Anti- Racism Retreat / Change of Venue and Time

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. William Yoo author of A History of Slavery and Anti-Black Racism in the Presbyterian Church will be our guest presenter. Discussion of his book will be facilitated by Rev. Gregory Bentley. You do not have to have read the book to participate. Having read his work and heard Dr. Yoo's lecture prior, Rev. Bentley said, “I thank God for what you have done and I hope the church receives and acts on this in a faithful way. It’s up to us if we repent and repair what’s been done or go the way of all flesh.”

Due to the number of registrations we have already received we have had to move the event to Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church and change the time to Monday, August 21^st from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. For those that registered for an overnight stay at Living River, you will be refunded your registration cost.

Lunch will be available for $10.00 (cash or check made payable to the Presbytery).

This retreat is for the entire Presbytery and satisfies the required Anti-Racism training. Pastors are encouraged to sign up and share this opportunity with their congregation, staff, and colleagues. Please Re-Register with the link below.

https://forms.gle/TSVPhxrNUKdqHRAh7

As you're creating your Fall Calendar, this is just a reminder that Living River will have a Family Friendly Open House on Oct. 22nd and a Fall Elementary Retreat, Nov. 9-11. We're hoping the Open House will have music, food, and Fall campy activities plus an environmental partner. We're also hoping the local community will be a part of the Open House.

More details and registration instructions will come soon for the retreat, but please let Rachel Mathews know if you have any questions in the meantime. Please also know, children are welcome to invite friends to retreats and camps. It may be a great opportunity to reach out to new or periphery families!

We're grateful for everyone's continued and increasing partnership. 

Two Programs to Strengthen Stewardship Practices

The Presbyterian Foundation is pleased to bring you another Day of Learning for getting back to basics with stewardship.

This FREE online learning opportunity is set for August 23, 2023.

2:00 PM ET /11:00 AM PT Building a Culture of Generosity with Robert Hay, Jr., Senior Ministry Relations Officer for the Presbyterian Foundation

5:00 PM ET/2:00 PM PT Tactical Stewardship: Creating an Annual Plan with Maggie Harmon, Ministry Relations Officer for the Southwest



Register Today

Questions? Contact the Presbyterian Foundation at [email protected]

Greetings LWW friends,

We're excited to share our latest podcast with you all!

Pat and Dave Patterson from the Conshohocken United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania didn't just dip their toes in the shallow end of the Living Waters for the World pool and stay there. Their journey with LWW has taken them deep and wide with water partners in Cuba, Kenya, and Uganda. In this conversation, they share with us how they got started with LWW, what they are learning about water partnerships, and future plans they are exploring with their partners. Listen on your favorite podcast app or click here to catch our latest episode on Buzzsprout.　

Peace and purified water for all.

The 2023 Habitat for Humanity House

The Birmingham area churches in the Presbytery will sponsor a Habitat for Humanity House for this year, 2023. Construction will begin on Thursday, September 14, 2023. We will find out where the house will be built and which family we are building for in August.

Volunteer work days are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Volunteers do not have to be knowledgeable about construction (although it helps). There will be plenty of jobs to do: digging, helping frame walls, painting, nailing, pulling nails out because you bent them, installing siding and lots more.

Please set your calendars for this fall and help a family get affordable housing. And, you may meet this family as they work on their house.

National Missionary Summit

Hosted by Presbyterian Heritage Center

September 7-8, 2023

How can we approach local and global missions in a world that is wrought with change and unrest? At every turn, there is a rampant injustice, political conflict, famine, disease, and warfare. Is the era of Christian missions over? Or rather, are we on the threshold of new opportunities to do God's work in the world?

You're invited to the

2023 Polity, Benefits, and Mission Conference

When

October 9, 2023-October 12, 2023

Begins Monday, 7 p.m. with an opening reception

Concludes Thursday at noon

Where

Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch

St. Louis, Missouri

Registration Deadline

September 1, 2023

Click the Register Now button below for more information about the event and to register to attend! We invite you to forward this email to other mid council colleagues who may wish to attend.

Register Now

Church Financial Leadership Grants available now

If you are a pastor, commissioned ruling elder (CRE), a leader of a 1001 New Worshiping Community or a member of a stewardship team we have Church Financial Leadership Grants available for you. The grants will enable you to institute best practices for church financial leadership, introduce you to new models of giving and stewardship, and offer you new ways to talk about money and form generous disciples within your church.

Greetings,

With the year more than halfway through, we here at the Board of Pensions are already preparing to serve churches and plan members in 2024. I want to share a few updates and reminders for you and your church’s staff to keep in mind through the end of the year.

IMPORTANT DATES

Keep these dates in mind as you think about your church’s benefits offerings in 2024 — and don’t forget to share these important dates with your staff, too.

Selma Disaster Relief-Funding

Many of you generous people have asked how to help out in Selma. The January tornado destroyed 250 houses and damaged 350 more. The Dallas County Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG) has been set up. It will coordinate the recovery work in Selma.

Funds are needed to finance the rebuilding effort. We recommend giving to the Black Belt Community Foundation. The BBCF has two disaster funds set up: the Communities Helping Communities Fund (which aids all the Black Belt counties affected by the tornadoes) and the Selma Rebuild & Recovery Fund (which helps the Selma area). The website to go to is: blackbeltfound.org/2023-disaster-relief-funds. Then click on the Selma Rebuild & Recovery Fund to help Selma.

You may contribute online by credit/debit card or by PayPal. Network for Good is administering the collection of the donations. It charges a 3% fee per donation.

You may also donate by check. Make the check payable to Black Belt Community Foundation, and in the bottom left corner put Selma Rebuild & Recovery Fund. BBCF charges 5% per donation for its administrative costs. Mail the check to:

Black Belt Community Foundation

P.O. Box 2020

Selma, AL 36702

More information will be posted as things develop during the recovery work.

Newsletters, Bulletins, News

• Presbyterians Today
• Stewardship Kaleidoscope - Early Bird prices ends today- July 31st to save $25 on individual in-person registration and $10 on virtual registration. 
• Presbyterian Outlook - Worship resources for August 6th - Closing a Church Faithfully
• Presbyterian Historical Society

For Our Churches and Our Planet:

“The Climate Crisis & Empowering Hope”

A message from Presbyterians for Earth Care 

The climate crisis affects every one of us – our families, our churches, our presbyteries, and our national denomination. Presbyterians for Earth Care is hosting a church-wide national conference, September 20-23, to inspire hope while addressing what individuals and organizations can do to slow the climate crisis. 

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 works from home on Tuesday and Thursday's.

Please check with the office for availability before scheduling committee meetings.

On-going Newsletter Articles

Ponderings by: Rev. Dr. Sue Westfall

PHFC Thrift Store Donations

Perry Dallas County Fund

Online Church Services

Matthew 25

PRESBYTERY OPERATING FINANCES May 2023 YTD