Volume 23 | June 3, 2021
The Presbyark Update
Keeping the Presbytery of Arkansas informed.
June 3, 2021
Presbytery Meeting this Saturday, June 5!!!
Password: trinity
It all starts with a Prelude by David Glaze, Director of Music Ministries at Trinity Presbyterian Church of Little Rock, that you do not want to miss!!!  Music with information for the meeting starts at 8:30 am. Click here to register on-line and here to download your meeting information. You must register so that we’ll know you’re in attendance, and the Zoom link to the meeting will be sent directly to your email.

The offering for the meeting will help offset the cost of Youth Summer Trips! Our youth need our support, especially after last year when youth summer trips were cancelled due to COVID-19. Once you have registered, click here to donate to the offering.

There has been a change in the docket – the Order of the Day will now be at 10:30 am!!! You will not want to miss the theological discussion with MWS Jason Tucker, or worship at the conclusion of the meeting at which Jason will preach. The revised docket and an Addendum to the COM Report can be found by clicking here.
Presbytery Meeting
Announcements
You know all those important techie announcements that scroll by on your screen during Presbytery Meetings and you don't always catch them because you run to get a fresh cup of coffee or a cinnamon roll? Well, now you can click here and read them ahead of time so you will be prepared for everything! Enjoy.
Q&A With Jason Tucker
Wednesday, June 9 @ 10:00am
Jason Tucker, our "Building Congregational Vitality" leader and preacher at our June meeting will be zooming with us on Wednesday, June 9th at 10am. He'll be there for your follow-up questions from the discussions at our meeting OR you might have other things to discuss with him and can ask your questions.   We'll use the usual Presbytery zoom with our usual password.  

This is not for pastors only! All are welcome to join our special guest for a good discussion!  You can also Click here to listen to Jason's Reclaimed Leader podcast.
Attention PCUSA churches!
Ten churches are being sought within a 350-mile radius of Dallas that are ready to focus for an entire year on testimony as community engagement. These ten churches, selected from the applicant pool, will populate the first cohort of Testimony HQ, a new grant initiative funded by the Lilly Endowment and housed at Perkins School of Theology. Applications are due by July 1, 2021.

Curious as to what Testimony HQ is all about? 
Click here to find out more, or join us for a 30-minute zoom information session about Testimony HQ on Friday, June 11, 9:30 AM CST. RSVP to testimonyhq@mail.smu.edu to receive the zoom link.
Presbytery Profiles
Vice Moderator, MWS Susan Arnold
Being the the daughter of a courtroom defense attorney and a speech therapist, both elders in the PC(USA), pulpit ministry just seemed to slip into my psyche as a natural possibility. After graduating from Pine Bluff High School, I went straight to Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee; then, Southwestern-at-Memphis. I was actually in the last class to receive a SAM diploma, and never updated it to Rhodes.
 
Graduating with a degree in English & Psychology left me with few “marketable skills,” so I did what any new college grad would do – with a college friend, I sat in my childhood bedroom, a map of the United States in front of us, eyes closed, and wherever our fingers landed, that’s where we would ‘seek our next adventure.’ Boston, Massachusetts, here we come!! Read more...
Click here to register for Youth & YA Sabbath!
Presbyterian Women
Fall Retreat
Join the Presbyterian Women of Arkansas on Saturday, August 21, 2021 from 10:00 am—3:00 pm for their Fall Retreat: Fellowship Of Kindred Minds at Mt Sequoah in Fayetteville.

Contact PWPCT Co-Moderators Maryann Sweeney (479) 802-9620 or Vicki Erickson (479) 659-2398 with questions. 

Click here to see the informational flyer. Click here to register and pay the $12 registration fee online. The registration deadline is August 6.
Arkadelphia Beloved Community Fellows
The congregations of West End Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church, Arkadelphia are proud to introduce the Arkadelphia Beloved Community Fellows Program. Fellows serve for a semester, offering leadership with our combined Youth Ministry and and assisting Dr. Pat Wright in the Arkadelphia Community Family Enrichment Center Food Pantry. Fellows will also engage in conversations with Rev. Jason Smith and Dr. Wright in a mentorship setting. 

The fellowship offers a $1,200 scholarship/stipend per semester from the Forum for Theological Exploration in Atlanta. The registration deadline is June 30, 2021. Click here to register.
Becoming a Matthew 25 Congregation
The 222nd and 223rd General Assemblies (2016 and 2018) challenged the PC(USA) to embrace Jesus’ call in Matthew 25:31–46 to take our living faith into our communities and the world. As a Matthew 25 church, we are called to live out true discipleship by acting boldly, compassionately and fearlessly serving people who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned or poor.

To some degree, many churches are already doing the work of Matthew 25. The hope is that by partnering with mid councils and congregations, we can together multiply and intensify our loving commitment to radical and fearless discipleship. The first step is simply to sign up to become a Matthew 25 church by clicking here.

Click here to access our Presbytery's Matthew 25 Ministry Resource page.
Ministry Resource Highlights
Check out the Presbytery website's new page of Ministry Resources that is broken down into categories to make it easy for you to find what you are looking for. The categories contain webinars, workshops, podcasts, articles, studies and more to help you in your ministry. The page is updated weekly. Click here to check it out.

Resource highlights:
  • June is Pride month. Click here to see the calendar of what several ministries in the PCUSA have planned that congregations and individuals can take part in.  
  • Welcoming the Stranger: Immigration, Root causes, Justice will be available to the first 100 people who register on Zoom and will also be shown live on the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Facebook page and other ministry area Facebook pages. It will be available for later viewing for people who cannot watch live. 
  • Both/And: Maximizing Hybrid Worship Experiences For Online and In-Person Audiences, 6/8/2021, 1:00-2:30pm (PRC free webinar).
  • Small Church Series: Outreach Events, PRC webinars - Do you think a small church can’t have a large presence in their community? Size does not matter! Join us in learning strategies and step by step directions for small churches holding impactful outreach event. Part 1, 6/10/2021 @6:00pm and Part 2, 6/17/2021 @6:00pm 
  • Mt 25 online event addresses systemic poverty and food insecurity, June 23 PCUSA webinar. Click here to learn more and register.
  • Fresh ideas for helping families explore faith practices this summer. Click here to read the article.

Presbytery of Arkansas
9221 N. Rodney Parham Road
Little Rock, AR 72227
501-663-2424