Foothills Presbytery News

March 19, 2026

Joyful Celebrations around Foothills Presbytery

(above) Smaller Church gatherings in September & March.

(below) Foothills Women's Spiritual Retreat in March.

(below) PYC High School Retreat

Foothills Presbytery Peer Ministry

Christian Educators

Our next gathering is this Monday, March 23, 1:00-2:30

at the Presbytery office.

Youth Leaders Roundtable

The next meeting will be on

Thursday, March 26 at noon at Gather Greenville.

Music Ministry Leaders

Our next gathering is Wednesday,

May 13 at 9 am on Zoom.

CRE Cohort

Our next gathering is Wednesday, April 22 at noon at the Presbytery office. Please bring your lunch. Dessert will be provided.

Westminster, Greenville welcomes

American Spiritual Ensemble

Saturday, March 21 at 7:00 pm

This free community concert will be held in the church sanctuary and is open to all. This rare Upstate appearance promises an unforgettable evening of soulful music, cultural heritage, and world-class performance. Free tickets are available now HERE.

An offering will be received to help offset concert costs. For more information, please contact Marlon Hurst, mhurst@wpc-online.org.

Building Belonging: Dementia Support in Faith Communities

March 24, 10 am - 12 noon

A free, virtual workshop offering compassionate, practical guidance for walking alongside families navigating life with dementia.

Click HERE to register.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the

2026 Disaster Emotional and Spiritual Care Academy!

Six weeks of live, free online programs will offer pragmatic and informative sessions to help faith and community leaders address needs emerging from disasters and other crises.

These interactive programs are on Tuesdays, March 24 through April 28, 2026, 10:00 am - 11:30 AM Central and are appropriate for all levels of experience and expertise.

Click here to register

First Presbyterian Church, Anderson

Full-time Interim Pastor

First Pres is a vibrant and faithful congregation that celebrated the retirement of a long-serving Head of Staff this past September. During this season of transition, we hope to welcome an Interim Pastor who will help guide the congregation as we discern our future pastoral leadership model. Our vision for this interim season centers on faithful reflection, intentional discernment, and preparation for the congregation’s next chapter. During this 18–24 month interim period, our hope is to have a pastoral leader who will guide us through five developmental tasks of interim ministry: honoring our heritage and history, strengthening our leadership, clarifying our mission and purpose, deepening our connections with our mission partners, neighboring churches and the higher councils of the Presbyterian Church, and discerning our future direction and leadership needs.

Fort Hill Presbyterian Church

Associate Pastor for Congregational Life

North Anderson

Community Church

Stated Supply, Part-Time Minister

Prayer & Liturgy in My Pocket

10 am- 12 pm,

on Sat, April 18, 2026 at First Greer

What, you want me to lead worship?
Have you been asked to pray during a meeting or worship?
Is your congregation between pastors and you’ve been asked to be a worship leader?
Is your Pastor asking you to be prepared to lead liturgy for a worship service?

Then, this workshop is for you! It is designed to equip you for creating prayers and leading liturgy. This workshop is ideal for any member or elder who has been asked to lead in worship. Childcare available. Free, but registration is necessary.

Benefits Regional Summits:

Support for Congregational Leaders

Join us for an informative town hall designed to support pastoral leadership and congregational decision-makers.

Located throughout the country, the Benefits Regional Summits will provide important updates and insights into the Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and related programs offered by the Board of Pensions. Among topics, you will hear about:

Medical Plan cost trends and changes in the healthcare system
Dues package subsidies that would ease financial burdens for congregations, pastors, and their families
Plans and programs that support those who serve the Church, including Assistance Program enhancements

You will also have the opportunity to ask questions.

We hope you will join us at a summit near you for collaborative conversation about the Benefits Plan and what’s ahead. There are three abbreviated ones in SC that will last approximately 90 minutes. Tentative schedule:

Greenville: Tuesday, April 28^th at 10am at Fourth PC

Columbia: Wednesday, April 29^th at 10am at Eastminster PC

Florence: Thursday, April 30^th at 10am at the Presbytery office

There is also a half-day event in Charlotte:

Wednesday, April 22^nd at 10 -2 pm at FPC Charlotte

Thornwell 150 | Tomorrow Starts Today

Thornwell 150 Documentary Hosting Opportunity

Thornwell’s 150th Anniversary Documentary is now available to our faith partners. We would like to extend the invitation for presbyteries and churches to host their own screenings!

Click here to view a short preview link here for your convenience.

Elizabeth Milhous, Vice President for Mission Advancement, 864-922-1878, will serve as the Thornwell contact for planning these events.

ShalomFest

Sunday, April 26, 1 - 5 pm

A special invitation has been extended by Temple Israel for ShalomFest Favorites '26 – a cultural festival of Jewish music, arts, history, customs, and pastries. ShalomFest will take place on Sunday, April 26, 2026 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm on the campus of Temple of Israel, 400 Spring Forest Road, a mile north of Haywood Mall in Greenville.

Admission is FREE for this family-friendly event that is meant for people of all religions.

Thriving in Ministry Conference 2026 at Presbyterian College

April 27-28, 2026

This event is designed for clergy and other church professionals, offering two days of learning, reflection, and fellowship.

There is no cost to attend the conference and the cost of a hotel room is covered for the first 20 participants who register.

This conference flyer has all the details including speakers, logistics, and registration.

Awed By All the Things!

Tuesday, April 28

The five Presbyteries of South Carolina will host a workshop on Intergenerational Ministry on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at Seven Oaks Presbyterian in Columbia. The workshop will be led by the Rev. Dr. Lynn Miller, pastor of the Limestone Church.

Event fee: $40 per participant for workshop, including lunch. Registration deadline – Tuesday, April 9, 2026.

Space is limited.

REGISTRATION & INFORMATION HERE

Annual Reading of Session Minutes

This year we are grateful that we offer three opportunities to gather with Clerks of Session and to review minutes. We find that when we gather to review minutes that we learn from each other.

Thursday, April 30 at Noon at First Church (Spartanburg) 393 E. Main St, Spartanburg
Tuesday, May 12 at 6:00 pm at Central Church (Anderson) 1404 North Blvd, Anderson
Tuesday, June 9 at noon at the Presbytery ofc (Greenville) 2242 Woodruff Rd, Simpsonville

Click HERE for more information and to download necessary forms.

SUMMER CAMP 2026 at Camp Fellowship!

REGISTRATION IS OPEN

Join us for Camp Fellowship Open House, May 23!

The first 25 campers who register from Foothills Presbytery churches will automatically get a $50 Campership! When registering, use Campership Code: Foothills50

Foothills Presbytery also has limited, need-based scholarships available:

Click Here: Scholarship Application . Scholarship Deadline is April 3.

Visit the Camp Fellowship website for new and continuing programs and opportunities designed for all ages and interests.

Welcome to the 227th General Assembly (2026)

June 22 - July 2, 2026

Issue 8 of GA227's "On the Road to GA"

is hot off the virtual presses!

OPEN THE FEBRUARY

2026 ISSUE

Montreat

MARCH

Special Offerings for 2026

One Great Hour of Sharing | Season of Lent

Now - April 5, 2026 Received during the season of Lent, especially Palm Sunday or Easter pcusa.org/oghs Resources distributed in January

World Communion Offering | Season of Preparation

Received during the Season of Preparation, especially World Communion Sunday pcusa.org/wco Resources distributed in July

Christmas Joy Offering | Season of Advent and Christmas

Received during the season of Advent, esp the Sunday before Christmas pcusa.org/christmasjoy Resources distributed in October

Our 116th Annual Sprunt Lecture Series (May 4–6, Richmond) brings pastors & Christian leaders together for worship, learning, and conversation. Speaker: Dr. Gregory C. Ellison II (Emory Candler) & Preaching: Rev. Anna George Traynham (UPSem ’14).

Ecumenical Transitional Leadership Training (May 17–June 4, hybrid) Through our Leadership Institute and a partnership with Eastern Mennonite, we’re offering training for pastors serving congregations in seasons of transition—designed for interim ministers, COM members, and judicatory leaders. Pricing tiers & early bird pricing through February 15.

Resources for Churches We’ve also pulled together a simple “menu” of programs, learning opportunities, and gatherings for congregations and leaders who want to engage Union as a partner in ministry and formation.

March is Women's History Month

Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society, and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987.

PW wants to hear from you! How will you or your group observe Women's History Month? Click here to email us your story and photos.

CONGREGATIONAL STUDY GUIDE

FOR KAIROS PALESTINE II

Three Christian organizations will soon jointly release a new congregational study guide for the confessional document A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide, the recently issued Kairos Palestine II statement from Palestinian Christian leaders. (Issued Nov. 2025).

Developed by The Palestine Justice Network (PJN) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), with United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR), and Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), the study guide will be a free digital download. It will be available at their websites in February, for use as a 2026 Lenten Study and throughout the year.

Bethelwoods and Bowties 2026

Come join us for a fabulous evening at Bethelwoods Camp & Conference center for Bethelwoods and Bowties 2026! Get ready to dress to impress in your favorite bowtie and enjoy a night of fun, food, and dancing. This in-person event promises to be a night to remember, filled with music, top-shelf bourbon, and good company. Don't miss out on this opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime.

See you there!

Click Here for More Information

The Mid America/Lincoln Trails (MALT)

"Art of Transitional Ministry"

Training offers education for both Weeks I & II at the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center in St. Louis, MO.

Read Full Flyer

Click here

to see Available

Jobs on our website.

Alzheimer’s Resource Coordination Center (ARCC) ARCC Grant Applications Open!

The Alzheimer’s Resource Coordination Center is pleased to announce that ARCC Grant Applications are now open! ARCC Grants are designed to benefit those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia through the promotion of respite care, education, and innovation. We are eager to support projects that demonstrate a clear commitment to these areas. Applications are due by April 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM.