Connecting & Informing the Presbytery of Arkansas
February 2, 2023
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The Presbytery Office continues to sit empty. Repairs have been made to the broken pipe. All contents of the building have been moved offsite to a storage facility. A 24” cut has been made to remove drywall throughout the building. We are picking out carpet colors and tile this week as we await word from the insurance company (Church Mutual) on approving the “buildback” estimate. We are unsure when the work will begin. In the meantime, all staff continues to work from home.
Please continue to send mail to 9221 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, AR 72227. Mail is being forwarded to a P.O. Box. The Presbytery Office phone continues to work for Stewart and Kim as we utilize Ring Central, a voice over internet protocol system. Other staff members can be reached on their cell phones which can be found on the website.
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We're Listening: The Amendments
Thursday, 2/9 @ 10:00am
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On Thursday, February 9th at 10:00 am there will be a discussion on the Proposed Amendments to the Book of Order. This discussion will be held on the Presbytery’s zoom account. Click here to get the link to join.
The aim of the discussion is to introduce and familiarize ourselves with the amendments before the March meeting of the Presbytery. I have included a link for the Book of Proposed Amendments. Note, there are 33 amendments coming before the Presbytery to vote on. Also be aware that the Book of Proposed Amendments is lengthy, about 133 pages. Don’t worry, the last half of the book is a complete rewrite of The Rules for Discipline, and several of the amendments are pretty straightforward. We will start with the amendments which seem to be generating the most attention and work our way from there. I look forward to seeing you at the discussion. Blake Brinegar, Stated Clerk
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Honduras Mission Trip
Scheduled for March 16-26
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Register by February 10!
We have a lot of exciting information regarding the March Presbytery of Arkansas Honduras trip! Leigh Woodruff, Roy Horan, and I were just with about 15 of the Honduran Presbytery leaders in Tampa, FL, and we have been able to develop a proposed itinerary that our Honduran siblings in Christ believe is viable and will be a genuine help to the presbytery and its vision.
We are currently seeking the best flights for Saturday, March 16-Saturday, March 25. We are still seeing one flight on American (from Tulsa through Dallas) that is under $700, and that is a very good price. Click here to read the article.
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First Conway
The First Cool Congregation in Arkansas
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First Presbyterian Church, Conway, is the first house of worship in Arkansas to be certified as a Cool Congregation by Interfaith Power and Light. Left, the church's Green Team presented a certificate to Rev. Mike Ulasewich, pastor, Sunday, January 22, 2023. Green Team Members (picutred left to right) are Ann Owen, Jan Spann, Betsy Gillaspy-Williams, Scharmel Roussel.
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Invitation to Retreat, A Book Discussion
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"If you don't come apart for a while, you will come apart after awhile."
These words by Dallas Willard highlight the importance of pastors and all people finding ways to 'rest' and more specifically to 'rest with the Lord'.
Invitation to Retreat by Ruth Haley Barton reminds us of what is so easy to forget in the rush of ministry and life and that spending friendship time with God is so needed. On Thursday, February 23 at 1pm, everyone is invited to join a discussion about 'retreating' - retreating not in a place apart, but from a place within.
The kindle book is available on Amazon. They also have the hardback but delivery looks slow. Christian books has the book in stock. The reading is appealing and might be a possibility to form a series for your congregation because being super busy isn't a province of pastors alone. We will meet by zoom on the Presbytery's zoom platform.
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Youth @ Presbytery
Register HERE by Friday, February 24!
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Bridge Builders Spring Reading Group |
Bridge Builders Reading Group (BBRG), an ecumenical, interfaith group, will hold its Spring 2023 series of discussions on Tuesdays, March 7, 14, 21, and 28, 6:30-8:30pm. Meetings will be both by Zoom and in person, at Westover Hills Presbyterian Church, 6400 Kavanaugh, Little Rock 72207.
In order for the book study to be successful, participants will need to be open, vulnerable and express their deepest feelings -- without worrying about feeling attacked. We provide a safe space for any ideas and thoughts — from anyone.
Yours faithfully, Bridge Builders Planning Team, Dr. Joel Anderson, Rev. Dr. Bill Branch, Liz Branch, Dr. Wynona Bryant-Williams, Rev. Carol-Ann Blow, Rev./Judge Marion Humphrey, and David Murray
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Update Your Pastor Information |
Just a friendly reminder if your pastor received an increase in compensation, it is necessary to report this to the Board of Pensions. There is also a form on the presbytery website under Presbytery Documents, titled Compensation Report which needs to be filled out and returned to the Presbytery Office. The Presbytery does not notify the Board of Pensions about changes in Terms of Call, and the Board of Pensions does not inform the Presbytery of changes in Terms of Call either. These are two separate processes. Not notifying the Board of Pensions of changes to Terms of Call can have detrimental effects on one’s pension, and other benefits.
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Arkansas Presbyterian Pilgrimage Weekend #34 |
Arkansas Presbyterian Pilgrimage Weekend #34 will be held at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center beginning on Thursday, April 13 thru Sunday, April 16. Weekend Co-Moderators Clark Middleton (FPC Prairie Grove) and Peg David (Mt. Vernon PC – Pea Ridge) invite you to pray for discernment to step out and experience a weekend filled with God’s presence, Christ’s embrace and the Holy Spirit mixing it all up to provide you with a renewed and refreshed faith. The weekend can’t be described in words, it has to be felt, heard and seen to understand the impact that only you can appreciate. Pilgrimage is a lay-led mission supported by volunteers who donate their time and talents to staff each weekend. Application deadline is April 2. Register online by clicking here. To register by mail, click here and download the online form.
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What Your Disaster Preparedness & Response Subcommittee (DPRS) Offers Your Church |
As the name of the subcommittee suggests, DPRS offers preparedness and response assistance to the Presbytery’s congregations and communities. The subcommittee operates as a subgroup of the Mission of the Church Committee.
On the preparedness side, we work with congregations who want to make a preparedness plan and to find resources for making church buildings and people more resilient and ready for unforeseen circumstances. Congregations with disaster plans can apply to the committee for grants to help pay for such things as generators or showers (useful for churches intending to serve as community shelters).
As for response, after the Christmas 2022 cold snap, subcommittee members checked in with congregations to see if anyone needed our financial assistance. DPRS is currently working with Central Presbyterian in Pine Bluff to help a church family replace furniture lost in the January flooding that hit SE Arkansas. Also, in 2022, DPRS granted funds for FPC Jonesboro to administer to assist neighboring communities hit hard by tornadoes in December 2021.
An emergency is something your congregation can handle itself; a disaster is something that overwhelms your local resources. Please let the presbytery know when you need DPRS assistance. Please work on your preparedness plans. You’ll be glad you did.
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Final Call for Statistical Reports
Due Thursday, 2/16
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It is that time of year again. It is annual statistical season for our congregations. The Clerks of Session should have received an email letting them know their user ids and passwords.
If you are still unsure of how to access the annual statistical report, feel free to contact Kim Palmer, kim@presbyark.org, or our Stated Clerk, Blake Brinegar, revbrinegar@gmail.com, for assistance. The deadline to submit the reports is February 16, 2023. Thank you for help in getting these reports in by the deadline.
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Watch The Art Of Gathering Recording |
Our recent Listening Session with Georgia Senor on the book The Art of Gathering, How We Meet And Why It Matters by Priya Parker was quite engaging and eye-opening. Thinking through our events and understanding why we do what we do brings an intentionality to gatherings that can change lives.
If you missed the event, never fear. Click here and watch the recording as well as get access to resources that were shared.
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Lenten Studies
If you are looking for a study to do this Lenten season, here are two new new ones and the authors are both doing free webinars to talk about them. You can find more lent ideas and resources on the Lent Ministry Resource page at presbyark.org.
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- Tuesday 2/7 10:00am COM
- Thursday 2/9 10:00am We're Listening: The Amendments
- Tuesday 2/14 10:00am Staff Meeting
- Friday-Sunday 2/17-19 Collegequake @ Fernclifff
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Presbytery of Arkansas
9221 N. Rodney Parham Road
Little Rock, AR 72227
501-663-2424
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