Greetings Arkansas Presbyterians!!

I preached last Sunday on the Ascension and am in the midst of preparing a sermon for Pentecost. Last week I talked about Karl Barth’s designation of this time period between the Ascension and Pentecost as “The Significant Pause”. The disciples knew something new and different was coming but they weren’t sure what it was. They knew they had a task, to be witnesses for Jesus, but they didn’t know how that would unfold. They were assured they would be given power and a presence to guide them along the way to an unknown future.  Read more...

Do you know someone who has the right combination of gifts and calling to serve on one of the presbytery committees or ministries? Well, it is Nominations season in the Presbytery of Arkansas and we are looking for more than a few good Presbyterians to help lead our ministries into the next chapter of our life together.

Do you feel called to serve Christ in a new way? The Presbytery of Arkansas needs volunteer leaders with wide-ranging gifts and skills. There are positions open on all committees and ministries. Click here to review the 2024 Nominations Form for information on open positions and the skills needed for each. This form can be found at presbyark.org/Resources/Presbytery Documents.

With a little help from you, the Committee on Nominations will put together a slate of candidates for the October presbytery meeting and before you can say "BINGO!" we will be off and running in the new year with the class of 2027!

You only have a few more hours to sign up! The deadline to register for the Travelers baseball game is Friday, May 17 at 12:00 noon.

The game will take place Friday night, May 31 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. The price of $15 per person also includes dinner and fireworks. So click here now to sign up and we'll see you out at the ole ballgame!

Rethink Children & Youth Ministry Summit will take place online each morning, May 20-24. They have a great line-up of speakers including PC(USA) pastors who are passionate about nurturing the spiritual growth and faith formation of children, youth, and their families. The virtual gathering will delve into various aspects of these vital ministries, providing insights, practical tools, and strategies to foster a strong foundation of faith.

Click here to learn more, see the line-up of panelists, and register. Take note, you can register for FREE and each morning, you will have access to the videos released that day. You'll have all day to watch the daily videos. At the end of the day, those videos will be updated with the next day's conversations. Or, you can pay the registration fee and have access to the recordings anytime.

Save the date! Shared Spaces: Exploring Possibilities - Is your church considering the idea of sharing space with other worshipping communities and/or organizations? Wouldn't it be great if you could listen, ask questions, and learn from the experiences of other churches who are already doing this?

Well, you can! On Thursday, June 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at First Presbyterian in Searcy the Presbytery will be hosting a panel discussion with churches that are currently sharing space with community organizations, 1001 Worshipping Communities, daycares, and other non-Presbyterian congregations. Hear their stories, ask your questions, and learn from their experiences.

Lunch will be provided. Final details are being worked out, so watch for a registration form soon. Contact Julie Price, Presbytery Connector, with your questions.

Registration Deadline is Close! Ruling Elders, have you ever felt called to preach, or officiate at the Lord’s Table? If so, the FREE, Second Annual Elders’ Retreat at the University of the Ozarks on June 7-9 is for you! Participants will receive basic instruction around the pastoral tasks of preaching, public speaking and officiating at the Lord’s Table. We will also have a conversation about small and rural church ministry in Arkansas. While this retreat will be geared toward rural and small membership churches, any and all ruling elders in the Presbytery of Arkansas who are interested in learning to preach or exploring the role of the Lord’s Supper in worship are encouraged to attend. 

Registration is capped at 25, and the deadline to register is May 24 or when the retreat is full. Click here to register. Click here to see the schedule for the retreat. All expenses will be paid by the Thriving in Rural Ministry program at the University of the Ozarks. If you have questions, please contact the Rev. Phillip Blackburn at pblackburn@ozarks.edu. 

High School Sabbath Saturday will be Saturday, June 8th, 9am - 3 pm along the King's River. Weather-permitting, high schoolers (9th-graduated 12th Graders) will enjoy a day of playing outside, playing in the river, relaxing and decompressing. We will limit our technology use and spend the day enjoying a little corner of the Natural State.

The cost is $30 per youth. Please register by June 1st, 2024. Click here to register.

Mission Grants Round 2! Does your church have a dream for a new mission or of expanding a current one, but you don't quite have enough funds? The Mission of the Church Committee is offering grants of up to $1500 for qualifying projects.

Click here to learn more and register. The deadline to apply is July 15!

Adultquake '24, Save The Date - Are you looking for a weekend of rest & renewal with other adults at camp? Are you a clergy person who needs a Thursday - Saturday Sabbath event? Are you a former Arkansas Presby kid who is missing your YouthQuake days?? 

We have a retreat for you! Join us November 7-10 for a restful weekend at Ferncliff. Thursday evening will be an optional add on for clergy (or anyone) who needs to be back to their gigs on Sunday. Mark your calendars now and watch for the registration link and more details to come in the next month!

Registration is now open! This year’s Evangelism Conference, planned by Theology, Formation & Evangelism, repents of “expressions of evangelism” that have “hurt people and promoted injustice” and encourages ways of embodying the good news that promote healing and compassion.



Click here to learn more and register for this conference to be held October 3-5 at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

Free Legacy Bulletin Inserts - Now is the time to create a lasting legacy that can inspire future generations!

To help you inspire legacies that change the lives of others and support the ministry of your church, TPF is pleased to offer, at no cost to you, a new PRINT and a new DIGITAL bulletin insert, along with many others, designed to inspire generosity and spark excitement around legacy giving. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR LEGACY BULLETIN INSERTS!

If you prefer not to use the Internet for ordering or you have any questions, call 1-800-955-3155 or email inforequest@tpf.org.

Stewardship 2024 With 3 FREE Themes - PRC, Practical Resources For Churches will have a webinar on Tuesday, May 28 at 1:00 pm where they will cover the currently available stewardship resources as well as share, for free, all of the materials for three different stewardship campaigns.

So get a jumpstart on your stewardship planning for 2024. Click here and register today! All webinars are recorded and can be watched at a later time.

To see all of the upcoming and recorded webinars from PRC, click here.

The Commissioning Service of Mary Jane Fischer

as CRE of First Presbyterian Church Jacksonville

will be held on Sunday May 19 at 3:00 p.m. at First

Presbyterian Church, 1208 W. Main St.

You are invited to join the congregation of First

Presbyterian on this joyous occasion.

We also invite you to lift up Mary Jane and her family in prayer.

Mission Grant Recipient, Central in Pine Bluff has a program where they supply weekend backpack meals to high school students from low income families. When they received a call that the needs had grown, but they didn't have enough funds to fulfill those increased needs, they applied for and received a Mission Grant from the Presbytery's Mission committee. Thanks to that grant, they helped make sure no student went hungry.

The next round of Mission Grant applications are due July 15. Click here to apply.

Video report from Kathy Lee-Cornell, Director

Synod Partnership for Disaster Recovery - 2024 has already been an active year for the Synod Partnership for Disaster Recovery, beginning with an arctic blast in January to the largest wildfires in Texas history, and the most recent tornadoes that swept across the Central Plains at the end of April. 

Click here to watch a 5-minute update report on the events and disaster recovery efforts happening across our 11 presbyteries in the Synod of the Sun. You will hear how congregations have been impacted by disasters, how church members have supported neighbors in need, and how you can continue to be a part of providing hope in times of chaos.