You are invited to the Presbytery's Annual Christmas Party

Mid Council Leaders Conversation

You are invited to a gathering on December 15, 2022 from 2:30-3:45 pm EST to engage in two topics concerning NEXT Church: 1) What are the needs and challenges facing your congregations, campus ministries, new worshipping communities, and/or fellowships? How can NEXT Church come alongside you to provide support and educational opportunities? 2) In what ways can NEXT Church shift, grow, or change to better serve the Church? What should we hold on to? What should we release?

Please register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrceGgqDMjGtYu1AJN0RWkzyvqvRKD8Z0m After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Association of Smaller Congregations

Save the Date

March 2 - 5, 2023

Keynote Speaker: Lisa Culpepper

Click the link below for more information including how to register.

Heritage Preservation Grant Deadline - A message from PHS

Each year, the Presbyterian Historical Society offers Heritage Preservation Grants to PC(USA) congregations for up to $500 of free digitization services. Apply for this year’s grant by December 31.

APCE 2023 - A message from the Office of Christian Formation

Registration is now open for the APCE Annual Event, Unforced Rhythms of Grace, January 25-28, 2023, in Birmingham, Alabama. Join the Association of Partners in Christian Education for this opportunity to learn, connect, and renew. The event will be hybrid, offering both in person and online opportunities. We are excited that the online option is available in both English and Spanish. Sign up here for Spanish, which is being offered for free. Scholarships for online in English are still available.

PHFC Thrift Store Donations

Bring your usable furniture, furnishings, items and gently used clothing, etc. to the NEW Presbyterian Home for Children's Thrift Store donation center in the parking lot of Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church. Donations will be accepted every third Friday of the month from 9:00 AM - Noon.

The Home has a second donation drop off location at Southminster Presbyterian in the church parking lot. Donations will be accepted only on the first Saturday of every month from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM. 

Look for the box truck onsite for your donation drop off. 

POAMN is looking for writers for our 2023 Older Adult Ministries Planning Guide

The Presbyterian Church USA designates the first Sunday in May each year (May 7, 2023) as Older Adult Sunday, a day of honoring and celebrating those oldest saints within congregations across the nation.  

In preparation for Older Adult Sunday and as an ongoing resource, POAMN creates, edits and publishes an Older Adult Ministries (OAM) Planning Guide. We are currently looking for submissions of creative ways to honor older adults on May 7, 2023 and throughout the year.  Does your congregation/organization offer programs/events to engage the generations as you minister for, to, and with older adults? Have you created ministries/programs based on the current crises we face as communities and as a nation? We would love to share with others ideas in providing older adult ministries throughout the generations. Please consider writing an article that can be used in the 2023 OAM Planning Guide. Articles can be about a program you offer within your congregation, partnerships you have formed with other organizations, or other activities/events you provide for older adults within your community. Articles should be about the “how to” of various ministries with older adults through multicultural and/or intergenerational engagement. 

Articles should be 500-2,000 words in length and need to be submitted by the December 15, 2022 deadline to be considered for inclusion in the 2023 OAM Planning Guide. Submission does not guarantee inclusion in the 2023 OAM Planning Guide and articles may be maintained to use at a later date. POAMN reserves editorial rights of all articles submitted. Please submit your article and include your short bio, to Ginny Nyhuis at [email protected]

GBM Open House

We're hosting an Open House at GBM this Tuesday, Dec. 6!  We want to welcome our wonderful community to the building for food, conversation, and tours. Stop by anytime between 3 - 7pm to learn more about what we do at GBM, meet some of our staff and board members, or just say hi and grab a snack!

Time:

Tuesday, Dec. 6, 3-7pm

Location:

Greater Birmingham Ministries, 2304 12th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35234 (across the street from Protective Stadium)

There will be refreshments and information about GBM's work!

Review Your Child and Youth Protection Policies

Michael K. Kirk, PC(USA) General Counsel

In January 2020 the Stated Clerk issued a letter to the church calling on councils to “take all steps possible to prevent sexual abuse and misconduct.” The Stated Clerk also declared:



While we as a denomination have talked about providing a safe space for individuals to live, work, and play while carrying out the mission of God in Christ, our sexual misconduct policies have not always been effective in protecting vulnerable persons among us. Tragically, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has sometimes failed to listen to the long-silenced voices of survivors of sexual misconduct by church leaders.

We must do better—as individuals and as a church.

As we approach Advent and celebrate...

More information

Newsletters, Bulletins, News

• Board Connections
• Presbyterian Outlook - Looking into the Lectionary
• Montreat Conference Center

Perry Dallas County Fund

The Perry and Dallas County Fund has been set up to provide aid to mission work in Perry and Dallas Counties. In particular, funds will be provided to a local agency, C.E.T. Ministries. Please consider donating to this fund. Contact Ralls Coston for more information. Read more... View the flyer

Pandemic Ponderings by:

Rev. Dr. Sue Westfall



Twice a month our General Presbyter, Rev. Dr. Sue Westfall, sends out a meaningful, informative and uplifting blog during these unusual and strange times we are all going through together. Be sure to watch for the email or you may to read her "Ponderings" so far.

Online Church Services

Several churches in our presbytery have made available live-streaming, Facebook live, or other platforms of their Sunday worship services. We are aware of the following churches (click the link below) that are offering these platforms and will plan to continue services on Sundays so their church members can participate in worship from home. If you are not on the list and would like to be added, please let Tammy know.

Online Church Services

Matthew 25

Living into the vision: PC(USA) discerns what it means to be a Matthew 25 church

So what does it mean to be a Matthew 25 church – one that lives into Jesus’ teaching from Matthew’s Gospel to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the stranger, the prisoner, those in need? Click the link above to read more.

If your church has recently become a Matthew 25 church, would you please let the Presbytery office know? You may email Tammy to confirm. Also, please register on the Matthew 25 website below and your church will receive a packet of resources from PMA:

https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/matthew-25/become-a-matthew-25-church/

Matthew 25 in the PC(USA):

A bold vision and invitation

PRESBYTERY OPERATING FINANCES September 2022 YTD