Northern Plains extends invitation

to leadership retreat

Leading well in today's church is especially challenging for clergy. Remaining resilient while retaining focus on God's mission isn't an easy task. The Presbytery of the Northern Plains will be host to a retreat, "Leading Long, Leading Well: Remaining Resilient in Time of Adoptive Change," April 16-17 in Grand Forks, N.D., with those thoughts in mind, and the presbytery has extended the invitation to that retreat beyond its bounds. The retreat will explore the notion of resiliency as part of strong leadership, and offer the opportunity to discover what resiliency means for leadership.  The retreat will also explore mind, body and spirit practices designed to enhance leadership effectiveness.  Details are available in a brochure at "Leading Long and Well."

Text, discussion, current votes

on constitutional amendments are online

The proposed amendments to the constitution approved by the 221st General Assembly Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) last summer in Detroit can be found online at "Amendments." In another document, the Association of Stated Clerks of the PC(USA) have compiled lists of arguments used both for and against each amendment as it was debated during the Assembly. That document is at "Discussion." Current presbytery vote tallies can be found at "Votes."

UNCO planned at Stony Point in May

The spring edition of the "unconference" - or simply UNCO - is coming in May at Stony Point Conference Center in New York. It's an unconference for church leaders, pastors, families and seminarians, and includes worship and open-space discussion on the church and its future. The event runs May 18-20. Details can be found at "UNCO." It can also be followed on Twitter @UNCOtweet or through the Twitter conversation at #unco15.
 

NEXT Church runs later this month in Chicago

The National Gathering of NEXT Church is set to run Monday through Wednesday, March 16-18, at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. The event's website notes "our imaginations will be sparked by testimony to the ways the Spirit is leading us beyond ourselves: in campus ministry, building schools in Uganda, to the edges of business, and connecting with local schools." Details can be found at "NEXT Church."

Growth Summit planned in April in Lincoln

The Growth Project of the Quad Presbyteries - Central Nebraska, Homestead, Missouri River Valley and Prospect Hill - will conduct its annual Growth Summit on Monday and Tuesday, April 13-14, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Neb. Featuring Anna Carter Florence, Bill Tenny-Brittian and William Willimon, the Summit is open to others beyond the Quad Presbyteries boundaries. Other sponsors of the Summit are the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation and the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. Details and access to registration materials can be found at "Growth Summit."

NAPC Triennium planned in April in Arkansas

The National Association of Presbyterian Clergywomen will gather for its Triennium April 16-19 at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center of Little Rock, Ark. The theme for the event is "God Moves - Be Still." Stephany Graham, a pastor at Peekskill Presbyterian Church in Peekskill, N.Y., will be the keynote speaker and Adele Crawford, pastor at Valley Presbyterian Church in Brookfield, Conn., will lead worship. Crawford came to the ministry after a 15-year career as a professional singer. Details about the event can be found at "NAPC Triennium."

Camps across synod gear up for summer sessions

There are five Presbyterian camps in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies - actually six, if one counts the two camps of the Presbytery of South Dakota - Rimrock and Pioneer. And all of them are getting ready for summer. Camp Wyoming of Wyoming, Iowa, also uses a variety of social media. Calvin Crest Camp, Conference & Retreat Center is just outside Fremont, Neb., and it has a Facebook presence. Then, of course, there is Clearwater Forest near Deerwood, Minn., a multi-presbytery and synod camp. It's on Facebook at Clearwater Forest. And on Lake Okoboji in Iowa there is the Lakeshore Center at Okoboji and it's on Facebook, too. Speaking of those two camps in South Dakota, both are in the beautiful Black Hills region and both can be found in the same location online.

Registration is underway

for Summer Pastors School

It may not seem like it, but summer is just around the corner and so is Summer Pastors School, planned June 7-13, at Hastings (Neb.) College. Built this year around the theme, "Good to Great - The Miracles of Jesus that Transformed Lives," the weeklong session will feature a number of leading Presbyterian speakers, including Jerry Cannon, senior pastor at C.N. Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C.; Gene Fowler Jr., pastor at Irondequoit Presbyterian Church in Rochester, N.Y.; Amy Fowler, executive presbyter of Genesee Valley Presbytery; Donald McKim, author of "Presbyterian Faith That Lives Today;" LindaJo McKim, author of "The Presbyterian Hymnal Companion;" and Carol Howard Merritt, author of "Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation." Organized and administered by the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation, details and registration information are at "Summer School."

Plans underway for comm workshops this fall

Plans are being made for two - maybe three - church marketing and communications workshops that will take place in Nebraska. The tentative schedule includes Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 15-16. Topics - at a minimum (and only restricted by time) include hospitality, social media and the basics of "push marketing." Workshops will be led by Kris Peterson, congregational resource coordinator in Homestead Presbytery, and Duane Sweep, associate for communications for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. Information is coming soon to Keeping in Touch.

'Big Tent' planned in late July in Knoxville

Unlike previous iterations of the "Big Tent," this year's event will not take place at a large hotel. Instead, it will take place on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville. The event will run Thursday through Saturday, July 30 through Aug. 1, in Knoxville, Tenn. An announcement in the Presbyterian Communicator Network's newsletter notes, "This year 'Big Tent' will offer fresh opportunities for spiritual growth in a setting that fosters camaraderie in a unique way." The complete newsletter can be found at "Big Tent."

Presbyterians Today publishes

'Resource Guide for Ministry'

Described as "an easy-to-read, in-depth guidebook that puts loads of vital ministry information at your fingertips," Presbyterians Today has published "The Resource Guide" as a special March issue. The publication "covers dozens of subjects, including disaster response, fundraising and stewardship, the ins and outs of building a website and using social media, children's/youth/collegiate/young adult ministry, church planting, grant and scholarship sources, evangelism, worship ... and much more." Details about the issue can be found at "Resources."

IRMS publishes newsletter, lists resources

Each month Iowa Religious Media Services of Urbandale publishes an electronic newsletter featuring the newest and best resources in its collection. In addition, the newsletter will include interviews with users of IRMS resources, explaining the benefits of using IRMS resources. Back issues are also available. The newsletter is at "eNews."

More information of Grace, Gratitude

curriculum released online 

More detailed information about the recently developed curriculum for children's ministry, "Growing in Grace & Gratitude," is now available at "Growing." At the same site, links are available for free downloadable samples found under each of the age levels. A printed sampler can also be ordered. Details are available in "Point Connection."

Identifying a racist? Bad people

don't have a monopoly

Adam Mordecai curates the democracy blog on Upworthy - a website often highlighted in this area of Keeping in Touch. In a recent note about racism he notes, "Racism exists among upper-class liberals in the Northeast and poor western farmers and in congressmen and in talk-show hosts and, well, everywhere. Because racism isn't the province of a single group of people. Bad people don't have a monopoly on it." Mordecai provides a link to a video by Jay Smooth. There's something to be learned here ... and shared. It's at "Right and Wrong Ways."