The General Assembly continues this week with plenary sessions being held online through Saturday. To see the business that will be considered click HERE. To observe live go HERE. See below for the daily schedule.
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Antiracism Ministry Team, Foothills Presbytery
A Prayer For the Oppressed
Look with compassion, O God,
upon the people in this land
who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death
ss their constant companions.
Have mercy upon us.
Help us to eliminate cruelty to these our neighbors.
Strengthen those who spend their lives
establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all.
And grant that every one of us may enjoy
a fair portion of the abundance of this land;
Through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers for the Human Condition, from the Book of Common Worship Pastoral Edition, 1993
Used as the centering prayer by the Antiracism Team on June 27, 2022.
Resources we have found challenging and inspirational:
Did you know? We have an extensive list of
Antiracism Resources on our website:
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Church Financial Officers Forum
Please Mark your Calendars!
Congregational Financial Officers Forum
Tuesday, July 19
12 noon
Foothills Presbytery office
2242 Woodruff Road, Simpsonville
During this gathering, we will explore the question of “what is the future of stewardship”? We will evaluate trends within the nonprofit industry and glean any applicable best practices.
Please consider inviting your pastor and other elders to join us as we learn from one another. To assist us with appropriate preparation, please kindly notify Warren Templeton in the Presbytery Office (wtempleton@FoothillsPresbytery.org / 864/288-5774) of your plans to attend.
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Music Ministry Leaders
The Music Ministry Leader's
next meeting is
August 10th.
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Christian Educators
The next lunch gathering is
Monday, July 11, 12 noon
at Tipsy Taco.
(1133 Woodruff Rd, Greenville)
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Youth Leaders Roundtable
The next Roundtable will be Thursday, July 21 at 12:30.
Place TBD.
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Young Clergy Lunch
Wednesday, September 21
12:00 pm
at Willy Taco.
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We look forward to seeing you!
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The Antiracism Ministry Team invites you to a screening of
“At the River”
Monday, September 12
6:00 pm
Fourth Presbyterian
703 Washington Street, Greenville, SC 29601
"At the River" Filmmaker, Carolyn Crowder will lead us in a discussion following the film.
Trailer:
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“At The River” is a feature-length documentary about a certain time and place in the deep south. In the Civil Rights era of the 50s and 60s, most Presbyterian ministers stood on the banks of the cultural river of segregation and white supremacy. Some opted not to stir the waters in their congregations and communities by speaking out. However, a few young southern Presbyterian ministers braved those currents through their sermons, community organizing, and participating in marches and protests. They faced dangerous, hate-filled consequences for these actions. "At The River" chronicles their lives and their decisions, as well as director Carolyn Crowder’s firsthand experience as a young white southern girl from Montgomery, Alabama. During those mean and turbulent times these ministers, through their love and example, had a huge impact on her life in helping her overcome her southern racist brainwashing.
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As Christians, we have good news to share!
This year’s theme is Planks and Pieces: Surviving and Thriving based on Acts 27, Paul’s trip to Rome, which included a shipwreck. Join others in our presbytery Saturday, August 27 for this awesome event.
S.T.E.P.S. provides opportunities for you to grow in your Christian faith through experiences of worship, learning, and fellowship.
Some of the workshops available at S.T.E.P.S. are:
- The Cosmic Trinity: A Contribution to the Trinitarian for the 21st Century
- Introduction to Enneagram
- Book Discussion: Rediscipling the White Church: From Cheap Diversity to True Solidarity by David W. Swanson
- Extending the Circle of Compassion: Caring for the Caregivers
- Preaching in These Times and For These Times: How Theology Can Help.
Believe it or not this is not all the options available. Go to the presbytery website to register/download a brochure or check with your pastor or clerk of session for a printed copy of the brochure.
Hope to see you August 27!
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Save the Date
for a
Mission Trip to the
Ferncliff Disaster Assistance Center
Little Rock, AK
October 8th – October 15th
Time will be spent preparing Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
Gifts of the Heart Kits and working with mission agencies in the area
Cost is $350 per person
(plus lodging and food on travel days to be determined)
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Supporting Presbyterian Women on PW Gives Day
(and All Days)
PW Gives Day is July 31—a day each year to celebrate the founding of Presbyterian Women as well as the loving relationships and the life-changing ministries Presbyterian Women cultivate.
Cultivating Presbyterian Women means putting our hands and hearts to work and love through our PW Purpose. Whether planting seeds through our ecumenical partnerships, building healthy communities through our Thank and Birthday Offerings, honoring faithful servants with Honorary Life Memberships, or taking time to be in beloved community through study, service and fun, we each choose to “live life in full bloom” by care-tending our bountiful and beautiful PW gardens.
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We have several churches in Foothills Presbytery in need of temporary, part-time pastoral leadership.
If you know someone who is available to serve one of these churches, please contact our Presbytery Leader/Stated Clerk, Debbie Foster at the Presbytery Office: 864.288.5774.
Churches in searching for Temporary Pastoral Leadership are:
Pendleton
Florence Moore
Unity
Bethel
Piedmont
Townville
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SC5 Presbyteries Retreat
(For Ministers, Educators, & Church Leaders)
October 24–26, 2022
Montreat, NC
Theme: Leadership Development Is Great And All That, And What I Really Need Is Some Time Rest, Refresh, & Renew!
How are you feeling these days? Really feeling? Energized, excited and engaged in ministry? Or are you dragging your feet into the pulpit? Contemplating the communion table might be a nice nap location? Or are you mentally designing an escape hatch in your office for that next visit with the pastor? Where is your spark for ministry? Is it possible to lead from a place of wholeness? Is there room for creativity, imagination, and play? How can you experience the fullness of life and living and leading? as Children of God?
See more details HERE, including leadership, registration, accommodations, and daily schedule.
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Weapons at Church: The Unthinkable in God’s House—A message from General Counsel Mike Kirk as our prayers and lamentations continue
We like to think of our churches as places of safety and refuge. A place to commune with God and join in fellowship with our church community. Unfortunately, others view churches as targets. White supremacist Dylan Roof murdered nine people at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina in 2015. Recently a Las Vegas man with a grudge against Taiwan entered the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California, and shot members and friends of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church who were gathered at a celebratory luncheon.
It is unfortunate that church leaders must think about how to prevent such violence or how to respond to it if it happens. But sessions should discuss church safety. There are many resources available for churches, including the following:
Congregations and mid councils should consider organizing a committee to discuss and make recommendations for safety policies and procedures.
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Summer Camp Registration is underway! We encourage you to explore our summer camp options for children and youth (grades k-12) and register soon as some sessions are starting to fill!
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Introducing the
2022–2023 PW/Horizons Bible Study
The 2022–2023 PW/Horizons Bible study, Celebrating Sabbath: Accepting God’s Gift of Rest and Delight, by Carol M. Bechtel, is truly buzzworthy! That’s why this series of emails has taken flight! Don’t miss an update—check your inbox often. This is the third in the series!
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Registration has officially opened for Stewardship Kaleidoscope, an annual conference offering outstanding plenary speakers, informative workshop leaders, provocative worship experiences and unparalleled networking opportunities for all who are passionate about stewardship and generosity. Scheduled from Sept. 26-28, the in-person program of this year’s hybrid conference will be held in Savannah, Georgia.
Drawing leaders from across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and other ecumenical partners, Stewardship Kaleidoscope is designed to ignite generosity in faith-based communities, give practical tools for cultivating generosity in congregations, expand the leadership capacity of those who lead stewardship initiatives, and cultivate adaptive approaches for funding Christ’s mission.
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"Good Stewards of God's Grace"
Webinar Recording
Ruling elders, deacons, and ministers from across the country recently gathered on Zoom for the first Leader Formation webinar of 2022. The recording of "Good Stewards of God's Grace," presentation slides, and additional webinar resources are now available on the Leader Formation website.
Engage in an opportunity to provide feedback about this webinar and offer ideas for future events by completing the survey here.
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Considering a call to seminary?
Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA (next-door to Atlanta) is a PC(USA) seminary with a diverse and inclusive community that offers a robust education and full scholarship programs for all masters-level degree students. A seminary education can lead to careers to congregational ministry, chaplaincy, non-profit leadership, education, and so much more. All of our students share one essential characteristic: God has called each one to faithful discipleship and leadership in Christ’s Church.
If you’re interested in more information or a discernment conversation, please contact Sarah Kate Bumgarner at BumgarnerS@ctsnet.edu.
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APCE
2023 ANNUAL EVENT
January 25–28, 2023
Birmingham, AL
Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex
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Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)
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Mediation Skills Training Institute
or Church Leaders
Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders
- August 1-5, 2022 (in person)
- November 14-18, 2022 (in person)
- The June session will be held in Fort Mill, South Carolina; the August session will be held in the Chicago area; and the November session will be held in the Phoenix area. Please check our website for updates.
Everyone Has to Deal with Conflict
Conflict is normal and inevitable – whether in the home, school, community, church or workplace. Leaders in all walks of life often have a responsibility to help others work through their conflicts.
The Mediation Skills Training Institute presented by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC) is designed to equip church leaders with the skills necessary to deal effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict. The five-day institute also includes a component on congregational mediation and consultation, placed within the context of family systems theory.
Although focused primarily on the church setting, the skills learned are directly transferable to other settings. Thus, managers in business, attorneys, experienced mediators, and others in leadership will be enriched by the training as well.
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Available Jobs
postings on our
website.
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Mission in Reverse
Jun 30, 2022
The Presbytery of Lake Huron installed as moderator the Rev. Philomena Ofori-Nipaah in
December 2019. Photo by: Staci Percy
Immigrants from African countries are joining PC(USA) congregations and planting new ones
Around the world, international partners of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) often invite our mission personnel to share in the ministry of their local congregations. The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Synod of Zambia, for example, expressed to Sherri Ellington, a mission co-worker who coordinates the Young Adult Volunteer program in that country, how they appreciate the presence of YAVs in their communities, as it enriches their life of faith. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana has welcomed me to serve as an associate pastor of one of their church districts in Ghana’s capital, Accra, where I live. To what extent, then, are we ready to welcome our partners into the life of the PC(USA), to embrace and learn from the gifts that God has given them? In years past, western churches sent missionaries around the world, and while these efforts were far from perfect, partner churches took the message that missionaries brought them and shaped it to speak to their local cultures and histories. Today, vibrant and faithful churches have taken root, and these churches are now eager to share with us how they worship and live as disciples of Jesus Christ. READ FULL ARTICLE ON PAGES 4-5
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Mark your Calendars for these Upcoming Events
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2022
July
No COM meeting in July
11 Christian Educators gathering at Tipsy Taco for lunch
NO Exams, CSM or CPM meeting in July
19 Financial Church Officers Forum
November 01, 2022
10:00 am - 2:30 pm Foothills Presbytery Stated Meeting # 121
Trinity Presbyterian Church, Travelers Rest
February 21, 2023
Presbyterian Communities, Easley
May 20, 2023
10:00 am - 2:30 pm Foothills Presbytery Stated Meeting # 123
Location TBD
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