February 19, 2026

Join us for our Lilly grant kickoff event

“Platinum Rule Leadership for Changing Times”

with the Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter.

Enhance your people skills to create happier relationships
Heighten your ability to work with others for the common good
Restore your faith in people and learn how to defuse conflict
Draw out the top contributions from others you work with
Bring out the best in people who frustrate you most

A two-day workshop for pastoral leaders, ruling elders,

and anyone interested in serving their congregations more effectively.

Cost: $10.00. Please pay using the QR Code (above right) and mark

'Misc Gift' - Workshop as the designation.

Notice: PayPal does charge a small fee of $0.70. Please check the box when paying. Thank you!

Remember to attend the FEBRUARY 24th Assembly Meeting

by Zoom at 7:00 pm (ET)

The Rev. Quincy Worthington, pastor of the Highland Park Park Presbyterian Church, IL and former PWV pastor,

will be our featured preacher.

Advance registration by 2/17/2026 was required, so that we may send the login link and password for the meeting. We will try our best however, late registrations may not be able to join.

If you are a voting member of the assembly (minister member, commissioned pastor, elder commissioner for a church, or member by reason of office) you must connect to the meeting on your own device.

The Zoom link and password-protected document will be provided by the Presbytery office (on 2/19/2026) to those who registered by 2/17/2026.

Calling Creative Congregations to Connect with Community

by Gwynn Wills, Moderator - Ministry and Outreach Committee

The Ministry and Outreach Committee of the Presbytery of Wabash Valley is seeking congregations to spread the word and love of Christ by offering grants for innovative and meaningful projects and programs. Partial funding for the following projects gives some idea of what has been submitted in the past:

• 1^st Presbyterian Church of Elkhart - to benefit the 1^st Presbyterian Developmental Basketball League hosted by Beardsley School.

• First Presbyterian Church of Downtown South Bend - for their Living Matthew Project to help provide an ecumenical approach to spreading the word of Christ in their community.

• First Presbyterian Church of Michigan City - Cultivating Faith at Home Project

• First Presbyterian Church of Mishawaka - for their Guns to Garden Project

• Auburn Presbyterian Church - for the Friends Table, an ongoing community project that serves to provide lunch and occasionally extra food or personal care items for people out of work, but the founding concept of Friends Table was relationship building.

Amounts of requests vary widely, and the team looks forward to receiving grants of all sorts that meet the criteria outlined. Please share with your congregations and consider the needs of your community. Contact Gwynn Wills, Moderator of the Ministry and Outreach Committee of the Presbytery of Wabash Valley, at gwills6735@me.com with questions.

The grant application and process can be found on the Presbytery of Wabash Valley website by clicking here: https://www.ourpresbytery.org/ministry-outreach-team

One Great Hour of Sharing

February 18 - April 5, 2026

Serve the most vulnerable around the world, offering aid to people lacking access to life’s basic necessities.

When we participate in One Great Hour of Sharing...

We create possibility for people forced to flee their homes in search of safety.

We support recovery efforts when disasters devastate communities.

We empower partners to build sustainable futures.

We walk alongside our siblings to work for more just immigration laws and processes.

Our gifts show people they are not alone and that people they don’t know see them and care enough to respond.Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for (audience)? Why should they care (benefit)? What do I want them to do (call-to-action)? Learn More About OGHS (click here)

FREE resources are available for you to use this Lenten season!

Leader's Guide - Everything you need for a successful One Great Hour of Sharing season this Lent can be found here. Download HERE
Sharing Calendar - Short activities, reflection questions or prayers for each day during Lent are available on the Sharing Calendar. This is great for use with children or even intergenerationally. Download HERE
Social Media Images - Use these social media images to spread the word about One Great Hour of Sharing this year. Download HERE
Media Tool Kit - Create your own images for announcements in bulletins and emails about One Great Hour of Sharing using the provided assets. Download HERE
Bulletin Inserts - Bulletin inserts may be part of your standing order, but if not, you can download them here. Also variations in black and white or covers only are available!

Download "DO JUSTICE" bulletin insert HERE

Download "WE ARE THERE" bulletin insert HERE

With the closing of the First Presbyterian Church in Kouts, there are a LOT of items that need to find new homes. Here are a few photos of adoptable items.

If you would like to receive a copy of the extensive inventory list of all items, please contact the presbytery office at info@ourpresbytery.org .

PWV Leaders

elected to attend GA 227

Minister Commissioner: Tyler Orem

Ruling Elder Commissioner: Heather Casiano

Alternate: Mark Perry

Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD: Bruce Ward

Theological Student Advisory Delegate (TSAD), Richard Fair

Overture Advocate: Joel Moody

The 227^th meeting of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) will meet June 22 - July 2, 2026 online and in person in Milwaukee, WI.

Please keep these PWV members in prayer for wisdom, discernment and good health!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Calendar for the Week-

2/19 @ 10(ET) = Leadership Team by Zoom

2/23 @ 9 = Staff Meeting = by Zoom

2/24 @ 7pm = Assembly Meeting - by Zoom

Coming Up-

3/02 @ 9 = Staff Meeting = by Zoom

3/05 @ 10 (ET) = Commission on Ministry - by Zoom

3/05 @ 1 (ET) = Commission on Preparation for Ministry - by Zoom

3/09 @ 9 (ET) = Staff Meeting - by Zoom

3/09 @ 10 (ET) = Stewardship Ministry Team - by Zoom

3/09 @ 4 (ET) = Ministry & Outreach Team - by Zoom

3/12 @ 1 (ET) = Nominating Committee - by Zoom

3/16 @ 9 = Staff Meeting = by Zoom

3/20 = Deadline to register for Platinum Rule Leadership for Changing Times workshop in Rochester (See information above)

3/23 @ 9 = Staff Meeting = by Zoom

3/24 @ 10 (ET) = Coordinating Council - by Zoom

3/24 - Leadership Team meeting following Coordinating Council - by Zoom

4/12 @ 4pm-8pm (ET)= Platinum Rule Leadership for Changing Times

4/13 @ 9am-3pm (ET) =Platinum Rule Leadership for Changing Times

(at Rochester, Community PC. See information above.)

4/15 @ 1 = Communication & Visioning Committee - by Zoom

June 22-July 2 = 227^th meeting of the General Assembly of the PC(USA)

Black History Month

Making Commitments to Learn & Reflect in 2026

Black history doesn’t take a single shape. There are many voices and experiences that need to be acknowledged and reflected on to paint a full picture. As you plan out your reading for the year, we’ve curated a collection of books to help you find your next read. Below are just a few of the voices you’ll find on this list.

“As we embark on this journey of liberation, let us draw inspiration from the strength and resilience of Black women who, throughout history, have faced the twin Pharaohs of racial and gender oppression with courage and determination. Preaching Black Earth, edited by Melanie L. Harris
“Each generation’s story is a collective narrative that is still being written. We are all on a journey together, and we all want to better understand one another as well as to be understood. Knowing the details of the Black experience familiarizes us with the American experience and the connections we all have.” —from The Shaping of Black Identities, by Jimmie R. Hawkins
“Reckoning with history is not an easy task. We must confront the sins of settler colonialism and slavery and comprehend how these sins shaped American Christianity.” —from Reckoning with Histor y, by William Yoo
“The history of African American preaching indicates the valiant and largely successful attempt to counter the legacy of violence by making sermons spaces of spiritual nourishment rather than occasions for abuse. Is It a Sermon?, by Donyelle C. McCray

Internet access is needed for Zoom sessions. There is no cost, but registration is required for one or all sessions. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/pwlenten.

Smock Foundation

Grants for churches & individuals!

The Smock Foundation provides grants to Indiana Presbyterian Church (USA) members and churches. Grants are given to individuals in need, to churches for improvement facilities, to churches for Deacon funds and for programs that will improve the lives of elderly Indiana Presbyterians, including senior adult ministry programs. Grant applications are reviewed monthly. Applications should be submitted by the second week of each month. Click HERE for more information!

Christian Theological Seminary

Prayer has always been a tremendous resource for Christians to go through everything in life. To think about prayer can be a way through and perhaps even a way out.

Prayer as Political Response & Accompaniment

by: Yara González-Justiniano, PhD, Vanderbilt Divinity School

Our Life in Common

February 25, 2026 from 12-1pm, ONLINE

*Next event is April 8, 2026,

by Amy Lindeman Allen, PhD, Christian Theological Seminary

For What or Whom Else Shall We Pray?

Invitation to hear nationally known speaker/author/researcher Ryan Burge on March 1st!

Over the past half-century, American religion has undergone profound transformation—from declining church attendance to the rapid rise of the religiously unaffiliated. Drawing on five decades of data from several data sources, this talk traces how belief, belonging, and practice have shifted across generations, identifies the key inflection points driving change, and explains what these trends reveal about the future of religion in the United States.

Ryan Burge is professor of practice at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. Before that he was an associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, and was also the graduate coordinator. He has authored over thirty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters alongside four books about religion and politics in the United States. He has written for the New York Times, POLITICO, and the Wall Street Journal. He has also appeared in an NBC Documentary, on the CBS Evening News, as well as 60 Minutes which called him, “one of the country’s leading data analysts on religion and politics.” He served as a pastor in the American Baptist Church for over twenty years, leading First Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, IL for 17.5 years until its closure in July 2024. He has been married to his wife Jacqueline for over eighteen years. They have two boys.

Everyone welcome - no registration required!

When: Saturday, March 1 at 4pm (ET)

Where: Tabernacle Presbyterian Church

418 East 34th Street, Indianapolis IN 46205

CEUs (6.5 hours) will be available after the conference based on attendance.

Speaker Froma Walsh, PhD is the leading international authority on family resilience in facing adversity. Her resilience-oriented, systemic practice approach integrates relational, socio-cultural, and spiritual influences to foster coping, adaptation, and the ability to flourish. *Register by clicking HERE!

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship

Guns to Gardens

Spring Action Circles

April 16 - May 21

Sign up now to learn with other congregations how to offer a Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event for unwanted guns in your community.

Learn how congregations are taking this responsible action to reduce the number of unwanted guns to be found by children, youth, or others; used in a crisis; resold or stolen to be returned to the gun market.

Each Thursday on Zoom for 6 weeks for 1 hour, plus 1 hour of preparation.

11am (CT) HERE .

6:30pm(CT) HERE.

NEW!

Training for Firearm Safety Officers for Guns to Gardens

RAW Tools now offers training and certification for Firearm Safety Officers (FSO), which is a role required for each Guns to Gardens event. Some of the training is online and some is in person. On Feb 20-21, RAW Tools will offer the training in Weaverville, NC. A few spots are still open. Learn about prerequisites and future training by contacting Stan@rawtools.org

New Action Circles for

Protecting Children from Gun Violence: Imagining a New World

Wednesdays on Zoom

Noon ET, 11 CT, 10 MT, 9 PT

Bring a bag lunch or brunch!

Spring: April 15- May 13

This five session series on Zoom will guide you and your congregation in finding your action for protecting children from gun violence. Created by educational and pastoral leaders in the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, this faith-based program covers in one hour a key topic each week:

• Children in the Crossfire: Why is gun violence the top killer of our children?

• Saving Child Lives with Secure Gun Storage

• Seeing Our Children: The mental and spiritual health of children in the crossfire

• Direct Action Options for Real Safety for Children

• Advocacy, Voting and Finding Next Steps for Your Congregation

Keep in mind for future programs...

Summer Programs, Internships and Missions

25 Years
18,000+ people have served through Cross Missions
300 different churches, colleges and schools
23 different states

For more information on all programs click HERE or

email Ericka Funk at efunk@myersparkpres.org.

Upcoming Funding Sources and Community Resources

The presbytery has a wonderful list of grant resources and community resources sourced by the EPA on file, including specific areas like environmental concerns to more general information such as strategic planning and grant writing.

To request the list, simply email info@ourpresbytery.org and it will be forwarded to you.

Healthy Boundaries & Ethics Training Resources

Online boundaries training can be completed through

1. LeaderWise https://www.leaderwise.org/workshops-programs/boundaries-02-05-2026

2. Safe Gatherings https://safegatherings.com/app/get-started-clergy-course

2026 Mileage - Attn: Church Treasurers

The IRS Mileage Reimbursement increased to .72.5 per mile on 1/1/2026. Confirm that your church has a Session-approved Accountable Reimbursement Plan that addresses professional expense reimbursements. Your staff members could face adverse tax consequences if you do not have an approved plan. A sample Accountable Reimbursement Plan is available on the website under the Treasurer tab or click this link https://www.ourpresbytery.org/church-treasurers . Don't hesitate to contact Eric Herzog at the Presbytery office if you have questions.

2026 Per Capita is $45.08

Your PWV Stewardship Ministry Team and Coordinating Council approved the 2026 per capita rate at $45.08.

02/22/2015 - The Rev. David Doles, Covenant Pastor - Brookston, Federated

OPEN SEARCHES FOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP

First Presbyterian Church, Goshen - MDP for Installed Pastor
First Presbyterian Church, Goshen - MDP for Commissioned Pastor
Wabash Presbyterian Church, Wabash - MDP for Installed Pastor
Wabash Presbyterian Church, Wabash - MDP for Commissioned Pastor

Please keep in your prayers ~

Andrea Stout, daughter of Kathy Kathary-Newton, fighting stage four metastatic cancer.

Dr. Corlin Stein, pastor at Hobart, recuperating from a fall on the ice and stitches in his head.

Prayers of the Presbytery

Let us pray:

Thank you, Lord, for opportunities to share our gifts and learn from one another. Please give us the strength and courage to remain faithful to you while working hard to care for the rest of your children. We pray all this in your precious Son’s name.Amen.

Prayer from the Mission Yearbook, PC(USA)

We are thankful for the ministry and service of Ligonier Presbyterian Church.

Lord we are thankful ~