Dear Colleagues in Ministry, I hope that you are enjoying these last days of summer! I am writing to let you know that application forms for persons who wish to be considered for appointment by GA Co-Moderators, Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace and the Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis, to the special entities. Persons who wish to be considered for nomination are encouraged to file an application form as soon as possible at the GA nominations portal. 

Only those who have completed and submitted an application form and for whom we have received reference forms can be considered for appointment by the Co-Moderators. The deadline for submission of applications for Special Entities is October 14, 2022.

Julie Gvillo, Commissioned Pastor, of A Place of Grace, was recently ICF-trained as a coach at the invitation of the Office of Christian Formation (PMA). If you are looking for someone to accompany you on a journey of discernment, help you accelerate change in your ministry or your life, maximize your potential, and reframe your challenges, Julie can help! Call 618-410-5060 or email [email protected] to set up an appointment for digital coaching via Zoom, FaceTime, Google Meets, or Messenger.

Registration Deadline is 7 pm CT on October 12, 2022 

Remember the Deadline to Register is October 12 at 7 pm, Click Here

7:00 pm in the Parlor and  Zoom

All are welcome to join a discussion of the new three-part film, The U.S. and The Holocaust, a film by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein. Ken Burns calls it the most important film he's ever made. "Inspired in part by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's 'Americans and the Holocaust' exhibition and supported by its historical resources, the film examines the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany in the context of global antisemitism and racism, the eugenics movement in the United States and race laws in the American south."

The series premiered on PBS this September and is available to stream for free on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video app. The first half of the series will be discussed on October 11th and the second half on November 15th. 

"TIPS" is brought to you by the Earth Care Work Group of the presbytery. Contact: 314-941-9378 or [email protected].

The cost of the webinar is covered by your per capita dollars. Register no later than October 5. Register by clicking here.

Participants may join virtually via Zoom or in-person at the Brentwood Christian Science Church. In-person capacity of 50.Those who attend the seminar will have the opportunity to tour the newly expanded St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum at a later date.

Lean more by clicking here.

located at 2550 Rock Road, Wood River, IL 62095 Directions may be found by clicking here.

Attending online? Zoom link found by clicking here.

The Presbyterian Women of Giddings Lovejoy Presbytery are thrilled to announce our first HYBRID Fall Gathering! HYBRID you say? Yes! You can attend one of two ways! In-person or virtually on Zoom. Our theme is “Tending the Garden”. We are grateful to Reverend Daniel Ervin and LoveJoy United Presbyterian Church in Wood River, Illinois for hosting our in-person event which will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm. Our speakers include Jessica Modlin, PW Headquarters, Louisville, KY speaking about Earth Care Congregations and the Tree Fund. Diane Modlin, Heartland Presbytery will bring us information on the Diversity of Creation and ENB-11. Ken Webster of Lovejoy United PC will bring us highlights on some of the earth care projects they have completed at their church.

We ask that you register, particularly if you plan to attend and eat lunch. Read how to register by reading the Link Letter by clicking here.

Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs for the outdoor concert and activities. For more information, contact Ladue Chapel at 314-993-4771 or visit www.LadueChapel.org. 

Get your tickets by clicking here.

Make your appointment now! It will be conducted in FPC-Kirkwood Fellowship Hall at church, located at 100 E. Adams Ave, Kirkwood, MO 63122. Directions can be found by clicking here.

COVID PROTOCOLS: Masks are no longer required. Red Cross staff will likely be wearing masks. Participants must come individually.

 Appointments can be made online by visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering FirstPresKirkwood or calling 1-800-Red Cross (1-800-733-2767). Walk-ins are accepted, but those with appointments will be taken first. There continues to be a critical need for blood. Please consider giving this gift of life.

The New Horizons Presbyterian Church, located at 9424 Everman in Overland, will be having a Trunk or Treat on Sunday, October 30th from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be pumpkin carving, games, face painting, candy, hot dogs and popcorn. Kids of all ages are welcome to join us for a fun time together. We look forward to seeing you! If you have any questions, please contact our office at (314) 427-0841 or by e-mail at [email protected]

Over half of our PCUSA congregations have under 100 members. The first time a church can’t afford full-time clergy leadership affects that church’s psyche. Some adopt. Some don’t. The Synod of the Pacific decided to focus on these congregations as well as clergy who serve less than full-time pastorates to see how together we might DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!

This series is for you if you are:

Lay leaders of churches under 100

Pastors serving Part-Time pastoral calls

Presbytery Execs and COM folk seeking ways to serve these congregations and pastors better

The Synod of the Pacific and PneuMatrix Invite You

Join the Zoom Meeting: Thursdays 3 pm CT, use Meeting ID: 817 3132 3973

Learn more by clicking here.

I have supplies to accommodate a spirituality center with faith-booking components for 40 participants ready to go and would love to offer this unique, roughly three-hour opportunity for a group in the presbytery. You provide the location, and I’ll provide the retreat in its entirety. A Place of Grace is offering-based and can be structured for individual offerings or for an offering that covers the group. As the Lectionary Year C draws to a close, I wonder who might like to schedule a November retreat with me? Please call me at 618-410-5060, and we will discuss the details! – Julie Gvillo, Pastor, Founder and Creative Executive Director of A Place of Grace, a validated ministry of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy

About the Grant The purpose of these grants is to support youth events that are planned around the Matthew 25 theme of “When Did We See You?” These grants may also be used for intergenerational events, as long as there are a good % of youth attendees. Using the Matthew 25 theme of “When Did We See You?” is a grant requirement and preference will be given to applicants who will use the new PYT Connect resources as part of their event programming

Learn more by clicking here.

If your church choir has not begun meeting or if you would like to be a part of a group and experience the joy of singing together, whatever the reason, please join us! Read flyer by clicking here.

St. Charles Presbyterian Church, would like to donate to some congregation who might use it. The curriculum is Cokesbury’s Knights of North Castle. It is a discontinued curriculum, but we have the starter kit which includes music cds, media info and resources, leader guides, student books, etc. We also have leftover craft supplies and projects and decorations. We bought it in 2019 and couldn’t use it for 2020, obviously, so by the time we did it this past summer (2022), we couldn’t order any other resources. However, there were lots of resources for decorations and craft/art projects on Oriental Trading, so it was an easy VBS to plan and execute. We would be so happy to share if another congregation could use the curriculum. If anyone is interested, they may contact Kenda Carey at [email protected] or 636 946-4467. I am in the church office on Tuesday-Thursday, 8:30-12:30. 

A Commissioned Pastor is a ruling elder in the Presbytery who, once training is complete, is eligible for limited pastoral services. Commissioned Pastors may, for example, moderate the session of a congregation to which they are commissioned, administer sacraments, and officiate at marriages where permitted by law.

Many current Commissioned Pastors in the presbytery serve as sole pastors of smaller congregations. Others use their training to strengthen leadership roles in their home churches and throughout the presbytery generally.

Many candidates for the Commissioned Pastor Program complete their training while also employed full-time.

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)