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“You don’t have to be a teaching elder to have a dream. You don’t have to be a leader in the church to imagine a different way of doing ministry, sharing the gospel, or bringing good news to the poor.”
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Our Presbytery - Our Work |
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Weekly Prayer Basket
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Please pray for... the continued ministry of newly installed Pastors, Mel Smith and Daniel Ervin
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Please pray for...those ill with COVID19, their families and caregivers
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Please pray for...peace and patience with one another, as we struggle with so many challenging medical, social and political issues at this time.
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Please pray ... for students, teachers, administrators and support staff for all educational institutions. (digitally and in person)
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Support Ministry
Help Wanted
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Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy
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NOTE: In light of the Covid-19 Pandemic, meetings will be restricted to Zoom or conference call. If you are unsure how to participate, please contact your team moderator, or call the office 314-772-2395, and select Leigh Porter, Office Manager.
Presbytery Upcoming Virtual Meetings
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Mon., Oct. 5
Tues., Oct. 6
Thurs., Oct. 8
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Pastors - Don't forget to register for the Bi-Annual Required Anti-Racism Workshop, if you haven't already. Remember that it will be held via Zoom on Thursday, October 1.
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VOTERS REGISTRATION DATES COMING SOON
MISSOURI - October 7 (in person, by mail, or online)
ILLINOIS - Online: Oct. 18/By mail: Postmarked by Oct. 6/In person: Nov. 3
You must be registered to vote. You can check to see if you are registered to vote, Missouri, here, and in Illinois, here. If not you may register to vote online in Missouri here and in Illinois, here.
Be a prepared and knowledgeable voter - See your voting options here
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A Note from Leigh & Janice....
Did you know we are notaries? We want to help you vote safely! Call or email us and set up an appointment to meet with one of us.
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COVID-19 Peru Relief Fundraising Campaign
Presbyterian Church (USA) Mission Co-workers Jed Koball, Chenoa Stock, and their families continue to live and work in Lima under difficult conditions. They are maintaining contact with our Joining Hands Partners and Presbyterian churches throughout Peru. They advise that the partnership visits with our friends in Peru will not be possible next year, and maybe not until 2023.
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Tips for Caring for God's Wondrous Creation
Buy Greener Soaps and Detergents
You can choose low-phosphate or phosphate-free soaps and dishwashing liquids. Many popular brands, now widely available, have low phosphate levels and are less harmful to the environment.
"TIPS" are brought to you be the Earth Care Team of the presbytery, consisting of representatives from the 9 Earth Care Congregations, including Mound Ridge Camp and Conference Center. For info on how to become an Earth Care Congregation in the PC(USA) contact: [email protected] or 314-941-9378.
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Mission Madness - Remotely
Wed., Oct. 7 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Since March, A Place of Grace Mission Madness Team members have been supporting the seven local agencies with which we work exclusively by creating gifts for their clientele.
We knit hats. We make paper dolls. We craft gift bows and upcycle cards and create tags for Christmas. And we cut plastic bags which we weave into sleeping mats for our neighbors who live on the streets. We want to invite you to join us!
We check in via Zoom at the beginning of the event and again at the end for a spiritual practice and for prayer partners.
Then, in between, we work from our own homes on the project of our choice.
If you are local, I can bring you supplies and leave them on your porch. If you are not local, perhaps you have supplies to make something like this where you are. Then, you can give them to one of your local agencies to be given to their clientele at Christmas.
RSVP to this event to let us know how you would like to participate. We'd love to have you on our team! Click Here
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Presbyterian Mental Health Network
Panel Discussion
FREE and Open to ALL
Wed., Sept. 30 | 12 pm
The global pandemic’s impact on mental and spiritual health will be the focus of a panel discussion by the Presbyterian Mental Health Network on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The online discussion, which starts at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, will be the first major event for the network, which is striving to become an information hub for Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) pastors and members looking for ways to better serve the mental health needs of their congregations.
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Covid19 & Seasonal Flu Shouldn't Mix
Flu season during a pandemic calls for urgency and ingenuity, which can mean getting vaccinated in your car or even in a hockey arena.
St. Louis area health providers are trying to make it easy and safe to get a flu shot this year by offering free drive-thru events throughout the community and even a walk-in location on Oct. 17 at downtown’s massive Enterprise Center where the St. Louis Blues play.
If you do not live in the St. Louis Area, please consult with your local Health Department for guidance on where you can get your Flu Shot. If you don't know how to contact your local health department, the following links will direct you to the appropriate office.
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Social Witness Cares for Your Community
The Social Witness Committee is concerned about the spread of COVID19 and wants to supply FREE yard signs to any church that wants one.
These signs would list the steps individuals need to take to help them keep safe from the virus and help slow down the spread in their community. Please consider accepting this FREE sign for your church property.
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Dreaming & Discerning Virtual Gathering
Tuesday, October 20th at 7:00 pm.
Although many of our buildings may be closed for now, our churches are creatively open, continuing and even expanding the reach of their mission and ministry, with God’s Spirit inspiring many of us to see visions and dream dreams in ways we might not have imagined a few short months ago.
Please RSVP your interest to Leigh Porter at [email protected]. A Zoom link will be sent to you before the meeting in October.
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Paula Cooper
I pray that all is well with you and yours during these days of navigating uncharted waters with God’s help! I greet you in the name of our Risen Savior, Jesus, the Christ, from Lusaka, Zambia.
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Please reach out…
Whether you are a pastor, CLP, elder, staff, member, or visitor, Light for the Darkness invites you to talk one-on-one or with our group to share thoughts, insights and struggles. Being connected with others, especially in this time of limited contacts, can be helpful and becoming part of Light for the Darkness may be a good fit for you. Being in conversation with those who understand what you are going through can help to ease the challenges of anxiety and depression and feelings of isolation.
Light for the Darkness offers a safe place to reach out whether as a starting point, as a place to receive information on mental health and support resources that are available, or as a place to connect to others feeling similarly. It is our hope that you will find our group a helpful way for you to explore where God is in the midst of these challenging times with others who are feeling sim.
We meet Mondays at 7pm via Zoom.
Contact me about this group or to speak one-on-one, Thirza Sayers, 404.313.4549, [email protected]
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2020 CROP Hunger Walk Update
The ongoing pandemic has necessitated the decision that the 2020 St. Louis CROP Hunger Walk be all-virtual. For possible ways to participate (or donate) as an individual or a congregation, please see www.crophungerwalk.org/saintlouismo and/or contact Clint McCann at [email protected] or 314-619-0599. To facilitate the formation of a virtual CROP community, the 4th Annual CROP Concert will be broadcast on Sunday, October 25 at 7:00 p. m., probably as a Facebook Live Premier event. This concert will also be the 9th Annual Eden Seminary Festival of Psalms, featuring Richard Bruxvoort Colligan and a host of other excellent musicians. For updates, check the local CROP website (above) or www.eden.edu. Due to the pandemic, the need is even greater than usual; so please consider how you can support CROP/Church World Service! |
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Technology Grants - Wave 2
When COVID-19 began to spread across the United States, Giddings-Lovejoy congregations responded in amazing ways to continue their worship and ministries. I am in awe. Congregations have stretched themselves beyond what they thought they were capable of doing. As I like to say, the building may be closed, but the church is not!
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Please submit your grant request to [email protected]. Note in the subject line Second Wave Grant.
In your request, include the church’s name and address, contact person and email address, and what the grant will be used for.
By the way, First Wave Grants are still available. Please contact Liz Kanerva at the above email for more information.
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Education & Training Opportunities |
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FREE WORKSHOP
Brain Science & Bias:
Understanding How Your Brain
Works to Prevent Racism
Thur., Oct. 15 | 12 p.m. CT
Today’s organizations are working hard to raise employees’ awareness of unconscious bias. They think that by addressing bias, they can cut down on discrimination and boost inclusion all in one. Science tells us this conventional wisdom is wrong.
Learn to practice optimal inclusion in this free session. Register by clicking here.
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Union Seminary Online
Continuing Education Workshops
Examples of what you could participate in:
- Preparing Your Leadership and Congregation for A Post-Covid Reality
- The New Testament & Current Social Concerns (2-Part Series)
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THE CHALLENGE OF ANTIRACISM:
Are We Willing To Stand Where God Stands?
Webniar Begins October 4
This 4-week webinar series seeks to offer participants language and frameworks they can use to talk about systemic racism and white supremacy in effective and nuanced ways. Participants will be engaged in an exploration of what antiracism is and how it will challenge the church to reckon with her historical and current investment in the ideology of white supremacy and systemic racism.
Each 90-minute webinar will consist of 60 minutes of presentation and teaching followed by 30 minutes of Q&A. Learn more by clicking here.
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Rethinking Evangelism
October 12-14
The department of Theology, Formation, and Evangelism is inviting you and your churches to the Rethinking Evangelism Conference, October 12–14, 2020. This virtual event will feature Ralph Watkins (Columbia Theological Seminary), Mark Ramsey (Macedonia Ministries), and others for an event you won’t want to miss. Come as a church group or as an individual to explore what it means to practice evangelism in these transformative times.
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Art of Transitional Leadership
Virtual Training
Our partner, the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, is offering the Art of Transitional Leadership virtual training the week of October 12-15, 2020. Please visit their website to learn more and register. Click here for details
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Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) 2021 Worship and Music Conference, a small group of middlers will make history by being part of the first denomination-wide confirmation class at Montreat.
The weeklong confirmation class, June 22–July 2, hosted by PAM and the Presbyterian Publishing Corp., will take place during PAM’s intergenerational 2021 Worship and Music Conference at Montreat. The overall conference theme is “Gathered in My Name.” Learn more here.
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Becoming Matthew 25
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How Do We Engage Socially Distancing and still participate in Mission & Ministry?
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Current Support Ministry Position Openings |
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Send us your stories of how your congregation is maintaining congregational vitality during this pandemic. Send stories to Office Manager, Leigh Porter at [email protected]
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PRN Staff Chaplain at St. Luke's Hospital
Part-Time Organist - First Presbyterian of Alton, IL
Associate Pastor - Dardenne Presbyterian, Dardenne Prarie, MO
Organist/Pianist - First Presbyterian, Jackson, MO
Interim Pastor - John Calvin Presbyterian
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Keep Connected
We love to hear about the work of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Congregations. Have an event, fundraiser, or concert and want to get the word out? Simply email that information in by 6 p.m. on Monday of the week you want your event published. Help keep us connected by simply emailing your information to [email protected]
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