Each week we pray for a ministry or ministers in the PTCA.    Click on the button below to find who we are praying for this week.

• We pray for Ruling Elder Cindy Hanson (Edgcumbe Presbyterian, St. Paul) as she recovers from surgery and battles cancer.
• We pray for the people of Duluth as they recover from major flooding in the city.   
• We continue to pray for those who are experiencing illness at this time including Dan Johnson (Teaching Elder, Honorably Retired), Joy Smith (Teaching Elder, Church of the Apostles), Ward Sessing (Ruling Elder, Church of the Way),Larry Patee (Ruling Elder, Buffalo), Mary McNamara (Teaching Elder, Honorably Retired and Tim Held (Teaching Elder, Honorably Retired).  

The Gracious Separation Policy and Guidelines are now available.  You can go to our Policies Page on the PTCA website or download them by clicking the links below .      

Gracious Separation Policy

Gracious Separation Guidelines     

Every year the Self-Development of People Committee of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area gives  grants to organizations that are initiated by and for the  people in the geographic boundaries of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area. The Committee for the Self-Development of People is eager to establish partnerships with groups who are oppressed by poverty or social systems and want to take charge and decide what to do to create systemic change. The deadline for applications for 2012 is August 24, 2012.   

You can download an application form either in Microsoft Word or in a PDF and email it to sdop@ptcaweb.org. Questions?  Please call Karen Kennerly at (651) 735-9691 or email the committee at sdop@ptcaweb.org. You can find out more about SDOP and to download the application  by going to www.presbyterytwincities.org/sdop .          

Organized disability ministry began in the presbytery during the 1980's.  The impetus was a committee formed at North Como.  When General Assembly met in Minneapolis in 1986, PTCA folks met with leaders of Presbyterians for Disabilities Concerns of the PC(USA) and received encouragement and support.  Within a few years the PTCA group was recognized as one of the leaders in disability ministry in the PC(USA).  Its members led workshops in a variety of places including Ghost Ranch and Presbyterian Peacemaking conferences.  One of its members chaired the national group.

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Just. Good. Food.  The Upper Midwest is an abundant source of food, but oftentimes the abundance overshadows the poverty and hunger that exist in this land of bounty.

   The upper Midwest synods of Lakes and Prairies, Lincoln Trails and Mid-America, along with the presbyteries in those synods, are developing a common mission initiative called "Just.Good.Food." that will address the issue of hunger.

   The initiative is an effort to help individual congregations collaborate with local organizations by growing and distributing food to those who do not enough.

   Sarah Moore-Nokes, associate executive presbytery of Winnebago Presbytery, is heading up the project and searching for congregations to help pilot the effort.

   She recently wrote, "This project touches on a number of key issues that are 'hot topics' right now - increasing poverty, lack of access to nutritious food, collaborating within local economies as well as the whole movement around sustainability, organic food, and community building."

   Congregations that are interested in participating in the project are invited to contact Moore-Nokes at sarah@winnebagopresbytery.org, or Duane Sweep, associate for communications in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, atdsweep@lakesandprairies.org.

A description of the project can be found at Just. Good. Food. 

Sundaes on Wednesdays on the Strib: The Minneapolis Star-Tribune commented on the new midweek service taking place at Chain of Lakes New Church Development.  You can read the story by reporter Rose French here. 

Find out about other events taking place in our presbytery by going to www.presbyterytwincities.org/calendar.