Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Weekly Newsletter

Newsletter

May / 2 / 2023

May Mental Health Awareness Blogs brought to you by Light 4 the Darkness

The Uninvited Guest

"Whether singularly or together, these Uninvited Guests thwart our ability to thrive. They impede our capacity to love God. They hinder our ability to love ourselves and see ourselves as beautifully and wonderfully made by God..."

--- --- ---

Blog Post by Rev. Thirza Sayers

Exec. Dir., Light 4 the Darkness

Pastor, Hillside Presbyterian

Click Here to Read Blog Post

Our Presbytery - Our Work

Weekly Prayer Basket

Please pray for ... in thanksgiving for the ministry of Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, for our work together as the presbytery in learning and going out into the world as the hands and feet of Christ.

Submit a Prayer

PC(USA)

Quick Connect

Support Ministry

Help Wanted

Positions Available Found Here

Upcoming Ministry Team Meetings

This Week

Next Week

Nothing Scheduled

Mon, May 8

4 pm - Admin Team Click Here

7 pm - DRAWP Click Here

Tues., May 9

2 pm Dynamic Leader Click Here

Wed., May 10

11 am Transitional Pastors Click Here

12 pm Com on Ministry Click Here

Thurs., May 11

9:30 am History Team at Southminster

3 pm Gather Planning Click Here

Presbytery Gathering a Sucess!

Thank you for hosting us

First Presbyterian Church of Ferguson

Give us your feedback of Saturday's Presbytery Gathering

(photos by Rev. Ryan Landino)

Click Here to Complete Survey

News & Updates

Busy Weekend in the Presbytery

First United Presbyterian Church, Granite City, Illinois

SHOWINGS AT

Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 at 7 pm

Sunday, May 7 at 2 pm

"Dearly Departed", a play by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones, is a comedy play fundraiser for First United Presbyterian Church of Granite City. Proceeds will be used to replace ailing sound and lighting equipment in the sanctuary.

Please join us for evening shows at 7pm on Friday, May 5 or Saturday, May 6. A Sunday matinee is at 2pm on May 7. Tickets are $10/person. Popcorn, sodas, or water will be sold for $1 each. For tickets, call (618) 452-1100 to purchase from the church office, or cash or check at the door.

New Book Launch & Panel Discussion

Saint Louis University

Anheuser-Busch Auditorium, Cook Hall

Tuesday, May 9 • 12:00 - 1:30 PM

Reception to Follow

Rubén Rosario Rodríguez

Clarence Louis and Helen Steber

Professor of Theological Studies

To register for the live Webinar please click here. Registering also allows access to a recording of the event. Flyer can be found here.

PANELISTS

Nichole Flores, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia and author of The Aesthetics of Solidarity: Our Lady of Guadalupe and American Democracy (Georgetown University Press, 2021)
Scott Paeth, Professor of Religious Studies and Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies at DePaul University and coeditor of Shaping Public Theology: Selections from the Writings of Max L. Stackhouse (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2013)
Aristotle Papanikolaou, Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture at Fordham University and author of The Mystical as Political (University of Notre Dame Press, 2012)

MODERATOR

Rev. Jason Micheli, head pastor of Annandale United Methodist Church in Annandale, VA, and author of Cancer Is Funny: Keeping Faith in Stage-Serious Chemo (1517 Media, 2016)

PC(USA) on PBS

Did you hear the news? The PC(USA) will be on PBS! The Holy Spirit is on the move, calling us to share what God is doing in the world, and we’ve partnered with the Viewpoint project to do just that. This month, households across the U.S. will be able to watch our segment via their local public broadcasting station. Your local PBS station will have the opportunity to show this documentary between broadcasts. A shorter version of the segment will also air across a myriad of cable networks like CNN and HLN. Will you tune in? #PCUSA #Matthew25 #PBS

TIPS FOR CARING FOR GOD'S

UNBELIEVABLE CREATION:

Switch Over Lighting in the Church

Many churches in the presbytery have already done this but for those that have not: Replace older light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs or LED bulbs; Install exit signs with light emitting diode (LED) bulbs; Put motion sensors on lights in restrooms and classrooms; Put up signs to turn off lights when leaving the room (if no motion sensors). All these are simple ways to save money and care for Mother Earth at the same time!

"TIPS" is brought to you by the Earth Care Team of presbytery. And a note of congratulations to the First UP Church of Granite City, Ill for recently becoming the tenth church in the presbytery to become a certified Earth Care Congregation in the PC(USA)! For info, contact: carletonstock@aol.com or 314-941-9378.

Family Church Cohort

May 16th at 11:30 a.m.

Save the Date!

Family-sized churches do all the ministry of program size churches, but the contexts and cultures are distinct. Pastors are invited to gather for fellowship, conversation, and mutual support. The first gathering will be a brown bag lunch via Zoom. Information will be posted in early May. If you have any questions please contact Liz Rolf Kanerva, Associate Presbytery Leader at ekanerva@glpby.org or 314-772-2395.

Bethel Hills Community Mission Trip

Junior & Senior High Youth

One-Day Mission Trip

Saturday, June 3

9 am to 5 pm

Deadline to Register

May 12, 2023

Bethel Hills was established to address a gap in the choices afforded to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – to allow the option for people to live in community with their friends, families, and others who value them. An inclusive community where people of all abilities thrive together, are connected, and have abundant opportunities. They are developing Phase 1 of 3 phases that will eventually house 70-80 residents.

For more information contact Jolene Patterson, of Washington Presbyterian Church at jolenespatter@gmail.com

Shareable flyer can be found by clicking here.

Study Grants Available

Presbyterian Study Grant is the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s financial aid program for students planning for careers in the church. The program serves approximately 100 students per year. Because the number of students awarded is significantly less than the number of students enrolled in seminary, there are additional restrictions. Only MDiv and MACE students are eligible for the award and those students must be enrolled full-time and demonstrate need. MDiv students entering seminary must be under the care of Presbytery and advanced to Candidacy by November 1 of the student’s third year of studies to continue to be eligible. MACE students must be a member of a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation. Learn more by clicking here.

Healthy Congregations Workshop

Saturday, August 12 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church,

Independence, Missouri

Healthy Congregations uses the insights of family systems theory to help church leaders become more effective stewards of their congregations. This workshop was developed by Dr. Peter Steinke and is based on the work of Dr. Edwin Friedman, author of Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue.

The Healthy Congregations workshop is designed to equip leaders to respond to the presence or potential threat of anxiety in a congregational system in ways that prevent destructive conflict and help the church stay focused on its unique mission and purpose.

The training is made possible in part by a grant from the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation

To contact the Heartland Presbytery by email, click here.