Developing, Nurturing
& Supporting Leaders
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Mark Your Calendar!
CLP Continuing Education
Pentecost II
Synod of Lincoln Trails
Aug. 20, 2011
Philo, Ill.
A Day with Gil Rendle
Where Is the Hope for Mainline Churches?
October 28
Urbana, Ill.
Synod of Lincoln Trails Quarterly Meeting
October 29, 2011
Philo, Ill.
CLP Continuing Education
Advent/Christmas/
Epiphany
Synod of Lincoln Trails
Nov. 5, 2011
Philo, Ill.
Check our website or contact the synod office for details!
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Commissioned Ruling Elder Continuing Education Commissioned Lay Pastors are now Commissioned Ruling Elders
Verdant Valleys - Preparing for Pentecost II, August 20 Join us for the next workshop in our 2011 series for commissioned ruling elders. The workshop will focus on the gospel lessons for Pentecost, special worship opportunities, demonstrations and analysis of different types of sermons, special worship resources and some small group interaction.
Deadline to register for the August 20 workshop is Friday, August 12. Cost is $35, which includes lunch, a take-home packet with worship ideas, the lectionary texts for the season and a variety of other resources. Workshops are led by the Rev. Dr. Laura Reason, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Highland, Ind. Dr. Reason is a seven-time teacher of preaching and worship leadership to Synod of Lincoln Trails lay pastors. Workshops are held at Philo (Ill.) Presbyterian Church, just outside Champaign/Urbana. Every workshop in the series is unique, so first-time attendees and past attendees alike will find this a helpful learning experience. Click here for registration information.
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 Where is the Hope for Mainline Churches? Well-known author and consultant Gil Rendle will present a day-long event on Friday, Oct. 28, in Urbana, Ill.
He will be discussing the leadership and organizational challenges in mainline churches today, as they journey through the wilderness of change.
Registration cost is $25, which includes the cost of lunch. Copies of Rendle's book, Journey in the Wilderness, will be available for sale. This event is sponsored by the synod in partnership with the presbyteries of Blackhawk, Chicago, Great Rivers and Wabash Valley.
Download a flyer and registration form
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Discernment Team Studies Future of Synod
by Tim Jones, Synod Discernment Team
The discernment team of the Synod of Lincoln Trails has met twice since January. From February to May the team met with presbytery councils, synod committees, the collegium (EPs and GPs of presbyteries) and staff to gather data about what the synod does well. We used an appreciative inquiry process.
At the July Assembly the team reported the summary of its findings to commissioners and committee members. The synod is appreciated for its positive and hopeful attitude, its creativity, responsiveness to expressed needs, leadership development, relationships, good communication and for equipping empowering others for ministry. The team will be developing a vision or purpose statement in the months ahead.
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 | | photo by David Barnhart |
Through the Eyes of Hatians
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Haitians are sharing their personal stories with the world through a high-tech mission project facilitated by the General Assembly Mission Council. See Haiti in a way you never have before.
Read more... |
Synod Holds the Line on 2012 Per Capita
During their meeting on July 29, synod commissioners voted to set the synod 2012 per capita apportionment at $3.81. This is the same as the 2011 apportionment. For more about the July 29 meeting, visit the Lincoln Trails Meeting Papers web page.
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 Worship Art Workshop
The Chaplain's Office of Monmouth College is sponsoring a "Worship Art Workshop" for area churches on Friday, Sept. 16, 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Faith United Presbyterian Church, Monmouth, Ill.
Churches are invited to send a small group of members to work with fiber artist Grace Cox-Johnson in creating a new banner or a new set of paraments for your church. During the workshop Grace will share ideas, images, and artistic inspiration to make your sanctuaries come alive with your own unique paraments, banners, and liturgical art.
Grace is especially interested in helping congregations use the resources available to them on a limited budget to create aesthetically inspiring sacred space. Download the attached brochure for more information and return to Rev. Dr. Teri M. Ott, chaplain of Monmouth College, by Sept. 2 to register. If you have any questions, contact Teri at teriott@monmouthcollege.edu or (309)-457-2380.
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 APA - A Well-Kept Secret
National Conference is Nov. 3-6, Las Vegas
The Administrative Personnel Association (APA) is an organization for administrative personnel in the Presbyterian Church. For those who are members,it is a secret they want all of their co-workers and colleagues to know about.
APA was established in 1976 as a professional organization created to provide a supportive association that promotes continuing education, individual growth, communication and fellowship for its members. It is a group that strives to strengthen lives both spiritually and professionally.
APA members can become certified in church administration at three levels. Courses are offered at APA regional conferences in nine regions in the United States and at APA's annual conference. Employees of PC(USA) churches and its governing bodies as administrative assistants/secretaries, church administrators, financial administrators office/business managers are eligible for membership.
This year's national conference will be held in Las Vegas Nov. 3-6. Classes to be offered include: Polity I, Theology, Legal Matters, PC(USA) History Since Reunion, Office Administration, GA Entities, Safety in the Workplace, Conflict Management, Microsoft Publisher, Personnel Issues, Advanced QuickBooks, Risk Management, Stewardship Programs & Capital Fund Campaigns and Living with Grief.
Download a conference registration form
APA encourages prospective members to join and earn continuing education hours. The organization also offers a "try before you buy" opportunity. As inquirers, prospective members may attend any conference (regional or national) in a given year without paying dues and without receiving credit toward certification. Registration, room rates and meal costs will still apply. If within the same calendar year, an inquirer decides to join APA, any classes taken will be credited towards certification as long as membership dues and the Level I certification fees have been paid.
Visit APA's website for more information.
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 Lincoln Trails Ruling Elder Publishes Book
Relative Strangers tells the true story of Frank Cicero's immigrant Italian grandparents. Divided by religion, in their first decades in Chicago they lived and worshipped in separate churches - Presbyterian and Roman Catholic - less than two blocks apart in one of Chicago's largest Italian neighborhoods. For thirty years their paths never crossed until the author's parents met, fell in love and wed secretly over the opposition of his maternal gradparents' Protestant faith that marked the keen differences between the two sides of his family.
Read more about Relative Strangers... |
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