1/28, 10:00 AM Staff Meeting
Wednesday, 1/29, APCE Begins
Sunday-Monday, 2/2-3, CRE Cohort Gathering
Tuesday, 2/4, 10:00 AM COM Meeting
Tuesday, 2/4, 1:00 PM Staff Meeting
Click here to see the entire Presbytery calendar.
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The next Update will be published February 6
Send information for that publication to Julie Price by Tuesday, February 4.
Article suggestions: The shorter, the better and square graphics work best.
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Presbytery of Arkansas
9221 N. Rodney Parham Road
Little Rock, AR 72227
501-663-2424
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