August 24, 2023

Visit our Website

Hawai'i Relief

To support our response, gifts can be designated to DR000165

Detailed Information & Registration

Monday, August 28

12:00-1:30 pm

at the Foothills Presbytery office

2242 Woodruff Road, Simpsonville


Bring a lunch

Presbytery will provide drinks and dessert.


** Please click here and let us know if you plan to attend. **

Protecting Places of Worship Network: An Initiative of the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships


August 29

3:00 - 4:30 pm


Webinar Registration

On Tuesday, August 22, over 30 retirees gathered for a luncheon sponsored by The Board of Pensions and Foothills Presbytery. 


The retired ministers, validated ministers, mid-council leaders, educators, support staff members, and spouses enjoyed a great meal at Fourth Presbyterian Church. Elizabeth Little, Church Consultant, brought greetings on behalf of The Board of Pensions. She shared information about the transition from the Medicare Supplement to a Medicare Advantage plan that will take place on January 1, 2024. All retirees will need to make the determination about the new plan in this fall. The Medicare Advantage plan will be offered through the Humana Group and is a PPO plan. You will find additional information about this plan on The Board of Pensions website.

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Debbie Foster, Presbytery Leader and Stated Clerk, and Robin Morris, Associate Stated Clerk, brought greetings from the Foothills Presbytery. Debbie shared information about the congregations and ministers in Foothills.

 

The event was a lovely opportunity to meet retirees who are now living in our area.

Discerning your Call? 

The Church Leadership Connection (CLC) has been updated and renovated.

 

If you are a Minister, Educator, Youth Director, or Church Leader

(Call Seeker), CLC will help you with your search. 

If you had a Personal Information Form (PIF) in the old system, it is no longer “matchable” in the new system. 

You must log in to the new CLC, create an account and complete the new Personal Discernment Profile (PDP). 


Additional resources, including a users guide, are available at https://oga.pcusa.org/section/clc/clc/clc-call-seekers/


Please call the Presbytery office if you have any questions at 864-288-5774.

Foothills Presbytery is excited to partner with MHFA and provide training for pastors, educators, youth leaders, elders, deacons, and volunteers.



Register today for one of the upcoming MHFA training!

August 31 Event
September 7 Event

SC5 School of Theology

Classes will be held on

Friday & Saturday, October 27 & 28

at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC.


 

Registration for the

2023 Fall Semester of the SC5 School of Theology

(formerly called the SC Lay School)

is now open. 

 

Classes will be held at Presbyterian College on October 27 & 28. We will have check-in beginning at 4:30 on Friday, October 27, in Neville Hall.


Classes Offered Fall 2023 Semester:

  • New Testament (Core) with the Rev. Dr. Bob Bryant
  • Reformed Theology (Core) with the Rev. Richard Burnett, Ph.D.
  • Preaching (Core) with the Rev. Dr. Ella Busby
  • Pastoral Care (Core) with the Rev. Loyd Melton, Ph.D.
  • Christian Education (Elective) with the Rev. Tom Malone

 

We are pleased to share our new SC5 School of Theology website with you. You will find information about the SC5 School of Theology, who attends, who the two tracks are for, and how to get started here.

 

Hotel: During registration, you will have an opportunity to reserve a room at the Hampton Inn in Clinton. The last date to book a room is September 27, 2023.)

 

Registration for the Fall Semester will close on September 27, 2023. If you are not able to register online, please email Robin Morris and she will send you a paper registration form.

More Information

Foothills Peer Ministry


Youth Leaders Roundtable


Next Gathering is at the

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training at Fourth

September 7

Music Ministry Leaders 

Gathering

Wednesday, September 13

by ZOOM

Christian Educators Gathering

Next gathering is

Monday, September 18

at John Knox



Resources we have found challenging & inspirational:


African American Clergy & Educators Retreat

If you have not registered, please do so today!

It's Not Too Late! For more information download the

Invitation Letter and Registration Form

FORT HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE

The Pansy Duke Scholarship

2023 Award - $1,500


Administered by Fort Hill Presbyterian Church

Clemson, South Carolina

Application Deadline: August 31, 2023

FERNCLIFF MISSION TRIP

SEPTEMBER 9-16 2023


REGISTER TODAY!

NEW Full Flyer with QR Code

Looking for a way to feel more confident about your personal finances? Mark your calendar for Thursday, September 14, 2023, from 2-3:30 p.m. ET, for Money Basics: Let’s Build a Plan. Presenters William K. Wesley, JD, MBA, and the Reverend Reginald Tuggle will explain how to build and implement a plan to feel more self-assured about personal money matters. The session will focus on the following four key areas:

·       controlling spending

·       managing debt

·       prioritizing saving

·       maintaining excellent credit

Open to members participating in the Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), their spouses, and surviving spouses, this webinar is one of the lifelong learning programs offered by the Board of Pensions through Board University. Registration opens Thursday, August 17. For more information, visit pensions.org/boarduniversity.

LOOKING FORWARD: CHURCH, HOPE, AND THE FUTURE OF CONGREGATIONS

HENDERSON LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Sept. 24-26, 2023

Will Willimon, Keynoter



OVERVIEW

What is the future of small congregations (the fastest growing segment of North American Christianity)?

Join us for lectures, workshops, worship, and conversations that will inspire your leadership; and receive practical, usable wisdom for giving your congregation a future. 


This year's keynoter Will Willimon has been listening to pastors and congregations in hundreds of American churches and has a hopeful, Christ-centered word for small churches and their leaders. He is the author of What’s Next? a book to help contemporary pastors lead their congregations forward. Dr. Willimon will present the Henderson Lecture on Church and Ministry, “Hope for the Many Churches Where Few Are Gathered,” Monday evening, Sept. 25, 2023, at 7:00 person and online. Read More

The Medical Benevolence Foundation is a Christ-centered organization founded in 1963 to work alongside the Presbyterian Church to transform lives by building sustainable healthcare ministries in developing countries. Through long-term partnerships, MBF equips the indigenous church with tools and resources that allow them to meet the health care needs of their community and share the Gospel.


Read More HERE

Gather with us in Grosse Ile (a suburb of Detroit) for a day and a half of workshops, worship, warm fellowship, and good food. Through the theme Walking in New Shoes, we will explore trying new things, including ways to continue our service to God and our local and global community.


Learn more and register

When Faith Hurts: Empowering the Faith Community to Recognize and Respond to Child Abuse & Sexual Assault

A conference for members of faith communities and community partners


October 10-12, 2023


The Julie Valentine Center is pleased to invite you to attend When Faith Hurts. We are excited to bring Victor Vieth, the Chief Program Officer for the Zero Abuse Project, to Greenville to conduct the training.

This training will prepare attendees to recognize and respond to cases of sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. We will discuss the prevalence of child abuse, the impact of abuse on spirituality, the interest offenders have in churches and faith-based camps and schools, and will offer suggestions for working to assist a child in coping with maltreatment. The training will also discuss ideal child protection policies for a faith based institution, including handling a situation in which a convicted sex offender seeks to join a congregation.

READ MORE

Visit our Website

Cents-Ability

 

“Put Your Two Cents In” and put it where it can make a difference in the effort to relieve hunger. What began as a Presbyterian Women (PW) ministry in 1976 known as ‘two cents a meal’, is now a Presbyterian Mission Agency ministry, ‘Cents Ability’. People were asked to contribute a few coins at each meal. It is an expression of thanksgiving for what we have received.  It adds up: one person contributing $1, when added to the offerings of 99 others, totals $100. If 58 churches in the Presbytery give $100 each, that would give $5800 for hunger relief in upstate South Carolina.  What if we each gave $2?


Some congregations in Foothills are already participating in this effort. In 2022, eight congregations, and one individual, donated $7,604.87 to this ministry. Foothills Presbytery added $95.06 to what had been received so that each ministry would receive $550.00.

Ministries may apply for funds.  Read More

Make a Donation to Cents-Ability

Montreat Wee Kirk Conference

October 16-18, 2023


The Wee Kirk conference aspires to provide Christ-centered opportunities for inspiration, encouragement, and community among leaders of small membership churches so they can do the same in their congregations and regions.

Learn More Here

Summer 2023 digital edition

of Horizons now available!


Holistic Health

About This Issue: For many years, the term “holistic health” made me think of herbal teas, yoga and a rejection of western medicine . . . in a not exactly positive way. When a loved one suggested I treat my migraine with lavender oil and a day of embracing the pain and noticing whether it had jagged, irregular edges or a rounded perimeter, I felt completely misunderstood.


There was work to be done, children to take to school, dogs who noisily reminded me they wanted to go outside. Obviously, the only the thing that would work was a pill and the perfect dose of caffeine. Read More



Access your digital Horizons magazine HERE.



Special Offering:

Peace and Global Witness


Have you received your Peace and Global Witness Leader’s Guide?  


If not, call 800-728-7228, ext 5047 or go here This year’s theme is You Are With Me (Psalm 23).

Stewards of Children - Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training held at Nazareth Presbyterian Church.

Hosted by Camp Fellowship.


$10 for materials only.

Event Date: 09/20/2023

Event Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM, Eastern time

Event Cost: $10.00

Language: English

Contact

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.


More details and Registration:  https://www.presby.edu/academics/graduate-professional/lake-institute/


Program Dates: September 18-20, 2023 (3 hour online component afterwards)



Location: Shallowford Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA

October 19

at Fourth Presbyterian Church

9 am - 3 pm


Cost is $5, lunch included



Presented by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program

Sponsored by Foothills Presbytery



Click HERE for more information

Free Conference of

College Students, Seminarians, and Other Young Adults

October 20-22 in Louisville, KY

JESUS and JUSTICE: Believe! Pray! Act! 

Online and in Person Options


Are you ready to take part in changing the future for the greater good? Register for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Young Adult Advocacy Conference! The fall conference is being offered free of charge to college students, seminarians and other young adults. Learn more and register HERE.

Save the Date!

COM,

CPM,

PJC, PDA

Retreat

will be

February 23 & 24

2024

Details coming.

Please mark your calendars for February 29 - March 4, 2024, and look for more details by email and on our website.

Bethesda Presbyterian Church

to offer Computer/Media Literacy training.


If you don't have a Facebook page or an email account, or if you want to learn how to use Canva to produce flyers and such, there's an app for that: Me. Bring a charged laptop or tablet, or your mobile phone. (First Saturday of every month at 11)


Bethesda Presbyterian Church, USA, will offer basic computer and media literacy training workshops on the first Saturday of every month, beginning in April. This workshop is for people wanting basic knowledge about such popular programs as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and working with Google docs. 


 READ MORE



Contact: Kim Smith Ph.D., [email protected], 704-953-3290

Grants offered through the Presbyterian Mission Agency:


Grants and Scholarships

As part of our mission, we have several grant and scholarship programs that assist people, organizations and congregations. View these opportunities and more HERE!

The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary (UDTS) is excited to share that it will be offering two new master's degrees beginning fall 2023. 

 

The Master of Arts in Reformed Theology

 

The Master of Arts in Ministry 

Register and pay online OR...

Download the Border-to-Border Registration Form and pay by check 

Pathways Online Courses

UPCOMING Polity and Administration 


Tuesdays, August 29- October 17, 2023

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.


UPCOMING Biblical Interpretation


Thursday, September 14-October 19, 2023

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

To view a FULL list of upcoming opportunities, visit:


https://www.upsem.edu/upcoming-continuing-education/

Click here to see additional 

Available Jobs

on our website.

Subscribe to Covenant Connections

Sing a rights-cleared song to the Lord

Aug 17, 2023

“Each report we receive at ONE LICENSE turns into a royalty payment,” says Brenna Cronin, “and those payments are someone’s livelihood.”

ONE LICENSE serves more than 25,000 license holders, offering them access to more than 210,000 titles from more than 300 publishers large and small.

Do you use ONE LICENSE in your congregation? In July 2023, Steve Thorngate with Christian Century interviews Brenna C. Cronin, executive general manager for ONE LICENSE. Below is a portion of the interview including usage reports that license holders are required to submit and why it matters. To read the whole article, visit https://www.christiancentury.org/article/interviews/sing-rights-cleared-song-lord

It does seem strange for someone to go out of their way to pay for a license, only to neglect the reporting that is so integral to that license’s function. But I guess the only thing in shorter supply for a lot of church leaders than money is time.

And we know that. We ourselves are pastoral musicians, leaders in our churches, and we’re pulled in lots of different directions.

Mark your Calendars for these Upcoming Events

2023


August

24 Committee on Preparation for Ministry meeting

26 PYC Planning Retreat

28 Under 100 Church Lunch and Antiracism Ministry Team meeting

30 FP Staff meeting

31 Mental Health First Aid Training


September

4 Office will be closed for Labor Day!

6 Representation & Review and Nominations Committee meeting

7 Stewardship Committee meeting, Youth Mental Health First Aid & Committee on Ministry meeting

9-16 Ferncliff Mission Trip



Foothills Presbytery Calendar


2023 Foothills Presbytery Stated Meetings

November 14, 2023

10:00 am - 2:30 pm Foothills Presbytery Stated Meeting #124

Location TBA



2024 Foothills Presbytery Stated Meetings

February 20, 2024

May 18, 2024

August 3, 2024 (Virtual)

November 12, 2024

Quicklinks
Resource Center of Foothills Presbytery

Stewardship of Creation Connections August-September, 2023 Newsletter