Foothills Presbytery
Stated Meeting #115
November 10 at 10 am
Orientation for Commissioners and Ministers
on November 2 at 5:30
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WORSHIP TEAM TO PREPARE
ONLINE SERVICE FOR DECEMBER 27
The Foothills Presbytery Worship team has begun planning for production of an online service designed for Sunday, December 27 that will be available to any congregation in the presbytery.
The service will celebrate the first Sunday of Christmastide and scripture, theme and music will all reflect this emphasis. It is the team’s particular hope that congregations with small staffs who find themselves stressed by the extra work the Advent/Christmas seasons will see this as a way to provide a meaningful worship experience while giving their pastors, musicians and others some needed sabbath time.
Holt Andrews, chair of the team, says that they became aware over the summer that online worship was creating new issues in terms of planning, staffing and executing weekly services. “We realized particularly that with in-person worship not an option solo pastors in small churches were having to plan, produce and execute worship services week after week without a break. It’s not like in normal times when you can engage a guest preacher, take some time off and the rest of the service can go on as usual.” The team then planned and produced a recorded service for general use that was made available in September and has been used by a number of congregations.
“The positive feedback we have received and the realization that even in these times the Advent/Christmas season will mean a lot of additional stress for worship planners motivated us to provide an option for the Sunday after Christmas for those who need it”, said Andrews.
Members of the team are Holt Andrews, Jimmy Cheeks, Pressley Cox, Mandy Davis, Debbie Foster, Allyson Helvie, Beverly Kelly, and Chad Wright-Pittman.
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Talking Points for Clergy
on Violence and the
November Election
Nathan Stock, Adjunct Professor at Furman University, is directing a project with the Carter Center aimed at mitigating violence around the election.
One of the things they’re doing is engaging networks of faith leaders to equip them with analysis and messages that they can disseminate to help reduce the risk of violence and encourage a peaceful transition of power.
He and his team have created a set of talking points for clergy (click here).
Nathan Stock is an Adjunct Professor of political dialogue at Furman University and a Non-Resident Scholar with the Middle East Institute. Stock has 15 years of experience working to reduce violence and strengthen democracy abroad, including nearly a decade working on Middle East conflicts with The Carter Center. He is leading a new Carter Center project designed to mitigate violence that could erupt in select U.S. communities surrounding the November election. Stock holds an MA in international peace and conflict resolution from American University and a BA in international relations from Colgate University.
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We have been asked
to share this information with
all Pastors:
Pastoral visits are allowed*
Preference is for visits to be during regular visiting hours.
Present yourself as clergy when you arrive, and be prepared to follow COVID-19 precautions upon entry.
*Most still adhere to the one visitor at a time policy.
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Three very full days of equipping, enrichment, inspiration, and connection.
Wise and challenging speakers and preachers every day.
Loads of resources in the Marketplace, and opportunities to connect with those who create them.
Terrific and useful workshops.
All of this would make participating in the APCE 2021 Virtual Event worth the investment of your continuing education time and funds.
BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE!
Your registration entitles you to two components of the APCE Virtual Event 2021:
· the live presentation on February 4-6, 2021, and
· access to the recording of it later!
Is $100 pushing your budget too far?
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Presbyterian Outlook Advent Devotional
This Advent devotional will explore being aware of God’s presence in the moment even as we anticipate Jesus’ incarnation. These devotions will seek to help us recognize God’s kairos time within and working through our challenging chronos time. The devotions are available as a downloadable set of weekly PDFs. They are ready to be emailed to the congregation. Or, print as many you need. Written by Outlook editor Jill Duffield, each week includes a reflection, daily Scripture readings, suggestions for living out the Bible and a short prayer for each day. Available for download in mid-November. Four weeks of Advent downloadable devotions for $20. Order HERE.
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Reading of 2019 Session Minutes
To: All Clerks and Pastors
Leave the minutes, along with your name and contact information, on the counter inside the door during office hours, Monday-Thursday 9:30-4 pm. Once a member of the Representation and Review Committee has reviewed your minutes, you will be contacted for pick up.
You can also mail a copy of your minutes, along with the Clerk's Form and the Financial Review Form, to Foothills Presbytery, 2242 Woodruff Road, Simpsonville, SC, 29681.
Be sure to fill out the Clerk's Form in detail. Please include dates where check list items can be found to assist the reviewers. Tabs for each item are helpful and strongly suggested. Post-its work well as tabs.
Thank you for your faithful service!
Representation and Review Committee
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We are all learning how to be the church of Jesus Christ in new and creative ways, using technology for worship, education, mission, and even pastoral care. These times are challenging but they also give us the opportunity to find ways to love and serve Christ together, even when we are apart.
The Synod of South Atlantic, through our connections and relationships, engages in mission and ministry committed to:
Ensure full integration of diversity in all of its life and work.
Equip and empower transformational leadership.
Provide for mutual enrichment among the leadership of our 16 presbyteries.
Use innovative technology to accomplish its purpose, model effective communication strategies, and share best practices.
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It’s 2021–22 application season for the
Young Adult Volunteer program
Apply by Jan. 1, 2021, for early placement at sites within the U.S. and around the world.
LOUISVILLE — The 2021–22 Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) application season opened Oct. 1. Access the online application here.
For nearly 30 years, the Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been instrumental in helping 19- to 30-year-olds experience a year of service at sites within the U.S. and around the world.
The YAV program is for all Christian young adults, not exclusively Presbyterians, in the belief that people are called and equipped by God for service in many forms. Since the early 1990s, more than 1,700 young adults have participated in a year of service at 45 different sites in 19 countries.
Although the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a travel ban in place through June 30, 2021, staff are stepping out on faith and making plans for an “in-person” YAV year of service in 2021–22 (August to August), exploring possibilities for a virtual orientation and partial virtual year.
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Join us!
Youth Ministry Leader's ROUNDTABLE
was scheduled for
Tuesday, November 3
Stay tuned for the rescheduled date
12:00 - 1:30 pm
Zoom link will be emailed to the group.
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The next gathering of Foothills
MUSIC MINISTRY LEADER’S
9:00 am
Wednesday, November 11
by Zoom
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Register for the remaining Fall 2020 Online Courses
Courses open to all, including Commissioned Ruling Elder candidates or any individual seeking further knowledge & edification.
Each course meets weekly for five (5) weeks, 7:00pm – 9:00pm EST
Two courses, Reformed Theology/Church History and Teaching the Bible, begin next week.
The Reformed Theology/Church History course is seeking interested participants for a second section, beginning Monday, October 19
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It's not too late to pull off a virtual Alternative Giving Market!
Earlier this year, we made a plan to send this very email out to you — a message in October that would serve to inform you about how to incorporate the Giving Catalog into your Alternative Giving Markets.
We never predicted when we made those early plans that many of our congregations would still be gathering virtually. We didn’t imagine that "getting creative on how to stay connected" would still be the norm!
Here’s a simple idea for your Alternative Giving Market: use our Links of Love activity, which involves the creation of a paper chain, built by individual paper links (each representing a gift given) joined together by glue or tape. It’s an activity that celebrates the act of connecting, and the collective power of working together. And, based on its simple and flexible nature, it really shows how easy it can be to make a big difference in someone else’s life.
Even if your church isn’t meeting in person, there are ways to still have your Alternative Giving Market using Links of Love! Ideas include:
- Ask people to mail in their gift check, along with an indication of which gift from the Giving Catalog they want to give. Have a volunteer assemble the paper chain based on gifts that have been mailed in. (You could even ask participating members to make their own unique paper link at home!)
- Make it a virtual event, with Facebook Live or Zoom, where church members log in to make their gift commitment while volunteers build the paper chain in real time
We’re happy to help you figure out how to use the Giving Catalog for your market this year — if you need help, please contact us at [email protected] or call 888-728-7228 ext. 5047.
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NEXT Church
BREAKING, BLESSING, BUILDING
A Call For The Common Good
A FREE Live-Streamed Gathering for ALL Church Leaders
March 5-7, 2021
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Interested in having a Zoom Video Conference Meeting,
but you don't have an account? The Presbytery can help!
If you have a request, please have your Pastor or Clerk of Session contact LeAnne White (via email) and include the following information:
- Name of person making request
- Church
- Phone
- Date for Zoom Meeting
- Time (begin and end) no more than 2 hours
- Approx number of those attending
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The third-quarter 2020 newsletter is now available!
This newsletter includes information about the many Bible study resources (including prerecorded webinars) that are available to support personal or group Bible study of the newest PW/Horizons Bible study, Into the Light; a fabric “fun”draiser that will equip the group creating 2021 Churchwide Gathering totebags; a statement from PW reaffirming the necessity of antiracism; and much more! Read messages from PW’s churchwide moderator, JyungIn Lee and PW’s vice moderator for mission relationships, Jo Ann Burrell.
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A NEW EARTH:
THINKING THEOLOGICALLY ABOUT
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Sunday, June 13-Sunday, June 27, 2021
What does it mean to care for creation?
Are Christians called to respond to climate change?
Is it possible to live sustainably for the benefit of future generations?
Theologically curious high school students are invited to apply before January 1, 2021 for the 2021 Lux Summer Theological Institute. Safety permitting, the program will be held in-person at Presbyterian-related Monmouth College (Monmouth, IL).
Funded by the Lilly Endowment, the Lux Institute is an opportunity for students to engage with a topic of global importance and participate in a living-learning community through study, worship, service, recreation, and vocational exploration.
Scholarships are available to cover all program expenses for the two-week program, with the exception of travel.
A free shuttle to/from Chicago airports is provided.
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NECROLOGY Report
At Foothills, we have traditionally had an annual recognition and celebration of the lives of ruling elders, teaching elders, and teaching elder spouses who have died during the last 12 months. A few years ago we moved this to our November presbytery meeting in honor of All Saints.
We ask presbyters to give prayerful recognition of the life and service of those ruling elders, teaching elders, and teaching elder spouses whose lives on earth have ended.
If you know of any Ruling Elders, Teaching Elders, or Teaching Elder spouses that have passed from November 2019 until now and should be honored at our November 10, 2020 Presbytery Meeting, please notify us by email to [email protected].
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Board of Pensions newsletter
Click HERE for the Board of Pensions Newsletter which covers several important initiatives which were approved during our meeting Oct. 22-24, 2020.
In addition to the positive financial results and subsequent decisions, the BOP created a Task Force to address Inclusiveness, Diversity, and Equality, and we are very excited to begin this long-needed engagement with the many systemic issues that affect our church institutions, our parishioners, our local communities, and beyond.
We hope you will feel encouraged as the BOP continues to address identified needs of our congregations, pastors, retirees, and employees.
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We’ve made Montreat@Home a balance of contemplation and creation. There are daily opportunities to listen and cultivate your faith as a community, even in the midst of social distancing.
Leaders will be given access to activities, guides, videos, and other resources that will equip them to lead an adjusted conference for their youth whenever they are able to gather together in whatever capacity they are able or allowed.
Learn more about Montreat@Home here.
Contact Susie Burns, Director of Church Relations, at [email protected] or 828.419.9814 with questions about the program.
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On Oct 06, 2020 11:31 am
by Pete Perry
Exodus 16 (selected verses)
They had been at it for six weeks.
Wandering in the wilderness.
Wondering what would happen to them next.
Dislocated. Not knowing the next place they would sleep.
Anxious that they would not be able to find food.
Scared they would not make it but instead would die in the desert.
So they turned on their leaders, Moses and Aaron.
“If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt; when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 1
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Mark your Calendars for these Upcoming Events |
November
2 Presbytery meeting Orientation
5 Committee on Ministry meeting
8 PYC Meeting
9 Foothills staff meeting
10 Foothills Presbytery Stated Meeting #115
November 10 at 10 am
11 Music Ministry Leaders meeting
12 Finance & Stewardship Committee meeting
16 Personnel Committee meeting
17 Committee on Shared Ministry meeting
19 Christian Educators meeting, Examinations meeting & Committee on Preparation for Ministry meeting
November 10 - ZOOM Meeting
February 16
May 15
Nov 9, 2021
9:00 am - 2:00 pm Foothills Presbytery Stated Meeting # 118
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