Volume 149 September 17, 2026 | | |
Connecting & Informing the Presbytery of Arkansas
September 17, 2026
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Featured Saturday Speaker: Dr. Lisa Bowens
Theological Discussion
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Lisa Bowens, associate professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, as our featured speaker at the 163rd Stated Meeting. Dr. Bowens comes to us through the Cotham Memorial Lectures at Westover Hills Presbyterian Church, where this year's theme is Faithful Resistance: The Church Responds to White Christian Nationalism.
Presbytery commissioners and guests will have a special opportunity as her presentation will be the same lecture associated with the Cotham Memorial Lectures at Westover Hills Presbyterian Church.
As an award-winning biblical scholar, Dr. Bowens' work includes African American biblical interpretation and the ways Scripture has been used to resist racism and injustice. She is the author of African American Readings of Paul: Reception, Resistance, and Transformation and is the first African American woman to earn tenure in Princeton Theological Seminary's Bible department.
A Theological Discussion on White Christian Nationalism will take place with Dr. Lisa Bowens on Saturday, October 3rd at 11:00 a.m. during the 163rd Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Arkansas held at First Presbyterian Church in Springdale.
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Make It a Presbytery Weekend!
Don’t wait until Saturday to come to Springdale! The 163rd Stated Meeting may be Saturday, October 3, but Presbytery weekend begins Friday afternoon at First Presbyterian Church, Springdale, with two workshops designed to give you practical ideas, new resources, and plenty to think about and take home to your congregation.
4:45–5:45 p.m. | Innovation Open House
Come explore! Rev. Judi McMillan and Scott Pontier of Ministry Architects will introduce the new interactive tools from the Presbytery’s Innovation Toolkit and Rooted Good resources. If you’re wondering what your congregation could try next, or simply looking for fresh ideas, this is your chance to see the tools in action.
6:30–8:00 p.m. | Neurodiversity and the Church
Rev. Dr. Jen Bluestein will lead a practical workshop on cultivating neuro-affirming congregations where neurodivergent people of all ages fully belong. Learn ways to adapt worship environments, rethink implicit behavioral expectations, and celebrate neurological diversity in the life of the church.
Come for one workshop, stay for both, and then join us on Saturday for the 163rd Stated Meeting. The Friday workshop registration deadline is Monday, September 28, and the Meeting packet will be posted on the Presbytery’s website on Friday, September 25.
Please register for either or both workshops before the meeting!
Get all the details in the buttons below.
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Presbytery Meeting Saturday Lunch Fundraiser
The lunch provided for the presbytery meeting on Saturday will be a meal of 4 flautas, rice & beans with lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa all for $10 a meal! Lunch will be prepared by members of the ALCANCE Board and their GED students and will be a fundraiser for this initiative. ALCANCE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the Latino communities and their families through education, leadership development and personal empowerment.
"We strive to cultivate strong leaders who drive positive change within their communities. By offering educational and technological programs, we support personal and professional growth, fostering active leadership to its fullest potential."
Learn more by clicking alcancenw.org. Both FPC Springdale and FPC Rogers host multiple GED and Computer classes per week for ALCANCE and this organization has become a vital presence for both congregations; especially FPC Springdale. Lunch options are being explored for those with dietary restrictions.
The upcoming 163rd Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Arkansas will be held on October 2-3, 2026 at First Presbyterian Church in Springdale, Arkansas.
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Stewpot to receive offering from 163rd Meeting Worship
It was 50 years ago that Presbyterians started a soup kitchen in downtown Little Rock to offer a hot lunch "to all who enter." This ministry, now supported by multiple churches, has served over 1.2 million meals. The worship offering at the Presbytery of Arkansas Stated Meeting on October 2-3 will be donated in honor of Stewpot's 50th anniversary.
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The Nominating Committee continues to work to fill the various roles in the presbytery for the coming year. Nominations are still needed for a few key positions including:
Moderator of the Presbytery 2028 (Vice Moderator in 2027)
2 Committee on Ministry (must be Teaching or Ruling Elder)
2 Coordinating Team (must be Teaching or Ruling Elder)
1 Mission of the Church
2 Innovation and Incubation (must be Teaching or Ruling Elder)
The nomination committee ideally asks for multiple nominees for each position so they can balance geography, age, gender, etc. If someone thinks of multiple people for a role, please nominate them. The committee is always happy to have too many names!
Please use the button below to submit nominations or email kim@presbyark.org AND robertwilliamlowry@gmail.com
| | The Board of Pensions will be hosting their Thrive Seminar at Austin Seminary October 22-23, 2026. This seminar is intended for those pastors who are within 10 years of their 65th birthday. The purpose of this seminar is to help pastors have greater confidence that they are prepared for retirement. The registration for this event closes on October 2, 2026. The seminar requires 20 confirmed attendees before it is on for certain. You can get 50 Call to Health points for participating in Thrive. If you have further questions, feel free to contact Kevin Keaton by email at kkeaton@pensions.org or by phone 215-435-1301. | | |
The Book of Order requires Leadership Training for elders every three years. More important than the requirement, however, is that Leadership Training provides an opportunity for meaningful conversations within sessions about how churches can create safe, welcoming, and transparent communities.
Our presbytery has been recommending the PRC (Practical Resources for Churches) video series of short video modules on a variety of topics. This year's list includes four new videos as well as suggestions for a number of online webinars. Click here to see the list.
| | News from Around The Presbytery | | This is DionTre. He goes by Tre. He had been unhoused five or six of the past 15 years, recently living in the woods and needing surgery. He is now recovering from his operation and is delighted to have a permanent tiny home at Providence Park. He has moved into the Gary Gault House that our Presbytery sponsored. A second house (named “Presby House”) is being built now. Presbyterians who would like a tour of Providence Park are invited to come out at 2 pm on September 27th. Providence Park is located at 6900 Green Road, Mabelvale. Contact David Gill (dgill@ferncliff.org) for information. | | |
Presbytery of Arkansas Second Annual Arkansas Women’s Book Retreat
The Arkansas Women’s Second Annual Book Retreat will be held at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center on October 13-15, 2026. The retreat is limited to 30 women – reserve your spot early.
Imagine three days nestled among the tall trees at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center – books in hand – with a circle of women who love to read and share just as much as you do. That’s exactly what awaits you at the Second Annual Arkansas Women’s Book Retreat for a midweek getaway you won’t want to miss.
Organized and led by Presbyterian women, this retreat is a gathering of hearts and minds. Whether you’re returning to renew old friendships or arriving for the very first time, you’ll find yourself at home in a warm, welcoming community of fellow readers and women of faith.
Over the course of our time together, we’ll dive into three books thoughtfully chosen by our book selection committee – one theology, one non-fiction, and one fiction – sparking rich conversations that linger long after the pages are turned. We’ll also make space for worship, quiet reflection, and plenty of fun. Come ready to be refreshed – body, mind, and spirit.

We encourage you to share your excitement about attending this retreat with other book-loving women in your congregation. For everyone, your registration is confirmed when the registrar, Candice, has received your form and check. Some financial assistance is available.
Registration & Pricing
Double occupancy (Recommended)- $180, shared room
Single occupancy- $250
We warmly encourage room sharing – it’s one of the best ways to spark the friendships that make this retreat so special!
Register & Contacts
Contact Candice Misenheimer, registrar, 501-749-1934 canmisen@gmail.com
Questions? Reach out to two of our founding retreat organizers:
Liz Branch, treasurer , 501-944-9743 erbranch@comcast.net
Catherine Lowry, 501-960-7676 colowry@gmail.com
Books for 2026:
Fiction: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Non-fiction/historical fiction: The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar
Theology: The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage by Richard Rohr
| | Grants, Scholarships, Apprenticeships | | |
Faith Formation Resource Grants - The last of the 2026 grants 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 and apply for a Faith Formation Resource Grant by the September 30th deadline!
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Mission Initiative Grants - The deadline for this year's last round of the MOC grants is October15. 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 the grant. Direct questions to committee moderator, Peg Falls-Corbitt and click below to learn more and apply for the grant by the October 15 deadline!
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Preparing to Apply for the World Communion Offering Grant
The PC(USA)’s Grant Management System
We are excited to share more details about the World Communion Offering Grants made possible by your faithful giving to the World Communion Offering. The PC(USA) utilizes an online grant management system to administer grants, and below are a few helpful tips and tricks to make the application process as easy as possible. 
If you haven’t used the PC(USA)’s grant management system, Akoya GO, before, you will need to set up an account in order to apply for a grant.
The WCO Grant application is intentionally brief and focused on clarity. It should take about 15 minutes to fill out the grant application online once all required content and responses to questions have been collected.
Required Documents and Other Grant Stipulations
Gather all required documents in advance. You can find the list of required documents on our World Communion Offering Grant FAQs. 
Additionally, applicants will agree to:
- Use funds as described in the application
- Share brief stories, images and/or reflections about the project’s impact for reporting and interpretation purposes
For all questions related to the World Communion Grant application, contact Marla Edwards at Marla.Edwards@pcusa.org.
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From the Office of Christian Formation: Updated Resource Page
Have you been looking for resources from the Office of Christian Formation? Click the button below to see the newly updated resource page listed by topic.
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Robert Williamson has a great podcast on the narrative lectionary that would be worth checking out. He is a Bible scholar and member of our presbytery.
It can be found on all the major platforms, and there is a search feature so folks can find the podcast on the scripture they need even if they aren’t following the narrative lectionary.
| | | | Looking for Podcasts that are Insightful and make you think?
Podcasts are not a passing phase they are a great way to expand your horizons, think about a topic in a different way and best of all, can introduce you to new ideas about God! The PC(USA) offers a number of podcasts for those just sticking a toe into the podcast world. Follow the prompt below for podcasts on everything from "A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast" to "Around the Table".
Interested in a take from other denominations? Check out Luther Seminary's Working Preacher for podcasts and discussions, not sermons, on that week's Revised Common Lectionary Scripture.
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Practical Resources for Churches
The PRC offers practical solutions to real world challenges, help you connect with your church the way you want, and covers a broad spectrum of topics from church growth to individual faith formation. Click on the circle to visit their site resources, and register for the listed upcoming webinars below
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- YouthQuake at Ferncliff September 18-20
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Arkansas Presbyterian Pilgrimage September 24-27
- 163rd Meeting of the Presbytery of Arkansas at FPC Springdale October 2-3
Click here to see the entire Presbytery calendar.
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The next update will be published October 1.
Send information for that publication to update@presbyark.org by Monday, September 28, 2026.
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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