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Volume 47/June 2, 2022

The Presbyark Update

Connecting & Informing the Presbytery of Arkansas

June 2, 2022

It's This Saturday!

The day is almost upon us for the 150^th stated meeting of the Presbytery of Arkansas. We will gather on the Presbytery Zoom this Saturday morning, June 4 at 8:30am.

Click here to register.

Click here to find all of the documents.

Our offering will go to support the youth summer trips and you can click here to donate now.

Digging Deeper with Tod Bolsinger

At the 150th meeting of the Presbytery of Arkansas, our guest speaker will be the Rev. Tod Bolsinger, author of Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change. Tod will be speaking with us about adaptive leadership, the topic he deals with in his book.

Following his talk, there will be some time for Q&A, but, if you want to spend more time with him digging deeper into the topic, Tod will be zooming with us again on Thursday, June 16th at 1pm as a follow-up on our leadership conversation where we can have more in-depth discussion and dig deeper into the topic of adaptive leadership.

Mark your calendars now and take advantage of these opportunities to learn more about being a transformational leader.

Stated Clerk Position Opening

The Presbytery of Arkansas is now receiving applications for the position of Stated Clerk for the Presbytery of Arkansas. This will be a part-time position and applicants need to be either a ruling elder or a Minister of Word and Sacrament of the PCUSA. The position will not require living in Little Rock, but occasional time in the presbytery office may be needed. Desired skills include a familiarity with the Book of Order and the Presbytery of Arkansas Ministry Manual; experience and/or skills in teaching; demonstrated ability to collaborate and cooperate with groups and individuals; good organizational skills with attention to details; reliability; and experience and skills in situations of conflict.

Click here to view the job description. It is also posted on the bottom of the homepage at presbyark.org.

Retired Pastor's Meeting

Whether you've been retired for years or months, join Stewart Smith on Friday, June 10 at 10:00am on the Presbytery Zoom for a time of catching up and connecting.

There's no registration required. You should receive an email reminder the day before the meeting. If you have any questions, contact Stewart at stewart@presbyark.org.

The 225th General Assembly Begins

On Saturday, June 18 the 225th meeting of the General Assembly will kick-off with three plenary sessions ending with the election of the next moderator.

On Sunday morning, June 19, GA will commemorate Juneteenth, a day recognized by descendants of slaves as their independence day, with a special worship service. The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, will be preaching. There will also be special selections of music and scripture.

All Plenaries, , Worship, Committee Sessions, & Special Events will be livestreamed at the GA225 Homepage and the Spirit of GA Facebook Page.

THE VIOLENCE PROJECT BOOK DISCUSSION

Two days before summer vacation, families and a community were shattered by the school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas. Soon memes appeared "thoughts and prayers are not enough" and of course they aren't enough, but thoughts and prayers can also be avenues to thoughtful, prayerful action. In the wake of yet another school shooting, I know I need to talk with people as I consider what action I (and maybe we) can take other than the usual things I do like writing my representatives and supporting organizations that work at many different levels about violence.

I found a book called The Violence Project that I think can be a good springboard for constructive discussion. If you would like to be a part of a discussion with me, I'd be so grateful. The plan is to meet on 4 Mondays (June 20, June 27, July 11, and July 18) at 3pm by Zoom. Please email me (cbclark05@aol.com) or text/call me 501-563-6279 if you can be a part of one or more of our discussions on Mondays. The book is available on Amazon with kindle, hardback and etc.

The authors of the book are psychologist Dr. Julian Peterson and sociologist Dr. James Densley, who are the leaders of "The Violence Project," a non-partisan Center working on a strategic and holistic response to violence. Read the reviews and take a look at their work. I think it's worth discussing together.

What's your number?

Mark your calendars for the four Thursdays of August (4,11,18, 25 from 4pm-6pm) for zoom workshops on The Enneagram. The Enneagram is rooted in an ancient, dynamic system for understanding ourselves (and others). Whether you know nothing or feel that you are well versed in the Enneagram, you can benefit from the leadership of Beth Mueller, Sr. Director of Worship Arts at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas.

We will not make recordings of the sessions, as the discussion and interaction are crucial to the best sessions. You do not need to take any 'tests' to have your number prior to the meetings, just be on time for each for every exciting day of learning. Click here to learn more and register by August 3.

Don't You Want To Be A YAT?

Do you want to help plan events in the Presbytery of Arkansas? Do you want to get to know your fellow youth from around our Presbytery better? Do you want to be more involved with Youthquake and summer trips?

Then sign up to be a part of the Presbytery's Youth A-Team (aka, Youth Advisory Team or YAT).

Who can apply?

- 10th-12th Grade Students

- College Students

- Adults

What is the commitment?

- Attending two weekend planning meetings (Aug/Sept and Jan/Feb)

- Being part of the Leadership Team for at least one YAT Event

- Participating in YAT programming throughout the year

To apply, submit this form by July 15th.

Did Your Church Receive Their Brochures?

The Presbytery now has a brochure full of information about ways that we can help you, as an individual or a congregation, connect and become more involved. It also gives an overview of opportunities the Presbytery has available to help your congregation in their ministry as well as photos of staff members along with their contact information.

Sets of these brochures were mailed out to each congregation this week. A pdf of the brochure can also be found at the bottom of the homepage at presbyark.org or by clicking here.

A Note From Your Presbytery Connector

Hi, I'm Julie Price, your Presbytery Connector. I am the person who sends you these Updates on the first and third Thursdays of each month. I wanted to let you know that I will be on vacation during the third week of June, so you will not be receiving your second monthly Update until June 23rd. Of course, you will still receive email reminders and see Facebook posts that will be scheduled.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you. Blessings.

Free 2-Hour Preaching Workshop

With Carey Nieuwhof

Whether you’re new to preaching or have years of experience, this free preaching accelerator will help you preach more engaging, relevant, and memorable sermons, week after week.

Master two of the tried-and-true strategies that Carey Nieuwhof learned in his 25+ years of being a Pastor at a growing church:

June 20th—How to craft a clear and compelling key takeaway that your audience will remember for months after your message
June 21st—How to deliver a talk without using notes (it’s easier than you think)

Click here to register.