Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Weekly Newsletter

Newsletter

June / 21 / 2022

Be the Match - A Call to Serve in Body and Spirit

A Beautiful Story Continues Because of Hope, Faith and Love

From Jim: "I don’t know what the system is in Germany to get a DNA registry, but obviously you had to volunteer to actually donate your blood to extract the stem cells to send to me. i hope that process was relatively painless and not a great inconvenience for you."

From Ludwig: "We really had a great time there and even though I didn't expect anything from the donation other than the feeling of doing a good deed, it still felt like being rewarded in a way. Also hopefully this inspired some more people to register."

Blog Post by Jim Cook, Ruling Elder Member of our Presbytery and Past Interim Presbytery Leader, along with his Stem Cell Donor, Ludwig

Click Here to Read Blog

Our Presbytery - Our Work

Weekly Prayer Basket

Please pray for... those waitng for transplants, as well as for those willing to be a donor.
Please pray for...for our GA#225 Commissioners this month
Please pray for... for safe travel for all of our presbytery members this summer.
Please pray for... law makers as they work toward addressing gun violence in our nation

Submit a Prayer

PC(USA)

Quick Connect

Support Ministry

Help Wanted

Positions Available Found Here

Parish Paper

June

Upcoming Ministry Team Meetings

This Week

Next Week

No Meetings This Week

Mon., June 27

12 pm Rural Pastors Click Here

2022-2023 Planning Calendar

This 16-month calendar (starting with September 2022, and ending with December 2023) contains many planning aids for pastors and other church leaders. Cost is $15/Calendar

Email lporter@glpby.org to reserve your copy as soon as possible.

Calendars arrive in August.

From Your Presbytery Leader

Next week will be another edition of “Infrequently Asking Questions!” Feel free to send any questions you would like our presbytery leader to address to communication@glpby.org or jmcmillen@glpby.org by end of day Thursday, and we will see if we can make it a part of the next newsletter! It can be anything from “how do we can change the world?” to “what are your favorite chips?” to “what are your favorite preaching commentaries?” Looking forward to checking in with you later!

GA#225 Is Underway

By a tally of 203-151 Saturday night, commissioners to the 225th General Assembly elected the Rev. Ruth Santana-Grace and the Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis as Co-Moderators. Together they’ll serve a two-year term, the fourth straight team of Co-Moderators to win election.

Employing the theme ‘unbound we thrive,’ the pair pledges to spend the next two years as ambassadors of hope. Learn more by clicking here.

Call to Prayer for our Commissioners and Delegate Volunteers!

May we keep in prayer our commissioners, delegates, and volunteers to the 225^th General Assembly who are preparing their staggered travel schedules now and over the next week. We thank God for the opportunity to serve, and pray our blessings over: Teaching Elder Ramona Williams, Rev. Karen Dumey, Ruling Elder Amber Geiger, Rev. Jeff Ott, and our Youth Adult Advisory Delegate Maggie Cleeland. (Associate Presbytery Leader Liz Kanerva is also on site serving as a Committee Assistant)

May we pray for our faithful commissioners and delegate going forth with our blessing to serve and shape the future of the church. We pray for them wisdom, discernment, stamina, and grace as they serve the first “hybrid” virtual/in-person General Assembly in PC(USA) history!

Follow Our Overture to the General Assembly!

This Thursday morning, June 23, the General Assembly will be deliberating on how to move forward with RGJ-08 “On Offering an Apology to African Americans for the Sin of Slavery and Its Legacy.” Their recommendation will then go before the larger General Assembly, when they meet by Zoom in a few weeks.

To view the livestream of the committee deliberations, click here: https://ga-pcusa.org/, and then on the Race and Gender Justice Committee livestream. Here is the schedule (all times in Central):

7:50 AM - 9:15 AM: Consideration of Business: RGJ-08 “On Offering an Apology to African Americans for the Sin of Slavery and Its Legacy”
9:15 AM - 9:30 AM: Break
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM: RGJ-08 Continued

To read the comments made by other entities by the PCUSA for commissioners about this particular vote, click this link: https://www.pc-biz.org/#/search/3000895

May we pray for the discernment of the 225^th General Assembly about this important overture. May our words inspire action, focus our efforts for justice, and codify our commitments. May we strive together in partnership and understanding!

Final Report of the Special Committee on

Racism Truth and Reconciliation

Some of you may be aware that our Presbytery Leader Rev. Ryan Landino serves on the Special Committee on Racism Truth and Reconciliation for the PC(USA). That Special Committee’s charge was to lead a listening campaign with particular attention to voices long silenced and will be presenting its final report to the Committee on Race and Gender Justice the day after that committee takes action on our apology overture. That committee will take up this report and its recommendations on Friday, at 12:40-1:40pm and 1:50-3:50pm Central, with some scattered breaks in between. The final report can be found here: https://www.pc-biz.org/#/search/3000989, with comments from other entities of the PC(USA). Ryan was one of the lead writers for this report, as well as the Informational Progress Report presented at the 2020 General Assembly, which can be found here: https://www.pc-biz.org/#/search/3000652.

May we pray for all the work of this General Assembly, that these actions may be an instrument of positive peace and proactive justice. May we fully see one another, hear the voices we have long ignored, and become aware of the patterns that we perpetuate so that we may thrive together in the beloved community that we are called to create on earth as it is in Heaven!

Follow All GA#225 News Here

News & Updates

Join Light for the Darkness for

Grounded Gardening and Generosity!

Sunday June 26, 2022 at 7:00pm in South City

Enjoy a time of grounding, mindfulness, and connection to the Creator while gardening. All are welcome! Text Thirza for directions and further information 314-266-8007. Light for the Darkness is a New Worshipping Community of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) led by Rev. Thirza Sayers. L4TD facilitates support groups and other events for people with mental health variances (such as anxiety or depression) to provide a place for people to be heard and connect with others who understand.

Presbyterian Women Giving Day - 2022

A message from Susan Jackson Dowd, Executive Director of Presbyterian Women

“PW Gives Day, a day to remember the many ways Presbyterian women support the promise of God’s kingdom, is fast approaching. July 31, the day Presbyterian women’s organizations officially combined to become Presbyterian Women, was chosen as a day to acknowledge and honor our PW founders—those foremothers who provided us with the shoulders we stand on. My shoulders—your shoulders—provide PW’s ongoing foundation. PW Gives day supports the annual fund (Mission Pledge), which undergirds PW program from the congregation to the national level.”

Support PW on PW Gives Day 2022

Give online at http://ow.ly/xAY150JyoO i. Then select PW Gives Day and your gift amount. Or mail your check to Presbyterian Women Inc., PO Box 643652, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3652. Please indicate annual fund and PWGDay22 in the memo line of your check.

In light of the recent mass shootings, we have received questions about how to support the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s response to public violence through PDA. Out of respect for the victims and survivors, and to avoid sensationalizing violence and trauma, PDA never sends specific appeals for funds in response to gun violence events. Nevertheless, we do provide response and ongoing support and resources, including grants, to communities affected by gun violence. PDA is currently responding in Buffalo, Laguna Woods, Uvalde and Tulsa. If you would like to support this aspect of our ministry, please designate gifts to our Public Violence account, DR000188: https://bit.ly/DR000188

Art & Sabbath Sunday

Pastors: Are you looking for something different for a summer sermon? A Place of Grace would like to invite you to try an art and sabbath Sunday where art is created in response to scripture and throughout the service in front of your congregation’s eyes! Pastor and Certified Zentangle Artist/Teacher, Julie Gvillo, will set up in your sanctuary and create art with congregational interaction while you lead worship. Opportunities exist for congregational reflection on the artwork at the end of the service. Call 618-410-506 or email Julie at juliegvillo.aplaceofgrace@gmail.com to schedule your Art and Sabbath Sunday today! A Place of Grace is supported by offerings.

Mental Health First Aid Classes July 16

Why Mental Health First Aid (for Adults and Youth)? Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders (in adults and youth). It gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.

Learn more by clicking here

HIGHER EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS

Visit PCUSA's Financial Aid for Studies website and learn about denominational scholarships, loans, and grants.

The Synod of Mid-America has funds available for Presbyterians to use for higher education. These scholarships can be used for any accredited institution of higher learning (including trade schools and graduate study programs). Scholarships are available/awarded per school year and renewable with application annually.

Scholarships are open to active Presbyterians within the Synod of Mid-America, and whose church of membership qualifies as follows:

- in Kansas (total of 90 members or less),

- in Missouri or Illinois (total of 50 members or less),

as determined by membership reported December 31, 2021.

Applicants will be judged on financial need, academic achievement, and involvement in the local church, school, and community. All scholarship applicants must be endorsed by their session, and obtain a letter of support from the Clerk of Session or Pastor.

The deadline for application for Higher Education Scholarships is August 1, 2022 at 5:00pm. Scholarship recipients will be notified by August 31, 2022.

Click here to download a Higher Education Scholarship form.