'SYNOD SUMMARY' POSTED ON SYNOD'S WEBSITE: The Synod Summary, covering the Synod of Lakes and Prairies' spring meeting May 1-3, has been posted to the synod's website. Synod commissioners voted to reduce the number of synod meetings each year from three to two, and to restructure the synod's Steering Committee. Commissioners also voted on the synod's per capita apportionment, the allocation of Comprehensive Presbytery Staff Support dollars, and the creation of an Administrative Commission for the Presbytery of Dakota that assumes original jurisdiction of matters related to property. The publication is at "Synod Summary."

REGISTRATION REMAINS OPEN FOR 2011 SYNOD SCHOOL: The 2011 version of Synod School runs Sunday through Friday, July 24-29, at Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa. The theme for this year's event is "All My Relatives." Anna Carter Florence, associate professor of preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Ga., is this year's convocation speaker. Hans Peterson, an elementary music teacher with a master's degree in theology, is slated to be the youth convocation speaker. Worship leaders this year are Susan Phillips, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Shawano, Wis., and Mara Liz Rivera, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Winneconne, Wis. A team of pastoral colleagues from the Omaha, Neb., area will lead morning worship - they're calling it "Morning Psalms with Three Psara(h)s." The three are Sarah Dickinson, Sara Dingman-Lavigne and Sara Tonje. Additional information and registration materials can be found at "Synod School." 

24 FORMER GA MODERATORS CALL FOR UNITY AFTER 10-A PASSES: Twenty-four former moderators of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly have written a letter to the church pleading to "move forward as a unified and missional expression of the Body of Christ." The letter comes in the wake of the ratification of Amendment 10-A to the PC(USA) constitution, which relaxes the church's prohibition against the ordination of sexually active gays and lesbians as church officers. The complete Presbyterian News Service story, including the full text of the letter, can be found at "Call for Unity."

SERVICES PLANNED MAY 21 IN SIOUX CITY FOR BILL SKINNER: This week's regular edition of Keeping in Touch provided a link to an obituary of William "Bill" Skinner. However, the newsletter failed to note that a Service of Witness to the Resurrection for Bill Skinner will be Saturday, May 21, at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Sioux City, Iowa. The Rev. Matthew Miller, pastor of First Presbyterian, noted the Rev. Skinner served that congregation for 26 years and remained pastor emeritus following his retirement in 1997. Skinner also served as moderator of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies from June 1983 to June 1984.

'FACING RACE' OFFERS GRANTS TO MINNESOTANS FOR BEST ANTI-RACISM IDEAS: The Facing Race Idea Challenge is an opportunity for Minnesotans to submit an idea to reduce racism in their community and receive a $2,500 grant from Facing Race, s