SYNOD MEETS OCT. 2-4 AT MOUNT OLIVET: The Synod of Lakes and Prairies meets Sunday through Tuesday, Oct. 2-4, at Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center, Farmington, Minn. In addition to the regular business of the synod, Dave Crittenden, director of stewardship for the General Assembly Mission Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), will lead an educational presentation on stewardship Monday evening. On Monday afternoon, the synod's Steering Committee will present its response to the report issued earlier this year by the synod's Administrative Review Task Force on the Future of the Synod.

NEW ELCA CONGREGATION WITH PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR REACHES OUT IN FARGO: In Fargo-Moorhead, a metropolitan area of about 200,000 separated by a river and a state line, there are plenty of traditional Christian congregations - Lutheran, Presbyterian and Methodist to name a few. But some of those Lutheran congregations began to notice that there were also a surprising number - 45,000 in their estimation - of young adults who were not connected to any sort of faith community. What to do about it? If the traditional model of church were 'working,' they reasoned, then there would not be this disparity. (Adam Copeland, of the new congregation, is at left.) The complete Presbyterian News Service story can be found at "Project FM."

15 VOLUNTEERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MINOT, N.D.: Fifteen volunteers from the eastern part of the Presbytery of the Northern Plains traveled to Minot, N.D., Sept. 10 to assist in flood recovery and the Rev. Nancy Emerson, chair of the presbytery's disaster task force wrote about the trip. "What difference can 15 volunteers make? Plenty," Emerson noted. "By quitting time ... we had logged 105 hours of volunteer labor, gutting a house damaged by the summer floods." At right, volunteers are at work. Emerson's complete story can be found at "Invigorating Exhaustion."

REDWOOD FALLS CONGREGATION'S GIFTS MAKE TV NEWS: The Pine Ridge Reservation Project, an effort to support those in need on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and the efforts of First Presbyterian Church of Redwood Falls, Minn., made the news recently on KEYC-TV in Mankato. The Presbyterian congregation raised $4,000 for school backpacks and supplies. The television news crew was on hand when trucks were loaded. "We also included a lot in the trailer for teachers," the Rev. Scott Prouty said. "When people know there's a need they're willing to help." The video can be found at "Pine Ridge."

DAVIS PUBLISHES 'LEFT BEHIND AND LOVING IT' BOOK: A new book by the Rev. D. Mark Davis provides a "cheeky critique of the popular writings about the end of times," according to Wipf and Stock Publishers. "Left Behind and Loving It" offers readers the opportunity to read "some of the most controversial and scary portions of the Scriptures with the utter confidence that 'God's steadfast love endures forever,'" the publisher noted. Davis is pastor of Heartland Presbyterian Church in Clive, Iowa. Wipf and Stock provide additional details about the book and the opportunity to order at "Left Behind and Loving It."

HILLCREST FAMILY SERVICES PLANS 2011 'REFLECTIONS IN THE PARK:' "Reflections in the Park," the annual Christmas light show of Hillcrest Family Services, will open Thursday, Nov. 24, and run through Jan. 1 at Louis Murphy Park in Dubuque. The show raises funds for Hillcrest. Admission is $8 per car and special pricing is available for vans and buses. Hillcrest and its sponsors, media partners and community volunteers are excited to once again make this an incredible holiday event. Details are at "Reflections."

INTRODUCTORY STUDY OFFERS INSIGHTS TO NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT: The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) adopted a new form of church government in 2011, providing new opportunities for mission and ministry, and "Faith, Hope, Love and Witness: The PC(USA) Form of Government" is a new study designed to acquaint Presbyterians with the basics of the new book and the theological and ecclesiastical insights it presents. The complete news release from Congregational Ministries Publishing of the General Assembly Mission Council can be found at "Form of Government."

RESOURCES OFFERED FOR SACRAMENTS: Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in making sure there's bread on the table or in doing the sacraments right that we forget to look at this larger question of how our words and actions can serve as windows through which people may glimpse God. The Office of Theology and Worship of the General Assembly Mission Council provides a number of resources for the sacraments. The resources are at "Worship."

PRESBYTERIAN PUBLISHING ANNOUNCES NEW HYMNAL TITLE, COLORS, PRICES: The new Presbyterian hymnal, to be published in the fall of 2013, has a title. "Glory to God: the Presbyterian Hymnal" will be the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s first new hymnal since 1990. The Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song, formed in 2008, will submit a final list of hymns to the 220th General Assembly in 2012. The complete Presbyterian News Service story is at "Hymnal."

REGISTRATION UNDERWAY FOR FALL, WINTER CAMPS AT CLEARWATER FOREST: Registration is underway for all the fall and winter retreats and other activities at Presbyterian Clearwater Forest, Deerwood, Minn. Additional camp information can be found on Facebook and at "Clearwater."

CLEANUP WEEKEND PLANNED AT OKOBOJI: Plans are set for a "cleanup weekend" Oct. 7-8 at Presbyterian Camp on Okoboji, Milford, Iowa, that will include raking, cabin cleaning and prepping the camp for winter. The weekend begins Friday at 7 p.m. with fellowship and bonfire. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and work begins at 9. Reservations can be made by sending an email to the camp or by calling 712-337-3313.

PEACEMAKING OFFERING HELPS CHURCH MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Conducting peace camps, preventing gun violence and ending the use of children as soldiers are just some of the reasons the Peacemaking Offering is important. The Peacemaking Offering was created in 1980 to support the efforts of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to live out a deeper commitment to peacemaking as part of its faithfulness to God. Most congregations receive the offering on World Communion Sunday, the first Sunday in October. Additional details about the offering are available at "Peacemaking."

PRESBYTERIAN AUTHOR CONSTRUCTS CHRISTOLOGY FROM THE MARGINS: A new book from Presbyterian author Wendy Farley presents a powerful expression of Jesus Christ as experienced by those who are marginalized and persecuted in contemporary society. In "Gathering Those Driven Away: A Theology of Incarnation," Farley speaks to gay and lesbian persons, women, racial minorities, and anyone else who has ever felt wounded by the church. The complete news release from Westminster John Knox Press can be found at "Gathering."