SOUTHSIDE MINNEAPOLIS CHURCH, NONPROFIT TEAM UP TO REDUCE ACHIEVEMENT GAP: Park Avenue United Methodist Church,  and Park Avenue Youth & Family Services and Park Avenue United Methodist Church, both Minneapolis, are joining forces to become part of the solution to Minneapolis public school graduation rates of less than 50 percent, and the largest achievement gap between racial ethnic students and white students in the country, according to the Rev. Paula Sanders, executive director of Park Avenue Youth & Family Services. Long known for summer programs for kids, the two organizations working in partnership have totally revamped their summer day camp agenda this year to provide academic support and enrichment for students of the Central neighborhood of south Minneapolis, Sanders wrote. Sanders served last summer as the executive coordinator of the Committee on Local Arrangements for the General Assembly in Minneapolis. The complete story can be found at "Reducing Achievement Gap."

WAUNAKEE CONGREGATION NAMED A 'TOP EMPLOYER' IN RESERVES SUPPORT: First Presbyterian Church of Waunakee, Wis., has been identified as one of the top employers of U.S. Navy Reserve sailors. The Rev. Kirk Morledge, the congregation's pastor, received a letter earlier this month from the top Navy Reserve officer acknowledging the award. Morledge, who serves as a chaplain in the Navy Reserve, informed the congregation's session of the award and added that he had completed a survey that had asked about the support he received from the congregation. He wrote, "I couldn't imagine anyone could have a more supportive employer than I have here at FPC Waunakee." Morledge has been invited to Washington, D.C., in July to participate in a program recognizing the Waunakee congregation, one of only 45 employers across the nation receiving the recognition.

CAMPBELL, PEHRSON COMMISSIONED TO POSTS IN PROSPECT HILL: The Presbytery of Prospect Hill has commissioned Paul Campbell as mission coordinator and the Rev. John Pehrson as administrative presbyter-stated clerk. The presbytery took the action when it met May 10. Campbell, an eligible lay pastor, is a member of Morningside Presbyterian Church in Sioux City, Iowa. Pehrson is pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sioux City. Additional details can be found in the presbytery's newsletter.

BROWN ADDRESSES BUENA VISTA COMMENCEMENT: The Rev. Philip Brown, executive of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, provided the commencement address May 21 at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. BVU is one of seven Presbyterian related colleges and universities within the bounds of the synod. A total of 781 students received their degrees, including 26 in the university's master's degree program. Brown, who serves on the BVU President's Advisory Council, urged graduates to consider the "common good." During his preparation for the address, Brown met with several students to get acquainted, to talk about the questions they brought to their educational experience and the questions with which they were leaving.  He focused, too, on their understanding of the "common good" and the questions they had around that construct. Brown stated, "A question carries the power of raising our antennas to seek information, data that informs, reveals." He later advised, "It may not be today or the next few days, but I urge you strongly to shape a question that will enable you to give definition and service to the common good." In the photo are (left to right) James S. Haahr, chair of the BVU Board of Trustees; David R. Evans, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty; Brown; Frederick V. Moore, president; and the Rev. Ken Meissner, BVU chaplain. Additional BVU commencement details, including a video, are at "BVU."

PDA CONTINUES TO RESPOND TO SPRING STORMS ACROSS NATION: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is responding to multiple storms and floods this spring that have caused substantial damage across the United States. One Great Hour of Sharing and designated funds from PDA are already at work in nearly 20 presbyteries. Information concerning the PDA response to U.S. disasters can be found at "Spring Storms."

The Sept. 17 RE:image Conference presented by Iowa Religious Media Services will include presentations by two Presbyterian pastors from Iowa: the Rev. Austin Hill, associate pastor of youth and young adults at First Presbyterian Church, Fort Dodge, and the Rev. Suzanne Gorhau, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Centerville. Hill's session is titled, "Texting, Twitter and Time with God: Cultivating a Devotional Life in a Digital Age," and Gorhau's presentation is titled, "Enhancing Worship with Technology." RE:Image details can be found at the IRMS website. IRMS, an ecumenical media library supported in part by the Synod of Lakes and Prairies and five other covenanting denominations, has more than 15,000 resources. 

UNITED SEMINARY PLANS SUMMER INSTITUTE IN SPIRITUALITY, ARTS: United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has planned its Summer Institute in Spirituality and the Arts June 14-17 at the seminary in New Brighton, Minn. The institute's news release describes the institute as "a lively, participatory, hands-on experience." Workshops include "Bibliodrama," "Writing as Spiritual Practice: Thresholds" and "Engaging the Arts to Revitalize Worship in Postmodern Times." Details and registration information are available at "Summer Institute."

APCU NEWSLETTER NOTES HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS IN SYNOD: In a roundup of institutional news, the newsletter of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities recently highlighted several Presbyterian institutions of higher education within the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. The newsletter noted every student at Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa, will receive an Apple iPad 2 along with a laptop beginning this fall. A pilot program during the spring semester affirmed the iPad's usefulness in the students' academic experience. Alumni, students, staff and faculty of Carroll University, Waukesha, Wis., donated more than 25,000 meals to Feeding America during Carroll's second national Day of Service. Hastings College in Hastings, Neb., recently held its 10th annual student sermon contest as part of  the college's annual Academic Showcase Day. The top three winners receive cash awards and the winner gets to preach his or her sermon in the college chapel. Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn., has received the 2011 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. The award is given by the Association of International Educators, the world's largest nonprofit professional association dedicated to international education.

UDTS EXPLORES DISTANCE EDUCATION FOR CHURCH OFFICERS: A seminaries newsletter, published by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), reported last week that the University of Dubuque (Iowa) Theological Seminary "is exploring distance education for officers, a move that would assist congregations and middle governing bodies in educating the laity." The complete story can be found at "Distance Education."  

UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE BREAKS GROUND FOR PERFORMING ARTS, CAMPUS CENTER: The University of Dubuque and the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary officially broke ground May 6 for a Performing Arts and Campus Center. The new 80,000-square-foot facility will be central to the campus and will provide a variety of venues to serve students, faculty, staff and the public. The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "UD Center."

MCDONALD NAMED PRESIDENT OF SAN FRANCISCO SEMINARY: After 18 months of having an interim president, San Francisco Theological Seminary has named the Rev. James L. McDonald as its 11th president. McDonald succeeds Laird J. Stuart, who served as interim president. The complete Presbyterian News Service story is at "McDonald."

OPINION PIECE SHOWS HOW DISAGREEMENTS CAN PROCEED: Peter St. Onge of the Charlotte Observer newspaper wrote an opinion piece about disagreement within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It was different in that it didn't address an acrimonious debate; rather, it addressed a respectful way to disagree. It opened, "On a rainy afternoon in Charlotte this past week, two friends got together to discuss why the other was wrong about homosexuality. Kate Murphy and Robert Austell have had this conversation before - usually over the coffee they enjoy each week while catching up on their work and lives. But this time, they chose to disagree in front of 500 or so of their colleagues - ministers and church elders of the Charlotte Presbytery." The complete column can be found at "A Different Disagreement."