August 13, 2025

News From Around the Presbytery

The planning calendars are here! They are $15 each, including shipping.

*Click on our payment link to order HERE to pay online.

*Or, you can mail us a check made out to:

Presbytery of St. Augustine

1937 University Blvd. W.

Jacksonville, FL 32207

*We are happy to report that this year's calendars have bigger spaces to write in- an improvement from last year!

Substitute (temporary) Pianist needed for First Presbyterian Church of Williston

Williston, First is looking for someone to fill in as the pianist from the first Sunday in September through the last Sunday in October.

If interested, please reach out to Sandra Landers at

(352) 441-4026

Our Presbytery of St. Augustine in-C Directory is an amazing resource.

If you have a change in your church staff let our office know so that we can update the directory accordingly. If you notice there is information about your church or a person that in inaccurate and not up-to-date please reach out. https://info.in-c.net/

Upcoming Events

To register for FISH 2.0 Click HERE for full registration packet

Clergy Round-Table Discussion

A Clergy Round-Table discussion is set for Monday September 8, 2025, at Camp Montgomery 9:30-12:00 concluding with lunch. This gathering will begin with a brief devotional followed by table discussions with guiding questions about preaching and church leadership in today’s day and age.

Register HERE

SIGN UP HERE: Realm Link

The Sacred Pause 

You are Invited to a Clergy Retreat 

Nov. 2-4, 2025 

Location: Epworth by the Sea 

100 Arthur J Moore Dr, St Simons Island, GA 31522

The Sacred Pause is the theme for the Presbytery of St. Augustine’s Clergy, CRE, and Certified Educator retreat. We are encouraging you to join us to take a deep breath, to take a step away from the strains and stress of the ministry and make plans to be with us at Epworth By the Sea. Our retreat will take place November 2-4. We will begin with dinner on Sunday at 5:30pm and conclude with breakfast on Tuesday morning. The cost is $300 per person, which includes lodging and all meals. A schedule will be available closer to the event.

There will be times for worship (evening and morning prayers) and there will be plenty of space for fellowship and relaxation. Monday following breakfast and morning prayers there will be free time until dinner. Box lunches will be provided so you can find something to do that nourishes your soul. We will have some planned options available which you can join or form a group on your own.   

The call to ministry is a unique one and it is important that we spend time together with people who understand firsthand the joys and the struggles that are part of our lives. We believe that listening, learning, and supporting each other is essential for our self-care and strengthens us for our continued service to Christ. Please use the following link to register.    

This retreat is planned and hosted by: 

Julie Higbee Associate Pastor First Presbyterian Fernandina Beach 

Cliff Lyda Pastor at First Presbyterian Church Palatka and the Moderator of our presbytery 

David Rollins The Lead Presbyter for the Presbytery of St. Augustine 

The retreat is specifically for those involved in ministry. It is not a family retreat. *Childcare will NOT be provided.

REGISTER HERE

Please be praying for the family of Rev. Ken Goodrich. He was recently retired from First Presbyterian Church of Lake City and just passed away earlier this month.

Pray for the Lord to guide the following church this week:

McIntosh Presbyterian Church

Tommy Lane, Pastor

Eva Joe Callahan, Clerk of Session

Church Spotlight

McIntosh Presbyterian Church

- Our Mission Statement: Practicing the Presence of Jesus

- We are a congregation of about 120, with members coming from a variety of denominations (11 that I know of) as well as a significant number who were unaffiliated.

- McIntosh, FL is a community of about 500 people, with six churches, all of which participate each year in the Community Vacation Bible School. This has been quite successful; average attendance is around 125 each evening of VBS. Four of the church buildings are used for VBS as these are line-of-sight to each other.

- We also have several joint-worship services during the year; Thanksgiving, Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Sunrise. Hosting of these services rotates among the churches and all six pastors participate.

- MPC has been live-streaming our services since 2007, with services archived on our website, <mcintoshchurch.org>.

- Our main mission commitments are Camp Montgomery and the Coalition for Christian Outreach.

- We have significant involvement in 'anonymous' local benevolence efforts.

- Our music is extraordinarily good.

- Our sanctuary was built in 1907. The Brown family was instrumental in building the church, and members of that family remain a vital part of our congregation.

As the 2025 summer camp season comes to a close, we are overflowing with gratitude. Our dedicated summer staff has grown in faith, leadership, and service—becoming the very team we’ve been praying for all year. Daily, we’ve seen God answer prayers in both quiet and powerful ways.

Our Leaders in Training spent two transformational weeks learning how to lead at camp, in their churches, and in the world. Campers and counselors have participated in conservation, beautification, and maintenance projects—actively caring for creation. Through our “Created to Care” curriculum, campers explored the story of creation and learned that God is the light, our firm foundation, and we are partners in caring for the world.

We’ve had the joy of serving 115 overnight campers, with Session 1 marking our largest week since before the pandemic. This is the last week of our program, with both Discovery and Night Owl campers. The remainder of the summer will host many guest groups, filling our facilities to capacity. 

Thank you, presbytery family, for your prayers of support. It is a joy to partner in ministry. God is moving at Camp Montgomery, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Rebekah Rodgers

Montgomery Center

Synod of South Atlantic

Home | Synod of South Atlantic

Positions Available In Our Presbytery

Check out the many ministry opportunities throughout our presbytery here.

Blessings,

Cliff Lyda, Moderator of the Presbytery

Charlie Evans, Stated Clerk

David Rollins, Lead Presbyter

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