June 2, 2009

Developing, Nurturing
& Supporting Leaders
Mark Your Calendar!

Big Tent
June 11-13, 2009
Atlanta
10 different PC(USA) conferences, at the same time and in the same place!

Covenant Gathering
Family fellowship
and learning
June 28 - July 3
Hillsdale, Mich.

Synod Meeting
July 25, 2009
Danville, Ill.

Continuing Education for Commissioned Lay Pastors & Preachers
October 21-23
Montreat Conference Center

Synod Meeting
Oct. 30, 2009
Urbana, Ill.

Check our website or contact the synod office for details!
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presbytery?

Check out what's happening nationally at the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Be sure to visit our website
www.lincolntrails.org

Visit the Lincoln Trails Neighborhood at the
Presbyterian Neighbor News

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These professionally designed
resources from PC(USA) are available free of charge to any Lincoln Trails congregation or presbytery.  More information...
Carol McDonald, Synod Co-Executive Sabbath and Summer Hours

Stop Work and Rest in God

The concept of Sabbath has been given serious thought across the 'trails' of our synod in recent months. Thanks to the synod's personnel committee, synod co-executive Dave Crittenden and I both were privileged to spend a season in Sabbath - resting, reflecting, reading, rejuvenating. 

In February, all staff members from the synod and the Indiana presbyteries gathered for 24 hours of partnership conversation and exploration. It was no surprise that the conversation quickly turned to Sabbath. We encouraged each other to observe, in whatever way possible for each setting, Sabbath during the season of summer.

At its meeting on May 21, the synod's personnel committee approved the following summer Sabbath opportunities for the Synod of Lincoln Trails staff:
  • One Sabbath Friday for each month of summer, when the synod office will be closed; we will begin this practice in July. Sabbath Fridays are set for Friday, July 2, and Friday, Sept. 4. The August date will be announced later.
  • Office hours on the remaining Fridays of summer, beginning May 29 and concluding August 26, are 8:30 a.m. to noon.
The days of summer are referred to as "Ordinary Time" on the church calendar. What an extraordinary opportunity these days give us to "stop work and rest in God." May you, and those with whom you minister, discover and claim Sabbath this summer. And may God bless your rest!

Carol McDonald
Synod of Lincoln Trails Co-Executive
Always ReformingWhat Makes Presbyterians Different?

Great Rivers Presbytery executive Sue Krummel reflects on how to answer that question on YouTube: Click here to view the video.

How would you answer? Post your comments on the synod's Facebook page.

Facebook IconIf you're not already a member of Facebook, it's easy to join. Go to Facebook's home page and follow the instructions there. Once you're a member, you can join the Synod of Lincoln Trails group.

A simple way to find our group, once you're logged in, is to search for "Synod of Lincoln Trails" using the search bar in the upper right corner of your screen.
CLP Preaching Workshop Preaching Ordinary Time: The Home Stretch - September through November

A Synod Workshop for Commissioned Lay Pastors

 
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Ill.


 
More information...
Download a registration form
Map to Westminster Presbyterian Church
Giving Magazine Free Stewardship Resource From PC(USA)

The 2009 Stewardship Giving magazine, produced in partnership with the Ecumenical Stewardship Center, is available free of charge online or by calling the Presbyterian Distribution Center at (800) 524-2612. Please ask for item number 12112-09-910.

The magazine contains useful articles for pastors, educators and stewardship committee members. The center section contains the basics for an annual stewardship campaign. This year's theme is taken from Lamentations 3:32, "New Love; New Mercy."
 
McCormick Theological Seminary D.Min. Program Now Accepting Applications for November 2009

Do you want to deepen your ministry skills?  Retool with new concepts and ideas?  Need to draw from a deep well of spiritual renewal?

Applications received by June 15, 2009 will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee in July.


Read more...
 
Continuing Education for Commissioned Lay Pastors & Preachers: The Place of Prayer in Reformed Worship

Montreat Conference Center
October 21-23, 2009


More about the conference...

Apply for a $100 scholarship from the Synod of Lincoln Trails. In order to receive a $30 discount from Montreat, please apply on or before September 9, 2009. Download the Lincoln Trails scholarship application.