The 160th Meeting of The Presbytery of Arkansas will take place on October 11 at Second Presbyterian in Little Rock. The registration form and host packet will be available the first week of September.

Contact Stated Clerk Blake Brinegar by Thursday, September 11th if:

• You need time on the docket.
• You need a display table.

Presby Pub: Beer, Theology, and Friends!

Kick off the Presbytery weekend with laughter, local brews, and great conversation! Join us Friday, October 10th from 6:00–8:00 PM at a Little Rock location to be announced for an evening that’s equal parts fun and thought-provoking.

• Enjoy a local craft brewery beer tasting
• Savor hearty hors d’oeuvres
• Dive into a lively theological discussion with a special guest

It’s the perfect mix of fellowship, flavor, and faith—a chance to connect, unwind, and feed both body and soul.

Save the date—and keep an eye out the first week of September for full details and the registration link!

Exciting News from the Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee! The Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee has been busy over the past several months, including two in-person retreats filled with prayer, discernment, and lively conversation about the future of the Presbytery of Arkansas.

Now, an exciting milestone has been reached: the two new leadership positions—Executive Presbyter and Director of Operations and Congregational Vitality—are officially posted on the PC(USA)’s Church Leadership Connection (CLC), the denomination’s job matching service. Applications are open, and the Ministry Discernment Profiles (MDPs) can be found here:

·       Executive Presbyter

·       Director of Operations and Congregational Vitality

This is an important step forward for the Presbytery, and there is great anticipation for the leaders God will bring into these roles. Please help spread the word by sharing these opportunities with friends, colleagues, and networks who may be called to join in this next chapter of ministry in Arkansas!

New Presbyark.org Website is Live! As of Wednesday morning our new presbyark.org website is active. There will still be glitches, but just let Julie Price know when you find something that needs to be corrected.

Go check it out. See our great group photo, watch our new presbytery video, and see what else is new!

BOP Employer Agreement & 2026 Changes - Employer Agreements for 2026 benefits will soon be available in Benefits Connect.



From Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, through Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, congregations’ designated employer representatives can log in to Benefits Connect to review benefits options for 2026, make selections, and submit their Employer Agreement. No changes? There is no need to submit an Employer Agreement.

Are You in Charge of Christian Education? Then this is the group for You! The Presbytery of Arkansas' Resource Team is starting a new group, Faith Formation Connections (FFC) that is all about equipping and encouraging those of you who are in charge of Christian education in your churches. Whether you’re a paid staff member or the elder over education, whether your focus is children, youth, or adults—FFC is for you!

At each gathering, you’ll discover fresh ideas, practical resources, and inspiring tools to strengthen your church's ministry. Even more, you’ll have the chance to connect with others who share your calling, building relationships with leaders from other churches who understand the joys and challenges of this work.

The majority of FFC gatherings will be on Zoom, but the First two will be in-person:

• Wednesday, September 24th at First, Bentonville from 5:30 to 7:30
• Tuesday, September 30th at the Little Rock Presbytery Office from 5:30 to 7:30

Both gatherings will include dinner and are free. So, come be encouraged, refreshed, and resourced—because when we connect, we grow stronger together.

Youthquake 2025 - Calling all 6th-12th grade youth! Youthquake is approaching quickly -- register soon so you don't miss out on all the fun!

 Youthquake kicks off at 7pm on Friday, September 12th (make sure to eat dinner before you arrive!) and ends after breakfast and worship at 10am on Sunday, September 14th. The weekend will be filled with fellowship, faith, and fun as youth engage in small groups with people their age, large group worships and keynotes, and recreational activities such as energizers and Silent Disco! Our leadership includes Rev. John Arnold, Rev. Dr. Susan Arnold, and music led by Andy Watson of John Knox Ranch! Registration is $155/ participant, financial assistance is available (contact Sarah at arpres.ateam@gmail.com for more information). Deadline to register is September 1st.

The next Arkansas Pilgrimage will take place September 4-7 at Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center. Presbyterian Pilgrimage is a purposefully designed program for supporting individual faith renewal and growth. Pilgrimage is a short course in living the Christian faith and is designed to provide a framework for living as Christians in the local church and the world. It is a three-day weekend retreat filled with short talks, music, fellowship, small group discussions and much more. Weekends are led by lay men and women, with the participation and spiritual guidance of ordained Presbyterian Teaching Elders.

The next Ruling Elders in Ministry Retreat will take place November 7-8 at the University of the Ozarks. The format will be the one to which you are accustomed. If you have specific areas you would like to discuss, contact Phil Blackburn at pblackburn@ozarks.edu.

You Are Invited to a Gathering for Leaders Committed to Transformation. The NEXT Church National Gathering is happening November 11-14 in Grand Rapids, MI. We have intentionally curated five pathways to provide unique ways to explore the issues you are facing right now. By leaning into the tough conversations in one of these pathways, you will gain relevant skills in community alongside others asking questions, wrestling with similar doubts, and wondering what might be next. With courage and openness, you will find new ways to courageously transform the uncertain world around us all.

Communicators Club for Churches - Christen Kinard of Digital Congregations and Jaime Cowan of First Presbyterian Church in Georgetown, TX are forming a Communicators Club for Churches and Faith-Based Non-Profits. It is a free monthly online gathering for anyone who handles communications—whether it's your whole job, part of your job, or just something you fell into.

Princeton Theological Seminary is offering a fully online Spiritual Entrepreneurship Micro Certificate for faith leaders reimagining ministry in today’s world. Running from September 2025 to January 2026, the four-module program includes live, discussion-based sessions, earns 4 CEUs, and costs $299 per module or $995 for all four (a $201 savings).



Designed for current and aspiring ministry leaders, the program blends entrepreneurial strategies, project management skills, and hands-on applications to help participants develop new revenue streams and strengthen their ministry impact.

Mission of The Church Grants - The deadline for this year's final round of MOC grants is Wednesday, October 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 below for information about registering. Direct questions to committee moderator, Peg Falls-Corbitt and click below to learn more and apply for the grant by the October 15 deadline!

A Second Round of Faith Formation Resource Grants - The first round of grant requests yielded some great ideas from funding for a unique Advent event to providing some financial support to a mental health event. These grants to help kickstart a project in your worshipping community are now available from your Presbytery Resource Team! The purpose of these grants is to provide seed money to support Presbytery of Arkansas congregations and ministries in creatively engaging their faith community in practices of faith formation, Christian education, spiritual growth, and discipleship. 

These grants of up to $500 are to help you create a new Faith Formational program in your church or community that you otherwise would not have been able to afford to do. Look at the needs around you. Is there a need for a Grief-care or Divorce-care program in your community? Maybe you feel your church would rally around a new men's, women's, or intergenerational program or event. Maybe your church doesn't have children, but it has the man-power to sponsor a community VBS.

Pray, dream, then click below to learn more and apply for a Faith Formation Resource Grant by the October 30th deadline!

First Presbyterian Church of Bentonville invites applications for the position of keyboard player. This is a part-time position with an expected 8 to 10 hour per week commitment. Responsibilities include serving as the principal service musician, accompanying the choir and other ensembles as appropriate, and serving as primary organist/pianist for weddings and funerals. Ideally, the candidate will have organ proficiency and a strong keyboard background in various musical styles, and experience accompanying ensembles and musically supporting traditional worship services. This position works in collaboration with the Director of Music Ministry. Potential start date to be mutually negotiated, but preferably Summer or early Fall, 2025. Salary range is negotiable, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Please send expressions of interest to the Director of Music Ministry, Daniel Fry, at dfry@fpcbentonville.org, or to the Chair of the Personnel Committee, Gary Smyth, at garylp07@yahoo.com.

The Synod of the Sun is now accepting applications for the Director of the Synod Partnership for Disaster Recovery (SPDR) position. The deadline to apply is September 15, 2025. Read the job description.

SPDR began four years ago as a pilot initiative and Covenant Partnership between the Synod of the Sun, the eleven Presbyteries of the Synod, and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. SPDR is dedicated to connecting, equipping, and empowering Presbyterians to witness to the healing love of Christ through caring for communities adversely affected by crises and catastrophic events.

For more information, contact Rev. Mitchell Miller.