Because Presbyterians walk the labyrinth

University Presbyterian Church in San Antonio has a labyrinth installation for the Advent season! All are welcom to come and enjoy this spiritual practice. Lights will be on late evening and early morning.

All checks to Mission Presbytery must be RECEIVED at the office by Thursday, December 18th in order to be recorded in 2025. Thank you!

Making Straight the Way

Second Sunday of Advent (Year A)

Rev. Bobby Musengwa

Transitional General Presbyter

The corresponding Old Testament lectionary passage for this Sunday is that of Isaiah's vision for peace. In the midst of terrible loss and national tragedy, the prophet lays out an unfathomable vision of peace that truly passes understanding. Clearly, human endeavors could not attain such peace. Yet we must continue to work and strive for it.

In the Gospel lesson, John the Baptist preached in the wilderness, on the edges, away from the center of religious life. And that's where the Spirit moved. John fearlessly spoke truth to power. He was unrelenting in calling out the powerful and all people to repent and prepare the way of the Lord.

This December, we celebrate the anniversaries of all the Teaching Elders in our midst who were ordained in December.

We send special greetings to Patricia Holland and Lynne Myers, who are both celebrating 40 years of ordained ministry this month!

Patricia Holland 12/1 (40 years!)

Jeanie Stanley 12/4

Ho In Yu 12/5

Cheryl Homsher 12/7

Carol Johnson 12/7

Katheryn Barlow-Williams 12/8

Susan Montoya 12/8

Sarah de la Fuente 12/9

Alan Constant 12/10

Lynne Myers 12/12 (40 years!)

Bobby Musengwa 12/13

Lydia Hernández Trickey 12/14

Kurt Simon 12/16

Steven Leach 12/19

Scammer Red Flags

Most, if not all, pastors and churches have been targeted by phishing or spoofing scams that attempt to steal money or personal information from our communities. We have created this flyer and are making it available to all Mission Presbytery ministries for distribution. Feel free to download and include it in your congregational communications or print and distribute it in your building if you think your members would benefit from the information. We will distribute resources like this once a month. If there's another topic or format that would be useful to your congregation, please contact Caitlin Supcoff at youth@missionpby.org. 

Mission Presbytery congregations have a unique opportunity this winter to take part in a meaningful, hands-on ministry experience—one designed especially for individuals and smaller congregations who may not have the resources to organize a full mission team on their own.

Faith Ministry, our longtime partner on the U.S.–Mexico border, is hosting its next Mission Trip for All in February 2026. This special trip, supported in part by a Better Together / Serve Grant, invites Presbyterians from across Mission Presbytery to come together to help build safe and stable homes for families in need in Reynosa and the surrounding communities.

It's that time of year again!

The Souper Bowl Championship is Almost Upon Us!

The Souper Bowl of Caring’s vision is to channel the excitement of the NFL’s Super Bowl into a powerful movement that unites youth and churches in the fight against hunger in their local communities. In that same spirit, the Mission Presbytery Souper Bowl Championship brings our congregations together in a friendly but meaningful competition — rallying energy, generosity, and teamwork to care for our neighbors in need.

The Rules

Promoting begins: During the month of December

Collecting begins: Thursday, January 1

Collecting ends: Sunday, February 8

Totals due: Wednesday, February 11

Churches donate their collections to the recipient of their choice, but we gather the total items collected for the competition. 

Register your church for the championship here

(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdIGcxXxh-QN3iwe20eWZ_XpQ0sVsQ0bXhnW-5ia_gPs5rdUQ/viewform?usp=header).

And for more information and all game rules, click the link below.

All checks to Mission Presbytery must be RECEIVED at the office by Thursday, December 18th in order to be recorded in 2025. Thank you! 

Calling All Those in Validated Ministries!

It’s that time of year when all of us who are in specialized or validated ministries or who are members at large are invited to reflect on their ministry setting and send in their annual report to COM. This year, there are two ways you can fulfill the Book of Order* requirement:

1. You can fill out this Google Form by January 16th, 2026. https://forms.gle/gWEKRWhJqa6nvE1z6

2. You can do it verbally “in person” via a Zoom gathering at 6 pm, Wednesday, January 14, 2026. To register for the Zoom option and receive a link, go here: https://forms.gle/CJf1xp2oW9RewNsEA

If you have any questions or difficulties filling out the annual report, please email Rev. Dr. Gini Norris-Lane at gnorrislane@gmail.com.

*G‐2.0503, in the Book of Order, requires that Presbytery review annually the work of all teaching elders who are engaged in validated specialized ministries outside the congregation or are classified as members‐at‐large. 

A weekend retreat for families and individuals from small churches in Mission Presbytery. This retreat is a collaboration between the Austin College ACtivators, the Mission Presbytery Connect Committee, and John Knox Ranch.

Where: John Knox Ranch. 1661 John Knox Rd. Fischer, TX 78623

When: February 27 - March 1, 2026

Who: For families and individuals from small churches (membership of 75 or less) who would love to have a church retreat, but would benefit from combining with members from other churches.

Cost: All inclusive pricing ranges from $75 per person to $175 per person depending on housing selection. Scholarships available!

Keynote: John Williams, Austin College Chaplain. “Being Presbyterian Right Here and Right Now”

RSVP at 210-779-4279.

Because Presbyterian Church Staffs Celebrate and Reflect

The staff of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin spent some time at a small Christmas gathering to reflect, reconnect, and remember the hope Christ brings into every corner of our work. Happy Advent!

Read more information about all of the following postings on the "Leadership Openings" page of our website at: https://www.mission-presbytery.org/leadership-openings

Part-Time Director of Music | Holy Trinity/San Antonio

Executive Director | National Alliance of Mental Illness San Antonio

Part-Time Youth Ministry Coordinator | University Presbyterian/Austin

PT/FT Solo Pastor | Oak Hills Presbyterian/San Antonio

Part-Time Solo Pastor | Forest Hills/Helotes

Associate Pastor: Pastor to Children, Youth, and Pastoral Care | Madison Square/San Antonio

Part-Time Stated Supply or CRE | First/Kingsville

Organist/Pianist | Burnet/Burnet

Part-Time Stated Supply Pastor | First/Copperas Cove

Part-Time Minister | First/Palacios

Part-Time Piano/Organ Musician | First/Port Lavaca

Job Opportunities with Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

in English, Español, 한국인

PRN-on-call chaplain position. | Hospice Austin

As Mission Presbytery, we connect diverse leaders and congregations by

providing opportunities for worship, learning, and service so that all can flourish

through God’s grace.