Serving Christ, Enhancing Congregations, Connecting Communities

December 15, 2022

Operation Christmas Child Processing Center

Rossville Presbyterian Church ladies, Wrena, Marcia, Toni, Karen, and Sally at Operation Christmas Child Processing Center at Aurora IL. A great day of checking out Shoeboxes.

Enjoyed the day with friends and breaking in a new Shoeboxer - Sally McGill!

ANOTHER SCAM ALERT

Be aware that the following email message was in my inbox this morning with what looked like a legitimate email address but our IT guy extraordinaire confirms it is a scam:

Greetings,

Apologies for intruding on your privacy. In possession is a Yamaha Baby Grand Piano that used to be owned by my late husband and I want to give it out to a loving home, music school or church. Please let me know if you will take it or if you have someone who you can refer to me, just in case you don't need it.

Regards,

Bella clarke

The following link will tell you more:

The Baby Grand Piano Scam - Ludwig Van Daily (ludwig-van.com)

Camino and Grief

By Mark Sundby, MDiv, PhD, LP

My friend bent down and picked up a stone, “I’m carrying this stone for your mom. Let me know when we’ve found the right place, and we’ll leave it there.” All along the Camino, you come across such stones, where people create makeshift shrines and leave behind a rock – a burden – they’ve carried. For me, it would be a way of unburdening a bit of my grief and locating a beautiful spot to commemorate my mother’s life.

Continue Reading Camino and Grief and find other resources

An Online Event

Contemplative Advent Scripture:

30 Minutes of Care for the Educator's Soul

With gratitude for their continued and generous participation,

we lift the following congregations of

Wabash Valley Presbytery

who have given to the Christmas Joy Offering for at least 20 years!

Memorial Presbyterian Church, Dayton

First Presbyterian Church, Valparaiso

Wabash Avenue Presbyterian Church, Crawfordsville

First Presbyterian Church, Elkhart

First Presbyterian Church, Crown Point

This holiday season, give in their honor to a cause they believe in.

This holiday season, give in honor of those on your list who have more than enough. The Giving Catalog has gift options that help individuals, families and communities establish self-sufficiency with support for livestock, community gardens, tools, training, education, access to clean water and much more.

Let your loved ones’ passions guide you to an item that benefits a cause they believe in. Explore the wide variety of available items today!

Gift with Purpose

Lunch, Listen,& Learn wishes you a meaningful Advent season, a joyful Christmas and a happy new year!

We look forward to seeing you and lots of clerks of session on January 12 at 12 pm (ET)/ 11 am (CT) for an information-packed meeting on filing annual statistical reports. Stated Clerk Marjorie Reinsch and Administrative Director Vicki Dreibelbis will offer tips and good guidance on the easiest and least stressful way to navigate the portal for entering statistics with the denomination and the best time to do so. We will discuss why it’s so important and helpful to file annual statistical reports, how reporting benefits your congregation and affects your per capita, and more! Whether you’re an experienced reporter or new to it all, we can help. Please join us, and please invite your clerk to join us, too!

Save the date:

It’s Statistics Season!

Statistics Tutorial, January 12, 2023 via Zoom at 12 pm (ET)/11 am (CT). This tutorial will be recorded for anyone not able to attend.

Access for churches is now through February 9, 2023!

All clerks of session are encouraged to begin gathering information for their congregations.

Coming to your email inbox within the coming days, an email from the Stated Clerk with links and relevant information specific to your church.

Enrollment for the 5th Wave of the Vital Congregations Initiative continues!

Explore More!

The office of Vital Congregations will be kicking off the 5th Wave in the spring of 2023. There's plenty of time left to explore what the initiative entails, how it can aid your ministry, and where God is leading your worshiping community.

To investigate VCI how it can aid your ministry, schedule a presentation or conversation. Presentations generally last about 60-90 minutes with plenty of time for Q&A.

ENROLL NOW

Smock Foundation Update to Churches

The Smock Foundation continues to fulfill Laura Smock’s vision when she established the foundation in 1954: to assist Indiana senior Presbyterians and their churches in need of help.

To date in 2022, the Smock Foundation has awarded grants to 13 Indiana Presbyterian churches for Smock Deacon Funds. These funds allow churches to assist individual members in need within their own congregations. These funds may be renewed any time throughout the year, as they have been depleted. A simple list of how the funds were used is all that must accompany new Deacon Fund grant applications.

Learn how to apply for a Smock Grant

PRAYERS OF THE PRESBYTERY

Advent God,

We thank you for the hope, peace and joy that are found in you. We pray for all those for whom these gifts feel elusive or in short supply. Grace all with the assurance of your presence, that the remaining days of waiting and wondering and expectation would culminate in so much love, shared with every individual and with your world. In the name of the one we expect, Amen.

prayer from Rev. Jennifer Burns Lewis, Visioning and Connecting Leader

We pray today