Many Blackhawk Presbytery churches have resumed in-person worship, several are planning to gather soon and others are going to wait for many more months. At least one congregation has had to suspend their in-person worship following a confirmed COVID case among their attendees. Plans for children’s ministry also vary widely as churches seek to include their youth in some sort of faith formation programming from preschoolers to confirmation class to high school fellowship. In light of this ongoing decision-making process in many churches in the Presbytery, this week we are collecting information from you.

Please take a moment to complete our brief, 3-minute survey:

We want to hear from everyone and will share the general results at the September 8 Presbytery meeting. (Please don’t assume that someone else is replying for your church – duplicate surveys are welcomed.)

Are you struggling with how to reach the young people in your congregation during COVID time? Between juggling jobs and directing their kids’ remote schooling, families may see their church commitment take a back seat. Reaching out with understanding and creative ideas to keep children and families engaged is essential. Please mark your calendar for a gathering for people with a common goal - to share ideas and offer support as you wrestle with these challenges.

Please email us today for your invitation!

In the meantime, you might want to check out some of these favorite resources:

Plans are moving ahead for a day of shared worship on September 6. So far, four churches will be either participating or signing in. Pastor Steve Bowie, of Rockford Third Presbyterian is coordinating the effort for this special Labor Day weekend service and your congregation is invited! Pastors are weary, audio-visual people are weary - it's okay to offer something different to your church family.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Pastor Steve or the Presbytery office.

For the service, go to:

We want to encourage one another. Please contact us with your story!!

In May, the Sunday School students (1st -7th grade) of Elgin First received a letter inviting them to participate in a "Kindness Challenge": They challenged kids to find ways to show kindness to others and in this way to live out their faith. It was also a way to empower kids when life as we know it has changed in so many ways. High school students were encouraged to participate as well.

After a couple of months, Pastor Jon Phillips checked back in with families and discovered many wonderful and creative examples of the children stepping up to the challenge. Because many of the kids have been mainly at home, some of the acts of kindness they did were to help their families. Many kids helped with cleaning, cooking, and babysitting younger siblings or cousins so parents could work. Others helped in the grocery store, drove a grandparent to appointments and served as a lay liturgist for worship. A special edition newsletter highlighted all the stories, with pictures, and even included this tale: “M also told me that for one of her acts of kindness, she cheered up a friend whose hamster had just died. M made a little coffin for the hamster, she got dressed up and picked some flowers; and then proceeded to do a funeral service for the hamster before they buried it. By the end of it, she had her friend laughing again.”

Not only did the kids learn from their summer experience, but the congregation members who really miss seeing “their” kids got a beautiful glimpse of these precious children doing God’s work.

Opportunity to offer assistance to our Native American Churches in the southwest hit hard by the pandemic: READ MORE about the Synod of the Southwest's Native American Relief Fund. (new)

Blackhawk Presbytery COVID-19 page - information from past COVID updates is added regularly