Job Support Groups at Christ Presbyterian:  Christ Presbyterian in Edina offers the following groups to help those in transition:

• CHRIST IN CAREER SUPPORT GROUP:Meets first and third Saturdays of the month from 8:30-10:30AM in Room 316

Contact: Jack Baloga at 952.944.5194

*A ministry of Christ Presbyterian Church

• INDIVIDUAL MENTORING/COACHING*

Contact the CPC Lay Care office at 952.920.8515

*A ministry of Christ Presbyterian Church

• MINNEAPOLIS JOB SUPPORT WORKSHOP

Meets every Tuesday at 6:30PM

Contact: John Wetzel at john.wetzel@right.com

Visit www.mjsw.org

• WOMEN’S NETWORKING GROUP

Meets second Tuesday of the month at 6:30PM in the Parlor

Contact: John Wetzel at john.wetzel@right.com

Visit www.mjsw.org

Job Support Group at Lake Nokomis: The South Minneapolis Job Networking Group meets at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian on Fridays at 9am for support, resources and networking.  For more information, please contact the congregation at (612) 721-4463.

Boundaries Training Available: This training is offered on three different dates in three different regions of Minnesota. All sessions are from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Lunch and materials are included.

• Thursday, October 8th 2009 – Fergus Falls, MN
• Thursday, October 22nd 2009 – Hinckley, MN
• Thursday, November 5th 2009 – Lakeville, MN

For more information or to register contact Aundrea Billings at aundrea.billings@mnchurches.org  or 612-230-3236 or visit www.mnchurches.org .

Important News about the Bible Content Exam – The PC(USA)’s Bible Content Examination will now be administered ONLINE ONLY. The online Bible Content Examination is a proctored examination administered at seminary testing sites. Test takers will need a computer with internet access in order to take this examination. The examination will be available in English, Korean and Spanish.  The exam will be offered twice each year beginning October 2, 2009. Applicants must first read the instructions and explanatory material before visiting the new site  (www.pcusa.org/exams/bible.htm)

which allows for online registration and payment for the exam.

Synod Communicator Event Set for September: Communicators, and anyone else who might want to attend, are being invited to the second Synod-wide Communicators Conference Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 2-4, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Eagan, Minn. Sarah Moore-Nokes, associate executive presbyter in Winnebago Presbytery, will lead the conference’s first session Wednesday evening on Google Tools. Attendees are asked, if possible, to bring their own laptop computer. Shane Whisler, communications director in the Synod of the Sun, will provide details about working with Presbyterian Neighbor News on Thursday morning, and Bethany Furkin will also address the conference about the Presbyterian News Service during that time. There is also a possibility that the executive director for the Committee on Local Arrangements for the 2010 General Assembly will be on hand before Thursday’s lunch. Full registration is $100 and includes all sessions, accommodations, opening dinner, two breakfasts and a lunch. For those who do not need accommodations, registration is $40 for all sessions. Registration is easy, simply send an email to Duane Sweep, associate for communications at the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, at dsweep@lakesandprairies.org . The email should include name and position. The registration fee can be mailed to Duane Sweep, Synod of Lakes and Prairies, 2115 Cliff Drive, Eagan, MN 55122.

A Conversation on the Future of Faith Communities: Saturday, September 19th, 2009, 9am – 3pm, Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church, 1620 East 46th Street, Minneapolis MN 55407.  Does the church have anything to say anymore to the big questions in people’s lives? if so, what?  How can the church be engaged with the questions: What is a lifetime? Why do we live it?  We will learn about the loss of identity and loss of belonging that characterize so much of life today, and explore how the church might imagine hope and community with and alongside people.  We’ll talk about how the church can wrestle with questions, enter into suffering, and speak of hope in reality.  We will hear from Andy Root (from his forthcoming book, “The Promise of Despair: The Way of the Cross as the Way of the Church”), and also get into some good theological conversation with one another – from many different churches and perspectives.  
 
This is for church leaders, and for regular folks: it is a day of theological conversation for everyone.

 Registration Including Lunch: $20 (Lunch by Pepito’s)Registration is limited. To register, call Jan at 612-721-4463. Download a flyer at www.ptcaweb.org/News/Root%20Event%20Flyer-4.pdf .

Dr. Andy Root is a theologian and professor of Youth & Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, St. Paul and the author of Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry, Relationships Unfiltered, and the forthcoming The Promise of Despair: The Way of the Cross as the Way of the Church.

Co-hosted by Randolph Heights Presbyterian Church, Edgcumbe Presbyterian Church, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, and Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church.

Workshop on Mental Illness:  The Disability Concerns Task Force is sponsoring a workshop called, Mental Illness: A Challenge to our Churches, September 19, from 9AM to Noon at Presbyterian Church of the Way in Shoreview.  This workshop is open to Parish visitors, pastors, family members of persons who live with mental illness, deacons, elders, anyone who wants to understand mental illness and cares about ministry with the one in five who live with mental illness.  To register, find more information and for childcare, please contact Rev. Bebe Baldwin at randbonmarquette@hotmail.com  .

Prayer at the Fair: You don’t have to miss church to attend the Minnesota State Fair. Once again the Minnesota Council of Churches presents Prayer at the Fair, an ecumenical service of thanksgiving and praise for God’s creation on the Sunday mornings of the Fair. The Minnesota State Fair is a celebration of abundance.

Each year more than a million people come to partake in all that has been created for us – from the miracle of new life in the birthing barn to the silliness of deep fried candy bars on a stick. Join Leslie Ball, Liturgist and Fair Fanatic for a morning of readings, prayer, and choral singing.

Prayer at the Fair takes place at the Bandshell on Sundays, August 30th and September 6 from 9:15 – 9:45am. We even have bulletins on a stick!

Academy of Vital Christianity: This fall, the Academy for Vital Christianity is offering classes in churches in the metro area as well as Alexandria, Duluth, Mankato, Rochester, and eastern North Dakota. Students will have the opportunity to learn from United’s outstanding and dedicated faculty members in classes that will meet for a total of 10 classroom hours in a variety of convenient configurations. For a description of courses or to register, please go to http://unitedseminary.edu/CommunityPrograms/academy.asp .

Spirituality Event at St. Thomas, St. John’s: The Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning presents:

Terry Gips on Religion and Sustainability
How Caring for Creation Benefits Our Spiritual Life, Finances, Business, Community, and Planet

Wednesday, September 9, 8:00 p.m.
Stephen B. Humphrey Theater
Saint John’s University, Collegeville
 
Tuesday, September 29, 7:30 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy Educational Center Auditorium
University of St. Thomas, St. Paul

The events are free and open to the public.  For more information, please go to the St. Thomas website at www.stthomas.edu/jpc/calendar/default.html .

Scottish Heritage Festival: 11am-5pm, September 12, First Presbyterian, Hudson, WI.  Bake Sale, Highlight Games, Scottish Foods and more.  For more info, go to First Hudson’s website at www.fpchudson.com.

“unChristian” Event at Bethel: Christianity has an image problem. Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest Barna Group report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like “hypocritical,” “insensitive,” and “judgmental,” young Americans share an impression of Christians that’s nothing short of . . . unChristian.

Find out why these negative perceptions exist, learn how to reverse them in a Christ-like manner, and discover practical examples of how Christians can positively contribute to culture. Enjoy this interactive seminar with an extended Q & A time.

The guest speaker for the event is Gabe Lyons, a coauthor of unchristian.  The event takes place Friday October 9 from 10am-3:30pm.  To register, please go to bethel.edu/church-ministries.  To find out more, please email church-ministries@bethel.edu  or by phone at 651-638-6301.

Children’s Sabbath: October 16-18, 2009. This year’s theme, Create Change for Children Today: Bring Hope and a Better Tomorrow focuses on children in poverty, children’s health care, and the pipeline to prison.  In this time of economic hardship, it is more important than ever to insure that our children do not fall through the cracks. Children’s Sabbath is a great way to get your congregation aware of and involved in children’s issues. Join congregations across the country that will be participating in the National Observation of Children’s Sabbath. See the Joint Religious Legislative Council (JRLC) website (http://jrlc.org ) for more information about Children’s Sabbath and to find stories from congregations who have participated in the past.

Ministering to the Missing Generation: October 30, 2009 at United Seminary in New Brighton. An all day event featuring the Rev. Carol Howard Merritt, a Presbyterian pastor and the author of Tribal Church and co-host of the God Complex with Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow.  The cost is free to authorized members of the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ and $55 for all other attendees.  There is also $7 charge for lunch.  To register, please email Renee Flesner at mailto:rflesner@unitedseminary.edu  or by phone at 651‐255‐6138.

Spiritual Vitality in Turbulent Times - Personal and Corporate Practices – is the theme of the upcoming Minnesota Area Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation.  The Academy will be held November 8-13, 2009 at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, MN.

The focus on corporate practices will be taught by Don Saliers, who was the William R. Cannon Distinguished Professor of Theology and Worship at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia until his retirement in 2007. Don received his B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University, and both his B.D. (Bachelor of Divinity) and his Ph.D. from Yale University.  An accomplished musician, theologian, and scholar of liturgics, Don is the author of numerous books on the relationship between theology and worship practices. He recently co-authored A Song to Sing, a Life to Live with his daughter Emily Saliers, a member of the Indigo Girls. 

The focus on personal practices will be led by Kathryn Damiano.  Kathryn is a Quaker who brings over 20 years of experience as a spiritual director to her ministry.  She has a Master of Divinity, a Master of Arts in counseling psychology, and a Ph.D. in spiritual psychology. 

The Academy for Spiritual Formation is open to laity and clergy.  The total cost is either $575 for a single room or $525 for a double.  This includes linens, private bath, meals and tuition.  To receive a brochure with additional information about the Academy, please email Deb DeMeester, Retreat Leader, at demeesterd@aol.com.  To register, click on “Events Registration” at http://www.minnesotaumc.org/ .  The Academy is co-sponsored by The Upper Room and the MN Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Macalester LEEDs the Way :  When Macalester College decided to invest in a new home for the Institute for Global Citizenship (IGC), a program to educate and engage students to be global citizen-leaders, college leaders knew that it was critical that the building itself be designed and constructed in ways that demonstrate global leadership.

Reflecting that commitment, Markim Hall is the college’s first, and only the second higher education facility in the state, to be built with the goal of obtaining the LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. It is also the first building in St. Paul to be built to these standards.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Platinum is the highest level of certification. Only 12 college campus buildings in the United States have earned platinum-level certification.

Markim Hall will be officially dedicated following a campus-wide convocation Oct. 1. The $7.5 million, 17,000 square foot facility houses the Institute for Global Citizenship, civic engagement, study abroad and international programs, faculty and staff offices, meeting rooms, and an open atrium for campus events. Donors funded the entire project.

-Compiled by Beth Furkin, Presbyterian News Service

ELCA Assembly Leader Asks Members to Respect Each Other, Allow Time:  In final comments to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, pledged to the voting members “to speak well of you and of this church, and I ask you to do the same.”
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, met here Aug. 17-23 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,000 people participated, including 1,045 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly was “God’s work. Our hands.”
     During the week, the voting members adopted, following considerable debate, proposals to direct that changes be made to the ELCA’s ministry policies to make it possible for people in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.
     Hanson, who presided at the assembly, said, “One way I will speak well of you is not to use the word ‘fear’ to describe those who oppose the actions that prevailed in many of our discussions.  It’s not helpful to our life together. It’s not respectful of deeply held convictions shaped by theology and Scripture and faith.”
     “I am committed to the ELCA continuing to be a church body where people feel safe to teach, to preach, to lead and to serve in ways that they believe are consistent with the vows one takes in ordination and the promises one makes in the affirmation of Baptism,” he told voting members.
     The church needs to be a safe place for “rich theological conversation, biblical inquiry and faith expressions and explorations,” a quality of the Lutheran Church for 500 years,” he said. Hanson said the steps of implementing the actions of the assembly will take time.  “My prayer and my plea is that we take that time together rather than separately,” he said.
     Speaking to members who opposed the church’s decisions on ministry policies, Hanson requested that, if they are wondering about their place in the ELCA, “let us be part of that discernment.”
     “Take time with your decision.  Step back and understand the magnitude of the decision if you choose to leave, because we will be diminished by your absence,” he said, adding that the capacity for the ELCA to do its work will also be diminished.
     The Good News of Jesus Christ “is too good to squander with internal conflicts that will drain our energies when our capacity is to bring the Good News to the world so that all might know Jesus,” Hanson continued.
     He concluded by thanking the voting members for the week-long assembly, noting that “it’s been a challenge, it’s been a joy.”
     David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary, announced that the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly will be held at the Marriott World Center, Orlando, Fla., Aug. 14-22, 2011.

-ELCA News Service

Christian Vocation Sunday: God’s call is more than a job – daily service in the world through our jobs, talents and interests is a cornerstone of our lives as Christians. The programmatic emphasis for the Sunday before Labor Day – September 6 – is appropriately, Christian Vocation Sunday.

Cultivate a culture of call in your own congregation by claiming our theological perspective of the priesthood of all believers. Find ways of including this emphasis on call in your congregation’s worship and activities. Get help with resources from the office of Christian Vocation, including a call to worship, dramatic reading and a downloadable bulletin insert by going to www.pcusa.org/christianvocation/christianvocationsunday.htm .

New Youth Director at Church of the Apostles:  Presbyterian Church of the Apostles in Burnsville has hired Jill Carlson as their new Youth Director. Carlson lives in Burnsville with her husband, Kevin.  A life-long resident of the South Metro, she has been involved in Special Olympics, supporting her brother by joining him on his bowling and softball teams. 

In summarizing her past youth work, she said her emphases are on “service, social and spiritual work for all who seek enrichment.”

She continues, “I think my best qualities include my willingness to take risks and try new things, my flexible personality and my diligent skill to pay attention to the details. I also am capable of baking a really great brownie.”

Church of All Nations Heads to South Africa: Jin Kim, pastor  of Church of All Nations in Columbia Heights,  along with  Pastor David Mwihia, Immigrant Ministries Pastor at the church  will lead the congregation’s 7 full-time pastoral interns, plus Risley and Renisha Prakasim, natives of South Africa, plus Pastor Joo Kim of Knox Pres in St. Paul, a recent graduate of CAN’s internship program. The 12 member team will reconnect with and deepen the relationships established with churches in South Africa in 2006. The church website notes this experience will be a life changing moment for the future leaders of the church. “This is the kind of critical learning and missional engagement that will be formative for these future pastors. We hope to bring back what we learn in the historic cities of Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, and Cape Town to further equip Church of All Nations in its ministry of reconciliation in the Twin Cities.”

Randolph Heights Helps Epilepsy Foundation: Since, June a bin has been located in the corner of the St. Paul congregation’s parking lot.  The bin is from the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, where people can donate used clothing and shoes to help the charity. “Over the past year, over 21,300 pounds of goods have been donated through our bin! That makes the bin we host one of the highest volume donation sites in the city!” said Pastor Matthew Robbins-Ghormley at the congregation’s blog. 

He continues: “The donations given go to support the Epilepsy Foundation in their mission to improve the quality of life of those affected by seizures, including sponsoring young people to go to EF’s Camp Oz every summer. Thanks to so many neighbors and friends of Randolph Heights who have participated in this great partnership for the common good!”

The donation bin is located at the corner of Hamline and James in St. Paul.

Arlington Hills Dedicates New Patio:  A new patio facing Lake Phalen was dedicated at the eastside St. Paul congregation on June 26.  The patio was the Eagle Scout project for Tony Yang, a member of Arlington Hills.  “The process for achieving the distinction of Eagle Scout includes planning a significant project,” according to the Heirloom, Arlington Hills newsletter.  “Tony chose the construction of the patio on the north side of our church, which previously was a patch of dirt overgrown with grass and weeds.”

Yang received his Eagle Scout badge on May 21.

Supply Pastor Gene Orr’s prayer at the dedication asked that this patio be to God’s glory and that it be a sign of welcome to community beyond Arlington Hills in East St. Paul.

New Church Start Hosts First Vacation Bible School: Chain of Lakes Presbyterian, a new church start in Lino Lakes, 

hosted its first Vacation Bible School in mid-August.  Sixteen children participated in the event, held at a local Catholic church. “Our success at Vacation Bible School just reminded me the importance of children in building a faith community,” said Paul Moore, organizing pastor. “Most parents want ministries for their children-even parents who are not connected to a church. The more we can offer quality ministries for children the better chance we have of developing as faith communities.”

Moore says the success of VBS has fired his passion for a children’s ministry at the new church development. Moore asks for prayers in how to go about building a ministry for children. You can read more at Paul Moore’s blog: http://chainlink-chainoflakesncd.blogspot.com/ .

“Thin Places” turns 10: “Thin Places” an ecumenical newsletter published by the Spiritual Growth Community at Westminster Presbyterian in Minneapolis, celebrates its 10th year of publication.  The journal started in 1999 just as Senior Pastor Tim Hart-Andersen was starting his ministry at the downtown Minneapolis congregation.  He took the occasion to write an article sharing his own experience of a “thin place,” a point where the everyday world and the world of mystery touch and lift up this important ministry. “I had nothing to do with its inception or its publication but drawn to its potential and felt called to encourage and support it,” Hart-Andersen writes.  “Thin Places emerged from a small group of spiritual pilgrims in the congregation, inspired by the wisdom and energy of Marilyn and Alan Youel, the editors for the last ten years. Those of us who read and use each issue are grateful to both of them for their fruitful efforts.”

Hart-Andersen notes that the Minnesota-based journal has had an impact felt not only locally, but around the world. “I am delighted that over its first decade Thin Places has grown to be a respected resource for the contemplative life here in the Twin Cities-and even around the world. More than once I have been at a church gathering somewhere far away when someone has approached me and thanked me for the ministry of Thin Places.”

You can read past issues of Thin Places by going online at http://www.ewestminster.org/thin_places .

Presbyterian Peacemaking Program offers new Minute for Mission video to interpret offering: The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program has developed a new minute for mission video to help interpret the Peacemaking Offering to congregations. The theme is “Peace Be With You” and gives over a dozen practical examples of what that means and how gifts to the Offering support activities and resources. In order to share the video with your congregations it can be viewed online or ordered through Presbyterian Distribution Service (PDS #12142-09-290). The Peacemaking Offering is typically taken on World Communion Sunday, which this year is Sunday, October 4th.

Each congregation is encouraged to retain 25 percent of the Offering it receives to use for local peacemaking ministries. Twenty-five percent is used by presbyteries and synods, and 50 percent is used by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program and other General Assembly Mission Council Ministries.

The 217th General Assembly (2006) encouraged congregations to consider directly some or all of their share of the Offering as a faithful Christian response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

You can find the Minute for Mission and additional resources online (www.pcusa.org/peacemakingoffering ) and information on the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program through their (www.pcusa.org/peacemaking ) Web site.

Church World Service Needs Kits: Deb Braun, Field Assistant in the CWS Minn-Kota Regional Office reports that the CWS Emergency Response Office (ERP) is currently working on some large shipments of material aid to Liberia, Moldova and the West Bank.  “Once those shipments are completed, we will have greatly depleted our supplies of Hygiene and Baby Kits,” Braun says. Donna Derr, Director of the ERP Office, has issued an urgent appeal for the Kits, also noting that our current inventory of Clean-up Buckets is only 1,700, which is a concern as we head into hurricane season.  Providing assistance to one major hurricane could easily deplete the current inventory of the Clean-up Buckets, which are heavily used in domestic disaster response.

Braun adds, “we often get calls from our kit donors and denominational partners, asking if there is a particular need for specific kits. As kits are being assembled this summer and fall for denominational meetings, we ask that you keep in mind this current urgent need for Hygiene and Baby Kits, Clean-up Buckets, and Shipping & Processing Funds.  Monetary donations to cover the cost of kits are also welcome.”

Please contact the Minn-Kota Regional Office ( phone: 1-888-297-2767 or dbraun@churchworldservice.org) for more information about these programs, or to request promotional materials.  We appreciate your help in supplying these urgently needed resources, and greatly value your partnership.

Completed Kits may be shipped pre-paid to:

Church World Service

Brethren Service Center Annex

601 Main Street

PO Box 188

New Windsor, MD 21776-0188

Kit Funds and Processing/Shipping Funds may be sent directly to CWS, PO Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515-0968.

 Winnebago Presbytery taking steps in going “green”: Winnebago Presbytery is contemplating a “green strategy,” according to a note in the July 24 issue of News and Notes, the presbytery’s newsletter. The note stated: “An ‘interest only’ meeting to determine how many people might want to participate in a task group to pursue a green strategy for Winnebago Presbytery and its congregations and what the focus of the group would be is scheduled in the meeting room on the first floor at Neenah First Presbyterian at 1 p.m. Aug. 13.” Persons interested in attending the meeting are being asked to notify Sarah Moore-Nokes, associate executive presbyter, at sarah@winnebagopresbytery.org.

Celebrating Community Together at North Como:

Celebrating Community Together, or CCT, is a Children and Family program for the summer.  Through three evening sessions and one afternoon session, the intention of CCT is to bring children and families of North Como together to learn more about what North Como does outside of its walls and celebrate those activities and affiliations.  Each evening activity is from 6-7:30 pm, intended to fit just after dinner and just before bed.  Activities are geared toward children up through 5th grade, to be done alongside and with parents.  There is no fee for the first three sessions, while only a nominal fee for the Twins game!

Saturday, August 15th:  CCT – Play!
In celebration of the end of the summer and as a capstone to the CCT series, we will attend a Twins Game on Saturday, August 15th.  The game starts at 3 pm, so we will gather at the church to carpool and then enjoy the game together versus the Cleveland Indians.  (The cost is $10 per person, including a ticket, hot dog, and soda!)

We would love to see you there…if you are interested in attending, please  contact the North Como church office by calling 651-488-5581.

If you have any questions, please contact Bobbie Bigwood, NCPC Elder serving Education and Nurture, at gbbigwood@hotmail.com  or by leaving a message at the church office.

Job Support Group at Lake Nokomis:

The South Minneapolis Job Networking Group meets at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian on Fridays at 9am for support, resources and networking.  For more information, please contact the congregation at (612) 721-4463.

Garage Sale at Faith Presbyterian:

August 13 and 14, at Faith Presbyterian in Minnetonka.  The Proceeds will go towards missions.  For more information on the sale, please go to the Faith Presbyterian website at www.faithpres.org.

Synod Communicator Event Set for September:

Communicators, and anyone else who might want to attend, are being invited to the second Synod-wide Communicators Conference Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 2-4, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Eagan, Minn. Sarah Moore-Nokes, associate executive presbyter in Winnebago Presbytery, will lead the conference’s first session Wednesday evening on Google Tools. Attendees are asked, if possible, to bring their own laptop computer. Shane Whisler, communications director in the Synod of the Sun, will provide details about working with Presbyterian Neighbor News on Thursday morning, and Bethany Furkin will also address the conference about the Presbyterian News Service during that time. There is also a possibility that the executive director for the Committee on Local Arrangements for the 2010 General Assembly will be on hand before Thursday’s lunch. Full registration is $100 and includes all sessions, accommodations, opening dinner, two breakfasts and a lunch. For those who do not need accommodations, registration is $40 for all sessions. Registration is easy, simply send an email to Duane Sweep, associate for communications at the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, at dsweep@lakesandprairies.org  . The email should include name and position. The registration fee can be mailed to Duane Sweep, Synod of Lakes and Prairies, 2115 Cliff Drive, Eagan, MN 55122.

A Conversation on the Future of Faith Communities:

Saturday, September 19th, 2009, 9am – 3pm, Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church, 1620 East 46th Street, Minneapolis MN 55407.  Does the church have anything to say anymore to the big questions in people’s lives? if so, what?  How can the church be engaged with the questions: What is a lifetime? Why do we live it?  We will learn about the loss of identity and loss of belonging that characterize so much of life today, and explore how the church might imagine hope and community with and alongside people.  We’ll talk about how the church can wrestle with questions, enter into suffering, and speak of hope in reality.  We will hear from Andy Root (from his forthcoming book, “The Promise of Despair: The Way of the Cross as the Way of the Church”), and also get into some good theological conversation with one another – from many different churches and perspectives.  
 
This is for church leaders, and for regular folks: it is a day of theological conversation for everyone.

 Registration Including Lunch: $20 (Lunch by Pepito’s)Registration is limited. To register, call Jan at 612-721-4463.

Workshop on Mental Illness:

One in five persons lives with mental illness at some time.  Mental illness effects one in every four families.  Yet, people with mental illness and their families often face stigma, shame, and secrecy.  What can the church do to break these barriers? 

On Saturday, September 19, the Presbytery Disability Concerns Task Force will sponsor a workshop, “Mental Illness: A Challenge to our Churches”.  The workshop will be held at Presbyterian Church of the Way, 3382 North Lexington Avenue in Shoreview.  Leadership will come from the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Westminster Counseling Center.  The workshop is designed for anyone who is concerned about mental illness: pastors, parish nurses, deacons, elders, and family members.

8:30 Coffee and sign-in

9:00 Hope for Recovery: Understanding Mental Illness

10:30 Breakout sessions

            • Depression (including post-partum depression)

            • Anxiety Disorders (including panic and OCD)

            • Mental Illness in Children

11:30 What can the church do?

Childcare is available (infants-3 years and 4-6 years) but reservations are required by September 12. 

Registration by September 12

            Childcare – specify age of the children

Choose a breakout session

e-mail information to Bebe Baldwin: randbonmarquette@hotmail.com

Outdoor Worship Services:

With summer upon us, a number of congregations in the Presbytery are hosting outdoor worship services.  Here are a few:

Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church: August 9 at the Minnehaha Falls Bandshell, 10:30am.  A Picnic will follow.

Knox Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis: Knox Minneapolis will also hold an outdoor worship on August 9 at the Lake Harriet Bandshell at 10am.

Edgcumbe and Randolph Heights Presbyterian: The two St. Paul congregations will host an outdoor Bluegrass worship service on August 23 at Edgcumbe’s Outdoor chapel.  A family fun day will follow.

Festival of Fun at North Presbyterian:

August 16 from 4-7pm.  A fete complete with ice cream, hot dogs, carnival games and bounce castle and much more.  North Presbyterian is located at 2675 East Highway 36 in North St. Paul.  For more info, contact the church at 651-777-4044.

Scottish Heritage Festival:

11am-5pm, September 12, First Presbyterian, Hudson, WI.  Bake Sale, Highlight Games, Scottish Foods and more.  For more info, go to First Hudson’s website at www.fpchudson.com.

“unChristian” Event at Bethel:

Christianity has an image problem. Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest Barna Group report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like “hypocritical,” “insensitive,” and “judgmental,” young Americans share an impression of Christians that’s nothing short of . . . unChristian.

Find out why these negative perceptions exist, learn how to reverse them in a Christ-like manner, and discover practical examples of how Christians can positively contribute to culture. Enjoy this interactive seminar with an extended Q & A time.

The guest speaker for the event is Gabe Lyons, a coauthor of unchristian. The event takes place Friday October 9 from 10am-3:30pm. To register, please go to bethel.edu/church-ministries. To find out more, please email church-ministries@bethel.edu or by phone at 651-638-6301.

Church World Service Response

CWS Emergency Response Specialist Bryan Crousore is monitoring the situation and remains in contact with federal, state and local officials, and voluntary agencies.  Read the daily situation report at http://tiny.cc/Rc57m.

In addition, CWS anticipates providing material resources (flood buckets, hygiene kits, health kits, blankets, etc.) to help meet emergency needs in this flood event.  Churches with potential storage space within the region can contact Deb Braun at dbraun@churchworldservice.org or 1-888-297-2767.

Valleyfloodwatch.com

The valleyfloodwatch.com site has the latest flood and volunteer information and many, many links.

State of Minnesota  

Fact sheets for the public on protecting yourself, home clean-up, caring for yourself, and for responders.

Emergency & Community Health Outreach

Flood safety information and more in English, Spanish, Kurdish, Bosnian-Serbian-Croation, and Somali.