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Dear Friends in Savannah Presbytery,
By the time you receive this newsletter, Odet Douglass and I will be in Salt Lake City, Utah deep in plenaries of the 226th General Assembly of the PC(USA) as your Teaching Elder and Ruling Elder Commissioners from Savannah Presbytery. We will be joined there by our Presbytery Communications Coordinator Jaclyn Beeler who is the Ruling Elder Commissioner from her home presbytery of East Tennessee. Our Director of Pastoral and Ecclesial Care Rick Douylliez and his wife Cathy will also be attending to build relationships and help us interpret the actions of the assembly back home.
Each commissioner serves on a committee and for three days, starting on June 25, each of us participated from home in 3 8-hour days on Zoom addressing the overtures that are coming through our committees. I was assigned to Financial Resources, Odet to Ordination, and Jaclyn to Polity. We were asked to be familiar with our committee’s business as well as the overtures coming to all the other committees since we will be voting on all business in Salt Lake City.
I invite you to learn more about the General Assembly through this link - PC(USA) OGA (pcusa.org) and to check in on the events of the week through this link: 226th General Assembly (2024) | Live Into Hope (ga-pcusa.org).
Thank you for the opportunity to serve the larger Church in this way and to see the strength of our common witness. Please pray for our assembly to be faithful to God’s call in this moment of Christian history. It is a weighty responsibility and one that we each take seriously.
Blessings,
Deanie Strength
Stated Clerk/ Director of Administration
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Coastal Green Team Summit | |
The GIPL Coastal Green Team Summit will focus on ways coastal faith communities can foster spiritual and ecological resilience in the face of the climate crisis. At the summit, held at First Presbyterian Church (520 Washington Ave, Savannah, GA 31405) participants will hear from a panel of local faith leaders, participate in roundtable discussions, and attend workshops on local climate issues, coastal resilience, Green Team organizing, and advocacy. | |
Help us Choose our March Elective Course! | |
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The Tree of Life: An Introduction to the Wisdom Literature of Ancient Israel
This course is an introduction to the wisdom literature of ancient Israel, especially the books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. Our goals are to consider the definition and key characteristics of wisdom; to develop a familiarity with the background, forms, content, theologies, and interpretive issues of the wisdom texts; and to reflect on the place of wisdom in the Christian Scriptures. Furthermore, we will explore the relevance of wisdom’s perspectives for contemporary preaching, teaching, and theological reflection in Christian communities.
In the Beginning: A Study of Genesis
This course is designed as a study of the book of Genesis, particularly Genesis 1-22. Our aims are to gain a critical familiarity with the contents and interpretive issues of the book, to develop further competence in interpretive skills (e.g., strategies for reading, methods, resources); and to consider Genesis as a theological resource for Christian communities.
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News from Sy Hughes,
Ministry Engagement Advisor Southeast region;
Synods of Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic
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You are invited to St. Marys for a “Dutch treat” luncheon with the theme, Preaching in the Wake of Disaster. Commissioned pastors and CP candidates have also been invited to attend. Please welcome any lay leaders from your own congregation who may have a regular opportunity to preach. We will also be discussing the planning of a pastor/educator/spouse retreat for later this year.
District 3 Luncheon
Wednesday, August 21
The Firefly Taco Cantina
609 Osborne Street
St. Marys, Ga
11:30 a.m.
Please RSVP by Friday, August 16.
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More Info Sessions Regarding
Board of Pensions Changes
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Clark Simmons, our regional representative will hold additional Zoom meetings on July 30, 31, and August 1 at 10:00, 12 noon, and 2:oo (all Eastern time) to go over recent updates to the plans for pastors. Please reach out to Andy Meeker, Associate Stated Clerk, or Jon Hauerwas, COM Chair, to receive the meeting links when they are provided. Tips for Determining the Right Healthcare Coverage for You and Your Family on Aug. 8 (registration opens in July), covering ACA-established exchanges, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP qualifications, alternative sources of coverage, and additional resources to learn more about available medical coverage options.
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Faithful Conversations, an e-learning course from the Board of Pensions designed to equip pastors and congregations to have faithful conversations and make decisions pertaining to benefits and other aspects of compensation
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Regarding Ruling Elders
A Monthly Series for Serving Faithfully
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Monthly Regarding Ruling Elders articles alternate between a deep dive into the ways ruling elders discern and measure the life of a congregation through the ministry of members (G-1.0304) AND stories about how ruling elders are using their call and gifts as they move within and beyond the walls of the congregation.
Subscribe to receive notifications of monthly Regarding Ruling Elders articles. Visit the PC(USA) Leader Formation website for more resources for ruling elders and deacons. For more information, email Martha Miller, editor of Regarding Ruling Elders.
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The Wonder of Worship Grants | |
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The Wonder of Worship program at Columbia Theological Seminary is offering a second round of grants of $1,000 to congregations nationally looking to enhance the engagement of children in their corporate workspaces.
Wonder of Worship is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. The aim of the national initiative is to support faith-based organizations as they help children grow in faith and deepen their relationships with God.
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Presbyterian Youth Triennium | |
Job Openings in Savannah Presbytery | |
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On our website under “Ministries of Savannah Presbytery”, there is now a section for “Job Openings” within our churches and the Presbytery.
Church leaders should email job descriptions to
jbeeler@savannahpresbytery.org and these will be placed on the website. Openings for pastors, church educators, and staff positions for programming, office support, and finance are all welcome. Please contact Jaclyn when positions are filled.
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