Developing, Nurturing & Supporting Leaders
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Mark Your Calendar!
Synod of Lincoln Trails
2013 Meetings
June 15
Philo Presbyterian Church
Philo, IL
October 26
Philo Presbyterian Church
Philo, IL
Leadership Development
May 6-10
MALT Interim/Transitional Training
Mercy Center
St. Louis, MO
May 11
CRE ConEd - Pentecost I
Philo Presbyterian Church
Philo, IL
May 13-15
New Pastors 22
Geneva Center
Rochester, IN
August 24
CRE ConEd - Pentecost II
Philo Presbyterian Church
Philo, IL
October 21-23
New Pastors 22
Geneva Center
Rochester, IN
Oct. 28 - Nov. 1
MALT Interim/Transitional Training
Mercy Center
St. Louis, MO
November 1-4
MALT Executive Training
Mercy Center
St. Louis, MO
November 2
CRE ConEd - Advent, Christmas and Epiphany
Philo Presbyterian Church
Philo, IL
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Check our website or contact the synod office for details!
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It's Not too Late to Start Your Garden
 More than 40 congregations are participating in just.good.food, a collaborative mission project of the synods of Lakes and Prairies, Lincoln Trails and Mid-America. It's not too late to get started. Requests for project information and starter packets can be made to Sarah Moore-Nokes, associate executive presbyter in Winnebago Presbytery, who is heading the initial project efforts. She can be reached at sarah@winnebagopresbytery.org. A project description is available at "Food."
You can also connect to just.good.food by visiting the Facebook page.
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Save These Dates: November 21-23, 2013 - Synod of Lincoln Trails' New Pastor Program Participants Invited to Reunion
The Synod of Lincoln Trails is excited to sponsor the first ever REUNION of ALL New Pastors Program participants. Beginning with Group One and including everyone, even Group Twenty Two!
The retreat will be held at Hawthorn Suites in Champaign, IL, beginning with supper Thursday evening, followed by worship, play and reflection. Ending after breakfast on Saturday morning.
Your cost is ONLY $100! Spread the word among your old new pastor friends!
Would you like to help plan the event? Share talents of music, art or dance? Contact Peggy McDonald, peggy@lincolntrails.org.
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A Letter to President Obama from Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons

May 6, 2013
Office of the General Assembly
by Emily Enders Odom
Communications Coordinator
Louisville
On May 6, 2013, the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, the Rev. Gradye Parsons, sent a letter to President Barack Obama expressing concern over the latest developments in Syria with regard to recent Israeli air attacks, and urging the international community not to exacerbate this tragedy.
The Stated Clerk cited actions of the 220th General Assembly (2012), which called for "a mediated process of cessation of violence by all perpetrators, including the Assad regime and armed opposition groups," as well as for "all outside parties to cease all forms of intervention in Syria."
Click here to read the full text of the letter.
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Synod of Lakes and Prairies Announces On-Line Synod School Registration
Registration for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies' Synod School is available on-line. The theme for the July 21-26, 2013 program is "Belonging to God" and will be held at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. A catalog of courses along with information and forms are available on the Synod of Lakes and Prairies website.
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2013 Presyterian Youth Triennium
July 16-20, 2013
Purdue University
Lafayette, IN
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Big Tent Registration is Now Open
Under one roof, the 2013 Big Tent will combine 10 national Presbyterian conferences and a single theme: "Placing God's First Things First" (Matt. 6:33-34). It will take place August 1-3 at the Kentucky International Convention Center and nearby hotels in downtown Louisville.
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Spring at Pyoca Camp
Spring is finally taking hold! We have daffodils, peepers (tiny frogs), a pair of immature bald eagles, a fox litter, raccoons, and all sorts of other critters showing up almost daily! While they may not be excited about campers coming, we certainly are!
It has been a very busy winter with retreat groups, work groups, and of course planning for a fantastic summer!
Pyoca offers camps for Music, Art and Drama, Senior High Mission Camp, Dam Parties, Mini-Sprint Triathlon, Dad's Camp and Summer Camp. For more information click the link below.
Pyoca Camp, Conference & Retreat Center
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Lombard Mennonite Peace Center Offers Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders
Everyone Has to Deal with Conflict
Conflict is normal and inevitable - whether in the home, school community, church or workplace. Leaders in all walks of life often have a responsibility to help others work through their conflicts.
The Medication Skills Training Institute presented by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC) is designed to equip church leaders with the skills necessary to deal effectively with interpersonal, congregational mediation and consultation, placed within the context of family systems theory.
Who will benefit:
- Pastors and Interim Pastors
- Judicatory Leaders
- Denominational Officials and Church Consultants
- Lay Leaders and Pastor-Parish Committee Members
- Administrators
- Managers and Supervisors
- College and Seminary Students
- Attorneys
- Community Mediation Center Staff and Volunteers
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Certificate in Executive Leadership Program Accepting Applications
Apply Now and Receive a Tuition Discount!
Applications for Cohorts VII of McCormick's highly regarded Certificate in Executive Leadership program are now being accepted. The Certificate will be offered on the McCormick Campus during the 2013-2014 Academic Year.
Since it's beginning in 2009, pastors, lay leaders, lay staff members of congregations, and executives in regional governing bodies have benefited from this program which is designed to meet head-on the growing challenges of leadership in today's church. Set within four two-and-a-half day sessions, specially-selected faculty draw on contemporary leadership theory and practice to better equip participants to think and act transformationally, adaptively and wholistically within their own settings of ministry. Indeed, it is this practical integration of theory and practice in the students' ministry contexts that is the integral core of the program.
Space is limited and filling so apply early! A $100.00 tuition discount is available to those whose applications are postmarked June 1, 2013 or earlier.
For more information click here, or contact Martha Brown at mbrown@mccormick.edu or (773) 947-6361.
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Find out what's happening within the presbyteries of the Synod of Lincoln Trails. Click on the links below to read the newsletters or visit their webpages.
Presbytery of Blackhawk
Presbytery of Chicago
Presbytery of Great Rivers
Presbytery of Ohio Valley
Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois
Presbytery of Wabash Valley
Presbytery of Whitewater Valley
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3rd Annual Commissioned Ruling Elder Conference
"Empowering Lay Leadership for a Changing Church"
University of Dubuque Seminary
June 13-15, 2013
Registration is now open for the 2013 Commissioned Ruling Elder Conference at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. All CREs, CRE candidates, pastors, and interested lay leaders are invited to attend. You can look forward to:
- Lectures
- Basic CRE Preparation Classes
- Advanced CRE Continuing Education Classes
- Conversation about Ministry
- Fellowship with Friends and Faculty.
For more information click on this link, 3rd Annual Commissioned Ruling Elder Conference.
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IUPUI Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Religion & American Culture
Third Biennial Conference on Religion and American Culture Slated for June 6-9, 2013
The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture is pleased to announce the Third Biennial Conference on Religion and American Culture, to be held at the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre Hotel, June 6 through June 9. The overarching themes of this third biennial conference will be "thinking again about old topics" and "new developments." Scholars from multiple perspectives will serve on multidisciplinary panels.
Like the conferences in 2009 and 2011, the room will be set up in a circle with audience members on risers around the central round table. This set-up promotes more participation from the audience and deeper conversation among the panelists and those surrounding them. The hotel is again conveniently located in downtown Indianapolis among restaurants, museums, and public parks--all very conducive to continuing over coffee and meals those conversations begun in sessions.
More...
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The Clergy Program "Resilient Leadership"
The Clergy Program offers on-site programs available for the upcoming months of March, April, May and June of 2013 for pastors, church professionals and other church leaders. The five-day intensive Program features daily individual and group consultations, fitness assessment and training, spiritual direction, and professional follow-up coaching.
The Board of Pensions assists pastors offset program costs through the Shared Grant Fund. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has long sponsored pastors affected by trauma.
For more information click here.
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