Foothills Presbytery News

July 16, 2026

Re:Center Open House and Ribbon Cutting

Community, Art, Coffee, Spirituality, Event Space & More

Our presbytery’s first 1001 New Worshipping Community, Re:Center, launched on July 12th with more than 200 in attendance! Re:Center is a community hub for renewal, connection, and creativity. We encourage you to visit their website (recentergvl.com), sign up for their newsletter, follow them on social media, and look for ways to get involved. If you’d like to plan a retreat, host an event, or volunteer, please email recentergvl@gmail.com.

Click here to see the

FULL FLYER, including how to donate a fan to this wonderful mission.

Two Churches. Different Races. Different Histories. One Faith. One Mission.

As heat indices climbed as high as 107 degrees across Cherokee County, two churches separated by less than a 10-minute drive—and decades of different histories—came together with one mission: helping their neighbors survive the dangerous heat.

Learn more about the Bethesda-Limestone Fabulous Fantastic Fan Ministry that is meeting a critical public health need in Cherokee County

https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/uT4ymoOgKWrR5

Churches may donate fans to this ministry or start one of their own in their communities.

Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism, by Brian Kaylor & Beau Underwood. Chalice Press, 2024. (261.7 Kaylor)

In the face of a rising threat to both church and democracy, Baptizing America provides an urgent examination and an enlightening critique exposing the dangerous undercurrents of Christian Nationalism. How can Mainline Protestants spot such practices in their own activities?

Baptizing America critiques the concept of civil religion, arguing that such expressions are far more dangerous than we realize.

The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power, by Brian Kaylor. Chalice Press, 2025. (261.7 Kaylor)

While Kaylor's and Underwood’s 2024 book explored the origins of Christian Nationalism, this one demonstrates how certain political figures twist scripture to serve as a political tool and their own agendas, from misapplying passages to promoting violence. The book unpacks techniques behind the misuse of biblical texts like numerology, selective key words, and rewriting scripture, showing how these misinterpretations distort the teachings of Jesus. Kaylor also offers an antidote to this trend—an approach to reading the Bible that centers love, justice, and the true message of Christ. Through his humor and sarcasm, Kaylor takes seriously the threat Christian Nationalism poses to minorities, to civil liberties, especially the freedom of religion, and to democracy itself.

Ebook versions of both books are available for loan through Hoopla, a public library service offered by most public libraries in Foothills Presbytery’s six-county region.

Author Brian T. Kaylor, a Baptist minister with a Ph.D. in political communication, is president & editor-in-chief of Word&Way. His award-winning eNewsletter A Public Witness appears on Substack.

Foothills Presbytery Peer Ministry

Christian Educators

Join us for summer fellowship time and a Mahjong lesson by Elizabeth Kelly Pope on

July 29, 5:00-7:30 pm @ the home of Joan Jones. More details are to follow.

Our next gathering is Monday, August 17,

12 noon at the Presbytery office.

Music Ministry Leaders

Our next gathering is Wednesday, August 5, at 9:00 am, on Zoom.

Youth Leaders Roundtable

The next meeting will be on

Thursday, August 20.

Validated Ministers

Our next gathering is September 16 at noon at Re:Center.

2026-2027 Minister ID cards

are now available for minister members of Foothills Presbytery.

Please contact LeAnne White if you would like to pick up your card.

SC5 School of Theology 2026

Fall Semester

Friday, October 16 & Saturday, October 17 Presbyterian College Clinton, SC

Fall 2026 Informational Flyer

The 227th General Assembly has concluded, but its decisions will shape the life of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for years to come.

Commissioners approved a wide range of actions, including:

creating a commission to investigate the closure of Presbyterian World Mission
advancing a constitutional amendment declaring White Christian nationalism incompatible with Jesus' teachings
addressing Israel's war in Gaza
approving a new budget and per capita rates
taking action on ordination, racial justice, gender justice and much more.

Now comes the challenge: helping your congregation understand what happened and why it matters.

To make that easier, the Presbyterian Outlook has prepared this post-General Assembly bulletin insert, which is a printable resource that highlights the assembly's most significant actions in a clear, accessible format that's perfect for worship bulletins, newsletters, or emails.

Whether your members followed every vote or are just beginning to ask, "What happened at GA?", this resource will help your congregation stay connected to the work of the wider church.

Read all of The Outlook's GA Coverage Here

2nd Annual HYMNFEST

August 22 at 4:00 pm

"God's Faithfulness"

at John Knox Church, Greenville

Featuring combined choirs and musicians from The Foothills Presbytery. Specific Churches and groups will be listed soon. Free event. Love Offerings Accepted.

Financial Officers Forum

Tuesday, July 21

at the presbytery offic1

12 noon - 1:30 pm

Topic: Property and Cemetery Concerns

A ight lunch will be served. To assist with preparation, kindly confirm your attendance by emailing Olanda.carr@presbyterianfoundation.org or LWhite@FoothillsPresbytery.org by EOC Friday, July 17. Should you prefer to attend virtually, let us know and a link will be provided.

Three Nights of Nature -

July 21, 22 and 23

7:00 - 8:30 pm

Click here for Full Flyer

Saving the Golden Guernsey, Becoming a Better Birder, Piedmont Geology in SC

All are welcome!

Support PW Gives Day to strengthen Presbyterian Women’s legacies

July 31 is PW Gives Day, commemorating the founding of today’s Presbyterian Women. This day is set aside each year for individuals and PW groups to celebrate and support all that Presbyterian Women makes possible. For PW Gives Day 2026, prayerfully consider the legacies that you have inherited and consider the ways you can strengthen the legacies you hope to build for tomorrow’s Presbyterian Women.

Click HERE to give

Montreat Conference Center is pleased to bring you our monthly newsletter July in Montreat. Please find updates from our president, highlights on programmatic offerings, and ways that you can engage with Montreat below. Specifically, in this issue we are talking about bear activity, Women’s Connection, and our Fourth of July Celebration.

SACK Lunch Conversation

Join us for this monthly Zoom meeting for sharing across the synod: experience, resources, and best practices on a new topic each month. We meet on the first Wednesday of the month from 12-1 pm.

August 5 Topic: Grant Writing

COM SACK Lunch Conversation

We added a new monthly Zoom for sharing across the synod! Conversations on the 3rd Wednesday of the month will focus on topics related to Committees on Ministry. We meet from 12-1 pm (Eastern Time). Register to receive the monthly invitation. You aren’t obligated to attend every session.

August 19: Follow Up Guidance from CLC

Click HERE to Register.

2026 BORDER-TO-BORDER Pilgrimage

TRAVEL WITH US to the Mexico-Guatemala border, November 6-14, to learn about the coffee growing process, meet the coffee farmers and their families, and explore the connections between coffee, migration, and faith.

Full Flyer

For more information, contact Mark at 520-364-9257 or

mark@fronteradecristo.org

VBS Kits - Free to a Good Home!

St. Giles has been cleaning out and organizing their craft supply room and have several past VBS kits they would like to donate to anyone that may be able to use them. Many include most of the decor items, crafts, odds & ends - some have never been used.

Two of the bigger kits we have are “Great Barrier Reef” and “”Tropical Rain Forest”. Please contact St. Giles for more information.

Family Faith Formation Resources

Support the faith journeys of children and families with resources designed to be used both in church and at home. These books equip educators, ministry leaders, parents, and caregivers with practical tools for nurturing faith in everyday life. From trusted guides and conversation starters to hands-on practices, these resources help churches and homes partner together to share stories, spark meaningful conversations, and grow faith across generations. Visit the resource page.

Christian Education &

Ministry Online Resources

PC9USA) Store, 2026-2027

Click HERE for their online

Resource Catalogue.

"Caring for the Earth - Stories from Faith Communities"

Gather your church groups in-person or online for this 7-part short film series designed to connect your faith to caring for God’s good earth. The 20-minute films highlight the powerful voices of leaders of many faiths who are leading with hope, compassion, and courage. Created for Sunday school classes, youth groups, and gatherings of all sizes, the series includes a study and discussion guide with suggested scriptures, prayers, questions, and resources for action. Learn More

The Art of Transitional Ministry

August 16–21, 2026

Adult Continuing Education

Click here to learn more.

Sponsored by Montreat Conference Center, in cooperation with the Transitional Ministry Education Consortium

Share Abundantly in every good work

2 Corinthians 9:8

S. T. E. P. S. 2026

at Mt. Pleasant Church

August 29, 8:45 am - 1:45 pm

Pre-registration Deadline: August 12

Registration Fee: $25

S.T.E.P.S. 2026 Brochure!

Registration for S.T.E.P.S. 2026!

Publicity suggestions for S.T.E.P.S. 2026!

SC5 Leader of Leaders Event

Awed by All the Things

The five Presbyteries of SC will host a workshop on Intergenerational Ministry on Thursday, September 3, 2026 (New date!) at Seven Oaks Presbyterian in Columbia.

Event fee: $40 per participant for workshop, including lunch. Registration deadline – Thursday, August 20, 2026. Space is limited.

Stephen Ministries 50th Anniversary Celebration and Learning Event

Saturday, September 12, 2026

8:00 - 4:00 PM

at Cathedral of Christ the King

2699 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta

This event is part of a nationwide tour celebrating Stephen Ministries’ 50th anniversary and is built around the theme of “Building a More Caring World,” which reflects Stephen Ministries’ vision to help all people care and relate with greater compassion and excellence.

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship - Gun Violence Prevention Ministry

Concerned about Gun Violence? Learn Faith-Based Skills for Gun Violence Prevention Sept. 15-18, 2026 Kansas City, MO The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship invites you to the 3rd annual Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage, a national training event at the Heartland Center near Kansas City. MO on Sept. 15-18, 2026. The Institute offers continuing education for lay leaders and clergy on educational, pastoral and action steps for gun violence prevention mission with congregations.

Space is limited. Click HERE to learn more.

8th Annual Faith-Based Symposium

Thursday, October 8, 2026

9:30 -3:00 PM

Midlands Technical College-Airport Campus

1260 Lexington Drive, West Columbia, SC

Click here for Full Flyer

For more information: Sherri Caldwell, slcaldwell@aging.sc.gov, GetCareSC.com

SAVE the DATE

Inman Presbyterian Church 100th Anniversary

October 18 - 11:00 am

Join us for a special celebration as we commemorate a century of Inman Presbyterian Church. We invite you to participate in a meaningful worship service, followed by a delightful luncheon and afternoon of activities.

Save the date for the

2027 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women!

August 5 - 7, 2027

Visit presbyterianwomen.org/gathering for more information. And don’t forget to share your enthusiasm for the Gathering on social media! #PWGathering #2027ChurchwideGathering