March 12, 2026

PLEASE NOTE THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE!

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!

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

With the closing of the First Presbyterian Church in Kouts,

there are STILL LOTS of items that need new homes.

Along with the photos below, there is a child-sized table with chairs, air hockey table, communion cup holders, EVERYTHING kitchen, microwave, pulpit, 20 pews, piano and SO MANY more 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 .

Frank L. and Laura L. Smock Foundation

Distribution Advisory Committee

SMOCK FOUNDATION WEBSITE AND APPLICATION FORMS UPDATED

Dear Friends, February 18, 2026

The Frank L. and Laura L. Smock Foundation website has been updated and is ready for you to use. Please be sure to visit the Guidelines tab to become acquainted with new requirements for each type of grant application.

Another change is that the guidelines also appear on each individual application tab, making it easier for you to confirm you have provided all the necessary information for your application to be reviewed.

Additionally, you will now receive an automatic email informing you your application was successfully submitted and you will be able to see a copy of your submission. If you need to make a correction, you can simply complete another application and notify me, by email, to disregard the first one.

We look forward to receiving your application and continuing the good work made possible by Frank and Laura Smock.

Here is the website link. https://www.smockfoundation.com/

Blessings,

Susanne M. Rowe

Smock Foundation Administrator

susanne@smockfoundation.com

The Smock Foundation seeks to unite members of the

Presbyterian Church USA in the state of Indiana.

If you missed it, check out the information from

Our Stated Assembly meeting held on February 24th, 2026

Our guest preacher was the Rev. Quincy Worthington, pastor of the Highland Park Presbyterian Church, outside of Chicago, IL and former PWV pastor.

Click HERE to listen to Rev. Worthington's profound words.

Jeff Whitney, our very own Creative Technology Specialist, from First Presbyterian Church, Valparaiso, created an outstanding video clip for the Wabash Valley Annivengers celebrating the Recognition of Commissioning and Ordination Anniversaries.

Click HERE to watch Jeff's outstanding creation

of the Annivengers.

News related to the Board of Pensions of the PC(USA)

From the Board of Pensions (March 9, 2026)

Support for congregations and pastors with children

An additional dues subsidy will be available to congregational pastoral leaders enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package to help alleviate the cost of dependent child medical coverage. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, the subsidy will cover 50% of the national, community-rated medical coverage cost of dependent children. This subsidy will reduce the flat rates for both the 2027 Child(ren) and Family coverage levels. Using the 2026 dues as an example, the cost of coverage for children is currently $829 per month (approximately $9,950/year). The subsidized monthly amount would be $414.50 (approximately $4,975/year) for Child(ren) and $1,435.50 (approximately $17,226/year) for Family. Congregations may share in the cost of dependent coverage.

Transitional Pastor’s Participation and its inherent subsidies will be extended through 2029, giving congregations and ministers already enrolled in this package two more years to transition to the Congregational Pastors Package. Please know that the Board continues to monitor medical cost trends and will release the 2027 dues for the Congregational Pastors Package and Transitional Pastor’s Participation, including flat rates to cover dependent children, in July to ensure the most accurate rates.

The Medical Plan already provides subsidies for ministers in several ways, including offering dues as a percentage of salary rather than the actual cost of coverage. As stewards of the Benefits Plan, we balance rising healthcare costs with annual dues and reserves so that the plan remains financially stable. This article describes in more detail how we do that:

https://www.pensions.org/news-and-events/articles/balancing-risk-rising-costs-member-care-in-fragmented-system

You can also read about how we aim to control costs through coalition purchasing: https://www.pensions.org/news-and-events/articles/the-power-of-coalition-purchasing/

A new grant to support ministers with child care needs

Child Care Support is a new grant available through the Assistance Program that offsets a portion of child care needs for children ages 0-6 years. The initial pilot phase of this grant, effective April 1, 2026, will provide $500 per month per child and up to $1,500 per month per family. This grant supports ministers of the Word and Sacrament and commissioned pastors employed by PC(USA) congregations whose effective salary is $56,880 or less and who meet other eligibility requirements.

Additional Medical Plan options coming in 2027

Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the Board of Pensions will offer three additional Medical Plan options for lay members and non-installed ministers who are not enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package or Transitional Pastor’s Participation. The three additional options include a second PPO, second EPO, and second HDHP and will have the same features as the existing options with different out-of-pocket costs. More details will be available in the summer. Ministers and dependents enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package or Transitional Pastor’s Participation will continue to be offered the Board’s current PPO option.

You can read about outcomes from the March Board of Directors meeting, including the experience apportionment for the Defined Benefit Pension Plan, on our website (www.pensions.org)

AMCL, Board of Pensions continue to partner on helping small congregations, families

Representatives from the Association of Mid Council Leaders (AMCL) and the Board of Pensions gathered for their third and fourth meetings as they continue their collaboration to support small congregations and pastors with family medical coverage as a response to the 226th General Assembly (2024) item GAEC-28. Read the recent joint statement from the Reverend Susan C. McGhee, President, AMCL, and Andrew J. Browne, Executive Vice President, Board of Pensions.

The Board of Pensions has opened registration for the 2026 Benefits Regional Summits: Support for Congregational Leaders. The summits, located throughout the country April 7-May 21, will provide important updates and insights into the Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and related programs offered by the Board of Pensions. The summits are open to all throughout the Church.

Understanding medical trend and why it matters

In 2024, national health expenditures totaled nearly $5.3 trillion — representing 18% of U.S. gross domestic product. Todd Ingves, Vice President, Health & Wellness for the Board of Pensions, explains in this article what’s behind the upward trajectory of healthcare costs and what the increases are likely to look like in the future.

From the Office of Christian Formation:

NEW - Everyday Faith Moments Card Deck

Whether you’re a family of one or many, Everyday Faith Moments invites all ages to slow down, connect, and discover how God is already at work in your daily life. You will find 60 cards created with busy households of all shapes and sizes in mind. On the front: an engaging, repeatable response rooted in real-life moments. On the back: a short Bible passage to center the practice in Scripture. This new resource from Around the Table is available from the PCUSA Store.

Mr. Rogers Day Resources

Looking for ideas on celebrating what it means to be a neighbor in your community, through worship, with your congregation? Check out these resources including liturgy, hymn, neighborhood build, peacemaking curriculum, coloring pages, and more. March 20th is the planning calendar special emphasis day that the PC(USA) has chosen to highlight all we can learn from Fred Rogers ministry as it is his birthday. Or choose a time which works for your worshiping community. www.pcusa.org/mrogers

Faith Formation Leader Connection Resource Zoom - Looking to connect about new Christian Formation Resources? Looking for something specific or wanting to bounce off some ideas? Join us on Thursday March 5th 1:00pm Eastern. Register here. Additional dates in May, August, and October noted on registration form.

From the PC(USA) Store

A Brief Guide to Ministry with LGBTQIA Youth, Updated Edition

Empower LGBTQIA youth in your church with the help of the updated edition of this best-selling book from pastor Cody Sanders, which provides practical guidance, compassionate care, and fresh insights designed to build affirming, supportive faith communities. New to this edition is a chapter on the intersections between LGBTQIA identity and neurodivergence, and extra attention to how churches can respond to the assault on diversity and transgender rights in the current political climate. An updated glossary of terms and list of national and local resources that can be used to support LGBTQIA youth are also included.

Read an Excerpt | Build Your Faithfully LGBTQ+ Library

From Montreat Conference Center

Join us on Wednesday, March 18th from 2-4 p.m. for a free lecture titled “The Church Cannot be Silent, but What Should It Say?” by Dr. William Yoo, Associate Professor of American Religious and Cultural History at Columbia Theological Seminary.The lecture will explore the rise of Christian Nationalism, the cecline of the American dream, and how to still have Faith in America.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Calendar for the Week-

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

3/16 @ 9 = Staff Meeting = by Zoom

3/17 = St. Patrick's Day

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

Coming Up-

3/23 @ 9 = Staff Meeting = by Zoom

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

3/24 @ 12 (ET)= Leadership Team meeting - by Zoom

3/29 = Palm Sunday / Holy Week begins

3/30 @ 9 (ET) = Staff Meeting - by Zoom

4/02 = Maundy Thursday

4/02 @ 10 (ET) = Commission on Ministry - by Zoom

4/02 @ 1 (ET) = Commission on Preparation for Ministry - by Zoom

4/03 = Good Friday

4/05 = Easter/Resurrection of the Lord /One Great Hour of Sharing

4/06 @ 9 (ET) = Staff Meeting - by Zoom

4/09 @ 1 (ET) = Nominating Committee (if needed) - by Zoom

4/13 @ 10 (ET) = Stewardship Ministry Team - by Zoom

4/13 @ 4 (ET) = Ministry & Outreach Team (if needed) - 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 = Communications & Visioning Committee - by Zoom

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

One Great Hour of Sharing

February 18 - April 5, 2026

Serving the most vulnerable around the world,

and offering aid to people lacking access

to life’s basic necessities.

A Call to Do Justice, Love Kindness and Walk Humbly

The prophet Micah issues a call “to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God.” One Great Hour of Sharing does just that, working for justice around the world with partners who know the needs of their own communities. One way churches are answering the call is through grassroots organizing, a faith-rooted approach to addressing systemic injustices within local contexts. The PC(USA) has created a new eight-page guide, titled “Congregation-Based Community Organizing (CBCO): A Call to Do Justice, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly.” The guide notes that CBCO is grounded in the belief that, through deep relationships and faithful witness, faith communities are uniquely equipped to walk alongside frontline communities in the shared pursuit of justice and the common good. Download the Free Congregation-Based Community Organizing Guide HERE.

Rebuilding Lives and Restoring Hope in South Sudan

As a girl in South Sudan, Mama Nyaiar had a good life until civil war broke out in 2013, exposing her to unimaginable horrors. All around her, countless lives were lost to the armed conflict. Among them were her father and nearly all of her nine siblings. As Mama and her family fell deeper into desperation and hopelessness, “hope” reentered their lives in the form of Hope Restoration South Sudan, a nationally registered, women-founded and women-led non-governmental organization that is a partner of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) To learn more about Hope Restoration South Sudan, and how our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing not only bring hope, but saves lives, please read the full story HERE

Learn More About OGHS (click here)

THE FIRST HYMN feature documentary is a reverent, cinematic exploration of the earliest known Christian hymn. Archaeologists uncovered words sung by believers nearly 1,800 years ago that show a faith that was communal, costly, and deeply embodied. The film traces how worship didn't emerge from platforms or performance but from a people learning to remember who they were together.

In the ancient ruins of Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, archaeologists unearthed a papyrus scrap containing the earliest known Christian hymn, complete with both its lyrics and musical notation. Analyzed at Oxford University, the discovery challenges traditional views of church history by revealing the rich musical practices of early believers. Hosted by Australian historian John Dickson, the feature-length documentary THE FIRST HYMN chronicles the hymn’s journey from its desert origins to its modern resurrection, as acclaimed composers Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding transform the ancient melody into a contemporary worship piece, culminating in a live concert performance.

Watch the official trailer HERE Tickets available NOW- Click HERE

First-ever PCGN One-Day

At Copper Creek Church

in Champaign, Illinois

Tuesday, April 21, from 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Cost: $25, which will cover lunch and hospitality

This gathering is designed to cultivate relationships and equip leaders who care deeply about faithful growth in both faith and numbers in the PC(USA). The day will feature four interactive learning sessions. Each session will begin with a short presentation followed by table discussions, creating space for leaders to learn from one another. We will also share time in worship and connect over coffee and lunch.

We chose Copper Creek Church as the host site for several reasons, including their remarkable story. Over the past ten years, Copper Creek has grown from a second campus of a local Presbyterian congregation into a chartered church with a beautiful facility and a growing ministry. Rev. Scott Keeble, Lead Pastor of Copper Creek Church, is excited to host this gathering and will also share about their church’s journey. You can go to https://coppercreekchurch.org to learn more about Copper Creek Church.

Registration information will be shared soon.

In the meantime, we hope you will save the date and begin making plans to join us for this first PCGN One-Day gathering.

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.

For What or Whom Else Shall We Pray?

by Amy Lindeman Allen, PhD, Christian Theological Seminary

Our Life in Common

April 8, 2026 from 12-1pm, ONLINE

03/13/2005 - The Rev. Robert Leach, Member-At-Large
3/15/1992 - The Rev. Jack Volkers, Retired
3/16/1997 - The Rev. Lucia Hutchison, Retired
3/18/2001 - The Rev. Michelle Bartel, PdD, Pastor, Rensselaer - First

OPEN SEARCHES FOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP

Deer Creek Presbyterian Church, Camden - MDP for Installed Pastor
Deer Creek Presbyterian Church, Camden - MDP for Commissioned Pastor
Wabash Avenue Presbyterian Church, Crawfordsville - MDP for Installed Pastor
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

Prayers of the Presbytery

Let us pray:

Compassionate God, we lift up the organizations that are doing important work for people in this country and around the world. Where there is scarcity, bring provision; where there is injustice, bring courage; and where there is weariness, bring hope. Amen. Prayer from the Mission Yearbook, PC(USA)

We are thankful for the ministry and service of Community Presbyterian Church, Lake Station.

Lord ~

Let us demonstrate our commitment, our values, and our financial support for addressing hunger in our communities and around the world,
We see all around us the dismantling of government and public funding for the public good,
Let us teach others how to grow food organically and let us provide health-related advocacy and leadership training.