Connecting & Informing the Presbytery of Arkansas
December 2, 2021
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Annual Statistical Reports
Important Dates!!!
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As we enter the last month of 2021 this is your first reminder of the annual statistical reporting season. The portal will be open for congregations to enter their statistical information beginning December 3, 2021 and ending on February 17, 2022. Most churches wait until January in case there are membership changes in the month of December.
This is the time to begin accumulating the information required for the report. The numbers you report for active membership will be the number used for our per capita contributions to the Office of the General Assembly (8.98 per member for 2022).
We will be sending login information with passwords to ministers and clerks of session in December.
If you have questions about entering your statistical information, please contact Kim Palmer or Stewart Smith at 501-663-2424.
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3 Ways to Support the A-Team Summer Trips |
1 - Encourage the youth connected to your congregation to participate. We have three fun trips planned for this summer: Junior High Jubilee (July 2-7, 2022), Montreat Youth Conference (July 16-23, 2022), and Triennium Youth Conference (July 24-28, 2022)!
2 - Volunteer to help! We are looking for 4-6 adult chaperones for each trip. We are also looking for adults who will help drive the students to and from these conferences. You do not have to send a youth participant from your church to volunteer as a chaperone or driver.
3 - Sponsor a participant. As you plan for next year, consider creating a scholarship budget for summer trips and camps so your students and adults can participate in this amazing programming!
Registration for all trips is due by January 15, 2022. A $100 deposit is needed with registration to secure your spot. Register by December 20 to receive $50 off your trip! Click here to register. For more information, contact Rev. Brianne Christiansen, Interim Director of Youth Ministries (brianne@presbyark.org).
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Retired Pastor's Online Gathering |
Retired pastors, we hope you will join members of the Presbytery staff next Friday, December 10, at 10:00am on the Presbytery's Zoom account for a time of catching up, sharing, and laughter.
If you don't receive a reminder email the day before with the link, contact Julie Price at julietannerprice@gmail.com.
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Recognizing that everyone is Advent focused; I still hope to stir interest in a zoom book study in the New Year on this very, very important book that was shared with me by Steven Kurtz (thank you!). As we struggle with changes around us and in the church, I found so much relevance as to how humans approach change and as leaders how we lead change. I want to talk about this with others in 2022 and hope some of you might even look it up and explore it in whatever down time you have after the rush of the holidays. I'll be back in touch about scheduling! Click here to listen to a podcast of an interview with the author that might tweak your interest.
Blessings, Carol Clark (Presbytery 'Builder')
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Racial Bias in Recent Policing Incident
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The Matthew 25 Taskforce discussed a recent policing incident that happened to one of the African American young adults of AR Presbytery, Marion Andrew Humphrey, Jr. Marion, a law student at the University of Arkansas, was pulled over on August 2, 2020 in Russellville, Arkansas for changing his mind on which exit to take from Interstate 40 in Russellville. Based on the video of the traffic stop, Taskforce members believe the traffic stop and manner of the search that followed exemplify the implicit bias that people of color are subjected to on a daily basis, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The Taskforce agreed that a concrete action that members of our Presbytery can take now towards dismantling racism is to make our objections known to the Governor of Arkansas and the Director of Arkansas State Police Colonel Bill Bryant.
Click here to read the letter and learn how to sign.
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Featuring Stewart Smith... |
Our own general presbyter, Stewart Smith, was recently featured on the Synod of the Sun’s ‘SunSpots’ podcast to discuss the travails and triumphs of ministry during multiple pandemics. Click here to read the article and listen to the podcast.
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Experience the Nativity story in a whole new way!
Interactive Nativity Experience, Alternative Gift Market, Festive Food and Drink, & more!
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I know you are not ready to think about this yet, BUT, you may want to write these dates on your January 2022 calendar. PRC (Practical Resources for Churches) will present two webinars to help you start preparing for Lent.
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Click here to read about and register for the January 12 webinar Lenten Resource from A Sanctified Art.
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Click here to read about and register for the January 18 webinar Lenten Resources from The Thoughtful Christian.
Sign up today. It's free!
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Presbytery of Arkansas
9221 N. Rodney Parham Road
Little Rock, AR 72227
501-663-2424
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