Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley | | |
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"partner with and equip present and emerging
PC(USA) faith communities in central Alabama
to serve Christ and our neighbors"
| | | HELP NEEDED FOR OUR SIBLINGS IN WILCOX COUNTY! | | |
On April 9, 2025 a tornado touched down in Camden and Arlington, Alabama in the Pine Hill area of our presbytery. This is in the Black Belt and is home to two of our African American congregations - Annemanie in Arlington and New Trinity in Camden - and members of both congregations were personally affected though the church buildings themselves were not damaged. There were many downed trees and much debris from shattered structures. Wilcox County, in which these towns are located, is one of the most depressed counties in the state. What the county did was to remove all the downed trees and other debris from the road and pile it up on the edge of people’s property but have not removed it from the property nor did they help with the removal of debris that struck and damaged houses. This leaves many people with the task of either removing the debris themselves (though few have the heavy equipment necessary to do so) or hiring someone to remove the debris from their yards. In some of the affected properties, the homeowners did not have insurance. At its meeting last Tuesday, the Executive Council set up a relief fund and is asking you to help out.
This is the link for the information about the tornado itself: https://www.waka.com/2025/04/09/action-8-update-survey-team-confirms-two-tornadoes-hit-wilcox-county/
The United Presbyterians of Wilcox County are coordinating the effort of debris clean up. The presbytery is receiving the donations from our congregations. Please send your donations to the Presbytery Office marked “Pine Hill Tornado” 3603 Lorna Ridge Drive, Birmingham, AL 35216 or online with the link below making sure you earmark for “Pine Hill Tornado”: https://pslpcusa.org/online-giving-paypal/
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Dr. Robert A. Bryant is the Kristen Herrington Professor of Bible at Presbyterian College. He holds a B.S. from Virginia Tech and an M.Div. and Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Union Presbyterian Seminary. He joined PC’s Department of Religion and Philosophy in 1998 and teaches general education courses in Old and New Testament, upper-level New Testament courses, and biblical Greek.
You must register to participate. Please register here: presbyearthcare.org
Earth Care Flyer
Rev. Sam Hamilton-Poore will be hosting this webinar on April 29, 2025
| | Please be sure to check out the job openings within our Presbytery at the bottom of this page. | |
Free Worship Resource
Need a worship service for next month to honor older adults in your congregation? Check out this year's service from the 2025 Older Adult Ministry Resource Guide. This is a free resource for anyone to use. The service includes a call to worship, prayers, scripture readings, benedictions, and hymn suggestions. Use or adapt as needed with your sermon. https://poamn.org/oam25-worship/
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Prayer Concerns
Jothany James for an upcoming surgery.
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PHP Impact Report 2024
A message from Presbyterian Hunger Program
Read about the work to end hunger and address its root causes in the year 2024, empowered by Presbyterian generosity! Working with partners in 18 countries and 29 states, together we are making a difference.
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Registration is now open for Stewardship Kaleidoscope 2025
Stewardship: The Art of Resiliency.
Stewardship Kaleidoscope, an ecumenical conference planned by volunteers from the PCUSA and ELCA, is designed for pastors and lay leaders to provide practical tools to strengthen your congregation's stewardship and generosity programs. This year’s conference will be in New Orleans, Louisiana, September 22-24, with an online virtual registration option as well. In-person attendees will be able to choose from dozens of workshops in addition to attending diverse plenary sessions and worship experiences. Virtual attendees will be able to join us for live-streamed and recorded plenaries and worship, and will also have access to 8 workshops, 4 of which will be available via be livestream.
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Registration rates as are follows:
Early Bird In-Person Registration (through June 30): $360
First Call Pastor or Seminary Student In-Person Registration: $200
Virtual Attendee Registration: $150
After June 30, regular In-Person Registration increases to $385.
To register now, click here.
Rooms at our event hotel, the Sheraton New Orleans Canal Street, are offered at the discounted rate of $179/night if you book by August 29.
Grants are available through the Presbyterian Foundation to assist pastors and New Worshiping Community leaders to attend the conference. For more information, visit https://www.presbyterianfoundation.org/resources/church-financial-literacy-and-leadership-program/grant/ or contact your Ministry Relations Officer, Rev. Dana Waters at dana.waters@presbyterianfoundation.org.
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Healthy Boundaries Training
All ministers and ruling elders are required to participate in Healthy Boundary Training for the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley. Below is a link to a Jotform Registration Form. This registration form contains registration information as well as the link to the video (which is password protected) and the password. The video takes you to another link for you to watch the content.
After watching, It is very important to return to the Jotform, acknowledge your completion and SUBMIT the form. This will ensure the stated clerk receives notice that you have completed the training.
Thank you for participating in the required Healthy Boundaries training. Your comments on both the process and the content are welcome. Please reply to our Stated Clerk if you have any questions and/or wish to share your comments.
Registration and link to Healthy Boundary Training for the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley
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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.
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PAM Worship & Music Conference:
“Clothed In Love”
Join musicians and worship leaders for the most widely attended annual conference of the PC(USA) denomination, June 15 – 20 and June 22 – 27, 2025, at the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina! Together, we will create music, learn, and worship. Your participation is an investment in the dynamic growth of our denomination as we explore the promising future together. Register now.
| | Ministry in the church can be life-giving and life-changing and, in the midst of it, we all need faithful companions along the road. Welcome to Along the Road – a podcast on faith and leadership for ministry leaders of the PC(USA). | |
Reminders
Just a reminder that the Presbytery office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday's from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (4 PM on Friday). The staff work from home on Tuesday and Thursday's.
Please check with the office for availability before scheduling committee meetings.
| |  | | PRESBYTERY OPERATING FINANCES March 2025 YTD | | |
Sue Westfall
General Presbyter
swestfall@pslpcusa.org
Tammy Strickland
Presbytery Administrator
Assistant to the Stated Clerk
tstrickland@pslpcusa.org
Bookkeeping
accounting@pslpcusa.org
Jay Wilkins
Stated Clerk
statedclerk@pslpcusa.org
Linda Burrowes
Recording Clerk
lburrowes@pslpcusa.org
Jean Russell
Treasurer
jabrussell@gmail.com
Ralls Coston
Volunteer Mission Coordinator
rcoston@pslpcusa.org
Pat Goodman
Volunteer Nurture Coordinator
pgoodman@pslpcusa.org
James Ephraim
Volunteer Liaison for
African American Churches
jamesephraim61@gmail.com
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Grace Presbyterian (PCUSA), Tuscaloosa, AL seeks a 20 hour/week part-time Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries who will develop and lead comprehensive ministries for children and youth, fostering spiritual growth, and creating a safe and engaging environment for faith development through various activities and events.
More information...
| South Highland is currently looking for someone to join our team of Sextons, which perform janitorial and custodial tasks, among other duties. Must be able to lift at least 30 pounds, work 35-40 hours per week, some weekends and occasional nights till 8-9 p.m. Must have a good work ethic and love to serve! Great environment and congregation. Good pay and after 90 days, eligible for medical insurance, vacation pay and other benefits. A person that can do light maintenance is a plus. Please email Dina Glass or call 205-933-0790 if you would like to set up an interview. | |
Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church (MBPC) is currently seeking to fill the full-time position of Director of Youth and Christian Education.
MBPC is a gospel-driven church that views everything through the lens of the two great commandments - love God and love your neighbor. MBPC is dedicated to nurturing these Gospel values in the Mountain Brook community but is keen to remember its place in the greater Birmingham area. MBPC hosts a worship service that leans traditional. However, in the last three years, MBPC has sought to faithfully and artfully implement contemporary components into the service - especially its musical components which seem to hit all the right notes (pun intended!) of balancing the "oldies but goodies" with vibrant and joyful contemporary music. MBPC has been blessed with small, but steady growth in its congregation and worship services. As a result, more and more children are coming through the doors. As such, MBPC is seeking director of Youth and Christian Education who has the maturity, energy, and professionalism to help MBPC navigate its path towards growth without compromising its gospel values. Additionally, MBPC is seeking someone who can exemplify the joy of our faith and help steer our children in that joyful direction!
A full job description is attached. Additional information about our church can be found on our website at mbpcusa.org. If you, or anyone you know in your organization is interested in applying for the position, please email your resume directly to me at mroberts@mbpcusa.org. Or, you can visit this LINK on indeed to apply for the job.
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First Presbyterian Church - Alexander City is seeking pulpit supply until they can fill their pastoral vacancy. Their worship services are on Sundays at 11:00 for one hour. If you are interested, please call the church office at (256) 329-0524.
“If you are interested in applying for our pastoral vacancy, please visit the CLC. Our MDP is posted there for details.”
| First Presbyterian Church, Eufaula, is looking for pulpit supply in a transitional period. Please contact Sue Westfall, General Presbyter for details. 520.490.1261. | |
Westminster Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL is in need of a Musician. If you or someone you know are interested in applying, please contact the church office at
(205) 322-0161 for more information.
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3603 Lorna Ridge Drive ~ Birmingham, AL 35216
Phone: 205-978-0320 ~ Fax: 205-978-0330
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