News . Events . Tools . ResourcesOctober 14, 2014
News, Stories, and Photos:
Summer Camping 2014

The season is over, but you can see photos from this summer's Family Camp and Racial Ethnic Youth Leadership Camp. 

River Glen earns Earth Care distinction

Through education, greening their building, and events like Earth Stewardship Sunday (where members travel to church in environmentally friendly ways, like the kayakers on the right), Naperville River Glen is now a PCUSA Earth Care congregation. Read more. 
Faith and Fly Fishing

"I watched intently for a fish to bite the tasty morsel as it gently floated downstream. Alas, I learned that fly fishing takes patience." -- Read more from Executive Presbyter Bob Reynolds
Upcoming Events:
Installations and Ordinations

Dates set for services for new ministries of teaching elders: 
  • Dorothy Symonds - Barrington Presbyterian Church - 11/1 at 1pm
  • David Neff - Second Presbyterian Church, Chicago - 11/16 at 11 am
Nigerian Illinois Nurses Association

In honor of Nigerian Independence Day, NINA will be offering free services, including flu vaccines and health screenings, to the community. View flyer. 

Chicago Edgewater Presbyterian Church
October 19, noon 
Youth Ministry leaders BBQ

Do you minister to youth? October 20 for fellowship and event planning with your counterparts from other churches. View calendar of youth events and planning team meetings for 2014-2015.
Israeli Historian Ilan Pappe

Noted Israeli professor and author Ilan Pappe will present on the topic "The Ongoing Nakba." View flyer. 
 

Thursday, October 23, 7:30pm

Church of our Saviour, Lincoln Park, Chicago

Last chance in 2014 - Boundary Training

"Boundaries, Balance and Burnout in Ministry" 

Speaker Dr. Timone Davis

 

Friday, October 24
Chicago Pullman Presbyterian Church

More info.

Public Debate: Does God Exist? 

Religion professor Kirk MacGregor will debate mathematics professor Ben Wallis on this classic question. View flyer. 

Hickory Hills Presbyterian Church
Friday, October 24, 7pm 
Pre-marital Facilitators Training

Attending this seminar will certify you to use inventory resources, provide feedback and walk with couples on their pre-marital journey.

Rev. Ann Ohlrogge Johnson, November 3, Samaritan Center in Evanston. More info
Multicultural Worship with Dr. Carvalhaes

Join with churches across the presbytery for a service of dance, songs, and our keynote speaker, new McCormick Seminary faculty member Claudio Carvalhaes, followed by a multicultural meal. More info.

Sunday, November 9, 3pm
Evanston First Presbyterian Church
Sponsored by the Multicultural Church Ministry Team of the Presbytery of Chicago
Sr. High Fall Retreat - registration open

Covenant Harbor Retreat Center
Lake Geneva, WI 
November 7, 2014 - November 9

Photo by Joshua Mayer

 

Is your church preparing School Kits?

"Without the help from CWS School Kits, many students would have entered their classrooms with empty hands." 
-- Judy Gregory, Chamber of Commerce, East Prairie, MO, where a levee breach put one quarter of the county under water.

Join in by bringing at least 25 School Kits to the November 15th Presbytery Assembly. More info.
Certificate in Leadership, Transformed

Discovering anew what it means to step beyond the walls of our buildings to be the Church in our communities

November 21-22, 2014
McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Speaker: Mark Lau Branson

Part 1 of Certificate in Leadership for a Transformed Church
Tools and Resources:
Poll: favorite online tool for ministry 

What's your favorite online tool to get ministry tasks done? Vote on SurveyMonkey.com to see results.
Hootsuite / Dropbox / Pixlr / CaringBridge / SermonCloud / Other
Top 10 financial pitfalls for churches

Watch the video or download the notes from Eric Heinekamp's talk to learn the top 10 financial mistakes churches are making and how you can avoid them. 
Top 10 Financial Mistakes Churches Make
This TAG Talk was delivered at Presbytery Assembly, 9/16
Proposed PCUSA Amendments
BOO 2013

The 221st General Assembly has recommended that presbyteries approve seven amendments to the Book of Order and that the Belhar Confession be added to the Book of Confessions. The proposed texts are available online for review. 

Voting commissioners at Presbytery Assembly: Your assembly papers will list when Chicago votes.
Order PCUSA Mission Yearbooks for 2015

Mission Yearbooks bring a daily story of Presbyterians across the country and the globe. A great gift for new members, officers, and college students.

2015 theme: discipleship
Place your order through the Presbytery for the group discount.
Looking for a spiritual director? 
Mercy Center, Saint Louis labyrinth
Both pastors and church members can benefit from working with a spiritual director.

Presbytery Directory updated September

The 2014 directory lists Congregations, Teaching Elders, Certified Christian Educators, Elected Ruling Elders and Congregation Members, work groups, committees, and more.

Use your Assembly password to download the directory.
By Juan Pablo Bravo for The Noun Project
By Juan Pablo Bravo for The Noun Project
Job Openings More opportunities on chicagopresbytery.org
Search for a call on PCUSA Church Leadership Connection
2014 Moderator's Theme: 
Your Church or Org's Event Here
Submit your news to share with members through the presbytery
In This Issue
News and Photos
Upcoming Events
Tools + Resources
Job Openings
Who We Are
About Connect

Hundreds of elders, educators, and church leaders read Presbytery Connect, an email newsletter sent twice a month. Send in your announcement by Tuesday, October 21 for publication in the next issue. 

 

You can reissue or modify this content for your own church bulletin or newsletter, without crediting Presbytery Connect, but please credit organizations, photographers, etc, that we credited.

Creative Commons License

What's CC?

 

This listing of news, events, tools, and resources is sponsored by the Communications Work Group of the Presbytery of Chicago Presbytery Coordinating Commission.

Editor: Laura Cathey

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