Our next Stated Presbytery meeting will be Thursday, February 19th at First Presbyterian Church in Talladega. This will be an in-person only meeting. If you will be attending, please register with the link below no later than Friday, February 13th so that we can get an accurate count for a quorum and for lunch reservations. The packet link is also below. Please download and print a copy as there will be limited copies available at the meeting.

Registration link: https://forms.gle/LBBEPskAPLuA68R79

Packet link: February packet

Morning Session

For Church Leaders, Educators & Ministry Volunteers

10–11:30 a.m.

IPC Sanctuary

If you teach, lead, or care for children in the life of the church, this morning session is for you. Meredith will guide a conversation around how churches can thoughtfully and faithfully nurture children’s faith within the local church.

Drawing on theology, experience, and best practices, this gathering invites participants to reflect on how worship, teaching, and shared community life shape faith over time, and how we can approach this work with care, clarity, and hope. Coffee and light breakfast bites will be available.

Evening Session

For Parents, Grandparents & Community Members

Reception & Book Signing: Drop in between 5-6 p.m., IPC Parlor

Talk Begins: 6 p.m., IPC Sanctuary

Cost: $10

If you are walking alongside children in everyday moments, this evening session is for you. It is also a welcoming space for anyone who wants to reflect on their own experiences of faith and consider how faith is formed and examined over time. Together, we will explore how children experience and build faith, along with practical, grace-filled ways adults can support that growth. Drawing from her book Woven, Meredith offers encouragement that honors both the wonder of faith and the realities of daily life, helping adults see their everyday presence as meaningful and formative.



Handheld snacks will be available during the reception. Childcare will be available for the evening session and is guaranteed for those who register by Sunday, March 1.

More information: https://ipc-usa.org/woven-and-wonder.html

In 2023, the Session of South Highland Presbyterian Church approved the “Building for the Future” capital campaign to address building maintenance needs. The Session also committed to tithe 10% of all funds raised to support local and international mission projects. 

To carry out this commitment, the Outreach Committee elected a group to receive and review applications from mission partners, and to make funding recommendations to the Session. 



The Building for the Future grant committee will conduct two rounds of applications and disbursements, with the first round distributing up to $100,000.

APPLICATION TIMELINE (ROUND ONE)

·      Application Period: January 15-March 15, 2026

·      Review Period: April 2026

·      Decisions Announced: Mid-May 2026

If you have any questions, please email shpcgrants@southhighland.org

The Present Word



Oakmont Chapel Presbyterian Church has 10-12 copies of each quarter of The Present Word Adult Bible Study if anyone is interested. 

Contact Janet Roberta or Rachel Winter @ 205-823-5910

2026 CONTEMPLATIVE OUTREACH

BIRMINGHAM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker: Rev. Ed Bacon, Episcopal Priest and Author

"Contemplation Changes Us: Let Me Count the Ways"

March 21, 2026 at St. Stephens Episcopal Church

in Cahaba Heights, AL, 9:00-3:00



Cost: $70 for credit card or $65 for check; Lunch included

Registration now open at Contemplative Outreach Birmingham/Centering Prayer website - https://www.contemplativeoutreachbirmingham.org

Click here for more information.

1001 New Worshiping Communities Grant Deadline

Grant deadline and award dates have been announced for 2026 1001 New Worshiping Communities grants. More information about the grants can be found HERE.

2026 Submission Dates are: January 27, April 28, June 30, and Sept 1.

Please submit applications to nwcgrants@pcusa.org.

2026 Lenten Devotional

In a world marked by division, uncertainty and competing narratives, Matthew’s Gospel speaks with striking relevance. Matthew’s first audience — a young, fragile community navigating conflict, identity and fear — sounds a lot like the church today. This Lenten devotional by Outlook editor Teri McDowell Ott invites readers to journey through Matthew’s Gospel to discover how Jesus leads us toward humility, courage, compassion and faithful discipleship amid the fractures of our age.



Grounded in Scripture and written with pastoral warmth, this resource guides individuals and congregations through daily reflections, including a weekly visio divina practice. Each entry includes Scripture, a focus verse, a theologically rich reflection, guided questions, and a closing prayer — making it ideal for personal prayer, small groups, session devotions, or congregational Lenten study.

Ash Wednesday resources:

• Ash Wednesday Service: A season of unmasking by Anne Apple
• Ash Wednesday reflections
• Ash Wednesday Service: A call to repentance and renewal by Barbara Chaapel

Living River has a few returning counselors from last summer coming back to lead summer camp 2026! We're also looking for a handful of first-time applicants for the position. Summer camp counselors are college-age young adults, including youth who will graduate from high school this year. They can be any young adult you know who would be a good fit; they don't have to be a part of a Presbyterian church! 

Please help us spread the word and recruit some excellent counselors for summer camp! Please share the opportunity with your congregation through your newsletters, etc and share with anyone who particularly comes to mind. Being a counselor is a very fun and meaningful experience (transformative for some). It's a great opportunity for gaining professional skills, too. 

The job description, application, and more information about the position are at www.livingriver.org/summerstaff.  

Also, the early bird discount for summer camp ends 1/31! www.livingriver.org/about_summer_camp. 

Living River Summer Camp and Scholarships 2026

Summer camp registration and scholarship application are now open on both Living River website and the Presbytery web site.

Scholarships ($200 for full week camps and $75 for You & Me - both adult & child) are available on a first come, first serve basis until the funds are depleted. Priority is given to campers from Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley churches.

Presbytery Youth Council Winter Retreat

Registration for the PSL Youth Retreat is now open! Come join other youth from around the Presbytery as they gather at Living River on February 20 - 22 for a weekend of fun, bible study, fellowship and lots of "friend" time as they explore with Rev. John McCrosky and the Youth Council leadership team what it means in this wired world to be "Unplugged and Untangled". Cost is $80.  

Registration is available on the Presbytery web site.  

Spring Retreat – February 20 – 22 | Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley

Prayer Concerns

Prayers for Peace in this world.

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

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

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).

Newsletters, Bulletins, News

Stewardship Kaleidoscope 2026

Presbyterian Outlook

• Maine clergy form spiritual ‘shield’ outside workplaces to protect immigrants from ICE

Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry Network

• February Newsletter
• Expressions of Older Adult Ministry

Montreat Conference Center

• February in Montreat
• Start Planning Your Next Outdoor Getaway

PRESBYTERY OPERATING FINANCES November 2025 YTD