The Synod of Lakes and Praries held their fall Synod meeting in the Twin Cities suburb of Farmington, MN.  Checkout the highlights.

 Are you in charge of the church newsletter or website?  Are you interested in acquiring more skills ? Do want to find out how to communicate more effectively while keeping costs low?

Communicators (administrative assistants, communication specialists, pastors, lay leaders, etc.) , 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.

One current Elder Commissioner and our Youth Advisory Delegate (age 17-23) to Synod from the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area have terms ending in January 2010.  While each is eligible for re-election, additional applications will be accepted from elders, or prospective YADs who are active in local churches or in presbytery and are interested in service in the wider church.  Application forms are available on the presbytery web site, ptcaweb.org, or they can be requested from the presbytery office (email: office@ptcaweb.org).

• Elder Commissioner to Synod – 3 year term, beginning January 2010
• Youth Advisory Delegate to Synod -1 year term, beginning January 2010

Applications, with a recommendation letter from a session, committee of presbytery, or minister member of presbytery, should be returned to the Nominating Committee by August 1.  Election will be at the September presbytery meeting.
            Synod meets 3 times a year, usually Sunday evening through Tuesday noon.  Dates for 2010 are: January 17-19, May 2-4, and October 3-5.  Meetings will be at the Mt.Olivet Retreat Center in Farmington.  Expenses for travel, room, and board are born by the Synod.      

     
            The Nominating Committee will nominate one person for each position and include a brief biographical sketch outlining the nominee’s qualifications, service, and commitment to serve.  For each person nominated from the floor, the Nominating Committee requires that similar information be published in quantities sufficient for distribution at the presbytery meeting when elections will occur.

            All commissioners and YADs are expected to serve on one standing committee, which meet during the Synod meetings.  These include Ecclesiastical Relations Committee, Finance Committee, Personnel Committee, Program Coordination Committee.  There are a few Special Committees  which meet separately, and a few commissioners are invited to serve on one of these if they so desire:  Committee on Congregational Development, Committee on Racial Ethnic Ministry, Communication and Interpretation Committee, Synod School Committee.

The Synod of Lakes and Prairies met April 26-28 in Farmington, MN.  To see what took place, please go here.