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Week of August 26, 2026
E-News
| | For correspondence mailing/emailing please use the appropriate address: | | Presbytery Calendar At-A-Glance | |
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Prayer Calendar: August 30 - Oak Hill Presbyterian Church, Akron, TE Brian Nutt
- Sept 3 - FMDT plenary, 7:00 p.m., Zoom
- Sept 7 - Labor Day
- Sept 8 & 9 - Preachers Studio for Renewal, 9:00 a.m., Brecksville United Church of Christ.
- Sept 8 - FMDT cohort, 7:00 p.m., Zoom
- Sept 10- Resource Committee, 10:00 a.m., Zoom
- Sept 10 - COM, 5:30 p.m., Zoom
- Sept 14 - AMC, 4:30 p.m., Zoom
- Sept 16-20, Presbytery Mission trip to Cass Community Social Services, Detroit, MI
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Preaching Workshop
September 8 & 9, 2026
Brecksville United Church of Christ, 23 Public Square, Brecksville, Ohio 44141
There are still a few openings for preachers to attend the Preaching Workshop!
Join us for a workshop with Anna Carter Florence and Jake Myers from Columbia Theological Seminary (CTS), as we explore the upcoming lectionary texts together.
- We will discover some new strategies for reading Scripture that are easy to grasp and easy to adapt to your context.
- We will move from text to sermon, as we consider what the familiar stories might have to say to us this year.
- We will talk about some images of the preacher to spur thought and conversation.
- We will share roundtable conversation about how the light of the world might be illuminating our own congregations and our own lives, as preachers.
This event is sponsored by the CTS Preacher’s Studio for Renewal and hosted by the Great Lakes Call Finder. Preachers from Eastminster Presbytery (PCUSA), Living Water Association (UCC), and Northeast Ohio Synod (ELCA) are invited to participate in this lively and energizing deep dive into Scripture and your own preaching ministry.
If you have questions or are interested in attending, please email Barry@eastminsterpresbytery.org.
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2027 Minimum Compensation Standards (formerly Minimum Terms of Call)
At the Gathering in August, Presbytery voted to approve the 2027 Minimum Compensation Standards, which include a 4% increase in Total Cost of the Church to reflect the impact of Board of Pensions dues increases and inflation. As finance committees and sessions begin working on next year's budget, COM has made resources available, which are on the Resource Page of our website to include the approved 2027 Minimum Compensation Standards explanation, a self-calculating Minimum Compensation Excel spreadsheet, and the Annual/Initial Minimum Compensation worksheet (that can be submitted to COM after the 2027 Standards are approved by the congregation). In addition to the resources on our Resource Page, the Board of Pensions has released the 2027 dues package costs and simple steps to prepare for the 2027 Employer Agreement.
We are here to help anyway we can! Please contact the church COM liaison, Barry@eastminsterpresbytery.org or Diane@eastminsterpresbytery.org with any questions or concerns.
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Boundaries Training Opportunity
The Vine Fellowship, Copley
Sunday, October 11, 4:00 p.m.
The Book of Order and the policies of Eastminster Presbytery require that all Ministers of Word & Sacrament who are actively serving, all ruling elders enrolled as members of the presbytery (Commissioned Pastors, chairs of committees, etc.), all inquirers and candidates, all presbytery staff, and anyone on the pulpit supply list complete boundaries training which includes the topics of sexual misconduct and child & youth protection at least every 36 months. We also encourage those members of the Committee on Ministry and Permanent Judicial Commission who are not otherwise required to complete this training to complete it voluntarily as their work often intersects with the included topics.
On at 4pm on Sunday, October 11 we will have an in-person boundaries training at The Vine Fellowship in Copley taught by Pastor Lisa Zimmerman (Allenside & Firestone Park). Before entering ministry, Lisa worked for the Medina County Domestic Relations Court and Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center working with survivors of abuse and has been doing some study on these issues in the church to help us provide additional opportunities for people to learn about these topics. This training will meet the requirements for Eastminster Presbytery and is intended to be accessible for congregation members so sessions should discuss if it meets the requirements for their own training expectations for session members, Sunday School teachers, etc. Registration not required
| | Ministry at the Mexican Border | | |
The Resource Committee is excited to share that Rev. Mark Adams will visit Eastminster Presbytery in early October and preach on October 4 at the Akron-area joint service (10:30 a.m. at Northminster in Cuyahoga Falls). Mark, a former PC(USA) Mission Co-Worker, and his wife, Miriam Maldonado Escobar, continue their ministry on the Mexican border with Frontera de Cristo, supporting immigrant communities. He now serves as the U.S. Director of Frontera de Cristo. Plans are in the works for him to visit our congregations across Eastminster, offering opportunities to meet him, learn about his work and Frontera de Cristo, and explore ways the presbytery can offer support. Final details will be shared in the E-News once confirmed.
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Season of Peace and World Communion Offering
September 6 - October 4, 2026
In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Season of Peace is a month‑long opportunity for congregations, small groups, families, and individuals to explore and deepen the pursuit of peace. It is a time for reflection and action, encouraging members to examine their commitment to peace, justice, and the care of God’s creation both locally and globally. During this year's Season of Peace, you are invited to celebrate by focusing on peace in your personal life and the wider world and then giving to the World Communion Offering, which supports peacemaking work, as well as other justice and reconciliation initiatives.
Celebrating the Season of Peace Through Togetherness
Reach out to someone in your church family you haven’t spoken to in a while. It can be a phone call, a handwritten note, sharing a cup of coffee, or even sitting together during worship. These small gestures remind us that we are not just individuals in a pew—we are a community bound by faith, love, and care for one another.
Celebrate the Season of Peace Through Memory
Take time to cherish the moments that have shaped your life and relationships. In the company of parents, children, or other family member, set aside a special day to look at old photo albums/scrapbooks, watch treasured home videos, or visit a place that holds a deep personal or family meaning. As you share stories, laughter, and maybe even a few tears, you will be reminded of the blessings of connection and the peace that comes from gratitude.
Celebrate the Season of Peace Through Kindness
Embrace the true spirit of peace by offering love and generosity. Volunteer with a local cause or community project, help a neighbor with errands, yard work, or simply by offering a listening ear, or perhaps share your time at a community garden, food pantry, or shelter. Sometimes, the most meaningful celebrations aren’t marked by decorations or gifts, but by the quiet joy of making someone’s day a little brighter.
Celebrate the Season Through Understanding
Learn about a country currently experiencing war or the lasting effects of conflict by reading about the history and culture of that nation, discovering the daily lives of its people beyond the headlines, or exploring how faith communities there are working toward healing and reconciliation, and then praying specifically for the needs and hopes of that country. By opening our hearts and minds to the stories of others, we grow in compassion and strengthen our calling as peacemakers.
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2026-2027 Planning Calendars
The bulk order for the new planning calendars was placed on July 27 and should be shipped soon. Once they arrive, Diane will reach out to the churches to make arrangements for delivery.
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Presbytery Wide Listening Sessions
Just as sessions and congregations are considering the future of their ministry, so is the Presbytery Council. Earlier this year, the Presbytery Partnerships Task Force (PPTF) was formed to explore shared or partnered opportunities with neighboring presbyteries. In May, our pastors joined in planning and taking part in a joint Pastors Retreat with Shenango and Beaver Butler. Then in June, members and friends from Eastminster, Western Reserve, and Muskingum Valley gathered for an evening of fun, fellowship, and fireworks at Presbyterian Day with the Akron Rubber Ducks.
Now the PPTF wants to hear from you. In September, four identical sessions are being offered to accommodate busy schedules.
Wednesday, September 23
10:00 am – Poland Presbyterian Church, 2 Poland Manor, Poland, 44514
7:00 pm -Zoom
Wednesday, September 30
10:00 am – United Presbyterian Church, 2819 Hudson Drive, Cuyahoga Falls, 44221
7:00 pm – Zoom.
The purpose of these gatherings is to discern what values guide us so that the Council can use that information to inform decisions about future missions and partnerships. Your experiences and gifts are an important part of this process as we work to gather covenant communities and nurture Christian leaders in serving Jesus Christ.
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Good News - Church Spotlight
Canfield Presbyterian Church
For their monthly outdoor worship services this summer, Canfield Presbyterian Church followed the theme of “Revolutionary Worship” and explored the worship style of Presbyterians in the 1700s at the time of the Revolutionary War, in honor of our nation’s 250th birthday. The theme carried through the 3 services, focusing on the music, preaching (especially the sermons of John Witherspoon) and time/space/matter of colonial worship. Pictured is Pastor Larry Bowald in an approximation of clergy garb at the time. Care was taken not to “re-enact” worship, but to truly worship in a language and style that is different than what we are accustomed to. Below are the links to the various services for you to view.
June 28 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFApFf2CcDg
July 26 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXs_qy_vfEw
Aug 23 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9qCjXXSdSk
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Eastminster Presbytery invites you to join us in praying for a particular congregation, committee, and validated ministry within the presbytery each week in 2026 that God may bless their ministry and that the grace of Jesus Christ might shine through them. For the week of August 30, we lift up the congregation of Oak Hill Presbyterian Church in Akron TE Brian Nutt.
August Calendar
August 2- Canfield Presbyterian Church, TE Larry Bowald & TE Amber Balista
August 9- First Presbyterian Church, Columbiana, TE Fritz Nelson
August 16- North Springfield Presbyterian Church, Akron, TE Patti Moats
August 23- University Church, Kent, TE Steve Cramer
August 30- Oak Hill Presbyterian Church, Akron, TE Brian Nutt
The entire 2026 Prayer Calendar can be found on the home page of our website: eastminsterpresbytery.org
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Higher Education Grant
Deadline to Apply - August 31
| Scholarship grants are available to students for full and part-time study toward the first bachelor's degree or certification at colleges, universities, and vocational schools, or first master's degree in theology or Christian Education. | | | |
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Matthew 25 Church Grant
Deadline to Apply - September 30
| Grant applications are now open. Winners for the 2027 Matthew 25 Grants will be announced by November 15, 2026. Please pray for the Grants Committee as they discern the most promising applications for the $50,000 budgeted to this ministry. | | | |
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World Communion Offering
September 6- October 4
| Learn about changes to the World Communion Offering, find resources, get all the details on the World Communion Offering grants, and much, much more! | | | |
Ruling elders in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have the distinct joy and privilege of hearing faith stories from those seeking membership within the congregation and those being called to serve in leadership. Some of these faith journeys may include specific activities undertaken within the community of believers, including memories of when they were youth on mission trips, attended conferences or participated in spiritual retreats. | | | |
The Presbyterian Church Growth Network will have their annual conference in Cincinnati from October 5-7 this year and thanks to a grant from the Lilly Foundation the registration is only $200! With it so close, this is a great opportunity for folks from Eastminster to attend. Pastors and members of congregations are encouraged to attend together as experience shows that when they do, they are more likely to follow through on what they learned. Space is limited so the network is asking for pre-registration to help them plan. | | | |
Summary - Restorative Conversations III: Setting Healthy Boundaries | In this third session of our four-part Restorative Conversations series, participants will explore balancing personal boundaries with receptivity to apology, reconciliation, and growth. This gathering invites us to consider what receptivity looks like after hurt or harm has occurred and how we can discern what is needed for healing without abandoning self-protection. | | | |
The time to review Employer Agreements for 2027 benefits is Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, through Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. During this period, employer representatives can log in to Benefits Connect to review benefits selections and pricing for 2027. | | | |
Loving People of Other Faiths - Presbyterian Foundation | I enjoyed reading "God is big enough to hold all of our curiosity, doubts, joys, and fears" by Rev. Adriene Thorne ( Pastor's Life, June 2026). I, too, have deeply appreciated dialogue and friendship with people of other faiths, particularly with Muslims and Jews. | | | |
The Great Lakes Network of the Association of Partners in Christian Education (GLAPCE) invites all who are involved with Christian Education/Faith Formation -- pastors, educators, committee members, staff, and volunteers-- to join them for their fall event, October 20-22, 2026. Register early for a discount! | | | | |
Presbytery Staff & Officers:
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