Presbytery of Blackhawk
CONNECTIONS news & updates
January 13, 2022
Blackhawk Presbytery Gathers for February Assembly on Zoom.. in the EVENING!

When the Assembly Planning Committee decided to choose zoom as the format for the February 8 meeting, several factors were considered: COVID cases looked certain to rise, weather uncertainty makes February the most likely of all the years' meetings to be problematic, and commissioners have expressed considerable interest in holding one or more meetings each year virtually.

However, a fourth factor brings opportunity. Holding an evening zoom meeting would give churches the opportunity to invite members to attend who find it difficult or impossible to attend meetings during daytime hours.

Therefore, the evening meeting will be February 8 at 6:30 pm on zoom. Details to follow. Please make a special effort to identify potential commissioners in your congregation with an interest in attending and invite them.

In addition to the business of the Presbytery, the Visioning Task Force will be guiding the learning and discussion opportunity for the meeting.

And, for the record, the planning team is looking forward to holding our first in-person Assembly meeting in two years on April 5! Location to be determined.
Annual Year-End Reports

The packets containing year-end reports, including the information needed to complete your Annual Statistical Report should be arriving in your church mailbox this week. Please don't delay in gathering the requested information for your church. Contact the office with questions.
RESOURCES:

APCE in Chicago
Feb. 9-12

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance responds to Colorado wildfires, Philippines typhoon, Midwest tornadoes

2022 NEXT Church National Gathering
May 16-19, 2022
at Montreat
The Latest
PARISH PAPER

January 2022

February 2022

Restrictions for Use and Back Issues found here


The countdown begins for this summer's big event as registration opens on February 1. Our Blackhawk registrar, Rev. Steve Bowie is dedicated to encouraging all 8th-12th graders, youth advisors, and college-age work crew members, to take part in this amazing experience. Won't you help?

Some good news: the registration fee of $515 for youth, $535 for Advisors and Work Crew will be partially offset by $200 per person grants from the Synod of Lincoln Trails! Housing is additional - $500 per hotel room for the week (two queen beds).

Per Steve: "Now - those are big numbers to be throwing around. May I encourage you, however, to think first of the young people around you who might benefit. Then think of the folks you know: parents, church members, teachers, relatives, who would be THRILLED to see this person invest in their spiritual formation and have a GREAT time at Triennium."

Express your interest or send your questions to our registrar.
The Synod of Lincoln Trails Coaching Summit

Back by popular demand... The Synod of Lincoln Trails is gathering fifty more dynamic and promising leaders from our eight presbyteries for the second annual coaching summit. Over a 42-hour period, SOLT will help you and your peers experience the multiple benefits of coaching.

Why it matters: At the SOLT Coaching Summit you will increase your capacity for leadership.
  • You will level up your imagination, energy, and grit.
  • You will gain ah-ha moments of clarity and insight, from each other and from our nationally-recognized master coaches, Rev. Drs. Laurie Ferguson and Chris Holmes
When: March 20, 2022 (7pm ET) - March 22, 2022 (1 pm ET)
Where: Indianapolis IN

Deadline: February 21, 2022

Questions: Rev. Dr. Sara Dingman, Synod Executive ([email protected] or 800.566.5996)
Digital Resource Guides from
PC(USA) Store

To help you plan your preaching, worship, group study, seasonal study, and mission building, the PC(USA) store has collected resources into convenient digital resource guides. With these guides, you can easily compare products, click through directly to product pages, and read excerpts. You can also email or print these to use for personal research or with committees. (All updated December 2021.)

IRS issues standard mileage rates
for 2022

Beginning on January 1, 2022, the standard mileage rates will be:

  • 58.5 cents per mile driven for business use, up 2.5 cents from the rate for 2021, and
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations; the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2021.
Still Building...

The new Blackhawk Presbytery website is still under construction (holidays and COVID have delayed its completion). Please continue to be patient - we are committed to bring you the best and will be certain information for the upcoming Feb. 8 Assembly meeting will be available. If you can't seem to find what you are looking for, please contact the office.
Matthew 25
Roundtable Discussions are being
re-evaluated with regards to schedule and format. If you have ideas, please let us know!

Learn more about the Matthew 25 Initiative on our website or on the PCUSA pages
Your photos tell your story
And who knows? They just might be part of the next Presbyterian Planning Calendar

By way of photo submission, Presbyterians are invited to tell the world the ways their church is carrying out the Matthew 25 invitation.
(Deadline to submit photos is Feb. 14.)
An Invitation from the
Presbytery of Chicago

Last summer, the Commission on Antiracism and Equity (CARE) hosted a series of conversations around the video series "The Color of Compromise, by Jemar Tisby." Many of you participated in one or more of the events and CARE invites you to continue or join in the conversation on Friday, January 21 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. This event is NOT dependent on your having participated previously, so please join in!

There is no cost, but it's helpful to know how many will attend so please register by going here: bit.ly/CARE2022Jan.
COVID Update

By now, many of our churches have modified their worship services and activities in the face of the disappointing statistics associated with the omicron variant of COVID. Thank you for thinking first of protecting your flock: of those with underlying medical conditions, children under 5 unable to be vaccinated, and your many elderly parishioners. The COVID-19 page will soon be available on our website again, with links to turn to for local, national and denominational information.

We pray for those who are sick with this disease, for those who's livelihoods are once again affected, for the overworked medical professionals and for all, children and adults, who are experiencing anxiety and loneliness.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
CALENDAR

Tuesday, February 8
6:30 pm on Zoom
PER CAPITA

The per capita assessment for:
2022 is $40.00

Church payments are posted monthly on the website
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.