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The weekly newsletter from the
Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys
April 29, 2020
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We are congregations who seek to be a collective expression of the Body of Christ, joyfully participating in Christ's ongoing life and work. "Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing."
(I Thessalonians 5:11)
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Congregation of the Week of May 3-9
Federated Church of Fergus Falls
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Staff:
Director of Christian Education: The Rev. Karen Anderson
Director of Music Ministries: Brian Jensen
Director of Pastoral Care: Rebekah Meder
Administrative Assistant: Ada Erlandson
Custodian: Peter Konrad
Bookkeeper: Adam Baker
Nursery Attendant: Lilly Makovsky
Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Douglas Dent
Clerk: Jean Bowman
Treasurer: Mark Rodning
Sound Tech: Bill Nead
Prayer Requests:
+ Grace from God's Holy and Healing Spirit Patience for families
+ Adjusting to a new way of life Relief for our small business owners
+ Wisdom for our elected leaders Strength for our medical staff and
+ First responders Thanks for the signs of Spring!
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I was thinking about the word community as it relates to church life. Being in and feeling a part of a community is an essential part of what makes Church life so meaningful. Koinonia is the Greek word for community. When the Church speaks of community, it is talking about an experience that exhibits an embodiment… proof of kinship. A place of belonging. Being in community is about connections and contributing. As individuals collaborate to shape the framework of relationships through story, context, and circumstances, true community forms.
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Some Church historians will question whether the original intent of the apostles was to establish Church as many have come to understand the meaning today. The apostles undoubtedly were not thinking of brick and mortar. A movement is more in line with the original intent. The Book of Acts reveals an organic formation of believers merely sharing life together. The post-resurrection and ascension phenomena expand who is a part of the religious movement. Persons of different cultures, stations in life, and tongues formed the new community of kinship. In my opinion, their collective stories brought them together. Amid the excitement of spiritual signs and wonders, persecution and fear grew and the empire made martyrs of believers. Additionally, traditions of belief, Gnosticism, Marcionism, and Montanism, were ruled falsehoods by the apostles’ teaching. Birthing pangs brought people together as times of difficulty usually do.
The emboldened disciples shared their eyewitness accounts of walking with Jesus. The people gathered to listen to the apostles and for prayer and meals. From the daily gatherings, salvation and discipleship mushroomed into many new church developments. The Lord added to their numbers daily the text records.
What if Church Growth was about creating community rather than counting derrieres in the pews? What if we worked toward fostering environments where people had a sense of belonging? What if connections were formed by people journeying together, wanting to know more about Christ? There are two models of discipleship. The first model says people have faith, and then they seek to belong with a group of companion believers. This is the Faith, Belief, and Belong model. The second model is what theologians observe today. People belong, and then they grow in belief and faith.
Today, creating Koinonia competes with the many ways that individuals find community. Social distancing adds to the challenge in one way. On the other hand, our shared experiences at this time make us more aware of the need to be connected with others. I see this as one of the primary tasks of the Church today. Pastors and sessions should spend these days creating community. Before we rush to the obvious, that you are not meeting in-person, therefore, this request is impossible. Consider the real fact that physical presence does not necessarily create community. Very often, when we are together, there are apparent insiders and outsiders. Loneliness is experienced in crowds of thousands. The goal is building relationships and connecting through stories, shared interests, access, invitation, journey, and, most important, the promise of Christ “where two or three gather, I am with them.”
During the last few weeks, I have reconnected with old friends through unexpected phone calls. It is a good thing that I have kept the same phone number for the previous 11 years. I have received a letter in the mail from a former parishioner just checking in. My family scattered across the country and overseas, met through technology. Pastors in the presbytery have met monthly online. Colleagues that I only see during denominational events, I now meet with weekly. I miss the personal interaction from physical presence, and on the other hand, COVID19 has worked to create for me a new sense of community.
On Facebook, one of my colleagues from New York talked about wanting to go outside for a walk. For safety reasons he could not. He invited his Facebook friends to think about a time when someone walked with them...what was the occasion? Who did you walk with? Where did you go? I shared how last year, I walked on the beach with a friend and shared life’s stories. It was a holy happening.
Koinonia is my goal. We are all in the same boat. How does our present reality set the tone for Koinonia? Sheryl Fullerton invites us to see this time as opportune for fierce aliveness, freedom, sacredness, companionship, and awareness of Presence. Relationships are invaluable, and whenever and however, we gather it is sacred space.
Blessings and Peace,
SanDawna
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A special presbytery meeting is being planned for May 12 at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. Email
Karen Lange
the names and email addresses of the commissioners planning to attend this Zoom, and instructions will be emailed before the meeting.
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Online worship opportunities in our presbytery
Amboy:
Weekly video devotions available on Facebook at First Presbyterian Church of Amboy or on Youtube at Pastor Amboy
Edgerton: 10:30 Sunday mornings Worship on church Facebook Page, and 11:30 Sunday mornings Worship Audio Version available on church website
Ellsworth Zion, and Rushmore Emmanuel and First are worshiping using Facebook Live at 9:05 a.m. on Sunday mornings. We also have a conference call set up for those who do not have Facebook. We are using Start Meeting for the conference calls.
Fergus Falls: our sermon available on our website
(
www.federatedff.org
)
and our YouTube channel (
FF Federated Church
)
Friday afternoons. We will also post a devotion video in the middle of the week.
Jackson: Facebook Live - Facebook site is Salem Lutheran Church, Jackson, MN
Sunday 9:30 a.m., Wednesday 5:30 p.m., Holy Week - daily devotions, MT and GF 5:30 p.m.
Lake Crystal: Our church is sending Worship bulletin content and sermon via email and regular mail to our membership for each Sunday. Also recording a service from Sanctuary of myself and musician to be accessed on You Tube on the Friday before the given Sunday.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSDuL79Bte0CjYxgTVor1ng
Lismore: 9:00 Sunday mornings - Worship on church Facebook Page
Litchfield: 10:00 am Sunday mornings and Tuesday morning Bible study by Zoom. Contact
Gordy Pennertz
for instructions.
Luverne: 10:15 am Sunday mornings on Facebook Live. Also carried by local cable company.
SUNDAYS on Facebook
10AM sermon/prayer with Pastor Lindsay
10:20 (ish) Children's Time with Bailey DeVetter
10:30 (ish) Music Selection by Ben Marti posted
Randall: 10:00 am Sunday worship service is on Facebook and
webpage
Redwood Falls: 10:15 am worship on Facebook Live on First Presbyterian Redwood Falls page and 6:30 pm Lenten Service (same)
Spicer Hope: Facebook live at 10:00 link on Hope Presbyterian Church
website
.
Also services are uploaded there later in the day.
Willmar: Facebook Live at 10:00 am Sunday mornings
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224th General Assembly to be conducted online only
Committee on the Office of the General Assembly votes for shortened assembly
Rick Jones | Office of the General Assembly - April 21, 2020
LOUISVILLE
For the first time in the history of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the denomination’s General Assembly will be held online only. The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a plan for a reduced assembly gathering that will require everyone involved — commissioners, advisory delegates, corresponding members and staff — to participate in a digital assembly.
The final decision was expected to be voted and announced on Thursday; however, staff from the Office of the General Assembly received information Tuesday that prompted a quick call with COGA.
“As we have discussed, we knew we would reach a point in time in our contract with the Baltimore Convention Center and hotels where they would not be able to meet the agreed upon services listed in our contracts and that day is today,” said Julia Henderson, OGA’s interim director of assembly operations. “This is a force majeure. We need to let them know we are canceling because they cannot meet their obligations.”
Force majeure is a clause in contracts that frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the contractual parties prevents services from being performed.
In this case, the COVID-19 virus has resulted in numerous conference cancelations. The General Assembly was scheduled to be held June 20-27. The convention center has converted space into a field hospital for infected patients.
Over the last few weeks, COGA and staff of the Office of the General Assembly have been working on contingency plans should the convention center not be available. The assembly will take place over three days; Friday, June 19; and Friday and Saturday, June 26 and 27.
Details are still being worked out, but the plan includes:
- Question and answer session (town hall gathering) for moderator candidates followed by the election of a new moderator/co-moderators on Friday, June 19
- Opening worship, two plenaries on Friday, June 26
- Critical business, three plenaries, including stated clerk election and budget, on Saturday, June 27.
Some COGA members asked whether the church would be able to recoup all deposits to this point. OGA officials believe they will. Further discussions with the convention center will take place.
Now the attention turns to preparing for the upcoming assembly.
“We will send invitations to mid council leaders to attend one or two sessions next week with OGA staff,” said Henderson. “We will appeal to them to help us to ensure commissioners and advisory delegates are ready to go. We are also urging those commissioners who are no longer available to serve to let the stated clerk know as soon as possible.”
Other planned events will include technical training for commissioners and advisory delegates, participation in a virtual Poor People’s Campaign event, Bible study and electronic group gatherings.
COGA will conduct another virtual meeting on Thursday, April 23, to continue work on finalizing the assembly agenda.
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224th General Assembly (2020): Stated Clerk Nominating Committee recommends J. Herbert Nelson, II, to seek a second term
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Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resources for Congregations and Members
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?—Psalm 27:1
Along with our brothers and sisters all around the world, we’re now coming to terms with the “new normal” brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. It is our hope and goal to equip churches and worshipers with useful information and resources during these trying times. Please check back often for updated information. If you have ideas or resources that might be of interest to the wider church, we invite you to email them to us at
[email protected]
.
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Resources from Theology, Formation, and Evangelism
End-of-Life pastoral care resources / Resources at the time of death. The PC(USA) Office of Theology and Worship has developed resources for prayer at the time of death in situations where patients are quarantined, pastors or loved ones are not permitted to be present, and medical personnel may be seeking to offer spiritual care. Two documents are provided, each in two versions:
Prayer at the Time of Death
(
booklet
,
larger print
) and
Comforting the Bereaved
(
booklet
,
larger print
). These materials are based on the
Book of Common Worship
© 2018. Adapted with permission of Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved. – April 13, 2020
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Guidance for Faith-Based Communities from the MN Department of Health
Link to guide
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Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Emotional and Spiritual Care
Resources in response to COVID-19
Building Resilience
Webinar for Faith Leaders
This one-hour program is designed to increase participants’ understanding of their own signs of stress and to teach in-the-moment tools to engage the relaxation response in body and mind. This webinar is designed for faith leaders in this season of COVID-19 and will engage participants in responding to questions and prompts to help create a personalized self- care and resilience-building plan, with attention to the particular issues facing faith leaders and awareness of the importance of the spiritual life which guides us all. Those attending will build on their experience while practicing new tools that have been shown to be effective in sustaining our capacity to serve in the midst of challenging circumstances.
Building Resilience
Webinar for General Audiences
This one-hour program is designed to increase participants’ understanding of their own signs of stress and to teach in-the-moment tools to engage the relaxation response in body and mind. This webinar is designed for anyone who is responding to the COVID-19 situation and will engage participants in responding to questions and prompts to help create a personalized self- care and resilience-building plan. Those attending will build on their experience while practicing new tools that have been shown to be effective in sustaining our capacity to serve in the midst of challenging circumstances.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance can offer either of these one-hour webinars live to groups upon request.
These webinars have been recorded and are available at
www.bit.ly/PDAESCwebinar
. Anyone wishing to view this webinar should also download and print out the accompanying handout, which participants will use as they participate in the webinar.
Live Faith Leader Support Webinars
In addition to the B
uilding Resilience
webinar,
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance can offer a live webinar to groups upon request. These webinars can be tailored to the group’s needs, with PDA offering a panel of presenters to respond to issues that may include self-care, changing needs of ministry in this time, and responding in times of stress, trauma and bereavement.
Please contact Kathy Riley, PDA national staff and Team Lead for Emotional and Spiritual Care at
[email protected]
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Prayer List
- For the family of Carol Stiles, ruling elder and former presbytery moderator from First Presbyterian Church of Foley, who passed away on April 10 Obituary
- From Rev. Steve Boots: For Betty’s recovery.
- For Rev. Mark Chamberlain, retired pastor, Willmar
- For Rev. Bob Bartlett, First Presbyterian Churches of Brewster & Round Lake
- For Rev. Michael Roys, retired pastor, Winnebago
- For Rev. Elaine and Kent Boyd at First Presbyterian Church of Amboy
- Rev. Araceli Itzep from the Occidente Presbytery
- For Bety Cifuentes, the treasurer of the Partnership Committee, who is beginning chemotherapy
- For the "Men in the Mirror" program. Men from Occidente that MVP supported financially to attend the classes a couple of years ago are going to share the information they gained with different churches in the eastern and central parts of Guatemala. They, along with the chaplains of the national Presbyterian church, will also be training Christian policemen in what they learned from "Men in the Mirror."
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Update from Rev. Owar Ojulu
I am sure many of you will be interested in reading this and know of my whereabouts! Thank you all, you're part of my journey. Here is a
link
to a recent newspaper article.
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Presbyterian Women: Opportunity is Knocking at Your Heart
The Minnesota Valley PW Spring Gathering that was scheduled for June 2, in Renville has been postponed for now. Please watch for future announcements!
Our PW Presbyterian Women are hoping to have some more women join our Coordinating Team. We usually meet twice a year, once in the Spring and once in the Fall. We also have a Spring Gathering, a day for all MN Valley Presbyterian Women to meet together for fellowship, food, fun, interesting speakers, SERRV vendors, and much more, usually in June. With the virus this year it is very possible that our Spring Gathering will become a Fall Gathering!
Our CT has members that have been on this team for many years and would like some new faces, ideas, etc. We do need a Treasurer, if you enjoy working with numbers. This might be just the thing for you! We have committees too: Communications, Mission/Issues, Search. Please consider this opportunity as we continue to fulfill the Presbyterian Women Purpose
If you have any questions or concerns about this opportunity, please contact me at:
Gloria Rust, Moderator
H) 507-283-4975
C) 507-227-7393
Blessings to all as we work together to praise God, knowing that all things are in his hands!
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Four Students from Dubuque Seminary Looking for Summer Internship
Are you open to serving as a ministry learning site? If so, students from Dubuque Seminary are looking for summer placements. Congregations will provide housing and a monthly stipend. Summer internships are paid at the rate of $1,000 a month. The work-week includes 40 hours, Sunday and mid-week worship leadership, mission engagement and mentor conversations. Students will receive training in pastoral ministry, sit on the session with voice, participate in the presbytery, be assigned to a presbytery commission, engage in community outreach, and participate in the presbytery transformation training. Additionally, interns will receive a mentor.
A successful internship will include a learning experience that prepares new leaders to serve the church with a greater sense of vocational clarity. Interns will gain cultural competence, develop skill in adaptive leadership, and grow in their pastoral identity.
For More Information:
Rev. Dr. SanDawna Gaulman Ashley
Executive Presbyter
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An Invitation to Spiritual Leaders
This is your invitation to submit a short video of yourself offering a meditation of your favorite passage from the Bible for the Presbytery YouTube channel. If you are interested, please contact Steve Tyykila
(
[email protected]
)
or Andy Davis (
[email protected]
). We'll give you more parameters and information, but we are looking for informal (not from the pulpit), personal, short (less than five minutes) videos on your favorite passage that you can record from your phone or computer. Thanks!
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Pastoral Leadership Opportunities
Zion Presbyterian Church, Ellsworth; Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, Rushmore; First Presbyterian Church, Rushmore
First Presbyterian Church, Fulda
- Solo Pastor
First Presbyterian Church, Lake Crystal; First Presbyterian Church, Kasota
- Pastor, yoked parish
Maine Presbyterian Church, rural Underwood
- Solo Pastor
Faith Presbyterian Church, Silver Lake
- Solo Pastor
Hope Presbyterian Church, Spicer
- Solo Pastor
First Presbyterian Church, Winnebago
- Interim Pastor
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