Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley
"partner with and equip present and emerging
PC(USA) faith communities in central Alabama
to serve Christ and our neighbors"
The Presbytery will close its 2021 financial books on January 6, 2022. Please be sure to have all of your church giving for 2021 to us by this date. We appreciate all of your support for this Presbytery.

In the weeks to come...Ministers and Clerks, be on the look out for several important mailings: Minister Annual reports, December mailing, Per Capita Bills and Statistical information.
Because following Jesus means answering Christ's call to respond to a world in need, your participation on #GivingTuesday will give you an opportunity to do just that!
Your gifts last year on #GivingTuesday allowed the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to respond immediately to disasters such as Hurricane Ida and the earthquake in Haiti, to equip women leaders of color to combat racism, to provide children's books to over 200 PC(USA) churches and worshiping communities, to grant nearly $1 million to organizations addressing systemic poverty and food insecurity, and so much more!
How will gifts this #GivingTuesdayhelp support the Church to come?
Join us on Nov. 30 and find out!
2022 Presbyterian Youth Triennium

Sun July 24-Wed July 25
Indianapolis, Indiana
(Indiana Convention Center and Downtown Hotels)

Will we SEE you at the Youth Triennium?

When we DO SEE you we will be overjoyed! There is a place where you can SEE and be SEEN. Where the church sees YOU and Celebrates YOU. Where God’s people gather to SING, CELEBRATE,
EXPLORE and learn to SEE what God is doing! Triennium is a gathering for high school age youth (rising high school freshmen through graduated seniors) from the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. All Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley participants are registered through the Presbytery registrar, Pat Goodman pgoodman@pslpcusa.org. More information about registration, event plans, venue can be found on the Triennium website www.presbyterianyouthtriennium.org
Bible Study with the Stated Clerk Continues

There are still three sessions left in the Bible study J. Herbert Nelson, II, is leading with mid council associates, executives, and stated clerks on Zoom: Tuesdays through December 7 at noon Eastern/11:00 a.m. Central/10:00 Mountain/9:00 Pacific, for 90 minutes.
If you lost or did not receive the registration information and therefore never received the Zoom link, you can email me. There’s still time to sign up to participate; it’s not necessary to attend every session.
PHFC Thrift Store Monthly Donation day at SVPC

The next collection date is Saturday,
December 4, 2021. Bring your usable discards, gently used clothing, etc., to the Presbyterian Home for Children's reception center in the rear parking lot, below the playground of Shades Valley Presbyterian Church.

Volunteers will be on hand to unload your vehicle and to give you a receipt for your tax-deductible donation. The center will be open from 8 AM - 12 noon. To volunteer or for more information, contact Terry Tingle, 256-339-4030.
Mark your calendars for this retreat!
Mid Council Financial Network—A message from Mission Engagement and Support

Mission Engagement and Support is pleased to support the Mid Council Financial Network (MCFN), which provides presentations on financial, ecclesial, and theological related topics. MCFN’s next conference, intended for an audience of mid council finance staff and volunteers responsible for finance, administration, and management, will be held virtually from Tuesday, December 14, through Wednesday, December 15, from 12:30–5:00 p.m. (Eastern) each day of the conference. There is no registration fee. Register here.
Registration for Fall Craft Week 2022 is Open!

Fall Craft Week is back in Montreat September 25-30, 2022! Our goal is to bring people together as a community of artists to work with our hands with beautiful and natural materials. Read more...
Click here for the latest news and stories from the Presbyterian Outlook.
Board Connections: Wholeness Edition

Click here for news from the Board of Pensions.
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.
Christmas Joy Offering—A message from Mission Engagement and Support

The Christmas Joy Offering opens doors of opportunity for leaders of our Church and world who are shaped and supported through our gifts—doors that lead to hopeful futures for young people at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color and doors that lead to relief for church workers and their families in need of critical financial assistance.

Find information and resources like curriculum, worship, a sermon, PowerPoint presentation, and social media images to aid in promotion. Have questions? Call us. If we all do a little, it adds up to a lot!
Refer a Student to
UKirk Campus Ministries
 
The PC(USA) college ministries in our Presbytery (UKirk) would love to connect with your college students as they head off to school this fall! If your congregation has students who may be interested in UKirk, please fill out this form  and share it widely in your congregations. The UKirk ministry leaders (Rev. Caroline Barnett - UKirk Auburn, Rev. Andy Spaulding - UKirk Bama, The Steering Team for UKirk Birmingham, and Lin Veasey - UKirk JSU) will check submissions regularly and get in touch with students to welcome them to campus. And most importantly, tell your college students to look up UKirk when they arrive to campus; a word of mouth recommendation from someone they trust is the most effective form of referral. We can’t wait to welcome your students to our communities this fall. 
Matthew 25

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:


Bulletin Inserts Available

Click here to read shared stories.
Click here to share your story.

A new video has been released that shares a powerful story about two churches who answered the Matthew 25 invitation to focus on racism and poverty and its impact on their congregational vitality. It models a way to address difficult topics from a place of grace and reconciliation. The video is available to download and use in your journey.
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.

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
Upcoming Online Conferences

Mid Council Leader Orientation, Spring 2022 Cohort / March 22–25
PRESBYTERY OPERATING FINANCES September 2021 YTD  

Sue Westfall
Transitional Presbyter

Tammy Strickland
Presbytery Administrator
Assistant to the Stated Clerk

Bookkeeping

Tom Winter
Stated Clerk

Linda Burrowes
Recording Clerk

Jean Russell
Treasurer

Ralls Coston
Volunteer Mission Coordinator

Pat Goodman
Volunteer Nurture Coordinator

James Ephraim
Volunteer Liaison for
African American Churches
Updated Presbytery office hours for staff during the Pandemic:
9 AM - 4 PM Monday, Wednesday and Friday, staff works from home Tuesday and Thursday.
First Presbyterian Church
of Phenix City, AL is looking for a
New Part-time Pastor. Click here for the job description.
First Presbyterian Church
of Tuscaloosa, AL is looking for a
a Youth Director to join their team to Connect, Grow and Serve. Click here for more information
3603 Lorna Ridge Drive ~ Birmingham, AL 35216
Phone: 205-978-0320 ~ Fax: 205-978-0330
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