Winter Stated Meeting

Don't delay! Register ASAP!

Friday, February 23, 2024 @ 12 pM

Winter Stated Meeting of Savannah Presbytery

(in-person ONLY)

Altama Presbyterian Church

Brunswick, GA

The Winter Stated Meeting will be a moving time to be together. The meeting will begin with lunch (noon) at Altama Presbyterian Church’s impressive new property in Brunswick (100 Marsh Drive) just down the street from the presbytery’s former office building. The day’s worship will include a sermon from guest preacher, Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett and the installation of Rev. Jamil el-Shair as the part-time pastor of the Altama congregation after his serving a number of years as the part-time temporary pastor/stated supply. As it will also be four years to the date of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, we will remember his life and dedicate ourselves to continue the ongoing journey for justice with liturgists from our Racial Justice Ministry Team.

This meeting will highlight a pillar of the Matthew 25 Vision of the PC(USA) – “Dismantling Structural Racism.” Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, the Executive Director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, will be preaching.

To consider why your congregation might join the Matthew 25 Movement, please read Marty Susie’s reflection on her recent attendance at the Matthew 25 Summit located in this newsletter and gather a delegation from your church to attend the Stated Meeting in person.

News for Clerks of Sessions

The deadline to submit 2023 Congregational Statistics is TODAY, February 15.

Lenten Prayer Practice

Join the Savannah Presbytery in a Lenten Prayer Practice as we work our way through a devotional series called "Wandering Heart." Using commentary, art, poetry and reflection, this series from The Sanctified Art will engage our whole presbytery in following the story of Peter as he tries to follow Jesus. Each day, the presbytery will post a devotional prompt on our Facebook page and Instagram with a more in-depth post on Sundays. You can also register your email with us to receive the devotions directly to your email inbox by clicking the link below. We encourage you to follow the Savannah Presbytery on social media and further engage with your fellow presbyters through comments and reflections on the posts. May we journey together.

Learning & Discerning Matthew 25

Matthew 25 Continued Conversations: Vital Congregations

Join ministry leaders for support, explore the 7 Marks of Vital Congregations and share questions, ideas, challenges and resources.

Wednesdays, Feb. 7, 21, 3– 4:30 p.m. (ET).

Book Study Opportunity

Honorably Retired Rev. Bob Morgan at First Presbyterian Savannah, Director Marty Susie at Wilmington Island Presbyterian, and Beth Giuliano, Associate for Congregational Care at Montgomery Presbyterian were among the over 260 participants in week one of The PC(USA)’s book study on “Poverty, by America” by Matthew Desmond. Discussions will continue each Monday in February at 7:30.

Learn More and Register Here

Would you like to better equip your Deacons & Elders to help care for your congregation?

Enroll in the School of the Laity elective Congregational Care course led by Rev. Jamil el-Shair, pastor of Altama Presbyterian, and Chaplain Jarda Alexander, a Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor at the Atlanta Veterans Administration.

“The church is a family of siblings in Christ. In our family people experience hurt and loss. We experience disruption of our normal way of being. When this happens, we want to and are called to comfort one another. In this Congregational Care course, you will be introduced to being present with someone, discerning their story, how to listen, and how to facilitate a person discovering their spiritual resources that can help them on the journey to a new normal. A key challenge and outcome of the course will be to begin seeing your own story and its impact on your providing care for God’s beloved people.” -Rev. Jamil el-Shair

Registration Deadline for Lodging Accommodations

February 16th

Rev. Jamil el-Shair

Pastor of Altama Presbyterian

Chaplain Jarda Alexander

Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor at the Atlanta Veterans Administration

Essential Elements of Worship

This course, led by Rev. Rick Douylliez, our Director of Pastoral & Ecclesial Care, focuses on what constitutes faithful Christian worship and explores the theological underpinnings of the key elements of worship including scripture, confession, prayer, music, sacraments, and sermon. Participants will learn to think critically about each element of worship and will dive into some tenets within Reformed theology.

There will be a special emphasis on the Sacrament of Communion.

"In our faith tradition, the presider or celebrant, is ordinarily a pastor, an ordained teaching elder. We Presbyterians are discovering that it is increasingly difficult to celebrate the Lord’s Supper without someone to administer the sacrament, primarily because we have many congregations without full-time pastoral leadership. In each congregation, the session is responsible for administering the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis. Our Book of Order states that it is appropriate for the presbytery to authorize and train specific ruling elders to administer the Lord’s Supper in the “event of the absence of pastors” and “when it deems it necessary to meet the needs for the administration of the Sacrament.” (G-3.0301b and W-3.0410)

Sessions who are regularly challenged in obtaining leadership for sacrament celebration should encourage ruling elders to register. Participants who are seeking this authorization are REQUIRED to attend IN-PERSON for this training.

Pre-course assignment:

Participants are required to read A More Profound Alleluia; Theology and Worship in Harmony by Leanne Van Dyk.

Mail-In Registration

Online Registration

Ongoing Journey Towards Justice

Join the PC(USA) witness at the Georgia Poor People’s Campaign in Atlanta on March 2nd.

Rev. Bob Morgan has secured a 20-person van to transport a delegation to the capital. The van will depart Savannah at 6:30 AM and return about 6:30 PM the same day.

To reserve a spot on the van for this non-partisan coalition, contact Bob Morgan at 585-415-0078 or at revbob2006@yahoo.com.

Support One Great Hour of Sharing

One Great Hour of Sharing is the single, largest way that Presbyterians come together every year to work for a better world. This year we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of this Offering, which started with a radio show in 1949. Typically received on Easter Sunday, which this year falls on March 31, the annual Offering supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program and Self-Development of People. All three programs work to serve individuals and communities in need to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope. Find resources here. Posters, minutes for mission, bulletin inserts and offering envelopes are available in English, Spanish and Korean.

To learn about or access other resources from PCUSA click the button below to read their Quarterly Newsletter.

Quarterly Newsletter

It's Time to Register for Summer Camp!

Registration is OPEN now through June 23, 2024

(Space is limited, especially for younger campers so register early!)

Who: Ages 8 through 17-year-olds

Where: Montgomery Conference Center, Starke FL

Cost: $410 per camper

Breitenhirt scholarships available!

Summer Camp is a terrific way for children and youth to unplug from hectic schedules, to embrace God’s good creation in nature and to participate in experiences designed to enhance relationships with God, peers, and other Christian adults.

Savannah Presbytery will help facilitate transportation if needed.

During the registration process, families will be required to pay a $100 non- refundable deposit. The remaining monies due will be paid to Savannah Presbytery through your home churches before the June 23rd registration deadline. Canteen monies can be sent with transportation drivers/campers to place on their accounts upon arrival.

Download the Promo Poster Here

Download Color Bulletin Inserts Here

Download B&W Bulletin Inserts Here

Parent Handbook

Packing List

The Presbyterians for Earth Care

2024 Lenten Devotional

New Lenten Devotions based on Revised Common Lectionary texts from Creation Care perspectives. We hope this resource will help preachers, lectionary Bible study groups, families and individuals with new insights on these beloved texts during this special season. We are especially grateful for the Spanish translation of the devotions provided by Gloria D. Lozada De-Jesús and The Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo of Red Presbiteriana para el Cuidado de la Creación.

Please consider sharing a link to the devotional in an email to your church members, family and friends. You can also ask your Presbytery to share the links with churches and pastors. CLICK HERE to download the PEC 2024 Lenten Devotional.

THANK YOU to all the contributors and translators for this devotional.

This Lenten Devotional was made possible by the volunteers contributing their devotions as well as financial donations that covered the cost of recruiting contributors, editing, laying out, web posting and promotion online, by email and social media. Your donation towards our ongoing work is needed and appreciated. You can give online through our secure website presbyearthcare.org/giving.

Presbyterian Hunger Program’s

Tread Lightly for Lent Daily Action Calendar

The Presbyterian Hunger Program strives to walk with people in moving towards sustainable choices that restore and protect all of God’s children and creation. As people of faith, we seek to “serve and preserve” God’s world. However, some of our collective choices have led to a changing global climate, which translates to warmer temperatures, rising sea-levels, and severe storms, just to name a few. To turn this tide, we must commit to treading lightly on God’s Earth. In Lent, we slow down, take time, and examine our internal spiritual lives and the way we live out our Christian faith in the world around us. Our hope is that this Lenten calendar will be the beginning of actions intended to create more mindful behaviors throughout the year. CLICK HERE to download the document.

WEBINAR:

FEMA Spring Safety and Security

Religious Holiday Briefing

Date: February 21, 2024

Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm EST

Please join FEMA’s Voluntary Agency Coordination Section and the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships for the February VOISE call. The topic of the call is a spring safety and security religious holiday briefing that will provide attendees information, points of contact and considerations to prepare their facilities for upcoming religious observances and other public gatherings.