February 29, 2024

Unbound We Thrive

On Tuesday, February 20th, over one hundred and twenty Foothills members and guests gathered at the historic Fountain Inn Presbyterian Church for our 125th Stated meeting. Our Presbytery Moderator, Trish Gwinn (Grace Covenant), welcomed participants and began our time with a Land Acknowledgment and opening prayer. The Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis (Co-Moderator of the 225th General Assembly) led us in Worship. Her message, "Unbound We Thrive," was centered on Micah 6: 6 – 8 and Mat th ew 25:31-46. After Worship, we will welcomed several ministry partners, including those from Camp Fellowship and the Presbyterian Mission Agency (Special Offerings). The Antiracism Ministry Team (AMT) presented a summary of the first three years of their work and shared a short film, Courageous Conversations. Our Committee on Shared Mission and Ministry highlighted the Two Cents a Meal Offering and the thriving Youth Ministry of our Presbytery. The Committee on Ministry (COM) report featured two of our Validated Ministry leaders: Jennifer Fouse Sheorn (Triune Mercy Center) and Nath Briley (Family Promise of Pickens). COM invited us all to celebrate the retirement of Rev. Joanne Hull and honor her faithful forty years of service to the church before the Exams Commission presented Robin Morris (Elder, Limestone) to serve the Presbytery as a Commissioned Ruling Elder. We ended our time together with a delicious lunch provided by the Ft. Inn Church and The Lord's Table Feeds.

Congratulations to Robin Morris, Commissioned Ruling Elder, Limestone.

We recognized the Rev. Joanne Hull's retirement and celebrated her ministry at First, Spartanburg.

Highlighting the work of Validated Ministry: We invited the Rev. Jennifer Fouse Sheorn, Executive Director and Pastor, at Triune Mercy Center and the Rev. Dr. Nath Briley, Executive Director of Pickens County Family Promise, to share information about their ministries.

Foothills Presbytery’s

Antiracism Ministry Team (AMT)

Your Antiracism Ministry Team (AMT) became a permanent committee of council in 2021. You can read more about our roles and responsibilities here. We have been meeting for three years now. Each month we center ourselves with a devotion before reflecting on events of church and culture. We discuss the many ways our committee members and our congregations are engaged in learning about and acting related to antiracism before processing assigned readings. The entire team agrees, “This is holy and sacred work.”

There are three things we would like to highlight:

1. At the end of our first year one of our goals moving forward was to share resources reviewed by the members of our team. We posted those in the presbytery’s newsletter twice a month and posted the list on the website. We have provided the entire list of books, blogs, podcasts, articles, movies and more on our website. Our list of fiction resources will be posted later this Spring.

2. A subcommittee of the AMT has been charged with drafting the presbytery’s required Antiracism Policy. We will also make recommendations for training. We will present the policy to Council, and they will bring it before you/the presbytery for final approval. We are hopeful that congregations can use our policy as a starting place for your required Antiracism Policy.

3. We are excited to share a 6-minute short-film. It is a taste of one of our teams’ projects during 2022 and 2023.

_____a. To better engage our congregations in the realities of racism we interviewed

________seven people. They are pastors, elders, and members of churches in

________Foothills Presbytery. Their stories range over two generations.

_____b. The film is just a hint of the full interviews. Ultimately the interviews will be the

________basis for a Courageous Conversations course (six to eight 45-minute sessions)

________that we will share with congregations.

Dear Pastors and Clerks of Session,

It is time to submit your Terms of Call for 2024.

The 2024 Annual Terms of Call is to be completed by Installed Ministers and Associate Ministers of the Word and Sacrament (Installed Teaching Elders).

*Click here for the Annual Terms of Call Form or you can also find it on the Foothills Presbytery website under Forms.

Please complete this form and submit by March 18, 2024.

We will also accept a scan of the document approved by your congregation.
Stated Supply, Interim Ministers, or Commissioned Ruling Elders do not need to complete this form. (Terms are reflected on your annual contract.)
The Ministers serving in Validated Ministry do not need to complete this form.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Warren Templeton at [email protected] or 864-288-5774.

Foothills Presbytery Committee on Ministry

You are invited to a conversation

exploring the Theology of Mission

Summer 2024 Registration is OPEN!

The first 25 campers who register from Foothills Presbytery churches will automatically get a $50 Campership!

When registering, use Campership Code: Foothills24

Foothills Presbytery has limited need-based scholarships available. Click Here: Scholarship Application

Scholarship Deadline is April 1.

Reminder!

We are still receiving payments, contracts, and other communications to our physical address, which no longer has a mailbox.

PLEASE ensure that your front office, financial office, and all personnel who send any mailed correspondence use our mailing address:

Foothills Presbytery

P.O. Box 1118

Simpsonville, SC 29681-1118

Thank you!

South Carolina Inn at Montreat

"Your Home in the Mountains"

Maybe you need an inexpensive place to stay for a Montreat conference, or a place for personal relaxation and renewal, or a place for a family gathering in the mountains, or a place to stay while you explored all there is to do in the Black Mountain and Asheville area. The South Carolina Inn at Montreat might be just the place you need.

The South Carolina Inn at Montreat, "Your Home in the Mountains," is a hidden gem. It consist of the William Brearley Home (on the left in the picture above), a 3 story lodge style accommodation, with two indoor gathering areas, a porch full of rocking chairs, and a gas log fireplace. On the right in the above picture, are the Kirk Apartments. They eight apartments, offer breathtaking views of the valley. These apartments vary in their accommodations and kitchen arrangements. Two are designed to accept people with physical challenges. The Suite Carolina, attached to the William Brearley Home, but with a separate entrance will supply two persons in upscaled accommodations. The Suite and apartments have both heat and air-conditioning.

Take time to download the brochure and visit www.scinnatmontreat.org for more information or to make a reservation online. Questions? Call 828-669-7460.

We would love to see you at The Inn!

NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM &

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER TEAM

For the first time in the history of NRT Recruitment, we are accepting online applications. From now on, applications and references will be received through an online application portal. Any paper applications submitted prior to 2024 will be considered in the upcoming applicant pool. All applications to be considered for the 2024 discernment must be submitted by May 1^st.

In addition to the online application, we have a new discernment opportunity for prospective volunteers. We will be hosting virtual information sessions for prospective volunteers to learn more about what it means to be on the NRT. These sessions will take place on Thursday February 1^st and Monday April 1^st on zoom. To attend the online information sessions, prospective applicants must fill out this form to RSVP and receive the link via email. During the information sessions, folks will learn more about the NRT, ministry teams, and the application process.

If you know of individuals who would be a good fit for the NRT, please invite them to apply and share the attached invitation to learn more about the team. Word of mouth has always been our strongest recruitment tool and we hope to continue that moving forward. Prospective applicants can visit the newly updated NRT Webpage to learn more about the team, RSVP for information sessions, and apply online.

Important Dates:

- April 1^st at 7pm EST: NRT Information Session for Prospective Applicants

- May 1^st at 11:59pm EST: Application Deadline for 2024 Discernment

THE PRESBYTERIAN PROMISE

AN $80,000 SCHOLARSHIP OVER 4 YEARS FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE PRESBYTERIAN.

The Presbyterian Promise Scholarship is a commitment by Presbyterian College (PC) to recognize students for their merit and affiliation with the Presbyterian Church. PC seeks to develop students academically and spiritually in this signature scholarship. Students who are members of Presbyterian churches will receive a scholarship for a minimum of $20,000 per year for up to four years—that’s an $80,000 commitment to you. For more information and to apply visit our site: www.presby.edu/presbyterian-promise

Presbyterian College is excited to offer a new program focused on fundraising, philanthropy, stewardship, and other giving initiatives for congregations and other faith-related organizations. PC is proud to partner with the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (Indiana University) to offer the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF).

This unique partnership enables this outstanding course to be offered in the southeast region. The executive certificate program provides the research, tools, and customized training to meet the growing needs of leaders in religious communities and fundraisers of faith-based organizations. The focus of the ECRF is on the cultural, organizational, and philanthropic practices unique to religious institutions. These practices in turn enable donors motivated by spiritual and religious values to experience the joy of generous giving.

This would be an ideal program for clergy or other faith leaders as well as stewardship or advancement staff members in religious communities, schools, or service organizations. For PC(USA) pastors, there is also a scholarship offered through the Presbyterian Foundation to offset some of the costs of attendance.

Program Dates: May 20-22, 2024 (3 hour online component afterwards)

Location: Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC

Presbyterian Foundation Scholarship Information

226TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING IN

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

THIS SUMMER...

Click this link to view the December

On the Road to GA226 Newsletter

MID COUNCIL MINISTRIES

‘Along the Road’ podcasts: recent and upcoming episodes

Spirited discussions about trauma-informed decision-making, GA student delegates, Robert’s Rules, the Road to Emmaus, and Presbyterian connections beyond the congregation

Five new “Along the Road” podcast episodes have been made available since November, three from the “Encounter” series for mid-council and church leaders and two “Nourish” episodes for deacons and ruling elders.

Listen to all Along the Road episodes directly from the Mid Council Ministries section of pcusa.org or from popular streaming services.

Click here for more information

Reminders from

your Stated Clerk

Changes in Foothills Presbytery's Terms of Call for Pastors
Changes to the Book of Order (PCUSA)
Changes in the PCUSA Board Pensions Health Care Plan for Retirees and Pastors

2024 Financial Forums

2024 is here! I am happy to announce that we will continue our quarterly financial gatherings of treasurers, finance committee chairs, pastors, and others (all are welcome). While we will not be meeting first quarter, we will be meeting on the following dates:

April 23
July 30
October 29

Please mark your calendars accordingly and spread the word! I am looking forward to seeing everyone at these gatherings, if not before.

Blessings,

Olanda Carr, Jr.

Senior Ministry Relations Officer – East Region

Toll Free:1-888-711-1318

For 75 years, One Great Hour of Sharing has provided Presbyterians a way to share God's love with our neighbors in need around the world.

Millions of people lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity.

The three programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing - Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People - all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need. From initial disaster response to ongoing community development, their work fits together to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope.

GIVE NOW

JUMP TO RESOURCES

Get ready for an exhilarating experience as we extend a warm invitation to the much-anticipated 2024 Southeast Region Conference! This year's event promises to be an inspiring celebration of unity, collaboration, and the incredible diversity that makes our region truly special. Embrace the power of unity as we explore the richness that comes from our diversity. This year's theme, "One Body, Many Parts," emphasizes the strength we gain when we come together, each contributing our unique talents, perspectives, and experiences for the greater good.

Stay tuned for more details, including registration information, in the coming weeks. We can't wait to gather as one body with many parts, united for the greater good!

https://nationalnbpc.org/

St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church has a partner youth mission ministry called Camp RHINO. Camp RHINO is a week-long mission experience for youth. We partner with local non-profit organizations, so groups can do service projects with one or a variety of non-profits. In the past, Camp RHINO groups have built homes with Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together, packed food delivery boxes for Second Harvest Food Bank, assisted in homeless outreach and shelters, worked in community gardens, and volunteered with other programs.

2024 CAMP SESSIONS AVAILABLE :

WEEK ONE : JUNE 3-7
WEEK TWO : JUNE 10-14
WEEK THREE : JUNE 17-21
WEEK FOUR : JULY 15-19

Interested Churches May Register at WWW.RHINONOLA.ORG, or schedule a phone call with our YAV RHINO Volunteer and recent Pittsburgh Theological Seminary graduate Steff Johnson at: [email protected]” Steff’s Office Number : 504-897-0101 ex. 117

Opportunity for High School Youth

JULY 22-27, 2024

PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE, CLINTON, S.C.

Join us for an enriching five-day gathering at Presbyterian College, Clinton, S.C., where rising high school juniors and seniors will come together to explore their callings and gifts for leadership in the church.

Co-hosted by the Miller Summer Youth Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the Office of Spiritual Life at Presbyterian College, this unique event offers students the chance to learn from experienced faculty and staff from both institutions, to delve into vocational discernment activities, and to engage in guided theological reflection. This gathering promises to be a transformative experience for those seeking to explore their callings and who want to learn more about what the path to leadership in the church might look like!

Students can expect to engage in group discernment activities, enjoy downtime on the Presbyterian College campus and in the City of Greenville, and participate in worship. Room and board will be provided on the PC campus.

Charleston Atlantic Presbytery BUS transportation to St. Louis!

Transportation—Kelly Tours:

• Trip to St. Louis, MO takes 12 hours & 37 minutes. Bus will depart August 7, 2024

• Bus seats 56 passengers, to be comfortable we are looking for 40 ladies to commit. Last time we picked up ladies in Columbia & Spartanburg.

• There will be a Relay Driver and regular driver due to regulations.

Apply for Montreat Summer Staff!

Do you know a young adult looking for a summer job? Montreat Conference Center is currently accepting applications for its 2024 Summer Staff season. All young adults who are at least one year out of high school are invited to apply.

Available positions cover a wide range of skills and interests such as A/V production, childhood education, marketing, environmental studies, hospitality, and more! All positions are paid and include the option to live on campus. Plus, certain positions may qualify for college credit.

This is a great opportunity to gain valuable job experience and enjoy life in our close-knit mountain community. If you think someone you know would be interested, please encourage them to apply at montreat.org/summer-staff!

Healthy Congregations

On March 5, 2024, we will be hosting our Healthy Congregations workshop in Fort Mill, SC. The training will be conducted from 9 am to 4 pm at Grace Presbyterian Church in Fort Mill. Here is a brief description of the workshop:

The Healthy Congregations workshop is designed to equip leaders to respond to the presence or potential threat of anxiety in a congregational system in ways that prevent destructive conflict and help the church stay focused on its unique mission and purpose. This workshop will help you:
Learn how you as a leader can influence the health of your congregation – how to detect and avoid unhealthy patterns of living together in community
Learn how to keep anxiety from becoming infectious
Gain confidence in responding to challenges and opportunities
Learn how to put limits on invasive behavior, manage reactivity, and overcome sabotage
Discover how leaders can function as the congregation’s immune system
Learn to focus on strengths, resources, options, and the future

Additional Training Opportunities:

Conflict Transformation Skills for Churches

Conflict is a normal part of life; unfortunately, the church is not exempt. This workshop will give participants the knowledge and skills necessary to manage conflicts within their congregations in a healthier manner.

Mediation Skills Training Institute

This 5-day event is designed to equip church leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to deal effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict. It also includes a component on congregational mediation and consultation, placed within the context of family systems theory.

https://lmpeacecenter.org/