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EMerge is a newsletter of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area. Through most of the year it is published weekly and distributed to congregations, teaching elders, ruling elders, church members, committees and friends of the presbytery. Please send submissions and address corrections to [email protected].
April 22, 2016
  
Presbytery news  
 
Childcare will be available
at May 10 meeting
Presbytery Logo Childcare will be available at the May 10 annual stated meeting of Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, thanks to volunteers from the host congregation, First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater, Minn. Their hope is that childcare will make it easier for parents of younger children to participate in presbytery meetings. Childcare will be available from 2:30 p.m. until the end of the meeting.
 
In order to have the needed volunteers available, please let the church know by Thursday, May 5, if you would like to make use of this service, providing the number and ages of the children who will be coming. Parents should plan on bringing dinner food for the child unless the child will be eating dinner with the parent.
 
Contact information for the First Presbyterian is by phone at 651.439.4380 and e-mail at [email protected].
 
Bill Davnie
Stated Clerk
 
Jeff's Jottings
Following the voice we already know ...

By Jeff Japinga
Transitional Executive Presbyter

Jeff Japinga
You've had weeks, I'm sure, like this one has been for me: good and important, vital for the future, and very full. What keeps you going through weeks like that? What keeps you focused on what's important?
 
Sometimes, for me, it's been a bunny, and a shepherd.
 
Many of you, I'm sure, have read Margaret Wise Brown's children's book, "The Runaway Bunny." When a little bunny says that he is running away from home, his mother responds by saying that wherever he goes, she will be there with him. No matter what he becomes - a fish in a stream, a flower in a hidden garden, or a rock on a mountain - his mother's love will find him and support him.
 
The complete column is at "Following the Voice."
Activities in presbytery   
 
Social justice workshop planned
Andrew Kang Bartlett April 23 at Westminster
Andrew Kang Bartlett, associate for hunger concerns of the Presbyterian Hunger Program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), will present a workshop Saturday, April 23, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. The workshop, titled "Food Justice in an Age of #BlackLivesMatter & Climate Change: Open Mind, Warm Heart, Willing Hands," runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details are at "Food Justice."
 
Future of U.S.-Cuba relations
is discussion topic in Twin Cities event
Titled "The Future of U.S.-Cuba Relations: A conversation with Different Perspectives," Westminster Presbyterian Church of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Cuba Committee are sponsoring a conversation that will address a variety of topics revolving around the Minnesota Cuba renewed relationship of the two countries. The conversation is planned Wednesday, April 27, at 6:30 p.m. at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. The Rev. Tim Hart-Andersen, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian, will moderate a discussion between Duane Khronke, a lawyer and ruling elder of Westminster Presbyterian, and August Nimtz, professor of political science and African American and African Studies, University of Minnesota and co-coordinator of the Minnesota Cuba Committee. Among numerous other topics are questions concerning the end of the U.S. embargo, Cuba's claim for damages caused by the embargo, and U.S. claims for expropriation of property. Details are at "Discussion."
 
Andrew Riverside to be host
to 'Who Has Eyes To See' performances
Andrew Riverside Presbyterian Church, located at 403 SE Eighth Ave., in Minneapolis, will be host to performances of the play, "Who Has Eyes To See," a Who has eyes to see play by Shannon T.L. Kearns, that addresses transgender identity. The play is presented by Uprising Theatre Company. The play premieres Friday, April 29, with subsequent performances slated Saturday, April 30, and Friday, May 6. Each performance is followed by a facilitated discussion about the themes presented in the show. Additional information is available at "Who Has Eyes."
 
Moral injury is subject of 2-day
session at SpringHouse Ministry
Nakashima Brock The Rev. Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, co-founder and director of the Soul Repair Center at Brite Divinity School in Ft. Worth, Texas, will be the keynote speaker at two-day session on "Trauma and Its Aftermath: Moral Injury and Moral Meaning Making" at SpringHouse Ministry Center in Minneapolis on May 13-14. Four scholarships to attend the workshop are available through the Disabilities Concerns Ministry of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area. Brock, a leader in the field of moral injury, describes moral injury as "a complex wound of the soul," resulting from empathy and self-reflection on values in the wake of morally ambiguous, extreme conditions. Brock uses the term "soul repair" as a way to describe the process of recovery from moral injury. Complete details can be found at "Trauma and Aftermath."
Service opportunities ...   
 
House of Hope Presbyterian Church on Summit Avenue in St. Paul is seeking an individual who will be responsible for managing the maintenance, repair, security and upkeep of the buildings and grounds. Education and experience in facilities management in a similar setting and a First Class C boiler license is required. A letter of interest and resume should be sent to Diane Smith, director of administration, at [email protected]. A full job description is available at "Facilities Manager."

Plymouth Presbyterian Church in Plymouth, Minn., a dynamic 25-year-old, medium-sized congregation is seeking an energetic interim pastor. The person needs to excel in collaboration, strategy and vision, and be an excellent communicator. Details, including where to direct inquiries, can be found at "Plymouth Interim."

Community Presbyterian Church of Rochester, Minn., is seeking a part-time Christian education director who will work with its Christian education committee in planning, developing and supervising the Christian education program of the congregation. The complete position description is at "Christian Education."
To give away ...
 
First Presbyterian Church in Rochester has 41 Revised Standard Version Bibles and 10 Good News/Today's English Version Bibles in need of a new home. The RSV Bibles are in almost new condition and the Good News versions are in good condition. For information, contact the church office at 507.282.1618 or e-mail [email protected].
Conferences, resources 

 

Great Plains Wee Kirk

Conference set May 2-4 in Nebraska

Fellowship Community The Rev. Bill Nottage-Tacey is the main speaker at this spring's Great Plains Wee Kirk Conference planned May 2-4 at Calvin Crest Camp, Conference & Retreat Center near Fremont, Neb. This year's conference is themed "Speak the Word of God with All Boldness." Great Plains Wee Kirk is a ministry of The Fellowship Community with support from the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation. Details, including links to register, can be found at "Wee Kirk."

 

Clearwater Forest notes 'sapping'

success, lists summer camp details

The April newsletter of Clearwater Forest, a Presbyterian camp and conference center near  Deerwood, Minn., noted stories of a busy spring. "Spring has truly set in at Clearwater Forest," the newsletter proclaimed. "Our sappers were very busy with almost 3,000 gallons of sap from 400 trees ... collected over a two-week period. ... We hope to see and hear the loons and ospreys soon!" Details of the summer programs can be found at "Clearwater Forest."

 

Synod PW posts registration

booklet for summer gathering

Presbyterian Women logo The registration booklet for the Gathering of Presbyterian Women in the Synod ofLakes and Prairies is posted on the synod's website. The booklet provides detailed information about the Gathering that takes place June 15-18 in Sioux Falls, S.D. The booklet is at "Program and Registration Form."

 

Congregational Ministries Publishing

debuts new online catalog

CMP Online Catalog Congregational Ministries Publishing has gone digital. For the first time, the Presbyterian Mission Agency's publisher of curriculum and other educational resources for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is offering an easy-to-use online catalog. The new digital catalog features all of CMP's products in one place -- including the acclaimed "Growing in Grace & Gratitude" denominational children's curriculum -- with a simple one-touch click for more information and a quick one-click connection for easy ordering. The complete announcement can be found at "Online Catalog."

Each year, on a Sunday during Lent, Presbyterians across the country take time to celebrate Self-Development of People, a ministry of One Great Hour of Sharing. Now in its 46th year, SDOP focuses on poor, oppressed and disadvantaged people by establishing partnerships with low-income community groups domestically and around the world. Since the ministry began in 1970, SDOP has provided support to more than 5,600 community projects in 67 countries. Working with its national committee, 25 presbytery and three synod committees, SDOP provides grants to communities struggling with social justice and economic issues.  March 13 has been designated as SDOP Sunday this year and church leaders are hoping congregations will take note. The complete Presbyterian News Service story is at "SDOP."

https://www.pcusa.org/news/2016/2/16/presbyterian-churches-commemorate-sdop-sunday-marc/

 

Synod School catalog published, distributed, placed on website

The Synod School 2016 catalog has been published, been placed in the mail, and been posted on the Synod of Lakes and Prairies website. The website also includes all the details and forms necessary to register. Registration opened this week. John Bell, the world renowned lecturer, preacher and teacher will be this summer's convocations peaker. Bell is a member of the Wild Goose Resource Group, an autonomous project of the Iona Community. The synod's annual week-long summer ministry runs July 24-29 at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. Each year about 600 people participate in the courses, worship, fellowship, fun and relaxation. Details are at "Synod School."

http://www.lakesandprairies.org/SynodSchool

 

United Seminary's art exhibitions continue to April

How are faith communities establishing their convictions and response to the Black Lives Matter movement? And what about the women who are caught up in violent policing tactics? The Center for Arts, Faith & Culture at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is partnering with Intermedia Arts and Obsidian Arts to present two complementary, juried exhibitions - "Faith [In]Action" and "Hands Up Don't Shoot -- HER." Art forms include paintings, photography, digital and paper collage, video, poetry, music, digital printing on fabric, embellished art-wear, sculpture and more. The exhibits run Jan. 28 through April 16. Details are at "Art Exhibits."

http://www.unitedseminary.edu/initiatives/center-arts-faith-culture/in-the-gallery/

 

Summer Pastors School runs in early June at Hastings College

Summer Pastors School, a program of the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation, runs June 5-11 at Hastings (Neb.) College. Speakers include Thomas G. Long, Bandy professor of preaching at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta; James Ayers, renewal pastor at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Wichita, Kan., and professor at Fuller Seminary in Houston; Nancy Ramsay, professor of pastoral theology and pastoral care at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas; and Mark Sundby, executive director of North Central Ministry Development Center in New Brighton, Minn. Early bird registration runs through April 20. Details are at "Summer Pastors School."

http://omahapresbyterianseminaryfoundation.org/2016-Summer-Pastors'-School.html

 

PC(USA) offers resources for designing church website

In this day and age it is extremely important to have a presence online. However, just having a website isn't always enough. The website's layout and content play a huge role in its effectiveness. Among the vital statistics: 85 percent of users leave websites due to poor design, 40 percent never return because the content was hard to find, 83 percent of users leave because there were too many clicks to find what they wanted, and 75 percent of visitors admit to making judgments about a company's credibility based on their website's design. More details are available at "Website Design."

http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/communicate/news/

 

Youth ministry is topic of current Presbyterians Today issue

"It was a hot August night, and Atlanta's Buckhead Theatre had been reserved for a special gala to honor 15 remarkable teenagers. With the help of GivingPoint, a leading youth philanthropy organization, these youth had launched nonprofit organizations that were addressing significant social problems such as homelessness, teen pregnancy, poverty, and inadequate education." That's the way the lead story by Chanon Ross opens in the current edition of Presbyterians Today. The magazine's March/April theme is youth ministry. The complete story, along with other stories from the current issue, can be found at "Youth Ministry Guide."

http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/today/

 

Workshops announced for 2016 Advocacy Training Weekend

The PC(USA) Office of Public Witness has released workshop titles and descriptions for Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day, held annually in Washington, D.C. The 2016 training date is Friday, April 15. Attending Presbyterians can then join the larger ecumenical community for the next two days in plenaries, worship and discussion as part of Ecumenical Advocacy Days, which brings together more than a 1,000 people within the Christian community for its annual national gathering. The event culminates Monday, April 18, when attendees can lobby their local congressmen on important social justice issues. The complete story can be found at "Advocacy Training."

https://www.pcusa.org/news/2016/2/19/workshops-announced-2016-compassion-peace-and-just/

 

Conference plannedon bi-vocational ministry

Titled "Bi-Vocational Ministry in the 21st Century," a conference slated April 15-16 at Saint Simons Island in Georgia will offer information important to those serving or seeking to serve in a bi-vocational ministry context as well as others who work with ministers who serve in such contexts. The Rev. Dr. Robert Grove-Markwood, right, director of the BTS Center, mission successor to Bangor Theological Seminary, will be the keynote speaker. A complete brochure can be found at "Serving in the 21st Century."
News of the wider church

 

J. Herbert Nelson named nominee
J Herbert Nelson for PC(USA) stated clerk

J. Herbert Nelson, currently director of the Office of Public Witness for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is the nominee to be the PC(USA)'s next stated clerk. Chosen from a group of six who had made it to the final round for consideration, the Stated Clerk Nomination Committee named Nelson April 19 as its nominee. The committee will ask the General Assembly, meeting in Portland, Ore., June 18-25, to elect the 56-year-old Nelson to a four-year term as stated clerk, succeeding Gradye Parsons. The complete story from The Presbyterian Outlook can be found at "Nelson." The Rev. Carol McDonald, moderator of the committee that selected Nelson, commented on Nelson's selection in a video at "Nelson Selected."

 

presbyterian disaster assistance PDA mobilizing to assist

in Japan, Ecuador

Information is still coming in about the devastating effects of the earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is organizing a response to help sustain life and restore hope in the coming days. "Our hearts break and rise up in prayer for the people of Ecuador and Japan," said the Rev. Dr. Laurie Kraus, coordinator for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. "Right now, we need the church's prayers and financial assistance." The complete Presbyterian News Service story is at "Responding."

 

Justice, Peace newsletter addresses Justice Peace News solutions to racism

Writing in the current edition of Presbyterian Justice & Peace newsletter, Sara Lisherness, director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency's Office of Compassion, Peace and Justice, noted, "There is no doubt, we live in difficult times. While our society and church have come a long way, the killings of people of color by police, racially-motivated fatal shootings at a South Carolina church and racially-charged rhetoric in the midst of presidential campaign rallies, remind us of how far we have to go to address racism. ... For this issue of Justice and Peace Close Up, we look at a few of the ways the church is dealing with racism and finding solutions." The complete issue is at "Justice and Peace."

 

Newsletter for young adult ministry

notes pre-GA 'Summit'

UKirk Summit The current edition of Ministry News, a newsletter for UKirk and young adult ministry, addresses registering with the UKirk network and the upcoming "Summit 2016," a pre-General Assembly event. Jason Santos, associate for collegiate ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, noted, "The UKirk Network, at its core, was designed to be a community of folks who share in a passion for and engage in ministries to college-aged young adults." The complete newsletter is at "UKirk."

 

New worshiping community builds church without building

1001 Worshiping Communities What could your congregation do if it didn't have to worry about keeping up a building? That's the question Rev. Eneyas Freitas asked when he started a new worshiping community called Urban Connect in Phoenix. His congregation meets at a new event venue called The Vintage 45 in Phoenix's warehouse district every Sunday morning. The other days of the week the space operates as an event venue, owned and operated by a separate board of directors and staff. The complete Presbyterian News Service story is at "Building but Not Building."

 

Historic meeting takes place

between Cuban, U.S. Presbyterians

A delegation from the presbyteries of Peace River, Tampa Bay and Tropical Florida made a historic trip to Cuba in February to meet with leaders of the  Cuba U.S. flags Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba (PRCC), their first official meeting in 54 years. Prior to 1967, the Cuban Church was a Presbytery within the Synod of New Jersey in the United Presbyterian Church and was nurtured by missionaries and substantial mission giving. The Cuban revolution and the U.S. embargo made the continuation of that financial support for Cuban mission and ministry impossible, and in fact it severed communications. The complete Presbyterian News Service story is at "Restoring Relations."

Ecumenical leaders tell

denominations to step up, speak up

Picking up where Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day left off, approximately 200 Presbyterians joined Christian counterparts from other denominations in Washington, D.C., for Ecumenical Advocacy Days, an opportunity to explore, discuss and challenge the issues of racism, class and power. The annual gathering of more than 60 sponsoring faith communities and organizations, works to "strengthen the Christian voice and mobilize for advocacy on specific U.S. domestic and international policy issues." This year, organizers brought in speakers from across the U.S. and other countries to share the challenges they face in human rights, job and food security and the corporate power connected with many of these issues. The complete Presbyterian News Service story is at "Speaking Up."