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A weekly newsletter from the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys
April 30, 2025
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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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QR Code for the newsletter section on our website
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In this issue:
Congregation of the Week
Together In Christ
Calendar
Ministry Leaders Retreat Photo
Sign Up for the Presbyterian Advocacy Hour
Resources for Pastoral Education in Chemical Dependence
May 28 Lunch and Learn: The Widening of God's Mercy
First Presbyterian Church of Kasota celebrating 150 years
Spiritual Formation Class
Free Coaching and Mental Health Opportunities
Project 2025 Resources
PW Synod of Lakes and Prairies Gathering
Churches: Send your music leaders to this event if you can!
PAM Worship & Music Conference: “Clothed In Love”
Deadline Extended: GA Grants for Congregations and Presbyteries
Pulpit Supply Information
Grant Opportunity: First Presbyterian Church, Madelia
Clearwater Forest News
Per Capita and IRS Rate Information
Quick Links
Prayer List
Matthew 25 Missional Partners
Earth Care Corner
Resources for Ruling Elders and Deacons
Pastoral Leadership Opportunities
Links to Other Newsletters
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Congregation of the Week of May 4-10
Cambria Presbyterian Church of Cambria
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Rev. Penny Temple-Johnson, pastor
Sue Goebel, commissioned ruling elder
Roni Dauer, clerk of session
We tend a broad prayer list of family, friends, and acquaintances residing near and across the world coping with health concerns and suffering in the aftermath of natural disasters. With joy we support our Commissioned Lay Pastor Sue Goebel as she serves in her calling as co-moderator for the presbytery. The health of our finances has enabled us to send some of our fundraising to charity instead of using it to support the general fund. It is our pleasure to be engaging in our 20th year of shared ministry with the First Presbyterian Church of Madelia.
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Together in Christ
Dear Presbytery Family,
I want to thank all of you who took the time to travel to Worthington last Sunday for our “New Models for Ministry” event. It was a joy to be in the new Westminster church, and we filled the sanctuary! What a great turn-out of people who are seeking a good future for the church! That was heart-warming to see. And what generous hospitality Westminster extended from the set-up to the delicious food. Thank you!
Later this week the planning team is getting together to debrief the event. I know for me personally it was a bit overwhelming, and I had the sense that we just did not get to everything we had hoped, or have the many conversations that we needed to have. I am imagining that we will be scheduling follow-up events to continue the conversation, so please stay tuned. For me, this felt like an icebreaker, but more is needed! We are discussing such important issues and finding our way forward in new ways together. It takes courage, trial and error, freedom to fail, support and encouragement along the way for the experiments we try. I’m excited about us being that kind of community to one another and honestly can’t think of a better group of people with which to make this journey. You really care. That was obvious, 100%!
As I reflect on some of the energy in the room while we were together, I am reminded of the stages of grief. You maybe learned about these somewhere along the way: Denial, Bargaining, Anger, Depression and Acceptance, with Shock, Disorganization and Testing often also a part of the journey. This website provides a helpful overview of the stages if you’d like a quick refresher: Understanding the Five Stages of Grief.
In many ways I think we are a grieving people. You may feel like one particular stage of grief resonates for your personally or for your congregation right now. It is normal to travel back and forth through the stages, and to not necessarily take every stage in order. We will need to hold a lot of grace and compassion for each other as we move into a new future. We will go at different speeds, and in different ways. Your planning team knows this is not a “one size fits all” approach to ministry! The communities we serve are also diverse, and while some churches are grieving and experiencing loss, others are thriving and experiencing growth. That is its own unique challenge as we strive to understand, care for, learn from and celebrate one another.
I am about to attend my final “Presbytery Leader Formation” residency May 4-9 in Seattle. In this third and final year we are asked to develop a project for our Presbytery and will be able to consult with others for input and feedback. I will be bringing this good work of “New Models of Ministry” that we are embarking upon to the table. I am also holding it in my prayers and invite you to do the same.
The journey may be challenging, but I praise God that we are not making it alone. We have each other and we have the Spirit guiding the way.
Together in Christ,
With courage, devotion and good spirit as a colleague,
Rev. Beth Buckwalter-Miller
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Calendar
May 1-2: Thrive Seminar at First Presbyterian Church of Luverne
Sept 6: Stated Presbytery Meeting in person at First Presbyterian Church of Luverne from 10:00 - 3:00
Dec 2: Stated Presbytery Meeting by Zoom from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
| | Photo from the Ministry Leaders Retreat at Presbyterian Clearwater Forest April 21-14 | | |
Left to right: Keven Withers, Jeanne Kumbalek, Mark Ford, Steve Voris, Galen Smith, Andy Davis, Paul Snyder, Michael Hartwell, Laura Messer, Carol Meier
For your calendars next year: The Ministry Leaders Retreat is scheduled for April 19-23, 2026, at Clearwater Forest
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Sign Up for the Presbyterian Advocacy Hour!
Fourth Wednesdays of the month at 11:00 a.m. Zoom
We are adding an additional meeting for those who want to gather in community, Presbyterian Advocacy Hour: Community Connection, every second Wednesday. Our first Community Connection will be May 14. This is a casual, welcoming space to connect with others, share support needs at the national level, explore regional collaborations, and begin setting simple goals and actions together. Whether you're just stepping into advocacy or deepening ongoing work, it’s a time to reflect, exchange resources, share how-tos, and explore how we can support one another in the journey ahead. Register here!
We were so grateful to gather on Wed April 23rd for our Presbyterian Advocacy Hour focused on hunger. We gained so much from the wisdom of our guest speakers Angelina Jial, Founder and executive director of Hope Restoration South Sudan, and Susuyu Lassa, Alumni and Partnerships Coordinator at Soul Fire Farm (NY). (see longer bios and links below) The Presbyterian Hunger Program (pcusa.org/hunger) is happy to connect with you in ongoing ways, so we invite you to please be in touch if this is an area of passion for you!
The zoom recording is available here.
The PowerPoint slides are available here.
Resources from this month’s Presbyterian Advocacy Hour:
Resources from Speakers and Bios
Angelina Nyajima Simon Jial is the founder and executive director of Hope Restoration South Sudan (HRSS), a national NGO (non-governmental organization) she co-founded in 2010 to empower women and girls through gender-based violence prevention, peacebuilding, and community resilience initiatives. A survivor of displacement and hardship, she holds degrees in International Relations and Humanitarian and Conflict Studies, and has represented South Sudanese women at global forums, including a 2019 briefing to the UN Security Council on sexual violence in conflict. Angelina also serves in key leadership roles within the South Sudan NGO Forum and various UN coordination bodies, advocating for local, women-led organizations in humanitarian and peace processes.
Susuyu Lassa, Partnerships Coordinator @ Soul Fire Farm. Lover of earth and all life sustained by land, farmer, herbalist, artist, tender of relationships, younger sibling of creation. Nigerian background. Farming on unceded Mohican Land, otherwise known as upstate NY.
Soul Fire Farm: an afro-indigenous farm and learning center dedicated to uprooting racism and seeding sovereignty in our food system. With deep reverence for the Earth and wisdom of our ancestors, we practice regenerative agroecology, raise and distribute life-giving food, equip the rising generation of BIPOC farmers, and mobilize communities to work toward food and land sovereignty.
Links from Susuyu:
UPCOMING TOPICS/THEMES:
- June - Israel / Palestine
- July - Organizing
Each month we dive deeply into the areas of concern and help provide the knowledge and resources you need to take effective and focused action. We start each session with spiritual grounding and then move to in-depth analysis of key issues. There is an additional and optional 30 minutes for smaller group networking, movement-building, and community building.
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The Ken Stinson Fund: Resources for Pastoral Education in Chemical Dependence
We are blessed to have financial resources set aside for pastoral education in chemical dependency, and we want to use them! Pastors, we hope you might be able to attend this zoom event through the Center of Addiction and Faith. We can cover the $50 fee to participate from the Ken Stinson Fund.
Addiction Ministry 101 Class: How to Offer Pastoral Care to People with Any Kind of Addiction and to Those Who Love Them
Date & Time
- May 6, 2025 11:00 AM
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May 13, 2025 11:00 AM
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May 20, 2025 11:00 AM
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May 27, 2025 11:00 AM
Here is your registration link: Meeting Registration - Zoom Let the Presbytery know if you sign up and we will reimburse your registration fee. We know that faith is an essential part of recovery, and we can do more to be of help.
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Lunch and Learn: The Widening of God's Mercy
Book Study and Sermon Series Suggestion
Wednesday, May 28, Noon, Zoom link
Looking for a summer sermon series idea? Interested in learning more about how the Bible can be read as a story of God's widening mercy? Andy Davis will be leading a discussion of the book The Widening of God's Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story by Christofer B. Hays and Richard B. Hays. He will give an overview of the book and will suggest ways in which this book can be used for a sermon series in your church after Pentecost.
From Amazon:
"A fresh, deeply biblical account of God’s expanding grace and mercy, tracing how the Bible’s narrative points to the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in Christian communities.
Discussions of the Bible and human sexuality often focus on a scattered handful of specific passages. But arguments about this same set of verses have reached an impasse, two leading biblical scholars believe; these debates are missing the forest for the trees.
In this learned and beautifully written book, Richard and Christopher Hays explore a more expansive way of listening to the overarching story that scripture tells. They remind us of a dynamic and gracious God who is willing to change his mind, consistently broadening his grace to include more and more people. Those who were once outsiders find themselves surprisingly embraced within the people of God, while those who sought to enforce exclusive boundaries are challenged to rethink their understanding of God’s ways.
The authors—a father and son—point out ongoing conversations within the Bible in which traditional rules, customs, and theologies are rethought. They argue that God has already gone on ahead of our debates and expanded his grace to people of different sexualities. If the Bible shows us a God who changes his mind, they say, perhaps today’s Christians should do the same. The book begins with the authors’ personal experiences of controversies over sexuality and closes with Richard Hays’s epilogue reflecting on his own change of heart and mind."
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First Presbyterian Church of Kasota celebrating 150 years
On Sunday, May 18, First Presbyterian Church of Kasota is celebrating 150 years of service to the community. You are invited to our Block Party Celebration with a meal, games, and memories to share. Join us from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on May 18. Our address is 141 South Rice Street, Kasota. Community and friends are welcome!
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Spiritual Formation
A Learning Opportunity for Presbyterians
May 30 – June 1
Lakeshore Center, Okoboji
This class provides the opportunity to learn about the history, practices, and experience of spiritual formation in the life of faith. Gary Neal Hansen, author of Kneeling with Giants: Learning to Pray with History's Best Teachers, is the instructor.
This class is offered through The Academy and is one of the required classes for Commissioned Ruling Elder training. However, this is also an excellent class for any church member seeking to deepen their faith and learn to encounter Christ in a new way. It is also excellent Continuing Education for Commissioned Ruling Elders.
To register or for additional information follow this link: https://lakesandprairies.regfox.com/spiritual-formation-class-2025. You may also contact Michael Hartwell at hartwellaz@gmail.com for more information.
Prayer is meant to be a gracious gift from God, not a task or obligation. It is an opportunity to draw inspiration and strength from one’s relationship with God in Jesus Christ. It is a way of continually seeking the gifts and guidance of the Holy Spirit for daily living. Prayer is a practice to cultivate throughout one’s life, and one that will bear much fruit. (Book of Order, W-5.0102)
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Free Coaching and Mental Health Opportunities for Pastors with the Board of Pensions
You can access unlimited virtual coaching sessions with certified coaches who can help you build better habits, navigate life transitions, improve communication skills, and set and achieve your goals.
Coaching programs can help with a wide range of topics:
- personal development, including life transitions, identity support, career growth, self-development, and work-life balance
- health and wellness, including nutrition, physical activity, stress management and resiliency, sleep habits, and self-care
- parenting, including behavioral concerns, neurodiverse advocacy and education, academic readiness and stress, and supporting children in therapy
When it comes to mental health care, having access to appropriate care can make a powerful difference. Nurturing our resilience and proactively addressing stress, anxiety, depression, burnout and other conditions can help us flourish and find renewed joy in our ministry.
Spring Health, the new provider for the Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), offers eligible employees a variety of mental well-being and EAP services, including mental health care navigation, six clinical therapy sessions at no cost to them, and unlimited free virtual coaching sessions with certified coaches.
From the Davidson Center: The Board of Pensions grant helps clergy attend our 4-day program. It has been some time since we've had a clergy member from the Minnesota Valley Presbytery participate...which could be a very wonderful thing. But, just a reminder that these grants are available for clergy whose salary is $80,000 or less (not including the manse).
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Project 2025 Resources:
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Project 2025 in School House Rock style: Watch here
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Read the Project 2025 Policy Agenda: Read here
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Link to Executive Orders (updated daily): View here
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PC(USA) Action Alert Pushback Project 2025’s Policy Agenda: Take Action here
Additional Links:
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PW Synod of Lakes and Prairies Gathering
The 2025 PW Synod Triennial Gathering is coming up soon .... June 12-15. All Presbyterian Women are invited and encouraged to attend. This gathering is every three years, and pages 4-8 of The Sower linked below contain all the information you need for registration, hotel reservations, description of workshops and much more. Please take time to go over it and seriously think about attending. You won't be disappointed!
The Sower
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Churches: Send your music leaders to this event if you can!
PAM Worship & Music Conference: “Clothed In Love”
Join musicians and worship leaders for the most widely attended annual conference of the PC(USA) denomination, June 15 – 20 and June 22 – 27, 2025, at the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina! Together, we will create music, learn, and worship. Your participation is an investment in the dynamic growth of our denomination as we explore the promising future together. Register now.
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Deadline Extended: GA Grants for Congregations and Presbyteries
The 2025 General Assembly Unassigned Fund Grant Program application period is now open. Find information on the funds available and all application materials. The final deadline for submissions is August 1. Please contact Interim Unified Agency staff with questions: RFOS-PCUSA@pcusa.org.
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Pulpit Supply
The Presbytery through the Commission on Leadership maintains a pulpit supply list which can be found on the Presbytery website or contact Karen Lange. Each person listed has successfully completed a background check. COL just added another name to the list. We are always looking for people to add, if you know someone or are interested yourself, please let the presbytery office know.
Congregations are strongly encouraged to use this list for pulpit supply with the following guidelines:
- Anyone (Minister of the Word and Sacrament or Ruling Elder) supplying a pulpit more than two times in succession must have Commission on Leadership approval.
- Minimum remuneration is $150 if preaching at one service, $200 if preaching at two services on the same day, plus mileage at current IRS rate.
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Grant Opportunity: First Presbyterian Church, Madelia
The Mission Redevelopment Committee of First Presbyterian Church, Madelia, is accepting grant applications for qualifying projects, including:
- Establishment, growth, or revitalization of Presbyterian churches
- Evangelism efforts and member recruitment
- New building construction
- Renovations and capital improvements
- Presbyterian-sponsored mission initiatives
To apply, please submit a written letter detailing your project, including its purpose, goals, and anticipated impact. Be sure to include information about any additional funding sources available to you, such as other grants, donations, or organizational contributions. Clearly specify the total budget for your project and the amount of funding you are requesting from this grant.
Applications must be postmarked by May 9, 2025. Grant recipients will be selected based on the alignment of their project with the committee’s mission and the availability of funds. Funds will be distributed in June 2025.
Submit Applications to:
Mission Redevelopment Committee
PO Box 156
Madelia MN 56062
madeliapres@gmail.com
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2025 Per Capita: $46.00 Total
$29.66 for Presbytery
$5.50 for Synod
$10.84 for GA
2025 IRS Mileage Rate is 70 cents per mile
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Quick Links
- Clergy Wellness Grants
- Pulpit Supply and Moderator Information
- Public Domain Hymn Project link
- Template for a social media policy from the Luverne Church is Here
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Paid Leave Update: Registration and wage detail reporting
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Prayer List
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For Virginia Molitor, retired financial and office administrator at the presbytery office, recovering from a mild stroke and is being discharged today from the hospital. Her address is 881 First Street East, Lake Lillian, MN 56253
Prayer requests will remain in the Valley Bridge
for three weeks unless we are otherwise notified.
| | Our Matthew 25 Missional Partners | |
Rev. Dr. Candace Adams - pastor of our New Worshipping Community, The Compassionate Way, Candace serves marginalized people in our jails, living in group homes, and in recovery from addiction. Funds will be used for the work she does.
Scattering Seeds of Compassion
April newsletter
To donate, write the check to Lakes Area Presbyterian Church with The Compassionate Way in the memo line and send to:
Lakes Area Presbyterian Church
Attn: Candace Adams
7761 Excelsior Rd
Baxter MN 56425
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Pastor Elizabeth Tot - pastor of our South Sudanese Fellowship in St. Cloud, Elizabeth serves primarily single mothers in the South Sudanese community who are struggling to make ends meet. She is a pastoral presence to the Nuer people in St. Cloud and Mankato. Funds will be used to help her care for her community here and in Ethiopia and South Sudan. PDF Link
To donate, write a check to First Presbyterian Church with “Pastor Elizabeth Tot” on the memo line and send to:
First Presbyterian Church
340 5th Ave S
Saint Cloud MN 56301
Pastor Elizabeth Tot and Mr. Thijin Gatwech are available to visit your church on a Sunday morning! They will share the sermon, and often a South Sudanese choir will be able to come along too. If you would like a visit, just email
Beth at beth@minnesotavalleys.org or
Thijin at thijingatnyatot@gmail.com to schedule.
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Mr. Thijin Gatwech - leader of the Nuer Professionals Network (NPN) with a degree in business. Thijin lives in St. Cloud and is networked to South Sudanese people throughout the region. He helps his people receive mental health education, as well as move toward financial independence and home ownership.
NPN Links:
https://youtube.com/@nuerprofessionalsnetwork
https://facebook.com/nuerprofessionalsnetwork
https://instagram.com/nuerprofessionalsnetwork
To donate, write a check to First Presbyterian Church with “Thijin Gatwech, NPN” on the memo line and send to:
First Presbyterian Church
340 5th Ave S
Saint Cloud MN 56301
OR
Venmo: @NPNempower
Cashaps: $NPNcommunity
Zelle: info@nuerprofessionalsnetwork.org
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