To Benefit First-Call Pastors and Musicians

The Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ First Call Community exists to support Ministers of Word and Sacrament and church musicians in their first call. In partnership with PC(USA)’s Financial Aid for Service, PAM is offering up to 70 free 2024 memberships to pastors and church musicians who are serving in their first call.

The purpose of this offer is to best support these worship leaders needing continuing education, but not always having the funding available to do so; it introduces first call worship leaders to Call to Worship, the Presbyterian of Musicians (PAM)’s resources, and Financial Aid for Service’s student loan debt assistance program.

All pastors and musicians currently serving in their first call and not a current or previous member of PAM are eligible for this gift.

To join the first call community and receive a free PAM membership, email contact information and the church name to [email protected], subject: First Call Community.

Click on each photo for more information.

Through Middle Eastern Eyes: A Life of Kenneth E. Bailey, by Michael Parker, was just published.  A Presbyterian missionary for forty years in the Middle East (1955-1995), Bailey served in Egypt, Lebanon, Israel-Palestine, and Cyprus. He was also a distinguished New Testament scholar, who taught us all the need to view the parables and life of Jesus through the lens of Middle Eastern culture. His ground-breaking interpretations can be found in ten books, including such popular titles as The Cross & the Prodigal (1973/2005), Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes (2008), and The Good Shepherd (2014). A lucid and fast-paced narrative, the biography provides the context in which Bailey’s insights were formed and developed over the course of a long and often fraught career. Parker’s book is based on extensive research in the Bailey Papers at the Yale Divinity School library and is now available at Amazon.com. Here’s the link: Through Middle Eastern Eyes: A Life of Kenneth E. Bailey: Parker, Michael: 9798385207794: Amazon.com: Books. Also, check out Parker’s website, which includes several short videos on Bailey’s life and importance as a scholar: MichaelParker.info.

Some of our churches have asked for help with technology. This webinar will be of special interest to you. I encourage you to sign up below. I'll be there.

The webinar is on April 4, 2024, at 7 p.m. EST. All who register will be emailed a link of the recorded webinar afterwards.

Sue

Presbytery Tech Person Needed

The Presbytery is looking for a Tech person to help with our quarterly Presbytery meetings. (This includes four eight hour meetings per year plus be available for four 2 hour planning meetings quarterly) Must have knowledge of Zoom, including issues with sound and video. Must be available to set up equipment to start each meeting and monitor Zoom participants. Compensation is negotiable. If you or someone you know may be interested please contact Tammy Strickland at [email protected].

The New Face of Aging: Transforming Older Adult Ministry Conference — Join May 29 – 30 in San Diego, CA for this event sponsored by Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry Network/POAMN. Connect with other serving alongside older adults, attend workshops, and learn more about the newly launching Expressions of Ministry Resources. Looking for ideas for Older Adult Ministry? Here is the new Planning Guide as well.

Pastors and Transitional Ministry

Leaders Training

April 16-21, 2024

As part of the Transitional Ministry Educational Consortium, The Art of Transitional Ministry Week One, at Calvin Center is church leadership training designed for Clergy and other church staff sensing a call to transitional or interim ministry.

The Lead Teacher is Brady Radford.

Learn more and register: www.calvincnter.org/art-of-transitional-ministry

Dallas County Long Term Recovery Group

This Presbytery has been involved with the Dallas County LTRG (Long Term Recovery Group) for the past year. The LTRG is working on Selma’s recovery from the January 2023 tornado which destroyed or damaged so much of Selma and Dallas County. So far, the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley has distributed over $31,000 to six cases in Selma. This money has been used to replace beds, tables, washing machines, dryers and roofing for the six different families impacted by the tornado. The funds for these cases came from contributions from the Presbyterian Disaster Fund, Independent Presbyterian Church, Southminster Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian-Wetumpka and Oakmont Chapel Presbyterian Church. Thank you to all the donors.

There is still plenty to do in Dallas County/Selma’s recovery. Other organizations, such as United Way, Mennonite Disaster Services, Lutheran Disaster Services, Gospel Tabernacle Church, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, and the Edmundite Missions of the Catholic Church are some of the workers/contributors to Selma’s recovery.

 This Presbytery can continue to help by providing funds to the Presbytery’s Perry/Dallas County Fund. Both churches and individuals may contribute to this fund. And, as the United Methodist case managers provide the cases, we can continue to help.

Pro Ecclesia 2024 Conference

https://www.pro-ecclesia.org/

Click on the registration link below for all the conference details

We are excited to announce the details of our next annual conference, “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic? Championing the Marks of the Church in an Age of Polarization and Ecclesial Confusion,” to be held here in Birmingham, June 10-12, 2024. We hope you will join us!

Please register and book a room by clicking on the button below and following the instructions we have laid out for you. We look forward to welcoming you. We promise you will you have a good time of learning and fellowship in service of the church.

Rev. Ed Hurley will be leading the final prayer at the end of the conference.

The New Wilmington Missionary Conference

July 19-24, 2024 / Westminister College, New Wilmington, PA

The New Wilmington Missionary Conference is one of the oldest continuous Presbyterian Missionary Conferences the church offers. It is a great opportunity to discover how God is active in other parts of the globe. Here is the link to the conference this year. https://www.nwmcmission.org/promo-resources For more information contact Cody Watson.

Please be sure to check out the job openings around our Presbytery at the bottom of this page.

Newsletters, Bulletins, News

• PHS Matters - Presbyterian Historical Society
• Presbyterian Outlook -
• Third Sunday of Easter
• Acting Stated Clerk joins 140 other Christian leaders calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and a halt of arms sales to Israel
• Small is Beautiful - A Small Church Webinar

PRESBYTERY OPERATING FINANCES February 2024 YTD