The Start of the Year Checklist provides congregational leaders reminders and guidance of annual reporting requirements to the presbytery, IRS, and Board of Pensions.

Included in the toolkit is the attached Benefits Connect Employer Guide. This document walks treasurers/ administrators through the steps of reporting changes in employment and salary. The employer representative for your council of the church may find it useful.

One of the best ways to make the world---God's good creation---a better place is to be a conscious and conscientious consumer: Buy only what you need; buy the best quality and the most eco-friendly items available; and resist the temptation to give in to the short-lived trends that fill our lives with useless things. This is especially true as we order in while sheltering-in during this still surging pandemic!

"TIPS" is brought to you by the Earth Care Team of presbytery, composed of representatives of the nine Certified Earth Care Congregations of the PC(USA) located in our presbytery. Contact: [email protected] or 314-941-9378.

The Couts Music Series of Second Presbyterian Church presents a concert honoring the birthday and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The program takes place virtually on Sunday, January 17 at 4:00 pm and features singer Kim Fuller, pianist Carolbeth True, bassist Glen Smith, and drummer David True. To watch and listen, visit https://secondchurch.net/music/couts-music-series/ This concert is only accessible online on Sunday, January 17 at 4:00 pm. For more information call 314-367-0367 or secondchurch.net.

St. Mark Presbyterian Church recently did some technology updates and has a few 2 GHz Cisco wireless access points it no longer needs. They are free to a good home. Please contact Pastor Dave Burgess at [email protected] if you are interested.

For many of us in the United States, the Christmas season culminates on December 25th.In other parts of the world, like in Peru, the Christmas celebration is only just beginning and then comes to completion on January 6th, Epiphany, when the 3 Kings arrive to the manger.

This day, known as the Bajada de Reyes, is often celebrated with music, small gifts for children, and a chocolatada! What is a chocolatada? As you might discern from the word, it involves chocolate - namely, hot chocolate!  Our partners in Peru want to celebrate it with us!

Join us on January 6 at 6pm Peru (5pm Central).

Join Chocolatada Zoom Meeting Click Here

In Illinois - Click Here | In Missouri - Click Here

Please submit your grant request to [email protected]. Note in the subject line Second Wave Grant.

By the way, First Wave Grants are still available. Please contact Liz Kanerva at the above email for more information. (Learn More Here)

  REGISTRATION FOUND HERE

The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center will present a Conflict Transformation Skills for Churches workshop which is scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2021. With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, that date will be upon us before we know it. If you have colleagues who you believe might benefit from this training, would you please remind them that the discount deadline for this event is Dec. 31, 2020 (barely three weeks away).  If someone whom you refer eventually registers for any session of CTS — Jan. 16, Feb. 13, March 22, or April 10 — then we would like to thank you by allowing you to register free of charge for The Language We Use, a 90-minute webinar on the morning of December 16.  Learn more here

Registration is open for the virtual event hosted by the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators, to be held February 4–6. Explore “Anything But Ordinary Time” with APCE, from the comfort of your own home.