Presbytery of Blackhawk

CONNECTIONS

November 12, 2024

Assembly Meeting Next Week

Tuesday, November 19


Please join us at 9:30 at Woodstock First Pres. or on zoom for the final meeting of 2024. All are asked to register, whether attending on zoom or in person to help us plan for lunch. Come to see familiar faces and some not so familiar as we gather, worship and break bread together. need to lead. We will elect new presbytery leaders. Come see familiar faces and some not so familiar as we gather and break bread together. 


The assembly will elect and install new presbytery leaders including Moderator Rev. Lisa Lopez-Meyer and Vice Moderator Pastor Mike Engle. We will be considering and voting on the first bunch of amendments to the PCUSA Constitution: 24-A, 24-C, 24-D, 24-E, 24-G. Also, the 2025 Presbytery budget will be presented for approval, additional business considered and information shared. Special guest, Sherri Finke, from the Presbyterian Foundation will also be in attendence to answer your questions.


The education hour series covering the Seven Marks of Vital Congregations continues with Empowering Servant Leadership, an important topic for all congregations to examine critically.


Please see the website for all the information: Contact the office if you need the password for the meeting documents.

Everyone Please Register
Website-header-for-2025 image

Is this your year for APCE? With with 60+ workshops and a variety of Pre-Event and Post-Event opportunities, there is something to energize everyone. CHECK IT OUT - Early bird registration ends Nov. 14.

RESOURCES:

2024-2025 Presbyterian Planning Calendars are available to order


Picture Books for Holidaty Giving from Flyaway Books


Living Waters for the World's "Water All Around the World" full-church curriculum (new this year!) is just what your church needs. Why? Because it's not just a VBS - there is something for everyone at your church


Mosaic is PDA's annual report. Each year, we demonstrate how your gifts made a difference.

The Current

Blackhawk Prayer Calendar

can be found on our website.

You are Invited


We are continuing our outreach effort with the third “Coffee in Your Corner”. The Presbytery staff (Eric and Loreen) is traveling around the Presbytery every 4-6 weeks to meet at a coffee shop where folks from surrounding churches (not just pastors!) can drop in for conversation, ask questions and just generally get to know us and each other.


Next stop will be Tuesday, November 26 from 2-3:30 pm in Morrison at The Bread Lady.


All are welcome - hope to see you then!

Youth Retreat a Joyful Success!


Over 90 youth and adult leaders gathered at Stronghold on the first weekend in November for fun, service, faith- and friendship-building and so much more.


Thank you to all the leaders and youth who took time out of their busy schedules to connect with God and nature and each other.


The dates for the confirmation retreat are Feb. 7-9, 2025 and the Presbyterian Youth Triennium happens July 28-31, 2025 (see below). Start planning now!


Your or your church's financial support for youth programming in Blackhawk helps to defray expenses for these faith formation experiences. See the Donate button on our website. Thank you.

"As If We Were Dreaming..."

 

Presbyterian YouthTriennium is very excited to announce the theme for the 2025 Triennium is “As If We Were Dreaming…” (Psalm 126). Together, next summer — July 28 – 31 — thousands of Presbyterian young people will meet in Louisville, Kentucky, for four incredible days of worship, recreation, group study, and fellowship. Participants will be reminded that they are born to dream, will share in collective dreaming, learn about facing the nightmares, and be called to wake up and dream as they carry their experiences home with them.

 

The participant fee for next summer’s event is $199. This fee includes all programming, event meals, an official Triennium T-shirt, and more. Travel and housing are additional costs. (Housing will be booked by each delegation at Triennium-designated hotels via Louisville Housing when registration opens in early 2025. The average hotel cost is $169 per room/per night plus tax.)

 

Stay tuned! More information rolling out very soon - a Blackhawk Delegation IS forming! Contact the office to be sure you stay informed. See the FAQs for who can attend etc.

Thank You!


For all the Blackhawk Presbytery churches who so unselfishly gave to our migrant housing mission - we thank you. Since its inception, we have found help in unexpected places as word traveled and you are no exception. The relief, delight and gratefulness your welcome box (apartment kit) will bring to a family is hard to describe in mere words. You have provided a form of stablilty for a family who most likely wondered if and when they would ever feel a bit settled and safe.


Muchas Gracias,

Pam Merrill, Clerk of Session,

First Presbyterian Church of Elgin

Two More Opportunities for

Session Records Reviews


Clerks or Clerk-helpers: Please prepare your records and bring them to one of the remaining review sessions. Thanks!

 

Saturday, November 16 at 10 am Elwood Community Pres. (101 N. Chicago St., Elwood IL 60421

Saturday, November 30 at 10 am Rockford Westminster Pres. (2821 N. Bell School Rd., Rockford IL 61107)


Please contact the office to RSVP.

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Advent Devotions -

Patterns of Divine Possiibility


The Presbyterian Outlook is once again offering accessible and stirring daily devotions for Advent by Outlook Editor Teri McDowell Ott.


These digital devotions can be emailed out to your congregation, printed as a complete booklet or added to the Sunday bulletin each week. READ MORE.


(Blue Christmas service and a Family Christmas Eve service are also available from Outlook.)

Hurricane Helene Response


An update from PDA:

"More than $150,000 in grants have been distributed to the affected presbyteries for immediate unmet needs as identified by the community--this can include but is not limited to potable water, hygiene items, medical care, shelter, fuel and more. We learn exactly how the funds are used when we receive the reports a few months after funds are disbursed." (READ MORE)


Congregations are still encouraged to give directly to PDA. If you want to support another on-the-grounds group, you could provide financial assistance to Black Mountain Presbyterian Church which is providing various forms of relief for their communities in western North Carolina.  


Assembling clean-up buckets is always an good response as well. Deliver them to the Church World Service drop-off location in Elgin (see all info). They have the know-how to get them where and when they are needed, and their warehouse is typically depleted after such a disaster.


And of course, keep praying for all those in this path of destruction and those coming to their aid.

In Memorium


Larry Coldwater, husband of Rev. Julia Baum-Coldwater passed away on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. She resides in Elwood where she is an Honorably Retired member of Blackhawk. Please read the Obituary.


Elder Marian DeWall, member of Shannon Prairie Dell and faithful presbyter in Blackhawk passed away Sunday October 13, 2024 in Rockford. Please read the Obituary.

Churches Host Fall Fun!

From Trunk & Treat events, to Fall Fests, to S'Mores night and a Veteran's Day Parade, thanks to so many folks for getting out into your communities to share good times. Clockwise from top left: Fairbury First, Oswego, Yorkville Au Sable Grove, Morris First, Bolingbrook First of DuPage, Woodstock First. (just a representative sample...)

Open Searches for Pastoral Leadership in Blackhawk

Also check our Employment Opportunities page

Solo Pastor: Installed

Westminster, Rockford


Solo Pastor: Installed

First, Dixon


Commissioned Ruling Elder

First Mendota


Solo Pastor: Installed (30 hours)

First Mendota



Solo Pastor: Installed

Second Cong./First Pres.

Rockford


Solo Pastor: Installed

First, Fairbury


Commissioned Ruling Elder

First Fairbury


See the CLC for more info - anyone can do an opportunity search


CALENDAR


Presbytery Meeting

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

9:30 am, Hybrid - in person at

Woodstock First and on zoom

PER CAPITA


The per capita assessment for:

2024 is $43.00

2025 is $44.00


Church payments are posted monthly on the website

Visit our website: blackhawkpresbytery.org

Presbytery of Blackhawk

Our Vision and Values

     Grounded in the biblical image for human community, as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, we challenge and support congregations to be thriving faith communities by facilitating competent leadership and resourcing to energize ministry and mission.

     As Christians, guided by the principles of love, trust, open communication, and genuine relationships, we value each other as sisters and brothers in faith in all our varied theological understandings. Therefore, we relish respectful discussions of differing opinions as a necessary part of discerning the will of God.

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