GOOD NEWS

from the

Presbytery of Great Rivers

We are called to share Christ's love by partnering in service, 

uniting in worship, and risking in ministry.

June 23, 2023

Announcements

PGR Newsletter

Our Newsletters will go out the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month. The deadline for adding information is the Wednesday before at 5 pm.

Grants from your Visioning Team

Grant applications are open now! Check out our Mission page (http://www.greatriverspby.org/mission.html) for information about the Visioning grant to support programming and projects in churches and partner organizations, as well as grants for sabbatical assistance and funding while clergy are on paid family leave. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and the Visioning Team is ready to answer your questions. Contact us at PGRVisioning@greatriverspby.org to learn more!

Acting Stated Clerk for General Assembly Named

As you may be aware, the Stated Clerk of the PC(USA), Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, recently announced his decision to step down at the end of June. The Rev. Bronwen Boswell, currently general presbyter/stated clerk of Shenandoah Presbytery in Virginia, has been named Acting Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Boswell.



Read more . . . https://www.pcusa.org/news/2023/6/22/bronwen-boswell-named-acting-stated-clerk-gen-asmb/

From Your Lead Presbyter

I am grateful for the new opportunities each day to connect with churches and leaders—at Zoom and in-person meetings, and also with calls, visits, coffee, and meals. I have only just begun to hear about the vital and vibrant ministry happening in Great Rivers—camp experiences for children and youth, VBS partnerships, community gardens, outdoor ecumenical worship services, transformative book and Bible studies, anti-racism initiatives, and expressions of solidarity and allyship with LGBTQIA+ siblings.

Most Sunday mornings will find me on the road to PGR congregations near and far. It has been a joy so far to worship at First Presbyterian in Normal and Macomb. During July, I will participate in worship at Second Church in Bloomington; take part in the installation service of Rev. Lori Kyle at New Covenant Community Church, also in Bloomington; worship and learn at the Lincoln church when special guest author, speaker, and historian Diana Butler Bass appears (July 22-23); and preach at United Church of Woodhull, Illinois Presbyterian Home in Springfield, and First United PC in Bushnell.

If your church is celebrating an anniversary or other milestone, let me know, and I will try to be there. I would be delighted to share God’s word with your congregation as well.

Please share with me how your congregation is serving in the world, what your church is passionate about, and where God is leading you today. Send me an email or tell me about it when I visit. Contact me at aschwartz@greatriverspby.org about news, upcoming events, preaching dates, and stories about your church’s witness to the love of Christ in your community.

Grace and peace,

Ann



Rev. Ann Schwartz

Lead Presbyter

Vacation Opportunity

Valley Community Presbyterian Church in Richfield, Utah is excited to welcome active or retired pastors and CLPs for some vacation time! They are offering their parsonage to any PCUSA pastor/CRE who would like to spend a week or two (or longer) in Utah for their 2023 summer/early fall vacation. In return, they ask the pastor/CLP to preach the Sundays they are in town. It is a great opportunity to spend some time in the great outdoors, while they bring their favorite sermon to preach. The church is located in Richfield Utah, about an hour away from Zion, Bryce, and Moab National Parks.

Clerk's Corner

The dates are set! The Session Record Reviews have been set for this year. There are several taking place in the bounds of Great Rivers Presbytery and several in East Iowa. You are welcome to attend the record review that works best for you. Here are the possibilities:



Friday, July 7th, 1-4 PM @ New Windsor Presbyterian Church, New Windsor, IL

Monday, July 17th, 5-8 PM @ First Pres, Springfield, IL

Wednesday, July 19th, 1-4 PM @ First Pres, Carthage, IL

Saturday, August 5th, 9 AM-noon @ First Pres, Normal, IL

Sunday, September 10th, 3-6 PM @ First Presbyterian Church, Iowa City, IA

Thursday, September 14th, 9 AM-noon @ First Presbyterian Church, Macomb, IL

Sunday, September 17th, 2-5 PM @ First Pres, Muscatine, IA

Monday, September 18th, 9 AM-noon @ First Pres, Davenport, IA

Friday, September 22nd, 1-4 PM @ Faith Pres, Cedar Rapids, IA

Friday, October 20th, 9 AM-noon @ Faith United Pres, Monmouth, IL

Some of you completed your last record review approximately 18 months ago. My goal is to get everyone back on the same page and to have us complete record reviews on the years that the next Book of Order is published and goes into effect. This is especially important this year because of the significant policies and trainings that all governing bodies, including sessions, need to implement. We will discuss how your session can make this happen at the Session Record Review. So even if you had your last review 18 months ago, I encourage you to attend this review for this critical information.

What happens if you are not able to attend? The first step is to send someone in your place. You can send your pastor, your administrative assistant (especially in churches where the admin is responsible for putting the minutes together), or another session member. If there is no possibility for that to work either, please contact me, we will work something out.

Here is the link for signing up:

https://forms.gle/3XLiF6jzVAbDftG87

Just a reminder, I will be out of town July 9-15 as I will be serving as the Camp Chaplain at Camp Wyoming in East Iowa Presbytery.

I will also be out of town July 22-28 for Synod School in Iowa!

Rev. Elissa Bailey

Presbytery of Great Rivers Stated Clerk

From Your Finance Team

The United States Postal Service mailing services price changes to take effect July 9, 2023. The new rates include a three-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 63 cents to 66 cents. Churches may benefit from looking at planned mailings and if funds allow purchase stamps at the lower rate. Click here to learn more.

FYI: Stamps have gone from .55 back in July 2021 to .63 currently --So once this goes in to effect, they’ll have gone up 0.11 in just 2 years.

Click on the links below to update contact information:

Please click on the blocks below to follow the links:

Not Your Average Boundary Training 

The Presbyteries of Great Rivers and Southeastern Illinois are offering joint annual training on misconduct on Zoom on the following dates:

Tuesday, August 29-Wednesday, August 30—3:00-5:30 each day

Tuesday, October 31-Wednesday, November 1—3:00-5:30 each day

The five hour sessions are identical in content. This annual requirement for all PGR ministers, temporary minister members, candidates and elders serving as Commissioned Pastors in PGR may be also be met by alternative means. This is the training the presbytery provides at no change to our members through the generosity of the Synod of Lincoln Trails.

For questions about acceptability of alternative programs or to submit your certificate of completion for 2023 now, please reach out to our Stated Clerk, Elissa Bailey at pastorebailey@gmail.com

Click on the image above to subscribe to their newsletter!

SOLT is looking forward to launching two new coaching initiatives later this year: A Coaching Summit and Retirement Small Group Coaching.

Dates are not set yet but click on the link below if you are interested.

This issues features our own Stated Clerk Rev. Elissa Bailey.

2023 Assembly Dates

August 26th at Peoria United

November 11 at Faith United, Monmouth

In-person and Virtual

Job Posting

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)

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-4pm (Central Time)

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

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.