When the new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines came out last Thursday, they were welcome but also a bit confusing. The challenges that each church has faced have not only been based on a deadly virus, but also on municipal, county, and state government guidance and restrictions. As you consider the new guidelines and how to implement them in your congregation, we invite you to continue to practice safety first for your entire congregation. And we ask each of us to pray for and support our sessions and pastors as they make very difficult decisions about re-opening and safety protocols.

The Officer Training Workgroup of the Dynamic Leaders Team is evaluating how the Presbytery can better resource sessions in developing church leaders. We invite all church leaders (in any capacity) to take a moment to complete this brief survey: https://4ruazlnqczi.typeform.com/to/rxBK4rwW.

Officer Training Workgroup: Barb Abbett, Susan Andrews, Daniel Ervin, Thom Hood, Joy Myers, Bill Smutz

The effects of the pandemic on our underserved community surrounding Third Presbyterian Church have been exponential. Resources of all kinds have been scarce causing spikes in cases of Covid-19, hunger and even deaths. Although Third Presbyterian Church has not met for in-person worship since March 15, 2020 we continue to provide resources to our community. Third has provided over 50,000 disposable masks to hospitals, schools, churches, police & fire departments, and nursing homes in an effort to slow the spread and to limit mortality.

Employment has also been challenging for our community. The number of essential workers is high thus needing childcare else the result would be loss of employment. Third answered this call with one of the only daycare/preschools in our area able to stay open the entire time of the pandemic thus far. This childcare resource has proven invaluable for our community since many jobs were saved and child growth/development was not interrupted.  The renovation needed for Covid -19 protocols to be followed cost literally thousands to incorporate, but this was essential in serving and living our mission.

Hunger has also hit our community hard and in response Third Presbyterian Church has partnered with the NAACP of St. Louis County and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to provide enough food for 6000 meals over a three-week period.

We are far from getting out of this turbulent time of need and Third will look for other opportunities as we are able to serve our community.

EMBRACE: Celebrating Diversity has invited Light for the Darkness and Rev. Thirza Sayers in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month to be their guest for a conversation on diversity and inclusion this month. This event, May 20^th at 6:30pm on Zoom and Facebook Live will explore the ways that people with mental health variances experience exclusion and how we can better EMBRACE our neighbors.

Weekly she facilitates spiritual fellowship groups for those with mental health variances--those from anxiety and depression to schizophrenia and bipolar. These one-hour groups have elements of worship, conversational scripture study, peer support, and always try to point to where God is in the midst of the darkness. The Monday LFTD Fellowship Group meets at 7pm on Zoom. If you have any questions, please email Thirza at [email protected]

Hwy 19 and Hwy C, Cuba, MO 64543 (Directions Found Here)

Attend in-person, via Facebook Live or Zoom

Call ins may dial (312)626-6799 and enter the Meeting ID 847 0767 6958

P.S. Streng, a member of First Presbyterian Church in Liberty, Missouri has a new book, Native American Resilience: A Story of Racism, Genocide, and Survival which is now available on Amazon. Proceeds from this book will go to the American Indian College Fund which provides scholarships to Native students.

The presbytery funds to conduct summer programs are available to member churches and social agencies in relationship with the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy. The funds will be awarded through an application process directed by the Public Witness Ministry Team. The purpose of the grant is to provide opportunities for summer Christian education and witness, personal growth, faith formation, and recreation (if sanctioned by the local government) to children and adults in communities of need.

Water heaters account for 14% of energy use in the home, the next biggest expense after heating/cooling. Replace your gas heater with a heat pump water heater and save up to $350 a year. "TIPS" are submitted by the Earth Care Task Force of the Public Witness Team of presbytery, consisting of representation from the nine Certified Earth Care Congregations of presbytery. For more information contact: [email protected]. or 314-941-9378.

Over the last year, GLPBY congregations have worked hard to move vital ministries online. We have connected for worship, learning, and fellowship utilizing resources we never imagined incorporating into our ministries pre-pandemic. To that end, GLPBY granted more than $46,000 in Tech Grants to assist churches in their efforts to establish and/or update their online presence.

Wave 1 and Wave 2 Grants are now phased out. GLPBY is pleased to announce a new round of Tech Grants is available to GLPBY congregations. The Presbytery will pay 75%, up to $2,000, of the grant request with the church commitment to paying the balance. Just to be clear the maximum grant will be $2,000. This round of grants will assist congregations that are expanding their online presence. The grant could be used for upgrading equipment, tech training, or developing hybrid worship for example. If you have any questions, please contact Liz Rolf Kanerva, Associate Presbytery leader at [email protected]

The Institute for Youth Ministry, in partnership with The Regenerative School, is hosting a virtual symposium designed to help prevent global violent extremism by learning from the international community’s long experience with young people as peacebuilders. There will be five different panels throughout the day that feature global changemakers and young people who are committed to peace and justice. You will be introduced to the global conversation on youth peacebuilding and learn how to apply research and practices to U.S.A.-based projects. The date for this FREE symposium is May 20, 2021 from 10:30am-4:30pm (EDT). Register for all—or any—of the panel discussions and you will receive full access to all the panel content!

Who’s eligible? Three types of conferences are regularly offered by the Board. Each is designed to support ministers in a different phase of ministry — recently ordained ministers, mid-career pastors, and late-career pastors. CREDO conferences are by invitation only.

CREDO and Call to Health share the objective of cultivating wholeness. Participants are awarded 400 Call to Health points for participating in a CREDO conference.

First and foremost, we are dedicated to holding a summer conference that is safe and enjoyable. We are so pleased to be able to offer both of our conference weeks in-person for individuals or groups! We also are offering our conference online for the second year in a row as we hope to bring the Worship and Music Conference experience to everyone! We've even created special pages that talk about what an online conference can look like for you or even a group!

Join us for a retreat designed to bring awareness to the sin of racism, discuss how covert and overt racism ties in with spirituality, and provides opportunities to reflect on how racism has affected one's life and the lives of others. Presented by: The Office of Racial Harmony, Archdiocese of St. Louis

Father Tom Santen, Retreat Manager

Schedule your next private retreat for 2-5 days during the period May 24-28. Give yourself some time away with God in our safe, beautiful space!

Are you looking for a safe, beautiful place for some time away with God this year? While you can always make an individual retreat at Mercy Conference and Retreat Center as space allows, we are setting aside a week dedicated just to this purpose. From Monday, May 24 at 9:00 AM through Friday, May 28 at 3:00 PM, space will be reserved for individual retreats, either private (with quiet time on your own) or directed (with a daily session with a spiritual director).

GLPBY is pleased to offer free subscriptions to this year’s recorded NEXT Church National Gathering held March 5-7th. By subscribing, your congregation will have access to the national gathering in its entirety, plus additional resources. Over the years, GLPBY Teaching Elders and lay leaders have participated in NEXT Church national gatherings and have appreciated its focus on resourcing the Presbyterian Church for the 21st century. To learn more about this year’s conference, its presenters, and workshops, please navigate to https://nextchurch.net/product/2021-next-church-national-gathering-subscription/.

If your church would like to take advantage of the free subscription please sign up, following the NEXT Church website’s instructions, and be sure to select the appropriate church size when purchasing the subscription. When checking out use the coupon code: “GiddingsLovejoyGroup”. Once you have purchased, you will receive an email with instructions for how to pass on your access to the rest of your church. You may only use ONE coupon code purchase per church. If you have questions, please contact Liz Rolf Kanerva, Associate Presbytery leader at [email protected].

at Union Seminary by clicking here.

Please mark your calendars for the next offering of the  Art of Transitional Ministry Education. The orientation will begin at 1:00 pm on Monday, October 18, 2021, and will conclude the evening of Thursday, October 21, 2021. At this time, the in-person orientation will be hosted at the Parkville Presbytery Church in Kansas City, Missouri. 

To learn more visit synodma.org/transitional-ministry-education

Registration is now open. To register click here

For questions related to the content or assignments of Weeks I and II or Executive Training, contact Beth Wagner: [email protected]. For administrative and registration questions contact Danelle O’Connell at the Synod of Mid-America office: [email protected]