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| News around the Synod of Lakes and Prairies | |
 WINTER SYNOD MEETING TAKES PLACE JAN. 16-18: The Synod of Lakes and Prairies will conduct its first meeting of 2011 when commissioners, advisory delegates and others gather Sunday through Tuesday, Jan. 16-18, at the Mt. Olivet Conference & Retreat Center in Farmington, Minn. The meeting opens following dinner Sunday and is scheduled to conclude at noon Tuesday.
SYNOD COM, CPM CONFERENCE PLANNED JAN. 25-27 IN BUFFALO, MINN.: The Revs. Barbara Anne Keely, Steve Plank and Bradley Longfield are slated as keynote speakers when the Synod of Lakes and Prairies conducts its annual COM-CPM Leadership Conference Tuesday through Thursday, Jan. 25-27, at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, Minn. Keely, associate professor of Christian education and congregational spirituality at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, speaks Tuesday evening with the title "Spiritual Formation." Plank's presentation Tuesday afternoon is titled "Rethinking the Church and Leadership for the Future." Plank, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Neb., is stated clerk of the Presbytery of Missouri River Valley. Longfield's presentation, planned Wednesday morning, is titled "The Role of the Seminary in Preparing Leadership for the Future." Longfield is dean of the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. In addition to the keynote speakers, the conference will feature numerous workshops, along with time for worship and fellowship. Additional conference details are available by contacting the synod at 651.357.1140.
SYNOD RECEIVES FUNDING FOR 'MILITARY SENSITIVITY TRAINING INITIATIVE:' The Synod of Lakes and Prairies, in partnership with the Synod of Living Waters, has received $12,000 Heiserman Grant to support a Military Sensitivity Training Initiative. Heiserman funding is issued through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to programs that reflect partnership between or among two or more governing bodies. The funding for the military sensitivity training is intended to support travel, lodging and meal compensation for up to 15 individuals to participate in a training program developed by Alan Fehr, director of psychological health for the North Dakota National Guard. The grant is the second Heiserman grant that the synod received. The first grant, reported earlier, totaled $50,000 and is supporting the Parish Resident Internship Program at Church of All Nations in Minneapolis.
 TWIN CITIES AREA CANDIDATE PRESENTS INVOCATION AT GOVERNOR'S INAUGURATION: Kerri Allen, a candidate for the ministry under the care of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, presented the invocation at the inauguration of Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton Jan. 3. In the photo, left, Allen is pictured with Dayton. Allen said she was asked to present the invocation because she served as a legislative assistant to Dayton in Washington, D.C., while he served as one of Minnesota's senators. Allen said Dayton is a life-long member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis where she did her internship. Allen is a graduate of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and has been serving as a Lilly Pastoral Resident at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago for six months. She hopes to be ordained into that call.
PRESBYTERIES OFFER GRANTS TO CHURCHES: The presbyteries of Winnebago and Twin Cities Area both highlighted grants available to their churches in recent newsletters. The Jan. 7 issue of "News and Notes," the newsletter of Winnebago Presbytery, noted that $500 grants were available "to congregations on a one time basis to upgrade technology in order to enhance local evangelism. Priority will be given to projects directly related to evangelism efforts." The Dec. 23 edition of "Emerge: Weekly," a newsletter of the Twin Cities Area Presbytery, announced the availability of 2011 Mission and Witness Grants. The purpose of these grants, the newsletter stated, "is to initiate new projects or establish ongoing ministries of justice and care, which demonstrate the good news of Christ's Grace on behalf of our neighborhoods in need in the greater Twin Cities area."
SYMPOSIUM LEADS TO 'ART OF LIVING WATER' IN EAST IOWA: An article by Marue White, associate for communications in the Presbytery of East Iowa, appears in the Jan. 10 issue of The Presbyterian Outlook magazine. The article describes the development of the presbytery's traveling art exhibit, "The Art of Living Water," that moved among churches in the presbytery from October 2009 to May 2010. She wrote, "Artists often inspire one another, so, just as Henri Matisse inspired Pablo Picasso, Larry and Mary Gerbens inspired Colette Soults. At the 2009 Calvin Symposium on Worship, Soults viewed the Gerbens' art portraying the story of the Prodigal Son. Soults, a worship consultant with the Presbytery of East Iowa, spent time at the Symposium thinking about the one-year anniversary of the 2008 floods that damaged more then 6,000 homes and transformed eastern Iowa. Returning home, she and Sarah Dyck, the presbytery's disaster recovery coordinator, looked for a Scripture passage connecting water and transformation that could inspire artists in the presbytery. They settled on the story of the Woman at the Well found in John 4." The complete story can be found at "Outlook."
ST. CLOUD CHURCH ORGANIZES TO SUPPORT EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN: An article in the Jan. 4 edition of "The Valley Bridge," the newsletter of the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys, noted that a small group at First Presbyterian Church in St. Cloud, Minn., has organized a fund-raising dinner to support the Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan - specifically to "contribute to construction of the library and-or restrooms at the new boys' school at Sargodha." The dinner takes place Feb. 12. The complete story can be found on page 4 of the newsletter at "Presbyterian Education." |
| Conferences, camps and other resources | |
 RESOURCE CENTER FOR CHURCHES OFFERS FREE CHILDREN'S LENT RESOURCE: The Resource Center for Churches, an ecumenical resource center supported by the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, is offering a free rental resource that addresses speaking with children about Lent and Easter. The resource, "Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia: Messages for Children on Lent and Easter Themes," is described as a "fabulous compilation of stories to use for children's sermons or for use as an introductory story in children's Christian education time." The resource can be found at "Alleluia."
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| Colleges, universities and seminaries | | |
APCU UPDATE POINTS TO BLOG ON VOCATION-CALL CONNECTION: Gary Luhr, executive director of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities, noted in "APCU Update," the newsletter of the association, "When I talk about what it means to be a Presbyterian college, I usually talk about the education experience our colleges provide and how it might differ from, say, a large public institution. More recently I have focused on one particular aspect of education experience that is captured in the word "vocation," the notion of helping students discern what they are meant to be and do in life. In religious terms this is often described as being "called" (by God). Recently Monmouth College President Mauri Ditzler incorporated these concepts in his monthly blog." The blog can found at "Vocation and Call."
 KIM, HOCH LEAD 2011 UDTS DOCTORAL COHORT:The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary's Doctor of Ministry degree program is focused on congregational revitalization with the pastor as leader. According to the seminary's promotional material, "the program is unique with its emphasis on congregational revitalization and the importance of renewing the church through biblical preaching." The student cohort beginning this spring will be led by the Rev. Robert Hoch, assistant professor of homiletics and worship at the seminary, and the Rev. Jin S. Kim, founding pastor of Church of All Nations in Minneapolis. Addressing the content of the program, Kim wrote, "Today when pastors stand up to preach on Sunday morning, they speak into a community struggling for a sense of rootedness, a sense of continuity, a sense of sacred memory, things that seem profoundly absent in contemporary culture. But these are precisely the sorts of things that a renewed biblical and theological tradition of preaching can begin to provide." The application deadline is Feb. 15. Additional details can be found at "UDTS."
LOUISVILLE SEMINARY OFFERS SPANISH-LANGUAGE LAY TRAINING: The need to minister to the ever-growing population of Spanish-speaking people in the south central United States has resulted in a collaborative lay training program organized by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. "Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States," said the Rev. Antonio (Tony) Aja, coordinator of Hispanic/Latino Ministries for Mid-Kentucky Presbytery. The south central region has seen a considerable portion of that growth, he said. The complete Presbyterian News Service can be found at "Spanish Language."
HASTINGS COLLEGE RUNS 45TH JANUARY TERM: Hastings (Neb.) College, one of seven Presbyterian-related colleges and universities within the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, is marking its 45th "J-Term" this winter. Among the first colleges in the nation to implement a one-month study term between regular semesters, Hastings initiated its "J-Term" in 1966, and "has been improving on it ever since," according to news from the college. The college's news service noted the term "is a time for discovery, innovation and unforgettable learning experiences." |
| News around the PC(USA) | | |
PC(USA) MEMBER, ANOTHER WITH PRESBYTERIAN TIES AMONG THOSE KILLED IN ARIZONA: Phyllis Schneck, a member of Northminster Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Ariz., was among those killed in the shootings Jan. 8 that left six people dead and 14 injured. Schneck's pastor, the Reverend Andy Ross, described her as "vibrant, fun, and a devoted woman of faith. Her smile, her commitment to the mission of Jesus Christ, and her friendship to so many will long be treasured." Another victim, Gabe Zimmerman, an aide to U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, has also been identified as having Presbyterian ties. Zimmerman came from a staunch Presbyterian family, according to the Rev. John Matthew, a longtime Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) executive from Boise, Idaho. The two complete Presbyterian News Service stories can be found at "Schneck" and "Zimmerman."
PRESBYTERIAN WRITERS GUILD SEEKS BEST NEW AUTHOR: The Presbyterian Writers Guild (PWG) is seeking entries for its annual Jim Angell Award. The award has been presented each year since 1996 to the Presbyterian author of the best first book published during the previous calendar year. Nominations are being accepted now for the best first book by a Presbyterian author during the calendar year of 2010. Books may be of any type. The award was established by the Guild and the estate of the late James W. Angell, a prolific and respected Presbyterian writer, as a means to recognize and encourage new writers. The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Angell Award."
DEADLINE NEARS FOR PC(USA) YOUNG ADULT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM: The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Young Adult Volunteer Program offers opportunities in Christian service and learning for young adults, ages 19 through 30. With programs at 16 sites in the United States and abroad, the program requires a commitment of one academic year. Young Adult Volunteers serve in communities of need. The application deadline for participation in the program is Jan. 20. Additional information about the program is available at "YAV."
CAROL WEIR, LONGTIME PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONARY, DIES IN DECEMBER: Memorial services for longtime Presbyterian missionary Carol Weir were conducted Jan. 2 at First Presbyterian Church, Oakland, Calif. Weir, who with her husband, Benjamin, devoted her life to Presbyterian mission in the Middle East, died Dec. 14 in Oakland, the day before her 86th birthday. The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Carol Weir." |
| And just one more | |  AMERICAN VALUES SURVEY LOOKS AT POST-ELECTION VIEWS: The Post-Election American Values Survey of the Public Religion Research Institute, conducted Nov. 3-7, "saw no major religious realignments," according to the institutes website. It noted, "Republican candidates held a significant advantage among white Christian voters, while Democratic candidates held a significant advantage among minority Christian voters and religiously unaffiliated voters. Few Americans reported feeling excited (9%) about the election outcome. A plurality (41%) reported feeling satisfied, but nearly as many reported feeling disappointed (21%) or worried (18%) about the election outcome." Complete survey results can be found at "Results." |
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