Major Gifts Approved - The Presbytery of Arkansas met for it's 156^th Meeting on June 1, 2024, at Central Presbyterian Church in Russellville. The agenda had two major items of business for which the presbytery’s Coordinating Team felt we needed to attend in person to be fully present for the discussion. 

The Financial Assets Task Force recommended that the presbytery fully fund four requests and answer the recommendation from the Administrative Commission of First Presbyterian Church of North Little Rock (Argenta) read more...

Do you know someone who has the right combination of gifts and calling to serve on one of the presbytery committees or ministries? Well, it is Nominations season in the Presbytery of Arkansas and we are looking for more than a few good Presbyterians to help lead our ministries into the next chapter of our life together.

Do you feel called to serve Christ in a new way? The Presbytery of Arkansas needs volunteer leaders with wide-ranging gifts and skills. There are positions open on all committees and ministries. Click here to review the 2024 Nominations Form for information on open positions and the skills needed for each. This form can also be found at presbyark.org/Resources/Presbytery Documents.

With a little help from you, the Committee on Nominations will put together a slate of candidates for the October presbytery meeting and before you can say "BINGO!" we will be off and running in the new year with the class of 2027!

Boundaries Training Options - As we were reminded at last weekend’s Presbytery meeting, the Book of Order requires that all pastors, including CREs, complete boundary training. If you have not turned in your proof of completing your training by August 31^st, you and your session will receive personal communication reminding you of your failure to complete this training and of the upcoming hard deadline. If you have not turned in your proof of completing this training by December 31^st, you will face disciplinary actions. 

Because no one wants any of our pastors to reach this point, here are two easy ways to meet this important requirement. The Synod of the Sun, through Leaderwise, offers specialized training for clergy to promote mental health, emotional resilience, and overall well-being. Participants leave with a personalized prevention plan. This training takes place over 2 days and is offered at NO COST to you. The next opportunity for this training takes place August 27-28. There are only 75 openings in each session and the next session won't take place until November, so click here and register today!

Your other option is to complete the Safe Gatherings “Clergy Ethics and Congregational Boundaries” course. This 2-hour, 7-module course addresses common predicaments posed by ministry life. A certificate of completion is presented upon successful passing of the final exam. You can complete this training at your own convenience, but it will cost you $29.  Click here to register. 

Whether you choose the free option that you complete over two days or the self-pay option that you complete in just two hours, get signed up today. Hopefully everyone will get this requirement taken care of before any of the deadlines hit!

Update From The Board of Pensions - Visit Season of Rebuilding for information about the new plan and for the 2025 Decision Guide for Minister Benefits, a helpful tool to assist congregations and ministers with calculating dues for next year for the Covenant Package, Congregational Pastors Package, and Transitional Pastor’s Participation.

Please Check Your Church's Directory Page! We want to keep our Presbytery Directory as up-to-date as possible so it will be the most helpful for us all, but that cannot happen without your help. Please take a moment to open the directory (the password is presbyarkconnect, all lower case, no spaces) and make sure everything is correct on your church's page - staff? Clerk of Session? Contact information? If changes need to be made, email them to Julie Price.

Thank you so much!

Shared Spaces: Exploring Possibilities - Have you considered the idea that sharing space with other worshipping communities or organizations is about you doing ministry in your community? And wouldn't it be great if you could listen, ask questions, and learn from the experiences of other churches who are already doing this?

Well, you can! On Thursday, June 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at First Presbyterian in Searcy the Presbytery will be hosting a panel discussion with churches that are currently sharing space with community organizations, 1001 Worshipping Communities, daycares, other non-Presbyterian congregations, and more. Hear their stories, ask your questions, and learn from their experiences.

Click here to register and place your lunch order. This is for anyone interested in being part of the conversation. The Deadline to register is noon, Tuesday, June 18. Contact Julie Price, Presbytery Connector, with your questions.

Social Media 101 online FREE workshop! The Presbytery's Resource Team has hired media specialist Christen Kinard to lead an online workshop on September 26 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. This is your opportunity to bring along other people from your congregation that might be interested in learning the basics of building your church's social media presence and why this is so important for reaching people. This workshop will demystify social media platforms and teach you how to use them most effectively in connecting with your congregation and beyond.

Click here today and register!

Help for Church Education! The Presbytery Resource Team has been talking about forming a group made up of staff educators and lay people in churches that are over the education. The purpose would be to inspire each other by sharing ideas, resources, and information.

I am currently working on creating a list of these people along with their contact information. I have gone through our directory and paid staff are listed (hopefully all is current, so please check), but I especially need you to contact me if you are doing education as a volunteer. Please email information to Julie Price.

2024 PW Gathering in St Louis - The 2024 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women, happening in-person again for the first time since 2018, is convening in St. Louis from August 8-11. It’s an event that celebrates the powerful impact of the women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), offers an opportunity to meet or reconnect with PW participants from across the country, and also welcomes those who would like to learn more about growing, serving and leading though Presbyterian Women.

Click here to read more and register.

PDA Offering Gun Violence Training - When the call went out to those concerned about gun violence to go to Ghost Ranch Education & Retreat Center in New Mexico, registrations came in all the way from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Why go to New Mexico? For the James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage. This new initiative of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship will be held August 22-25 at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The goal? To train clergy and lay leaders for the long mission of ending the gun violence epidemic, a disaster that took over 43,000 American lives last year.

Click here to learn more.

Onward Leadership Institute 2024 - Join the Sharechurch community along with Adam Hamilton and Brian McClaren, September 25-27 in Leewood, KS, for their annual conference. You can attend in-person or online. This is a wonderful conference and folks from our presbytery are likely to be attending.

Click here for information and registration.

Montreat Announces Summer Worship Lineup - One of the highlights of Montreat Conference Center’s year-round programs is the summer worship series. Leading preachers from across the country join with visual artists, musicians, singers, and volunteers in a service of worship open to the surrounding community. All are welcome and all are invited.

Each Sunday worship service throughout the summer is planned by Montreat Conference Center’s worship committee, which includes the leadership of the Rev. Carol Steele, vice president for program; the Rev. Dr. Ann Laird Jones, arts ministry director; Hannah Garrity, summer liturgical artist; and Eric Wall, conference center musician, among others. Click here to read more.

Mission Grants 2024, Round 2! Does your church have a dream for a new mission or of expanding a current one, but you don't quite have enough funds? The Mission of the Church Committee is offering grants of up to $1500 for qualifying projects.

Click here to learn more and register. The deadline to apply is July 15!

$1000 Grants Available From Columbia Seminary - The Wonder of Worship program at Columbia Theological Seminary is offering a second round of grants of $1,000 to congregations nationally looking to enhance the engagement of children in their corporate workspaces.

Wonder of Worship is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. The aim of the national initiative is to support faith-based organizations as they help children grow in faith and deepen their relationships with God.

Click here to learn more and apply.

In celebration of Pride Month, Unbound: The Intersections of Faith and Justice has put together a list of the best ways you can celebrate. Now is the perfect time for communities to show up for our LGBTQIA+ siblings. Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q02x-1tH0 #PCUSA #PrideMonth #LGBTQIA

From RNC (Reconciling Ministries Network), a Pride Month Prayer Calendar.

A Prayer For My Queer Siblings by Rev. Anna Golladay.

Summer Resources For Families! Our families with children may be on the go this summer, but churches can share resources to help them stay connected and grow in their faith. Check these out:

• Holy Moments from PRC or purchase individual parts at Dandelion Marketplace.
• Summertime Faithful Families calendar/packet from PC(USA) minister Traci Smith
• Summer at home care package from Cultivate Faith PRC Practical Resources for Churches

Benton County Disaster Report - On Sunday, May 26, disastrous storms, high winds, and tornadoes tore through Benton county in Northwest Arkansas. Both our churches in Rogers and Bentonville experienced damage. Those churches and communities are now dealing with the aftermath of this devastation. Both churches received checks for $5,000 from the Disaster Preparedness & Response Subcommittee (DPRS) to help towards expenses. Click here for brief updates from each of the churches followed by information on ways you can help.

Let's Play Ball! Wednesday evening, June 5, 96 Presbyterians descended on Arvest Ballpark in Springdale to watch the NWA Naturals play the Wichita Wind Surge. The game was opened by the "Presbyterian choir" performing the National Anthem.