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The Weekly E-Newsletter of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area
| May 17, 2013
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Prayer RequestsMay 19, 2013
 - We pray for Honorably Retired Teaching Elder Darlene Stensby after the death of her husband Kenneth earlier this month.
- We pray for the family of James Cross, the brother of Ruling Elder Robert (Valley Community Presbyterian, Golden Valley) and Deacon William Cross (Oak Grove Presbyterian, Bloomington). James, a member of Kwanzaa Presbyterian in Minneapolis, died of cancer on April 29. A memorial was held recently.
- We pray for the faith communities of Grace Trinity Community Church and Aldrich Avenue Presbyterian church both in Minneapolis, as they launch alternative worship experiences called Stemwinder Worship and the Garden respectively.
- We pray for our New Church Developments, Chain of Lakes in Blaine and Familia de Fe in Minneapolis as well as their pastors, Paul Moore and Walter Chuquimia, as they share the good news of Christ in their respective contexts.
We now have a new weekly prayer email that arrives in your inbox on Tuesdays. Click here to find out this week's prayer concerns or go to Presbytery website to get a monthly printable version of the prayer calendar.
If you have a prayer concern you'd like to share with the wider Presbytery, please contact us by email at communications@ptcaweb.org .
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Annual Meeting HiglightsWhat Happened at the May Presbytery Meeting in Minneapolis.
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Teaching Elder David Colby of Central Presbyterian in St. Paul takes the podium for the first time as the new moderator of the PTCA. Former moderator and now Presbytery Council Chair Barb Lutter and Treasurer Ed Martin applaud the event.
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Last year, the Annual Meeting of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities was one for the history books in that it concluded at little past 10:30PM. This year's meeting ended at a normal time of 8:40PM. The meeting at Knox Presbyterian in Minneapolis included the election of Officers and a remembrance of former Moderator Ward Sessing who died last month after a struggle with cancer. You can read an unoffical summary at the Presbytery website, download a PDF version of the summary or view a slideshow of the meeting.
Study on Marriage
Discernment on same-sex marriage and a Reformed Understanding of Marriage Now Ready for Congregations.
At the request of the 220th General Assembly (2012), the office of Theology and Worship has produced a study on marriage, which is now ready for congregational and presbytery use.
The study is designed to help the entire church move into a time of serious study and discernment concerning its definition of marriage and whether or not same-gender relationships fit into the Reformed understanding of Christian marriage.
"I'm grateful that the General Assembly asked the office of Theology and Worship to help congregations wrestle with Scripture and the confessions in order to speak faithfully about marriage," says Presbyterian Mission Agency's Chip Hardwick, director of the Theology, Worship, and Education ministry area.
Click here to download the study and other resources. NOTE: Please watch your inboxes for an email from Executive Presbyter Chaz Ruark and Stated Clerk Bill Davnie regarding the recently signed Freedom to Marry Act which legalizes same-sex weddings to occur in Minnesota and how the law affects Presbyterian clergy.
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Ubuntu: Mission Resources
The Presbytery is full of stories on mission. What's Yours?
Ubuntu is about sharing what stories of mission are taking place in the Presbytery and we have a big presbytery, stretching from Western Wisconsin to the Twin Cities and down to Southeastern Minnesota. In that wide territory there are stories of churches doing God's mission in the world.
If you haven't been receiving Ubuntu via email, you can catch up by going to the PTCA website and reading some of our archived issues. We've also remade some of our recent emails into a printable format that can be used as inserts for your church bulletin or newsletter. Go on over to the website to find out more!
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Have You Given to General Mission? Support PTCA Mission.
Each member and congregation in the Presbytery of Twin Cities Area has a unique role to play in living out the great ends of the church. Working together allows us to work together to advance God's mission. Mission offerings from congregations and individuals go towards supporting New Church Developments like Familia de Fe and Chain of Lakes, support for the training of future pastors, offering aid to those in need after a disaster through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and several other important functions of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Has your church made its 2013 pledge?
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Glory to God!
Order the New Presbyterian Hymnal by June 1 for a discount.
 Time is running out for the chance for Early Order savings! Order by June 1, 2013 to get price saving.
On the Fast Track?
News from the PTCA Peace and Justice Taskforce.
While economists may debate the ethics of market liberalization, churches have historically argued that trade is not an end in itself, but must create abundant life for all. As negotiators wind down work on the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement (TPP), voices are pushing for Congress to vote to implement a fast track mechanism, a tool that prohibits Congress from amending the final bill and restricting public debate. Ordinary citizens know too little about the contents of the TPP already; it is the least transparent trade agreement U.S. negotiators have put forward. Both Presbyterian polity and federal governance presume transparent processes that enable debate and give minority voices a hearing. Please join us in this webinar as the church urges the Congress to protect its own authority to regulate trade and to protect public discourse and open debate.
Title: The Case for Transparency: How Fast Track Shuts Down Public Debate on Trade
Date: Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Time: 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM EDT
Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar Seat Now at:
CPM Summer Gathering
June 24 in South St. Paul.
 The Committee on Preparation for Ministry (CPM) is hosting a Summer Gathering for individuals exploring a sense of call to Teaching Elder in the PC(USA), including Seekers, Inquirers, Candidates, Pastors and Session Liaisons . The event will take place Monday, June 24, 2013 4:00pm to 9:00pm at First Presbyterian Church in South St. Paul, MN.
If you are a pastor or church member who has been in conversation with a member of your church who has expressed an interest in becoming a Teaching Elder, or if you know of someone in your congregation that you believe may have gifts and skills for ministry as a Teaching Elder, please share this invitation with them and encourage them to register for this event. For more information or to register, please click here.
Is This Heaven? No, It's Iowa.
Time to Register for Synod School
Registration for Synod School continues to run and the numbers for the popular mid-summer education, leadership and family-fun event is trending high. Synod School 2013 runs July 21-26 at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. The
Synod School Catalog - along with all the information and forms necessary to get registered - is online. The theme of annual midsummer ministry is "Belonging to God."
If you're just the least bit curious about the enthusiasm surrounding Synod School, check out the Facebook group - Synod School
- "Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa!"
Synod Women's Gathering
This June in Storm Lake Iowa with Theresa Cho.
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The registration booklet, including a list of workshops and the registration form, for the 2013 Gathering of the Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, set Wednesday through Saturday, June 12-15, is on the
synod website.
The gathering, featuring the Rev. Theresa Cho, a leader in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who has been active in youth, women's and peacemaking efforts throughout the church, takes place at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. The Rev. Sara Dingman-Lavigne, interim presbyter of Missouri River Valley, will be the worship leader, and the Rev. Sarah Dickinson, pastor of Mosher-Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Omaha, will lead Bible study.
Learn About Homelessness Minneapolis Non-Profit offers ways to learn about not having a home.
Ever wonder what to do for the next Adult Forum? Looking to deepen a Sunday School or a Confirmation hour with an engaging, age-appropriate lesson on poverty and homelessness? Hungering for a puppet show or other creative medium for a children's sermon in worship that will inspire kids to think about others in need? How about an overnight immersion experience for your youth group this summer?
For 30 years PSP has been helping families find their way home, with the mission "To serve homeless children & their families, and provide new opportunities for healthy, stable family life." People Serving People is the largest shelter in Minnesota for families experiencing homelessness. They are located in downtown, Minneapolis, near the Metrodome.
They are now expanding opportunities for you to connect with their mission. Find out more by contacting:
~Jennifer Swick (612) 277-0209
Community Partnership Manager
Synod Summary
What Happened at the Spring Meeting of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies.
The unofficial Synod Summary of the spring meeting of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies can be found online. The summary contains stories on resolutions, moderator and vice moderator installations and 2014 per capita - and even more.
Click here to download the Synod Summary.
Become a Chaplain Among the Pines Presbyterian Clearwater Forest looking for Summer Chaplain.
Clearwater Forest, a Presbyterian camp near Deerwood, Minn., in the heart of lake country, is looking for ministers to serve as summer camp chaplains. The chaplain will be responsible to serve as a pastor to the summer staff, a spiritual resource person to the weekly volunteers, campers and guests, and assist in nurturing an active Christian community. The Chaplain will work closely with the associate director and the worship coordinator.
Find out what's going on in the larger world of the Presbyterian Church (USA) by reading the latest stories from Presbyterian News Service. Click here to read new and recent articles.
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News of the Kirks
What's Happening in PTCA Churches.
A Pentecost Prayer for New and Renewing Ministries in the PTCA ( more) Macalester-Plymouth Church Looking for Office Administrator( more) Retired Bishop Gene Robinson coming to Westminster in late June ( more) First South St. Paul takes part in Just. Good. Food. ( more) North Presbyterian Looking for Adult Choir Director ( more) Aldrich Avenue and Church of All Nations Team up to create the Garden worship service ( more) Pentecost Music Celebration at Dayton Avenue ( more) MSNBC Host Mike Scarborough to be at House of Hope on 5/19 ( more) First, LeRoy looking for Interim Pastor ( more)
Looking for a job or open pulpit? Visit our employment page to see our job listings. |
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 EMerge is a weekly publication from the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area (PTCA). Recipients include congregations, teaching elders, ruling elders, church members, committees, and friends. Please send submissions and e-mail corrections to Dennis Sanders, editor, at communications@ptcaweb.org . Usual distribution: Thursdays. You can find out more at the PTCA website: www.presbyterytwincities.org
122 W. Franklin Ave.
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area
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