Presbytery of Wabash Valley
Summer Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday 8 - 4
Friday 8 - Noon
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August 26, 2015
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 God Calls
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Small Church Workshop Participants
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Passage to Ponder... Luke 20: 17-18
But he looked at them and said, 'What then does this text mean: " The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone"? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.'
(from the Presbytery of Wabash Valley 2015 Monthly Bible Study)
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SMALL CHURCH WORKSHOP WELL ATTENDED
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| Rev. Dennis Bickers, Workshop Presenter
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The August 8th Small Church workshop held at Geneva Center was attended by some 70 congregational members. Some of the buzz words for church in the 21st century are: organic, responsive, relational, missional. These elements are found in the small church simply due to its nature, and it is the smaller church that seems better poised to speak to the emergent church. Rev. Dr. Dennis Bickers, Resource Minister with the American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky serves as a bi-vocational pastor and judicatory leader working primarily with smaller churches, reminded us of these facts and many others in the Small Church Workshop.
Rev Bickers highlighted the strengths of the small church and provided guidance for those churches who seek to become even more healthy by sharing:
BENEFITS OF A SMALL CHURCH:
- People experience community
- People have an opportunity to serve (be involved)
- Small churches communicate quickly
- People share common experiences
- The people are more important than the programs
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS IN SMALL CHURCHES:
- Poor self-esteem (no future/stuck)
- Lack of a common vision
- Very exclusive - need to learn good hospitality for 1st time visitors (refrain from asking visitors to stand & introduce themselves)
- Limited resources
- Poor stewardship training (people will give to a vision - people must be taught to give)
- Expect too much from the pastor - pastor's primary job is to equip the saints to do their job
PROBLEMS THAT LEAD TO CHURCHES BECOMING UNHEALTHY:
- Conflict
- No vision - focused inward
- Youth programs will not reach the parents (need to reach the families)
- Cultural indifference - must understand cultural serving
- Lack of leadership training
EXCELLENCE:
- A successful small church, as it struggles to maintain its ministry, focuses upon a few things done well rather than a variety of ministries done haphazardly
- A church needs regular check-ups - see attached
- Maintaining health is always easier than regaining health
- How much of a churches ministry and budget is dedicated to fulfilling its vision
 Not only was the workshop well attended, the information was well received by the attendees who now have the exciting task of bringing that information back to their respective churches. 
Copies of The Healthy Small Church, by Rev. Dennis Bickers, event resource book, is available from the presbytery office or at the September Assembly for $5.00.
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Save the Dates
2015 COUNCIL
October 20
December 8
2015 ASSEMBLY
September 18-19
November 17
The Presbyterian Church of Wabash
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Ministry Quick Links
PRESBYTERY OF WABASH VALLEY
Helping Indiana Congregations find and use resources
Scripture and the Arts
Congregations are invited to explore how the arts can bring a new dimension to scriptural interpretation.
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CONGREGATIONAL EVENTS
LaGrange, First Presbyterian "End of Summer Musical Celebration"
Sunday, August 30 at 2:00 PM
Featured artists will be our Organist Kevin Ramer, Pianist Jan Heaton, and guest Vocalist Cassandra Petrie
Elkhart, First Presbyterian Church Continues to celebrate 175 Years with a World Communion Dramatic WorshipFeaturing: Friends of the Groom Sunday, October 4 @ 11 am Learn More |
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PRAYERS of the PRESBYTERY
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Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will. All I have and call my own, you have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me. - The "Suscipe prayer" from St. Ignatius
Please hold those listed below in prayer...
- Presbytery Council Members as they continue to seek direction for the presbytery.
- CRE Jene McVay, Milligan Memorial Presbyterian Church Crawfordsville, as he supports his brother Bruce McVay who continues with aggressive cancer treatments due to the spread of cancer to his brain from his lymph-nods, lungs and liver.
- TE Frank Vardeman, Minister Member at Large, as he continues recovery at Courage Center in Minneapolis, MN. You can follow Frank's progress at Caring Bridge.
We thank you Lord for First Presbyterian Church Hammond who have faithfully served their community and followed you since 1891.
It is with all you have given us Lord that we say, Amen.
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Thank you for your ministry and your service...
- August 27, 1978 - TE Chuck Compton, Honorably Retired
- August 27, 1978 - TE Les Johnson, Minister Member at Large
- August 28, 2007 - TE Susan Arner, South Bend Sunnyside Presbyterian Church
- September 1, 1968 - TE Wayne Meyer, Kentland Covenant Federated Church
- September 1, 1968 - TE Stanley Kessler, Honorably Retired
If you have been omitted or your information is incorrect please accept my apology. Help to update our records by sending your current information to vicki@ourpresbytery.org.
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CRE Jim Dougans hands off 10 clean-up buckets donated by Rensselaer First Presbyterian Church to Rev Sarah Sanderson-Doughty of Elkhart First Presbyterian Church for delivery to Church World Services in Elkhart.
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Eight years ago, a Grand Rapids congregation left its stately but deteriorating church for a plain, empty building in a tough part of town. Today, the risk has paid off with a smaller but committed congregation heavily involved in neighborhood ministry. Read more |
Projection during worship
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Some hymns will have copyright restrictions for projecting. In those cases, we will include the files for projection along with the information about the restrictions and what licenses your church can obtain that will cover those hymns.
Special limited-time offer: Order 100 or more copies of the pew edition and receive special retail pricing on the Projection Edition. Call or visit our website for details.
Click here for more information about the hymnal, including ways to raise funds, educate your congregation, and introduce the book to your church. You can also visit Facebook, Twitter, or call Customer Service at 1-800-533-4371. To place an order or see a complete list of products, click here.
All offers valid through December 31, 2015. Offers not valid on previous purchases. Shipping charges are additional.
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Presbytery of Wabash Valley Congregation Seeking Part-Time Pastor
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First Presbyterian Church/Mishawaka is seeking a Part-time Pastor. If interested or for more information, please contact Greg Phillips or Lynett Heritz at fpcmishawakapnc@gmail.com or send us your PIF.
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Online Continuing Education For Pastors and CREs
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University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
There is still time to register for our Fall classes!
Looking for a way to jump start your ministry? These five-week classes are designed to inspire, engage and sustain your work in the church.
"Shop Talk for Preachers"
Dr. Robert Hoch, Associate Professor of Homiletics and Worship
September 14 - October 18
Students of preaching, whether veterans in the pulpit or just starting out, will find this class inspiring and instructive. Participants will read Cornelius Plantinga's Reading for Preaching, a work focused on understanding the relationship between literature, theology, and the preaching ministry. While we're at it, we'll dive into and talk about the theological and biblical themes that emerge in Wendell Berry's modern classic, Jayber Crow. Finally, the instructor will share practical strategies for developing what he calls "our inner homiletician" -- a set of skills that will assist participants as they develop long term practices for vocational growth. This is a great opportunity to enhance your preaching by interacting with other pastors and engaging in conversation with Dr. Hoch. "Exploring Vitality in Rural Congregations"
Dr. Richard Shaffer, Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Ministry October 19 - November 22
This course will explore the practices and programs that bring vitality and vision to rural congregations and their ministries. We will examine the practices of successful church leaders, share ideas about programs that have been successful, and suggest resources that may work in your ministry setting. This will be a five-week seminar that encourages input from ministry leaders and puts us face to face with others who have brought new life to the churches they serve. We will use our time together to share those ideas and help one another develop ministries that make a difference.
Register today! The cost for each class is only $150.
If this is your first online class with UDTS you will also need to take our Orientation to Online Learning, for a one-time fee of only $75.
To register contact Bridgett Boone: 563.589.3691 | EMail: BBoone@dbq.edu
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He finally cracked the mystery of his mental illness. See how he's using music so others can, too. Continue Reading
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Upcoming Events and Meetings
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Tuesday, September 1
CANCELLED - Geneva Center Ministry Team
Thursday, September 3
10 am - Commission on Ministry
Rescheduled - Commission on Preparation for Ministry
Monday, September 7
Labor Day - Presbytery Office Closed
Tuesday, September 8
10 am - Nominating Committee (Go-To-Meeting)
Thursday, September 10
10 am - Stewardship Ministry Team (Go-To-Meeting)
10 am - Commission on Preparation for Ministry
Friday, September 11
10 am - Geneva Center Transition Team
All meetings & events posted on the PWV Calendar are eastern time (ET) unless noted otherwise. Please visit http://www.ourpresbytery.org/calendar.htm for more information regarding meetings and events or call 574-223-5678.
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Every week, we publish this eNewsletter to hundreds of Wabash Valley and PC(USA) members and also post online! The Church Relations Coordinator accepts articles for entry and is always actively seeking new and original content sharing how your congregation is engaged in ministry. We would especially like to share photos and stories of your confirmands, new members, VBS, mission trips and other special ministries that are occurring in your congregation and community. Please forward your stories and photos to vicki@ourpresbytery.org, due each Friday.
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Presbytery of Wabash Valley & Geneva Center Contact InformationFinancial Consultant ~ Eric Herzog ~ 574-223-5678 ext 105 Geneva Center Manager ~ Cathy Adley ~ 574-223-6915 ext 200 Geneva Center Maintenance Director ~ Jeff Winegardener ~ 574-223-6915 ext 204
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Nourished by the living waters of Jesus Christ,
we awaken, enliven and enhance worshiping communities
to courageously extend their branches
and bear new fruit in the Spirit.
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