Newsletter
September / 12 / 2023
APCE Meets in Saint Louis in January
APCE ANNUAL EVENT
LOCAL COMMITTEE NEEDS YOU!

The Association of Partners in Christian Education is coming to St. Louis Union Station from January 24th through the 27th. Your Local Committee needs your help! We will need volunteers to:
  • Help direct people to baggage claim and transportation exits at Lambert Airport,
  • Help direct people to the conference location in the hotel,
  • Help direct people to local restaurants and places to see on the free night (Thursday), 
  • Help set up and take down our Opening Night entertainment venue,
  • Help with table setting and clearing around keynotes and worship times in the ballroom,
  • Help with errands outside the hotel, etc.
Please email Julie Gvillo (juliegvillo.aplaceofgrace@gmail.com) AND Pat Cleeland (together) (patricia.cleeland@gmail.com) to let us know you are willing to help and the places you feel most comfortable doing so.
We also need assistance with providing supplies for participants. The QR code previously shared no longer works. Please, use this link instead to access the Amazon Wish List and watch for additions to the list in the next few months. Orders should be sent in the care of Rev. Pat Cleeland at Second Presbyterian Church, 4501 Westminster Pl., St. Louis, MO 63108. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your help!
Our Presbytery - Our Work
Weekly Prayer Basket

  • Please pray for ... our month of education and the upcoming picnic. For fellowship and community.
  • Please pray for ... Chad Pettus, who just turned 48, was in an auto accident and has a serious infection from organ damage.
PC(USA)
Quick Connect
Support Ministry
Help Wanted
Upcoming Ministry Team Meetings
This Week
Next Week
Wed., Sept 13
11 am Transitional Pastors Click Here
Thur., Sept. 14
9:30 am - History @ Southminster Pres
1 pm Gathering Plan Click Here
6:30 pm COM Click Here
Thur., Sept. 21
10 am - Public Witness Click Here
1:30 pm Vision Team Click Here
September Education Evenings on Zoom
WEEK TWO: Top 10 Best Practices Around Investments, Endowments,
and Legacy Giving Programs
If using the Zoom App
Meeting ID is: 864 7331 5959

Stated Clerk Search Deadline Extended to September 24
Please send your letter of interest and resume, Personal Information Form (PIF), or CV to Donna Schiro, pastordonnatcpc@gmail.com.
Please include your name in the subject line of your email and title all documents in the upper left corner with your first and last name.
Be sure to check out our webpage for information on the search! https://glpby.org/services/clerk-search/
Candidates will be requested to fill out supplemental questions upon indication of their interest. Finalists will be notified by October 1st, and interviews will be scheduled on Tuesday, October 17th, and Wednesday, October 18th.
News & Updates
August Pastor Meeting Update
As a follow-up to the August pastor’s gathering, Presbyterian Publishing/Westminster John Knox Press just posted this interview about the newest book by Rev. Dr. Ruben Rosario Rodriguez.
Flu Season Nearing
Are you ready?
Has your church considered offering a Mobile Flu Shot Clinic? Consider contacting our partners in health, St. Luke's, to serve your neighbors and faith community. Contact Kat Dockery by calling her at 314-864-3286 or emailing Katherine.Dockery@stlukes-stl.com
The Importance of an Apology
Join the DRAWP Team, (Racism and White Privilege) in a deep dive into the Overture of Apology to African Americans for the Sin of Slavery and its Legacy passed by the 225th PC(USA) General Assembly in July 2022. 
We will study the text, the scriptural foundations and look at ways we can act to repair harms done.
Classes will take place via zoom. Wednesdays beginning September 20, 2022 – 7:00-8:30 p.m. 
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Music of the Spheres with Sam Brown
Performing Music from the 50's, 60's & 70's
Fri., Sept. 22 at 7 pm

Free will donations are accepted. Watch for upcoming events. Hosted by First United Presbyterian Church, located at 2160 Delmar, Granite City, Illinois. Directions found by clicking here.
A PLACE OF GRACE MAKES USE OF VISIO DIVINA
Thur., Sept. 21
A Place of Grace makes use of Visio Divina (Divine Seeing) with a meditative art form called Zentangle(R) in art and sabbath retreats where non-representational art is created in response to scripture and prayer. Worship unfolds. Art is shared. Communion is served. No art experience is required. Each retreat is different for each participant. Monthly non-contracted (open to the public) Prayer Art Retreats are held on the third Thursday of each month (except November and December -- check the schedule for those months due to the holidays) at Von Dell Gallery & Studios, 102 E. Ferguson, Wood River, IL, from 6-9 p.m. The September retreat will be held on 9/21. Supplies are provided. A Place of Grace is offering-based, and offerings are between the giver and God. RSVP for this month's Prayer Art Retreat at https://www.aplaceofgrace-juliegvillo.net/upcoming-events.html
Click Here to learn more about upcoming Place of Grace Events.
SYNOD OF MID-AMERICA
2023 INNOVATION GRANT
DESCRIPTION, PARAMETERS, AND APPLICATION
Description
  The Synod of Mid-America (SoMA) announces the 2023 Innovation Grant program to foster creative projects that seek to address the PCUSA’s Matthew 25 focus areas in:
  • Dismantling structural racism,
  • Eradicating systemic poverty, and
  • Revitalizing congregations.
A minimum of $5,000 in grant funding has been allocated across each of the Synod of Mid-America’s six presbyteries for awards to support congregations* that engage in innovative mission projects that can be easily replicated across the Synod for maximum impact and effectiveness.
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The State of Church Compensation 2023
Join us as we explore current pay trends and discover creative ways to improve staff pay and benefits.
Thurs., Sept. 14 at 11 am
 
FREE Webinar: Inflation is easing, but churches still face financial constraints. How are churches adapting while trying to retain and reward pastors and staff in 2023 and beyond? 
Join hosts Aaron Hill from ChurchSalary and Matthew Branaugh from Church Law & Tax, along with experts Scott Landon and Josh Whitehead, for a webinar as we discuss:     
● How much are churches handing out in terms of raises and bonuses in 2023?
● How can churches retain pastors and staff if they can't give large raises?
● How are multisite churches approaching pay and benefits for campus pastors?  
Worship and the Arts with A Sanctified Art September 18-21, 2023
We are called to worship God with our whole, authentic selves, but our worship services don't always reflect all facets of our being. “Worship and the Arts” - a retreat led by Anna Strickland of A Sanctified Art – will encourage us to break out of our worship boxes with sessions that span from big-picture planning to the smallest details, from simple changes to big projects, from theological foundations to practical tips. Not only will we claim our creativity - our birthright as children of the Creator whose image we bear - and use these gifts to craft services that invite all people to worship God with their whole being, we will gather in the sanctuary of the Heartland Retreat Center outside Kansas City, Mo to laugh, to reflect, to pray, to eat, and to connect. Participants will leave with resources in hand to plan for the upcoming year.
Limited spots available.
Giving Beyond Cash:
Encouraging Creative Gift Making
with Complex Assets
Wed., Sept 20 at 11 am

FREE Webinar: Do you only ask for gifts of cash or marketable securities from your donors? Did you know there are billions of dollars in privately held interests owned by very philanthropically-minded individuals who would love to make a gift to your congregation or religious non-profit? Do you know how to encourage your donors to consider those gifts or how to spot donors who may hold these more complex assets?
Sign up for our webinar to learn what to look for proactively and how to build trust with donors who can make these special gifts from a true expert, Bryan Clontz of Charitable Solutions!
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Financial Aid for Service Helps
as Student Loan Payments Resume in October
Wed., Sept. 20 at 1 pm
Laura Bryan, coordinator of the Office of Financial Aid for Service, hopes anyone working full-time (more than 30 hours) for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with education debt will come to the webinars her team is hosting this fall and start the process to have their debt forgiven. The Office of Financial Aid for Service partners with PeopleJoy to offer Student Loan Coaching.
Registration can be found by clicking here.
Recordings of the webinars are available.
Tips for Caring for God's Amazing Creation: 
Turn Off Your Lights When Not In The Room
If you're not in the room the light doesn't need to be on. Get in the habit of flipping the switch off when you leave the room. Every little bit helps!
"TIPS" is brought to you by the Earth Care Work Group of the presbytery, monitoring the ten Earth Care Congregations of the presbytery and advocating for low-income, indigenous, people of color, and LGBTQ communities that are often hurt first and worst by environmental degradation. Contact: carletonstock@aol.com or 314-941-9378.
Are You Ready for our
Presbytery Picnic?
The Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery Picnic will be hosted by the beautiful Grace Presbyterian Church, on Saturday, September 30. The church is located 105 Bailey Road, Crystal City, MO 63019. We plan for this event to be filled with fellowship, great food, fun for all ages, music, and enjoying this gorgeous church setting. We are hopeful that your church will encourage your congregants to attend!
Save the Date - October 1
The 2023 CROP Hunger Walk and Concert is on Sunday, October 1 at Eden Theological Seminary, 475 E. Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves 63119 -- check-in at 4:30 pm, Walk at 5:00, and CROP Concert at 7:00 (= the 12th Annual Eden Festival of Psalms). For further information and details, to register, to create a team, and/or to donate, go to the following website: www.crophungerwalk.org/saintlouismo
2023 Presbytery History Tour
Underground Railroad
Friday, October 20th | 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Depart and return to Faith Des Peres Presbyterian Church, 11155 Clayton Rd St Louis, MO 63131
Reservations Required. Contact Jan Stanford, 314-638-0195, 9511 Howerton Dr., St Louis MO 63123. Checks payable to: Presbytery of Giddings Lovejoy, Please note the History Tour on the memo line. $85 per person (Includes tour, lunch, and gratuities)
A Retreat for Pastoral Leaders:
Vitality for Ministry
 October 23-25
Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center
Independence, Missouri
 
Speaker: Bryce Wiebe, Associate for Vital Congregations, of Eastminster Presbytery. Registration is open!! Click the link below! Please send a $200 registration fee to the Missouri Union Presbytery, 3236 Emerald Lane, Suite 500, Jefferson City, MO 65109.
Registration deadline: October 1, 2023 (Click Here)
Our choir builds bridges that restore unity to “community” — all through the rich tradition of African-American spirituals and the energy of Gospel music. We work to collaborate and partner with social justice organizations to break down walls of injustice, and to build bridges to unite a community far too divided. But most importantly, we deliver the messages of hope and joy found in the Good News through song.
Are you a pastor looking for local QUALITY CONTINUING EDUCATION events at an affordable rate?
Have you thought that you or your ministry could benefit from ONE-ON-ONE COACHING OR SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?
Do you ever feel isolated and are seeking PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT OR COLLEAGUES IN MINISTRY?
Called to Serve? We Need You!
Have You Considered Presbytery Service?
There are many ministry team positions available in the coming year, and we just know you would be a good fit for a committee or commission
Please fill out and return the form below.
GLPby App Form (Word) | GLPby App Form (fillable PDF)
Current Support Ministry Position Openings
  • Director of Children’s Ministries - Webster Groves Presbyterian, Webster Groves, MO
  • Choir Director and Organist, First Presbyterian, Alton, IL
  • Chaplains, St. Luke's Hospital, Chesterfield, MO
  • (PT) Coordinator Christian Education - Southminster Presbyterian, Crestwood, MO
  • Head of Music - First United Presbyterian, Collinsville, IL

Off Hours Help Needed? Contacts Found Below
Rev. Ryan Landino
Presbytery Leader

314-409-9002
Rev. Liz Kanerva
Associate
Presbytery Leader
314.779.6809
Rev. Joy Myers
Stated Clerk

815.501.5522
Leigh Porter
Office Manager
314.225.9470
Janice McMillen
Communications Associate
573.578.3960