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A weekly newsletter from the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys
November 9, 2022
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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 November 13-19
Emmanuel First United Presbyterian Church of Rushmore
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Emmanuel First United Presbyterian Church
31828 Jones Avenue
Rushmore, Minnesota
"United in Christ to serve our community with grateful hearts."
Clerk of Session: Randy Jacobs
Treasurer: Janet Smid
Elders: Dean Hokeness, Joyce Jacobs, Charlotte Dammer, Brenda Krull, Lynel Hokeness, Randy Jacobs, Arla Engelkes, Gary Ailts, Matt Larson, Gayle Larson, Travis Ailts, Corrine Hausmann
Organist: Janet Smid
Janitor: Cody Heideman
Pastor: Rev. Randy Knuth
Emmanuel First United Presbyterian Church became a new congregation when both First Presbyterian Church, Rushmore and Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, Rushmore decided this summer to merge together bringing nearly 120 years of the Holy Spirit’s working to fruition. They celebrated this merger with a special service on September 25, 2022. Since then, we have added four new members by the end of the year. Praise God for the working of His Spirit amongst us as we work together to glorify Him.
The merged session of this congregation recently formulated their mission statement to be: "United in Christ to serve our community with grateful hearts." The session also decided that their core values working into the future shall be: 1 - Serving God as a Church in our community; 2 - Living Christian values; 3 - Caring for members and 4 - Missions.
Requests for prayers: The merging together of this congregation to one unit.
- Prayers for our newly-merged congregation as we work to serve God in the Rushmore community
- Thankful for a bountiful harvest and praying for moisture to recharge our entire environment.
- The sale of First Presbyterian Church, Rushmore building.
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Dear Presbytery Family,
I am having such a delightful time visiting your congregations. Just four to go, and I will have been in contact in one way or another with every one of our churches. One of my delights is getting to know the 5,311 Presbyterians that make up this Presbytery, learning about your vocations, hobbies and interests, and seeing how you are making a difference in our world. Just this last Sunday I met a member of the Cambria church who told me about her hobby with stamping and crafting. She does this work with a group that meets online, and she mentioned how one member of the online group struggles with depression. Everyone is quick to send a card and reach out in loving support when they see this beloved group member struggling. This online hobby group has become such a source of support to all the members who participate.
I am meeting a lot of crafters! A wonderful knitter in Crosslake sent a beautiful prayer shawl to someone she had never met, because that is how she uses her talent to bring comfort and care to others! Another person helps to make recycled cards at the senior center. And there are so many of you who give your volunteer hours to your church! You serve on committees and volunteer for the many things that make the ministry of your church vital. Bless you for that great work! You tell me that it helps you too – to stay connected with others, not watch too much television or eat too many snacks – but to be at your church with others, making a difference together.
I am developing a nice little list now of your many interests, hobbies and vocations, and my hope is that after the first of the year, I can start forming some groups where we can connect with others with common interests, whether in person or online.
One of the first groups we are planning for is those who share the vocation, whether paid or volunteer, of working with church music. The music leader from Faith Presbyterian in Silver Lake, Barb Wawrzyniak, gave us the great idea of having a workshop to resource some of our smaller churches with music that is uplifting and easy to prepare. Carol Meier, the gifted musician who led our pastor’s retreat, is hoping to help us with this workshop sometime in the new year. Stay tuned for details! We want it to be a day that strengthens and encourages all who work in church music, whatever challenges you face. I am excited to bring people together who participate in this kind of work and see how we can support and encourage one another as we learn and grow.
I think there may well be ways to bring some of our crafters together soon as well. Perhaps we will begin by just hosting a zoom group and doing our crafts in our own homes as we visit and talk about how we live out our faith in unique ways through our experience with our craft. I am hearing lots of those stories – and they need to be shared.
If you haven’t yet emailed me to tell me what you do for a living, or about your volunteer work, there is still time: [email protected]. You are under no obligation or commitment, but I can let you know if we are able to organize a zoom group or retreat day or lunch or conference call or some other creative idea emerges, and it might be of interest to you! I appreciate so much those of you who have already shared that information. Thank you!
I am going to be gone November 9-16, so I won’t have an article in the Valley Bridge next week. If you need anything while I am away, you can contact Karen Lange in the Presbytery office at 320-235-7910. I look forward to chatting with you again in the Valley Bridge on November 23rd.
Together in Christ,
With courage, devotion and good spirit as a colleague,
Rev. Beth Buckwalter-Miller
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Exploring a Call
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ Isaiah 6:8
Have you ever heard God calling you to serve in a new way? Calls happen in various ways. Maybe God is calling you to take on a larger role in leadership in your congregation? Maybe God is calling you to assist in the leadership of worship in your congregation? Maybe God is calling you to develop skills to be able to provide a sermon on Sundays when a congregation needs pulpit supply? Maybe God might even be nudging you towards considering being a pastoral leader as either a CRE or a teaching elder? If you have heard God calling you, our Presbytery is offering an easy way to begin exploring this call. People who have previously been on this call are welcome to join again, as the content will be slightly different.
On Monday, November 28th at 7:00 p.m. the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys will offer a Zoom meeting for anybody exploring any of these questions. PNC’s have discovered that we are experiencing a shortage of pastoral candidates to fill positions. This is especially true in rural Minnesota. Many of the new pastoral candidates are coming from suburban and urban places on the East or West coast, while most of our PNC’s are looking for candidates with small church experience, small town experience, and somebody who is familiar with the culture of the upper Midwest. If you look at the pastors presently serving in our Presbytery, there are several pastors who grew up in this Presbytery or the surrounding presbyteries. Yet, we only have one inquirer under the care of our Presbytery.
If you hear God calling (even faintly) please join us as we explore ways to assist you in answering that call. There will be information on the Academy and the opportunity to explore attending seminary or other continuing education programs. Please get the word out to every one of our congregations and encourage anybody in which you see gifts to explore a call by attending this event on November 28th at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Paul Snyder
Inventive Ministries Task Force of the Commission on Leadership
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Coming January 1, 2023: The Next Presbytery Sermon Sunday
The Presbytery will present three virtual sermons in 2023, with the first on Sunday, January 1. I find these services valuable in several ways. It reminds us that we are a connectional church. Churches across the Presbytery will be in worship together that Sunday! It provides a sermon on a Sunday where often pastors need a break. I love the idea that after Christmas Eve and Christmas day service I won’t have to prepare a sermon for the following Sunday, but I will still be able to worship with my congregation. It shows us that there are new and inventive ways to hear and proclaim the word of God!
If you did not participate in the last Presbytery Sermon Sunday, the video and liturgy can still be downloaded at https://pixeldrain.com/l/PYR3yEKF or viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/A6C_NZBKX6I.
Michael Hartwell
Inventive Ministries Task Force of the Commission on Leadership
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Welcome to Kali’s Korner!
Kali’s Korner is where leaders and youth can find out what is going on and stay up to date on the latest and greatest things! If you’d like to add an event or something special to Kali’s Korner for all leaders and youth to see, please send it to: [email protected]
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I have some exciting news…there will be a Youth Retreat this February! Please get the dates on your calendar. Share the information with your congregation, families that may be interested, and your youth! More details and information to come soon! Stay on the lookout for emails, and read the Valley Bridge!! | |
Follow the OFFICIAL
Instagram account
@mvp.youth
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Check out Lifelong FAITH Trainings
Lifelong Faith Training
These trainings are FREE, self paced, and there is one for everyone:
Leaders, Children, Pastors, Families, Young Adults, and Adults.
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Upcoming Events and Happenings
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Clearwater Forest Snow Camp
January 13th-15th
"Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me pure as snow" ... CAMP! Save the date for snow camp 2023 happening January 13th - 15th--you won't want to miss it! Registration will be opening soon, and we can't wait to see you ALL this winter!
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Furnishing and Supplies available from First Presbyterian Jackson church
There is still a variety of furnishings and equipment available to MVP congregations from the former First Presbyterian Church in Jackson. We are asking for a donation if your congregation is interested in acquiring any of these items.
Please contact one of the Administrative Commission members for more information: Galen Smith, ([email protected]), Cory Germain, Deb Hess, Mary Jo Lutz, Stan Menning
Some of the items are:
Sanctuary furnishings including
Wood pews
Sound system
Pulpit, Lectern, Communion table, Baptismal Font
Advent Wreath, Christmas decorations
Choir Robes
Bibles - TEV, ESV
The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990 Blue); 180 pew editions
Wicks Pipe organ
Chandelier
Miscellaneous maintenance equipment such as
Step ladders, shop vac, tools, etc.
Miscellaneous Kitchen furnishings including:
2 Refrigerators
8 burner gas stove
Deep Freeze, utensils, glasses, silver service, dishes, etc.
Miscellaneous Furniture
Upholstered Chairs
Sofa, upholstered side chairs, end table
Folding chairs
Stackable chairs
Seth Thomas 5’ tall pendulum clock
12 ft conference table (made from pews from the former Alpha Presbyterian Church)
multidisc DVD player, 2 TV, 2 AV Carts
Filing cabinets Fans
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Pastor Opportunity
It's been a hard couple of years for everybody! Pastors are dealing with all the issues that are related to the pandemic, along with all the normal ups and downs and other parts of ministry. In addition, they are ministering to congregations that are also dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety.
The Commission on Leadership has decided to give those in ministry some help and support in the form of affordable coaching. The Synod has trained coaches to provide the service at a cost of $50.00 per session. The Commission on Leadership has approved paying one half of the cost for one session a month for up to 24 months. If you are already working with a coach or want to use another one, you still can be reimbursed $25.00 per month. This program is available to all pastors, CREs who are serving churches and Christian educators.
We all can use some help and support as we continue to deal with a lot of heavy issues. If you are feeling just a little (or a lot) overwhelmed, please take advantage of this opportunity.
Contact Beth Buckwalter-Miller if you want to get started: 530-513-0592 or e-mail [email protected]
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2023 Per Capita
$44.00 Total
$28.89 for Presbytery
$5.50 for Synod
$9.61 for GA
2023 Presbytery Meeting Dates
Saturday, Feb 18, in-person only, Zoom only if bad weather, 10:00-3:00, Redwood Falls
Tuesday, April 18, Zoom, 7:00-8:30 pm
Tuesday, July 18, Zoom, 7:00-8:30 pm
Saturday, Oct 21, hybrid, 10:00-3:00, Willmar
2022 Presbytery Meeting Dates
Tuesday, Dec 6 via Zoom from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
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Prayer List
- For Rev. Elaine Boyd and family, retired pastor most recently serving First Presbyterian Church of Amboy and now living in Willmar, on the death of Elaine's husband, Kent.
- For Rev. Jeanne Kumbalek, serving First Presbyterian Churches of Lake Crystal and Kasota; on the death of Jeanne's husband, Michael
- For Rev. Mark Chamberlain, retired pastor, Willmar
- For Rev. Bob Bartlett, retired pastor, Round Lake
- For Rev. Michael Roys, retired pastor, Winnebago
- Pray for our brothers and sisters in the Occidente Presbytery of Guatemala - for their health, safety, and recovery from the effects of the Covid pandemic
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Pastoral Leadership Opportunities
First Presbyterian Church of Canby - Pastor
First Presbyterian Church, Pipestone - Pastor
Harrison Presbyterian Church, rural Spicer - Pastor, yoked parish
First Presbyterian Church, Winnebago - Pastor
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