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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.
August 9, 2024
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LAST WEEK TO COMPLETE
Presbytery Assembly Survey
The Presbytery of Great Rivers leadership is exploring how we can best design Presbytery Assemblies to foster community and strengthen our mission and ministry. Please take a few moments to complete this survey and share the link with others in your congregation. The deadline to respond is August 15.
Click Here for the Survey
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Call for the Assembly
Stated Meeting
Presbytery of Great Rivers
August 24, 2024
10:00-4:00
Second Presbyterian Church, 404 N. Prairie, Bloomington
The deadline for lunch reservations is August 16.
Looking forward to the Assembly:
- Reflections by Rev. Dave Crittenden, SOLT’s Conversation Partner in Covenantal Abundance
- Good news from Lauren Rogers, Ministry Engagement Advisor, PC(USA)
- Resource tables staffed by PMA and Presbyterian Foundation
- Presentation of the 2025 Budget
- Three breakout sessions (you choose one):
- Ministry with older adults (including those with dementia and/or cognitive issues), led by Rev. Chris Schilling
- Ministry with LGBTQIA+ teens, led by Rev. Katie Styrt,
- Ministry to/with folks who have experienced trauma, led by Rev. Susan Phillips
- Worship with celebration of the Lord’s Supper
- Reports from teams and committees
- Fellowship with colleagues and friends
In person with a Zoom option
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrdeGpqjMtE9SPKBB9tZt2FTudSoIDyGG8
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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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.
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From the Lead Presbyter
Like many presbyteries, Great Rivers went “virtual” several years ago. We no longer have a presbytery office in Peoria where all the employees assemble each day—or anywhere else for that matter. That seems appropriate given what it means to be a presbytery, a large regional communion of PCUSA congregations.
The work of the presbytery occurs wherever the people of the presbytery worship and serve. That means Bloomington, where Elissa and I lead and clerk; that means in Peoria, where our bookkeeper, Sabrina, pays bills and tracks per capita and issues payroll; that means in Galesburg, where Cheyanna, our CRE Coordinator zooms and supports commissioned pastors; that means in Morton, where Bill Strawbridge, PGR’s treasurer, budgets and figures out creative ways to translate numbers for the rest of us; that means online, as committees discuss and discern around screens; that means in every church building where every one of you worships and serves.
The Presbytery is not a “them.” It is not the staff. It is not the committees. It is not the pastors. Together we—all of us, church members, pastoral leaders, staff, volunteers—are the Presbytery of Great Rivers. And together we are called to do God’s work, to build God’s kingdom, and to love God’s people. And the ministry of the Presbytery of Great Rivers is what we all make of it.
That is why I am so looking forward to the series of presbytery-wide Listening Sessions that begin this week and will continue through September. Members of the Leadership Team and the Governance Task Force (the presbytery) will facilitate conversations among church members and pastoral leaders (the presbytery) about the presbytery’s resources, leadership development and support, mission, and ministry priorities.
We are eager to gather with you and to hear from you. Together we will discern God’s purpose for us here and now. Together we will determine how to align our collective life, structure, and staffing with our evolving mission. Together we will learn how we can best support the ministry of churches and leaders.
I hope you will choose to be a part of the conversations about our presbytery—about us.
Grace and peace,
Ann
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Clerk's Corner
As we look into August, we anticipate the beginning of our fall calendars and schedules! This is exciting. For me, I am looking forward to my three kiddos getting back into their school schedules! Though, I am sending my oldest to middle school this year so your prayers will certainly be appreciated.
A couple of updates: There will not be a session record review this year. Session minutes only need to be reviewed every other year and this review took place last year. If you didn’t get your minutes checked and you would still like to get them checked to keep up-to-date with the Book of Order requirements, please feel free to reach out to me and we can make some arrangements.
The next Clerk’s Convo will be held on August 16 at 1:00 pm. This is a time for clerks (and those who assist clerks) to come and ask questions or see what is going on with other clerks. It lasts roughly an hour. There is no requirement to attend. Use this link:
Elissa Bailey (she/her/hers) is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Clerk of Session Meeting
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82477487297?pwd=ZXNIc29YRit3cTE2SGhsK0N5YzUrZz09
Meeting ID: 824 7748 7297
Passcode: 832216
Elissa Bailey, Stated Clerk
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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
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Please click on the blocks below to follow the links: | |
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Oasis Grant Flash Round
Pastors, chaplains, commissioned pastors (CREs), and those in validated ministries who are active in full-time or part-time ministry: the Synod of Lincoln Trails Oasis Grant FLASH ROUND is here! This is the final time to apply for something that will restore your soul and regenerate your spirit. What would spark joy in your life this season? The deadline for this FINAL round is August 15. Learn more and apply here: https://lincolntrails.org/oasis-a-stop-in-the-wilderness/
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Boundary Training Opportunities in 2024
The presbytery provides an annual training on healthy boundaries for all ministers, candidates, elders serving as Commissioned Ruling Elders in PGR, Certified Christian Educators, Certified Christian Associate Educators, and those who are serving as temporary members of Great Rivers. Please choose one of the following classes to fulfill your annual requirement for attendance.
Leaderwise classes are coordinated and funded by the Synod of Lincoln Trails. The in-person classes listed below are available through Great Rivers or other SOLT presbyteries.
Please note that registration for the Leaderwise classes is limited to 40 persons and will fill quickly. If you register, you are expected to attend as others may be waiting for your slot.
August 20, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. In-person class sponsored by Blackhawk Presbytery at DeKalb Westminster Church. Lunch is available.
August 21, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm. In-person class sponsored by Chicago Presbytery at Park Ridge Presbyterian Church. Register here: https://chicagopresbytery.org/august-2024-boundary-training/
September 12, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. In-person class sponsored by Great Rivers Presbytery at Elmwood Presbyterian Church. Limited to 40 persons. Lunch will be available. A registration link will be available soon.
September 18 and 19, 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm. On Zoom – must attend both days.
(Register using this link: https://www.leaderwise.org/solt)
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.”
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General Assembly in Brief
For those of you wanting a succinct summary of the deliberations and decisions of the 226th General Assembly, you can find the GA in Brief here (bulletin-sized https://hubs.ly/Q02Kq7md0) and letter-sized https://hubs.ly/Q02KqqVQ0).
Great Rivers will provide occasions in the coming months to discuss the 12 proposed amendments to the Book of Order prior to our voting on them early in 2025. Each amendment must be approved by a majority of the 166 presbyteries in order to effect changes in our polity.
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Seeking 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.
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Take a holistic approach to retirement planning at the in-person THRIVE seminar at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville on September 26-27. Plan members and spouses planning to retire in the next 10 years are invited to attend. Sign up to explore ways to confidently transition to, and ultimately thrive in, retirement: https://bit.ly/4fbxoi5

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Explore Hospitality in All Forms with "Emmanuel Living!"
Pastors who serve small-membership churches encounter many unique challenges as they seek to educate, inspire, and lead their congregations. Understanding that these challenges require a particular insight, the Wee Kirk Conference aspires to provide opportunities for small church leaders to receive Christ-centered instruction and support specific to their context.
During this conference, participants will find themselves surrounded by other professionals serving the church in similar capacities and will receive vital guidance on how they can focus their ministry through engaging track sessions.
Visit the website to learn more and/or to register.
Visit our Website
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New Pastors Program to Launch in October
The 3-day, 3-night residency in beautiful Allerton Park & Retreat Center will include opportunities to build meaningful relationships with colleagues and workshops on relevant topics (such as church finances, fundraising, and stewardship; time and energy management; congregational leadership development; renegotiating your call; dealing with difficult people or circumstances; and other topics that YOU will have a say in). Participation in the program will also include monthly personalized coaching.
New pastors will be invited, as will seasoned pastors transitioning into new roles (from associate to head of staff, or to a solo position, or from full-time to multi-vocational work).
Wellspring is being fully funded by the Synod of Lincoln Trails.
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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 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.
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August Ordination Anniversaries
August 1, 1999 – The Rev. Susan Phillips, First Presbyterian Church, Springfield
August 1, 2004 – The Rev. Charles Walden, Scotland Trinity and Ipava
August 10, 2014 – The Rev. Sarah Tunall, Member-at-Large
August 12, 2018 – The Rev. Brandon Ouellette, Faith United Presbyterian Church, Monmouth
August 14, 2021 – The Rev. Eric S. Vinsel, Minister of Community Engagement, Bloomington
August 23, 1992 – The Rev. Charles Goodman, Hope Presbyterian Church, Springfield
August 27, 1989 – The Rev. Carolyn Weber, Retired
August 29, 1993 – The Rev. Margaret G. Vogelsinger, Retired
August 31, 1981 – The Rev. Cheryl G. Lunday, Retired
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A Glorious Covenant Conversation Event
Covenant Conversations was a one-day event in April sponsored by Great Rivers Presbytery and the Presbytery of East Iowa, under the banner of Covenant Network of Presbyterians. It brought together Presbyterians who had questions about LGBTQIA welcome in churches, those who were excited to share ideas, and folks who were just trying to get their bearings. The day included specific workshops teaching about LGBTQIA terms, ministry, and queer youth outreach, as well as a starting panel discussion.
Throughout the day, there was ample time to connect with other Presbyterians and learn together. We also got to share educational resources which attendees could take back to their congregations, equipping them to build more inclusive church programming. We ended the day with closing worship and a joint choir, which brought together members of many churches. As an added bonus, Covenant Network board members who came in to lead workshops also preached the following morning at nearby churches.
This event was sponsored through a Visioning Grant. Please visit http://www.greatriverspby.org/mission.html if you’d like to apply for a grant to support local and collaborative ministry! You can also access Powerpoint presentations from each workshop given at the event, as well as a recording of closing worship here:
https://covnetpres.org/event/covenant-conversation-east-iowa-great-rivers/.
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Living Our Faith Out Loud
As people of faith, we are required to engage: to live our faith out loud in the midst of overwhelming odds. Each morning when the sun rises, we must give yet another "Yes!" to the antiracist work necessary to dismantle the systems and structures around us. This requires us to undo the broken systems existing even within ourselves. Knowledge of self, deeply formed and understood identities, allow us to work against the pressure to conform and "go on to get on."
This fall NEXT Church is offering two unique coaching cohort opportunities for white folx and people of color. Dr. Jennifer Harvey, author and theologian, provides the material for white folx to unpack the daily practices to embody antiracist values. Rev. Anna Kendig Flores, Rev. Neema Cyrus-Franklin, and Larissa Kwong Abazia seek to build a collective space for people of color to explore their identities as the focal point rather than in reaction to the systems which marginalize them.
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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.
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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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