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The weekly newsletter from the
Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys
June 10, 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 June 14-20
First Presbyterian Church of Kasota
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Minister/Pastoral Needs: Marleen Goettl or Jess Gunderson
Clerk of Session: Marleen Goettl
Church Secretary/Treas.: Jess Gunderson
Session Members 2020
Trustees: Jeff Gunderson, Brad Wobbrock
Christian Education: Kathy Wobbrock, Ryan Gunderson
Outreach & Spiritual Life: Lynn Lundberg, Connie Ryan
Music & Worship: Donna Gomez
Prayer Concerns:
- Prayers for healing, peace and justice in our communities.
- Prayers continue for our churches, PNC (Pastor Nominating Committee), schools and graduates, frontline workers, our workplaces and livelihoods for all, and peace in the world.
- Lake Crystal and Kasota have entered into a yoked position and are in the pastor search process for finding a minister for our congregations.
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We encourage you to participate!
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Important Information about the Re-opening Preparedness Plans
The presbytery will receive your plan for review and filing.
However, a review of the plan is not required for re-opening from the presbytery’s standpoint
. Congregations are accountable to the State of Minnesota to ensure compliance with the state requirements before re-opening for in-person worship, funerals, weddings, hosting meetings or renting space. We understand that congregations differ in context. Sessions should develop individual Re-opening Preparedness Plans making appropriate modifications as allowed by the State’s Guidelines.
A task force led by the Commission on Operations will review plans for basic compliance and filing. We appreciate receiving electronic copies; however, mailed copies are also welcome.
Please forward questions to the executive presbyter or stated clerk.
Grace and Peace,
SanDawna Ashley
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Pastor Gathering/Discussion by Zoom
June 15 at 10:00 AM
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Upcoming General Assembly Events
link
June 10: Meet the Moderator Candidates at 6:00 PM Central Time
June 19: Moderator Election at 7:00 PM Central Time
June 20: Poor People's Campaign March at 9:00 PM Central Time
June 23: Youth Rising at 2:00 PM
June 27: Stated Clerk Election at 10:00 AM
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Paycheck Protection Program Forgiveness Application
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How to Lead When You Don't Know Where You're Going
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New presbytery book study:
How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going: Leading in a Liminal Season
by Susan Beaumont speaks to where we are today. We will discuss on June 30 at 11:00 AM by Zoom.
How do you lead an organization stuck between an ending and a new beginning—when the old way of doing things no longer works but a way forward is not yet clear? Beaumont calls such in-between times liminal seasons—threshold times when the continuity of tradition disintegrates and uncertainty about the future fuels doubt and chaos. In a liminal season it simply is not helpful to pretend we understand what needs to happen next. But leaders can still lead.
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Neighborhood Church: Transforming Your Congregation into a Powerhouse for Mission
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Submitted by Rich Lawrence
"God has provided more than enough for our needs and the needs of our neighbors if we learn to share extravagantly" (p. 15). Possible ways to share what we have with our neighbors and community include:
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- Ample green space converted to community gardens, dog parks, and places for meditation.
- Fellowship halls with performance stages for use by nonprofit theater companies raising up young actors.
- Underused gymnasiums to share with community sports leagues and charter schools.
- Empty classrooms for use by a county's service to developmentally delayed children and their parents.
- Office spaces converted to nonprofit use by community groups (p. 17).
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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
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
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
Worthington: online worship services via Zoom and Facebook live Sunday at 10:00 am. The link for Zoom is on our
website
. For Facebook go to
@WestminsterPresby
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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
connected@pcusa.org
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Guidance for Faith-Based Communities from the MN Department of Health
Link to guide
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From FPC
Litchfield
and also FPC
Willmar
: Due to the uncertainties of the COVID-19 Pandemic, First Presbyterian Church of Litchfield has postponed our 150th Anniversary celebration until next summer. Details and invitations will be shared next spring.
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Prayer List
- For Rev. John Lindholm, retired pastor, Fergus Falls
- 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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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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Hear some PEB students sing Psalm 136
Urgent need for teachers' supplies
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