The Presbytery's Spring Stated meeting will be this Thursday, May 18th at Independent Presbyterian Church. Click here for more information about the meeting with links to register and zoom.

NEW Matthew 25 resources:

Where Does Jesus Stand?: Exploring Five Spiritual Practices to End Poverty, May 23, 2 p.m. (ET)

Since you already know about the PC(USA)’s Matthew 25 vision and have been requesting additional resources, on May 23 we will be offering the first of three programs in our new 2023 online workshop series on the Matthew 25 main foci. The May 23 workshop will focus on eradicating systemic poverty. Gather with Presbyterians — across the country and around the world — to share and learn five spiritual practices (worship, learn, relate, act and share) as well as resources and activities that Presbyterians engage to end poverty. Walk away with practical tools and ideas for next steps! Facilitators will be national staff and mid council leaders who sit on a monthly PC(USA) Matthew 25 consulting team on eradicating systemic poverty. Advance registration is required by clicking here. 

NEW! Adaptable PowerPoint templates are now available on Matthew 25! Click here (and then click on or scroll to “Matthew 25 PowerPoints”) to view templates for an overall Matthew 25 overview presentation, or options for theological insights into building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty. (These resources are not currently available in Korean or Spanish.)

Pentecost CANpaign 2023

The Presbytery's Pentecost CANpaign for 2023 is beginning. This CANpaign is designed to combat hunger. From May 28 to July 30, your church can collect cans of food (or money) to give to your local hunger program. All the food or money goes to the organization your church chooses. Each dollar donated counts as 1 can of food.



When your church's CANpaign ends, please tell Presbytery how much your church gave and where it donated the proceeds. We will need the results of your church's CANpaign by August 7.

Clergy Leadership Conference

I hear many of you express longing that our presbytery make an impact on our state. Faith in Action Alabama is an ecumenical, statewide community organizing initiative that is doing just that. I urge you to join me at this conference as we strategize and mobilize the churches of our state to raise their collective voice for equity and justice in our state. 

Register Here

Registration Deadline: May 30

Looking for Hosts! 

The Stated Clerk, Jay Wilkins, is wondering if there might be interest in restoring the practice of clerks and moderators gathering at churches throughout the Presbytery. We would need congregations that might host regional gatherings. Imagine clerks and moderators gathering at churches throughout the Presbytery to support each other in our responsibilities, and to swap minutes and registers to be reviewed while we are together. I need your help in restoring this practice by volunteering to host clerks and moderators in their area. The practice was to gather on Saturday mornings, though other times might work. Give this some thought and be in touch with me about your interest at [email protected]. 

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.

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.

Summer Camp

Newsletters, Bulletins, News

• POAMN Newsletter
• Presbyterian Outlook's Make the Match Campaign
• End Gun Violence Special Issue
• Outlook Confirmation Curriculum
• Worship Resources for May 21 and May 28
• Presbyterian Foundation Managing your Church's Balance Sheet
• Stewardship Kaleidoscope

Prayer Concerns

Pat Goodman for the death of her Mother.

Rev. Richard Hanna for recent hip surgery.

Rev. Joe Slane's wife Beverly

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.

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 March 2023 YTD