|
|
|
For the week of
February 21, 2011 | | |
| News around the Synod of Lakes and Prairies | | |
WISCONSIN IN THE NEWS, CHURCHES RESPOND TO BUDGET CRISIS: The Wisconsin Council of Churches has posted responses to its website from church judicatory bodies, faith groups and several individual pastors to Wisconsin's budget crisis. The responses includes those of Milwaukee and John Knox presbyteries. These responses can be found at "Wisconsin Council."
 2011 SYNOD SCHOOL CATALOG, REGISTRATION MATERIALS ONLINE: The 2011 Synod School catalog is now online and so are all the materials needed to register for the Sunday through Friday event, July 24-29, on the Buena Vista University campus in Storm Lake, Iowa. This year's theme is "All My Relatives." Everything can be found at "Synod School."
EAST IOWA LISTS STATS FOR FLOOD RELIEF: The Presbytery of East Iowa has been involved with flood relief in eastern Iowa since June 2008. From the summer of 2008 through January 2011, the numbers show the presbytery's involvement has included 752 homes, 4,070 flood workers, 109,998 worker hours and an equivalent labor cost of more than $2 million according to the formula of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. More information is available at "Flood Recovery."
 IOWA CONGREGATION'S SUCCESSFUL 'SOUPER BOWL' CHALLENGE COSTS MUSTACHE, BEARD: While the Green County Action Resource Center of Des Moines, Iowa, benefited from the "Souper Bowl of Caring" challenge at First Presbyterian Church of Jefferson, Iowa, it cost the 33-year beard and mustache of a member of the congregation's mission committee and the 37-year mustache of the congregation's pastor. In the end, the congregation contributed more than 4,000 cans of soup, fruit and vegetables that went to the Resource Center. In the photo above, licensed cosmetologist Karissa Moen shaves the mustache of the Rev. Gordon Moen, pastor of Jefferson's First Presbyterian. The complete story, written by Diane Gibson, can be found on Page 5 in the newsletter of the Presbytery of North Central Iowa.
GREEN BAY PASTOR TO SPEAK AT 'TUESDAYS WITH MAUTHE:' The Rev. Randy Argall, pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Green Bay, Wis., will speak March 1 at 7 p.m. at the Mauthe Center for Faith, Spirituality and Social Justice in Green Bay as guest speaker during the center's "Tuesdays with Mauthe," a monthly dinner-conversation facilitated by the founder of the center, the Rev. Richard Mauthe. The event includes hors d'oeuvres, music, and a talk on the topic of spirituality seen through the lens of guest speakers. The event is free and open to the public, but the center asks anyone planning to attend to inform the center at info@mcenter.org. Argall's thoughts on reformed spirituality can be found at his blog. |
| Conferences, camps and other resources | | |
 'BIG TENT' OPENS IN INDIANAPOLIS IN JUNE: The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will conduct its second "Big Tent" event in Indianapolis, Ind., June 30 through July 2. The church's last "Big Tent" took place during the summer of 2009 in Atlanta, Ga. Nine national church conferences will all be gathering under one roof. Event details and registration information can be found at "Big Tent."
WRITERS GUILD SEEKS BEST NEW AUTHOR, ANNOUNCES CONFERENCE: The Presbyterian Writers Guild 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 complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Angell Award." The Writers Guild has also announced plans for its 2011 Presbyterian Writers Conference May 15-17 featuring a keynote by Michael Jinkins, prolific author and president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Registration can be completed online.
PRESBYTERIAN PUBLISHING PROVIDES ONLINE LECTIONARY CURRICULUM: Church educators across the country are being offered the opportunity to try the new "Feasting on the Word Curriculum: Teaching the Revised Common Lectionary" for free. Churches are encouraged to sign up for Sample Sunday, which takes place March 20, by registering at "Feasting on the Word." The complete announcement from Presbyterian Publishing Corp. can be found at "Curriculum."
GREAT PLAINS WEE KIRK CONFERENCE SET IN SIOUX FALLS IN MAY: The Great Plains Wee Kirk Conference, designed to inspire, equip, motivate, encourage, and provide rest and refreshment for pastors, commissioned lay pastors and leaders of small Presbyterian congregations, is slated Tuesday through Thursday, May 3-5, at the Holiday Inn Sioux Falls City Centre, Sioux Falls, S.D. The brochure for the Wee Kirk Conference can be found at "Wee Kirk." The registration deadline is April 8. |
| Colleges, universities and seminaries | | |
 NOT TOY, NOT TYRANT: DUBUQUE SEMINARY MAKES ONLINE TECH WORK FOR STUDENTS: Students are coming from across the country to the University of Dubuque (Iowa) Theological Seminary. But for a few years now they have come to the seminary in a new way - through the Internet. According to the seminary's website, it is the first seminary of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to offer a Master of Divinity distance education program. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, the distance degree program enables students to take the majority of their classes from home. The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Not Toy, Not Tyrant." In another story, the Rev. Bradley Longfield, dean of UDTS, noted that the church needs "to find new and creative ways to train leadership." That complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Leadership Environment."
UDTS SPRING MISSION CONFERENCE ADDRESSES MUSLIM NEIGHBORS: The Spring Mission Conference at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) Theological Seminary carries the theme, "The Church and Her Muslim Neighbors." The conference takes place March 1-2 and features the Rev. Mateen Elass. Additional conference information is at "Mission Conference."
JAMESTOWN COLLEGE NEWSPAPER EARNS RECOGNITION: Jamestown College's student newspaper, The Collegian, claimed top honors at the Associated Collegiate Press Best of the Midwest student journalism conference held recently in Minneapolis. The Collegian took first place in Best in Show for four-year colleges and universities with non-weekly newspapers. Student publications were represented from North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. The complete story can be found at "The Collegian." |
| News from the Board of Pensions | |
SMALL EMPLOYER TAX CREDIT MAY BENEFIT CHURCHES, EMPLOYING ORGANIZATIONS: Doug Kelly, a regional representative of the Board of Pensions, wrote: "If your church or employing organization provides coverage for one or more of your full-time or part-time employees through the Medical Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) or another health insurance plan, it may qualify for the Small Employer Tax Credit established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) beginning with tax year 2010. Small employers with fewer than 25 'full-time equivalent employees' and average wages of less than $50,000 may be eligible for a credit of up to 25 percent of the amount paid if they contribute a uniform percentage of at least 50 percent toward the premiums or dues paid for their employees' healthcare coverage. (IRS guidance explains how clergy are to be counted under the tax credit and the rules that apply when an employer offers more than one type of plan.) A tax credit of up to 25 percent is available for each of the tax years 2010 through 2013." The Board of Pensions maintains substantial tax resources for members and churches in its Tax Resource Center. |
| News around the PC(USA) | |
MGB COMMISSION TOLD THEOLOGY MUST DRIVE POLITY: Institutional questions around polity and governance are secondary to questions around identity and mission, two middle governing body executives who are polity experts told the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Middle Governing Body Commission at its second meeting in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 3-5. "We have a tendency in the church to ask the question 'How do we organize ourselves?' first," said the Rev. Paul Hooker, executive presbyter for St. Augustine Presbytery and a member of the Advisory Committee on the Constitution. "And it should be last. The first question is, 'What are we called to do?'" he continued, "which masks an even prior question: 'Who are we called to be?'" The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Theology and Polity."
MULTIPLE WAYS TO FOLLOW MIDDLE GOVERNING BODY COMMISSION: There are a variety of ways to stay in touch with the Middle Governing Body Commission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). First of all, the Presbyterian News Service covers the meetings of the commission and most often those news stories will find their way into Keeping in Touch. The Commission can also be found through the Office of the General Assembly, which then points the curious to other locations, including a blog, Facebook and Twitter. From time to time, links to other material pertaining to the Commission can be found in posts to the Synod of Lakes and Prairies Facebook group. Bill Stafford, a commissioner of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies from the Presbytery of Milwaukee, serves on the Commission.
BELHAR CONFESSION GENERATES SPIRITED DISCUSSION ONLINE: The Belhar Confession, which is being considered as an amendment to The Book of Confessions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is generating a vigorous and spirited discussion on the General Assembly Mission Council's website. Underneath the fully downloadable version of the confession, which was adopted by the Dutch Mission Reformed Church in South Africa in 1986, are more than 100 posts that fill nearly 50 screens. The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Belhar."
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES LEADERSHIP STRESS UNITY: In opening addresses to the World Council of Churches central committee Feb. 16, top leaders of the world's largest ecumenical body seized on the importance of Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17. "'That they all may be one' is the rationale behind, beside and before everything we do as the WCC," said Olav Fykse Tveit, the WCC's general secretary since September 2009. "We have all received the same call - the call to be one comes from Jesus Christ. It comes from one another as churches, and it comes from the whole of humanity who needs to see the churches giving joint witness about Jesus Christ to bring peace and reconciliation that Christ brought to the world." The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Unity."
WCC EXPLORES ADAPTATION TO CHANGING RELIGIOUS WORLD: In twin plenaries Feb. 17 the World Council of Churches Central Committee took a hard look at whether it can adapt quickly enough to the rapidly changing ecumenical and interreligious realities in the world. If it cannot, one delegate noted, fixation on internal governance and institutional survival may "suck the life out of the ecumenical movement." The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Adaptation."
IN MIDDLE EAST, GA LEADERS OFFER A CALL TO PRAYER: In the wake of escalating tensions and civil unrest in the Middle East, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leaders today have issued a call to prayer for the peoples and nations of the Middle East, as well as PC(USA) partners. The statement can be found at "Middle East."
SMALL BECOMES CHURCH RELATIONS LIAISON FOR FOUNDATION: Joseph Small, who retired recently from his 22-year tenure at the General Assembly Mission Council, has answered a call to serve as a church relations liaison for the Presbyterian Foundation. In that position he will act as a link between the Foundation and those it serves by fostering an understanding of the Foundation's role in funding the missions and ministries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The complete announcement of the Presbyterian Foundation can be found at "Small."
CONGREGATIONS CHALLENGED TO TAKE PART IN 'LET'S MOVE INITIATIVE:' "The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is excited to work with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Initiative because of our commitment to ending childhood poverty, hunger, and obesity," said Cynthia Bolbach, moderator of the 219th General Assembly. "We believe that poverty in a world of abundance is an intolerable violation of God's good creation and hunger and obesity are symptoms of such poverty. It is our responsibility as individuals, as the church and as a nation to eliminate the root causes of hunger." The complete story from the Presbyterian Hunger Program can be found at "Move."
SOME PRESBYTERIANS ARE CUTTING BACK ON HEALTH CARE: Although almost all Presbyterians have health insurance, some have faced financial problems that have compromised their ability to seek or comply with medical treatment, according to data from the office of Research Services. During the past 10 years, about three in 10 pastors (27 percent) and non-pastoral ministers (32 percent) have, for financial reasons, either delayed making a medical appointment or skipped one already made. About one in eight church members (14 percent) and elders (11 percent) also delayed or skipped appointments. The complete story from the Office of Research Services of the General Assembly Mission Council can be found at "Cutting Back." |
| And just one more | | | ACTIVE RETIRED MINISTER SOUGHT FOR SCOTLAND CHURCHES: Ellen Marquardt, former interim executive presbyter for the Presbytery of Long Island, is wrapping up what she called her "Scottish adventure" and the churches she served are looking for another American minister to fill the pastoral assistant position when she leaves in June. She provided the following information: "Seeking active retired minister to fill one-year, 33 hours [per] week position as visiting pastoral assistant for St. Leonard's-in-the-Fields and St. John's Kirk of Perth, Scotland, beginning June 2011. Housing and small allowance provided. Interested parties please email resume or PIF to Ellen Marquardt, twugrad67@gmail.com, by March 31." |
|
|
|
|
