A Season of Revelation and Renewal

“. . . [T]hey set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.”

Matthew 2:9-10

This week, we celebrated the Epiphany of the Lord—a moment in the Christian calendar that draws us into the story of God’s revelation to the world through the Christ child. The arrival of the magi, following the light of the star, reminds us that God’s love knows no bounds and invites all of creation to be part of the divine story.

Epiphany also coincides with the beginning of a new year, a time ripe with possibilities and promise. As we look ahead to 2025, I am filled with hope for all the ways God will continue to work in and through this presbytery. Together, we will begin the important work of searching for a permanent General Presbyter, and we look forward to welcoming that person at the appropriate time to help guide us into the future. Read more...

Child Protection Policy - The draft of the Presbytery's "Policy for the Protection of Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults" was introduced at the October Presbytery Meeting. Click here to read the draft, along with a letter from Rev. Maggie Alsup. The Stated Clerk, the Chair of Youth and Young Adult Committee, and the Transitional Youth and Young Adult Developer all reviewed the draft prior to sharing at the meeting. The document has also been shared with legal counsel since the October meeting.

Note: At the meeting, several people asked that we create an introductory paragraph about this policy to clarify its purview and make sure it is delineated from our individual congregations. We will be adding a caveat clarifying that this policy pertains to Presbytery events/trips and does not apply to individual churches/Presbytery organizations. However, the paragraph will also state they are invited to use the policy as a template in their own contexts.

Please send feedback to Rev. Maggie Alsup (margaret.alsup@lyon.edu) or presbytery staff member Sarah Leer (sarah@sarahleer.com) by Jan. 15th. After receiving feedback, we will modify the draft and bring it forward for a vote at the Presbytery Meeting in February.

• 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.
• Year-end Giving - Churches, please remember to get your 2024 Benevolences into the Presbytery office by January 10, 2025. Please note on check if it's for 2024 or 2025 so we can credit accordingly-Thank You!
• New 2025 Clerks of Session - if you will 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.
• 2025 Presbytery Meeting Dates - All three meetings will be in-person, February 21-22/Lyon College, May 31/TBD, October 17-18/TBD.

All but 19 churches have completed their 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.

These surveys are very important for the work of the visioning Team and the presbytery staff. If you have any questions, contact Julie Price, Presbytery Connector. If you aren’t sure whether your congregation has completed the survey, reach out to your church staff to make sure.

We really appreciate the time you take to do this!

Save the Date!! The next edition of R.E.M. will take place at the University of the Ozarks on Friday, February 28 through Saturday, March 1. This event will focus on congregational membership care and integration, and personal, congregational and public prayer. The event is free for any Ruling Elder in the Presbytery of Arkansas. 

Contact Phil Blackburn with questions.

Proposed Amendment Discussion - On January 22, at 10am, our stated clerk, Blake Brinegar, will lead a Zoom discussion on the proposed amendments to the Book of Order. Our presbytery will vote on these amendments at the February 21-22, 2025 meeting at Lyon College. The Proposed Amendments can be found here. To register for this webinar, fill out this form and submit. 

If you have questions, you can contact Blake at revbrinegar@gmail.com . The link for the Zoom discussion will be sent out before the webinar. 

Ash Wednesday is March 5th this year, so let's gather on Zoom Tuesday, January 21st at 1:00 pm to do some planning! We'll share resources and ideas for worship, fellowship, faith formation, and mission. Bring ideas of things you have done or heard about to share. This is for pastors/CREs, educators, and any church members involved in Lent planning.

To register, click here.

Direct questions to Julie Price, Presbytery Connector.



Congregations and individuals can support the Honduras Mission Trip - Our Presbytery group is heading for Honduras this March. Click here to read their January Newsletter article.

Ways for churches and individuals to support the mission:

• Pray for the team and their work.
• Help purchase Bibles and instruments for two rural churches.
• Share their newsletter article in your church bulletin.

Contact Leigh Woodruff if you have any questions.

Soul Shop is an interactive workshop that equips community leaders and people of faith to train their organizations to care for those impacted by suicidal desperation. Chaplain Maggie Alsup is a Soul Shop Trainer and can lead your congregation, session, and community through a one day training program.

At a Soul Shop workshop, you will learn:

• How to prevent suicide in your community
• The signs of suicide risk and warning signs
• How to ask a person at risk if they might be thinking about suicide
• How to be a companion to those experiencing suicide loss
• About local and national resources available for suicide prevention
• What the Bible has to say about suicide 
• How to integrate suicide prevention into the life and ministry of your faith community

The workshop includes the creation of worship/faith resources, training in suicide awareness and basic conversation skills, and advice on how to extend the invitation to those who have been suicidal in the past to share their stories. The workshop also addresses the question of how to cultivate a soul-safe culture within your community.

The mission of Soul Shop is to equip leaders and congregations to minister to those impacted by sucide. Soul Shop wants to create a world where no one loses hope and no one feels alone.

If you are interested in learning more or wish to set up training for your community, reach out to Maggie today. Watch for information about a pre-presbytery Soul Shop workshop where Maggie will give an overview of the program.

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.

Six Stone Jars: The Economy of Jesus - Fully scripted worship services for the new year from Worship Design Studio focuses on the story of the wedding at Cana. The guests have drunk all the wine before the party is over. At times life can feel like we’re “running out” of so much, and scarcity is shutting down the party. In these moments, we are invited to turn to the currency and economy of Jesus. In his economy, the true measure of abundance is fullness for the whole community, not just for some. Let us build the Kin-dom of God by drawing from jars of Hope, Purpose, Healing, Meaning, Vision, and Grace for all people.

Does Your Welcome Team Need Revitalizing? Do you know that a first time visitor to your church will decide within 7 minutes of entering your parking lot if they will come back? So, what kind of impression are you making in your first 7 minutes? The new year is the perfect time to work on revitalizing your church Hospitality/Welcome team or creating one from scratch.

You will discover articles, webinars, and other resources on hospitality on our Ministry Resource pages under Church Vitality.

Why wait? Check it out today and start making a better impression on your visitors.