The deadline to register for Youthquake

is September 8 at 7:00 pm.

Youth in grades 6 through 12 are invited to attend Youthquake, September 15-17, 2023! This youth conference is a Presbytery of Arkansas tradition and a highlight of the year. Youth can expect time in small groups, worship, a keynote speaker, music, games, and a silent disco all at our beloved Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, AR.

Take note:

• Arrival: Registration is between 7-9 pm, Friday, September 15th.
• Departure: we will end the conference and groups will begin the journey home at 10 am on Sunday, September 17th. 

Click here to register.

Direct questions to Sarah Leer, Transitional Youth & Young Adult Developer, at arpres.ateam@gmail.com.

We are making plans for the upcoming meeting of presbytery to be held on October 6-7 at Westover Hills Presbyterian Church in Little Rock. The church is located at 6400 Kavanaugh Blvd. just north of Cantrell Road. You are encouraged to book your lodging with your favorite travel website. If you are unfamiliar with this method, feel free to call me (501-663-2424) and I can assist you in making a reservation. To assist your search, let me offer a few options for your consideration. Continue reading...

The Sunday, 9/10 deadline is quickly approaching to register for the Hot Springs and Conway Advent Planning sessions where Presbytery Connector, Julie Price, will share resources and ideas and participants will have the opportunity to connect, share ideas and a meal, and walk away with fresh excitement and plans for their church's Advent season.

The week of the the 18th, there will be sessions in Ft Smith and Springdale and the week of the 25th, in Little Rock and Wynne.

Hosts, remember that you must register too or there won't be a lunch for you! Don't forget to bring your staff and elders to help in the planning process.

Click here to read more, choose your date/location, and register.

Is your church a member of Ferncliff's Sharing the Goods program? It is totally FREE to sign up! Churches and nonprofits are eligible to purchase all kinds of products at a 80-90% discount. It's an awesome way to stretch your budget dollars and find products that help your mission!

We currently have LOTS of eco-friendly disposable plates and to-go containers. These products are from GenPak’s "Harvest Fiber" line of disposable paper products. They are GMO-free, produced from annually renewable natural fibers, and are compostable in an industrial compost facility. To-go containers are $8-$12 per box, and plates are $15-$19 per box. If your church serves meals or hosts events, this is for you!

Fill out a membership application here or contact Emily Hooker for more information at fsg@ferncliff.org.

As many of you know, the last General Assembly sent some amendments to the Book of Order for the presbyteries to vote on. This included some policies which each council of the church (Session, Presbytery, Synod, General Assembly) must have in place. One of those is a harassment policy. Here is a link to a template of a harassment policy. The policy is offered as a starting point to help focus the work of sessions within our presbytery in drafting their own policy. 

There has been a lot of conversation about the harassment policy and some presbyteries have looked at addressing anonymous communication as harassment. Another presbytery is taking a slightly different approach and framing the policy in terms of ethical behavior within a congregation. Also, the template offers one solution of how to address accusations and instances of harassment, which may not fit your context, so adapt the template as you see fit, so that it is manageable, applicable, and not cumbersome. 

Rev. Dr. Angela Williams Gorrell is the author of Always On: Practicing Faith In A New Media Landscape and The Gravity of Joy: A Story of Being Lost and Found will be the 2023 Claubaugh lecturer at First Bentonville.

Dr. Gorrell will preach on Sunday, September 22 in the 10:15 am worship service and will give a public talk at 6:30 that evening. On Monday the 23, she will speak at a luncheon (RSVP the church) and at a 7:00pm public talk.

Click here to read more and find out how you can take part.

The Youth A-Team is a group of adults, youth, and young adults who meet throughout the year to plan and lead youth ministry events for the Presbytery of Arkansas. This group of leaders from around our Presbytery met August 25-26 for our Fall Retreat and discussed everything from our upcoming YouthQuake (have you signed up yet??) to summer 2024 trips. 

We enjoyed our evening at the Ferncliff Retreat House as we prayed, planned, played, and enjoyed connecting as a group. From retreats to summer trips to mission opportunities, this group has it covered! Want to be a part of planning the future of youth ministry here? Send an email and let Sarah know!

Mt. Comfort Presbyterian in Fayetteville welcomed seven new members on Sunday, August 27! Not only that, they baptized two adults and a child. 

Rev. Libby Lizarraga, Rev. Susan Gray, Clerk of Session Lisa Crymes and Elder Janet Martinez were the officiants. An enthusiastic congregation joined in the festivities, including a lovely reception following worship. It was a Spirit filled day to remember!

Many thanks to Arkansas Presbyterians and congregations for your generous donations to tornado response. You may be wondering what’s happening with your donations. Here’s what we know:



Donations so far (from 16 congregations and 8 individuals) come to more than $13,000. In addition, we have received two grants from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: an initial Response Grant - $7,500, and a Church Damage Grant for Wynne Presbyterian - $5,000.

Since long term recovery groups are getting started in Pulaski and Cross Counties, the presbytery Disaster Preparedness & Response Subcommittee will soon be in a position to disburse donated funds to the people who need it most for their recovery.