Our Lead Presbyter, Ann Schwartz, is compiling a list of Spiritual Directors and Certified Coaches in Great Rivers Presbytery. Let her know if you would like to be included in the resource. Contact her at aschwartz@greatriverspby.org

PGR Newsletter Schedule

Newsletters go out the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month. Please send any articles for publication to StephanieSidotiVMA@gmail.com by Tuesdays at 5 pm.

From the Lead Presbyter

The Rev. David Crittenden will join us for our August 24 Presbytery Assembly. As the Synod of Lincoln Trail’s Conversational Partner on Covenantal Abundance, he is visiting each of the SOLT presbyteries this fall and can be available for conversations with pastors and sessions.

Here’s what Dave would like to share to introduce himself:

I am an interested third party, employed by the Synod of Lincoln Trails to listen to and help support sessions, pastors and presbyteries as they consider the available options for the Board of Pensions medical insurance by sharing resources, thinking theologically and networking.

I am a retired minister of the Word and Sacrament. I served three congregations for a total of twenty years, two Synods for a total of seventeen years and four years serving agencies at the denominational level. My focus and passion during my active service to the church was on how our faith and attitudes about money impact the decisions we make as we seek to be faithful to our call and witness to Jesus Christ.

The Board of Pensions options will mean some will need to pay more for the coverage they need, some will pay less, and some will not be affected at all. Because we are a part of a covenant community I hope we all can look for and be a part of solutions. I believe all of our faith decisions have financial implications and all of our financial decisions have faith implications. This is true whether we are speaking as individuals or as a group (committee, session, Presbytery, Synod or General Assembly). As Presbyterian Christians we are a part of the larger body of Christ. We are a covenant community. We are in this together!

It is my hope that our conversations will be undergirded by the abundance that is described in the Scriptures instead of a scarcity mentality that is often our attitude especially when we face change. I believe depending on promised abundance will lead to an overwhelming sense of gratitude as we look at the totality of our resources. This gratitude will feed a generosity that can meet all of our needs through unprecedented sharing.

I look forward to our conversations. Please feel free to contact me with your questions, concerns or observations: https://lincolntrails.org/contact-dave/.

Update from the Board of Pensions

Employer Agreement dates and next steps

The time to review Employer Agreements for 2025 benefits is Thursday, Aug. 29 through Friday, Oct. 4. During this period, congregations’ designated representatives will log in to Benefits Connect to review their Employer Agreement.

Ministers enrolled in Pastor’s Participation as of Dec. 31, 2024, will automatically be enrolled in Transitional Pastor’s Participation for 2025. Staff enrolled for 2024 benefits will automatically be enrolled in the same benefits for 2025. This ensures that everyone has continuity of coverage from 2024 to 2025 unless the congregation makes a change.

If the congregation does not want to make changes to the benefits they offer for 2025, their Employer Agreement is complete.
If they would like to make changes, the employer representative will need to call the Board at 800-PRESPLAN (800-773-7752) (TTY: 711), who walk them through completing their Employer Agreement.

Medical Plan is unchanged

The Medical Plan is unchanged for 2025. Members enrolled in any of the three medical options (preferred provider organization, exclusive provider organization, and high deductible health plan) will continue to access care through the Blue Cross Blue Shield national network. Deductibles and copays will remain the same for 2025. And ministers who transition from Pastor’s Participation to Transitional Pastor’s Participation will have the same family medical coverage for 2025 that they have now.

2025 dues packages

Congregations and ministers must engage in faithful decision-making and select the package that best meets their needs. If a minister needs to continue full family medical coverage, Transitional Pastor’s Participation may be the best choice. If a minister doesn’t need dependent coverage, the Congregational Pastors Package may be a better choice.

Because the dues structures for both Transitional Pastor’s Participation and the Congregational Pastors Package are income-sensitive and tied to a percentage of effective salary, there is no advantage for either the minister or the congregation in uninstalling a minister. Being installed is the best option for a minister, as it provides the security and support to fully devote themselves to leading the congregation on its journey of faith.

New pricing requests

Congregations should call the Board to request pricing if they would like to offer the Medical Plan to employees who are not:

enrolled in Transitional Pastor’s Participation or the Congregational Pastors Package
already offered medical coverage in an existing benefits group

Pricing is customized for each congregation based on geography and the demographics of the employees being covered. When they call the Board, an Employer Services representative can walk them through this process.

Call 800-PRESPLAN (800-773-7752) (TTY: 711) if you need assistance.

From Your Finance Team

Churches,

Make sure to attend the upcoming assembly meeting on Saturday, August 24th at

Second Presbyterian in Bloomington. The budget for 2025 and Per Capita for 2025 will be discussed.

Please be sure to submit a fully completed remittance form with any check you send to the presbytery. This ensures that we apply your payment as you intend. If sending from your bank online, you can email your remittance form to smcgrath@greatriverspby.org.

2024 Per Capita is $37.25, an increase of $1.00. 2024 Per Capita is based on your final membership numbers reported for 2022. The annual Per Capita mailing was sent late last fall to the mailing address we have for your church. Packets were mailed to the attention of your clerk of session. If for some reason you didn't receive it, please let us know.

We’ll happily send you another copy.

Thank you to all churches who have contributed toward Per Capita. We’ve had 40 churches pay their 2024 per capita in full. Thank you to Aledo-Sunbeam, Alexis-Norwood, Athens, Bartonville, Bushnell, Carlinville, Carrollton, Carthage, Chatham, Chenoa, Clayton, Clinton, Coal Valley, Divernon, East Moline, Elmwood, Eureka, Fountain Green, Greenview, Ipava, Lincoln, Mason City, Media, Milan, Morton, Mt Sterling, New Windsor, Normal-New Covenant, Oneida, Orion, Pekin, Peoria-First Federated, Petersburg, Quincy, Reynolds, Rock Island, Springfield-Korean, Virginia-Sangamon Valley, Warsaw, and Washington!

Mission Giving Percentage Update

At the April 20th assembly meeting, it was voted to change the percentage of mission giving for the General Assembly and the Presbytery of Great Rivers. Presbytery increased from 52.5% to 75%. General Assembly (Presbyterian Mission Agency) decreased from 42.5% to 20%. Synod remains at 5%.

Please reach out to either of us with any questions or concerns.

Thanks,

Sabrina McGrath - Bookkeeper

Bill Strawbridge – Treasurer

Please click on the blocks below to follow the links:

2024 Remittance Form

Church Pin List

Church Pledge Form

Boundary Training Opportunities in 2024

All pastoral leaders in Great Rivers Presbytery, Presbyterian and non-Presbyterian, Ministers of Word and Sacrament and Commissioned Ruling Elders, pulpit supply preachers and retired pastors who serve churches in any capacity are required to attend annual boundary training that is approved by PGR. You must submit a certificate of completion to Stated Clerk Elissa Bailey.

The following classes will fulfill your annual attendance requirement. The online LeaderWise classes, which are coordinated and funded by the Synod of Lincoln Trails, fill quickly.

September 12, 10:00 am-3:00 pm. In-person class sponsored by Great Rivers Presbytery at Elmwood Presbyterian Church. Lunch will be available for $12.25. Register here: PGR Boundary Training Sept 12 Elmwood. Use the QR code above to pay for your meal, or you can pay with cash at the training.

October 1 and 2, 8:00 am-11:00 am. On Zoom – must attend both days.

(Register using this link: https://www.leaderwise.org/solt). This class is an “Advanced Boundary Training.”

For the last several months, the Synod of Lincoln Trails has been working on building the Midwest Call Finder website. All congregations in our presbytery, along with the others in SOLT, will soon be able to use this tool for seeking pastors and staff for church positions. Likewise, pastors and other church professionals seeking positions can use Midwest Call Finder to learn about job openings in the region. We anticipate the site will go live in early September.

Attached is the template for postings. Churches are encouraged to spend some thoughtful time in advance preparing this information so that it is ready to post when the site goes live.

The next phase will be to add a bulletin board where churches can share positive experiences with providers (contractors, organ tuners, stained glass window repairers) throughout the Synod that other churches might benefit from, and for providers to share their talents (such as retreat leaders, communications freelancers, etc.) with the synod.

Energy-Saving Resources for Congregations

A message from the Presbyterian Hunger Program

Did you know that congregations can get both tax rebates and direct pay options for installing energy-efficiency upgrades and/or renewable energy? Find out more from this summer’s presentations to the General Assembly Committee on Environmental and Climate Justice and the General Assembly plenary, as well as a fuller hour-long webinar hosted by Presbyterians for Earth Care. Click here for more information.

Ministry Opportunities

Music Ministry Director

United Presbyterian Church of Peoria is looking for a part time Music Ministry Director. Job responsibilities include:

Serving as a role model for UPC’s vision for welcoming and inclusive intergenerational worship that connects people to each other and to God.
Collaborating closely with the Pastor to plan engaging intergenerational worship experiences that support the spiritual and musical growth of the congregation, the community, and the musicians. This includes ensuring that music and worship activities and other liturgical elements support the theme of each service.
Providing leadership for all music programs of the church, collaborating closely with the Pastor and the Worship and the Arts Committee to include all ages in music programming.
Taking the lead in AV and digital ministries, managing the quality of the in-house worship sound and the livestreamed experience.

For more information, click here.

Associate Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Springfield click

Solo Pastor, Hamlet-Perryton Presbyterian Church, Reynolds click

Pastor, Yoked Ministry, New Windsor Presbyterian Church, Rio click

Music Ministry Director, United Presbyterian Church of Peoria click

Christian Formation Resources

Looking for resources to begin a new fall of ministry opportunities in Christian formation? Plan now for ways to recognize Christian Formation Week starting September 8th. Find links to liturgy and kick off ideas, as well as Quicksheets on building a children’s at-home library, Bible presentations, back-to-school blessings, and more. There are liturgies that tie to each of the lectionary years.

Community Circle: Disability Inclusion

Is your congregation trying to be more intentional in including people with disabilities in your faith community? Join a Zoom conversation on September 10 at 1:00 pm EST/12:00 noon CST led by Rev. Sarah VanderZee McKenney and Rev. Deborah Huggins from Presbyterians for Disability Concerns.

New Stewardship Book

Tailored specifically for pastors and lay leaders navigating the delicate task of stewardship, God’s Gift of Generosity transcends the mundane “how” of giving to explore the profound “why” behind our acts of generosity, making the “how” a much easier task. Expand the use of this book through a comprehensive group discussion and planning guide that assists you as you develop your generosity program. Read an Excerpt.

Student Loan Forgiveness

Did you know that the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Board of Pensions of the PC(USA) have teamed up with PeopleJoy to assist people in service with student loan forgiveness? To help you understand the ins and outs of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) process, click here. People who can benefit: teaching elders, UKirk registered ministers, those who work for PC(USA)-related schools, colleges, seminaries, camps, conference centers, mid councils, and church corporations.

2024 GA Unassigned Restricted Funds Grants Deadline

A message from the Presbyterian Mission Agency

Applications from congregations for the 2024 General Assembly Unassigned Restricted Funds Grants are due August 15 to their synods. Find all related information here.

The final deadline for applications from synods is September 15. Contact Sarah Dunne Pickrell with questions.

Opportunity for Young Adults to Study at the Ecumenical Institute Bossey Geneva, Switzerland

As part of the World Council of Churches and attached to the University of Geneva, the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey, offers a unique opportunity for ecumenical study. Each year the Institute welcomes a group of no more than 60 students from around the world and from many different Christian traditions. The application phase for the academic year 2025 – 2026 is now open. Scholarships are available for young scholars (up to the age of 35). The deadline for application is in November 2024. Click here for more information:

The Ecumenical Institute Bossey | World Council of Churches

We Need Help Completing the New Presbytery Directory

Our Presbytery seeks to hire a person with data entry skills to help us complete our directory! The task involves:

Use of Email and Microsoft Word skills to do the following:
Accept forwarded emails with our churches’ information which will include key leaders, phone numbers, email addresses, worship details and physical addresses.
Enter this information in the directory format.
Double check for accuracy.
Contact the church or pastor with questions of clarification as needed.

This is a contract position that is estimated to take between 20 and 30 hours.
This data entry worker will keep track of hours worked.
Compensation will be $20.00 per hour worked, to be paid biweekly.
Since this is a contract position, no benefits, vacation or federal withholding will apply.
The goal is to have this directory completed by the November 9th Presbytery Assembly.

Interested persons should submit a paragraph no later than August 24 to Personnel Chair, Joyce Chamberlin at Jkchamberlin1@gmail.com. Please share a bit about yourselves, including experience, church membership and availability of time to work on this project. Thank you for your consideration.

Presbytery of Great Rivers Virtual Office

Virtual Office Assistant Crystal Goforth 309-683-6980 Email: office@greatriverspby.org

Crystal works remotely from South Carolina (Eastern Time) and is available until 4 pm CST Monday thru Wednesday and Friday, and 1:45 pm EST on Thursdays. Please leave her a message & she will return your call.

Bookkeeper Sabrina McGrath 309-683-6981 Email: smcgrath@greatriverspby.org

Sabrina works from Peoria IL.

Her regular schedule is Tues & Thurs between 8am-3pm (Central Time)

Lead Presbyter Ann Schwartz 309-683-6983 Email: aschwartz@greatriverspby.org

Ann's Sabbath Day is Friday.

Stated Clerk Elissa Bailey 309-371-2511 Email: pastorebailey@gmail.com

My regular office hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am - 3 pm.(Central Time) If you have an emergency, please call or text me at 309-371-2511.

Get Connected!

Be sure to encourage your congregations, sessions, and even your church newsletter editorial staff and volunteers to sign up for our presbytery newsletter and follow our Facebook page so you don't miss out on what is going on in our community of churches!

Have you liked our "Presbytery of Great Rivers" Facebook page?

Subscribe to PGR’s YouTube channel to get notifications of our new videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7CXkkAsjR9Owi7gkXPtn8w. Share your congregation’s videos with us so we can let others know about your mission and ministry. If you have questions, need help, or want to share a video contact Cheyanna Losey, cheyannalosey@gmail.com or 309- 299-4790.

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