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GOOD NEWS
from the
Presbytery of Great Rivers
We are called to share Christ's love by partnering in service,
uniting in worship, and risking in ministry.
October 27, 2023
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PGR Newsletter
Our newsletters will go out on November 10, December 1 and December 15 through the Holiday season. Please send any articles by Tuesday at 5 pm of those weeks.
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We will have our first PGR on the Road on Tuesday, October 31, 9:00-10:30 am, in Peoria. Your Presbytery Moderator and Vice Moderator, Stated Clerk, Treasurer, Bookkeeper, CRE/CLP Coordinator, and Lead Presbyter invite you to join us at the Panera in Westlake Shopping Center, 2515 W. Lake Ave., Peoria, for coffee and conversation.
Pastors, clerks, presbytery commissioners, and members of PGR congregations are invited to join the staff and leaders of the Presbytery of Great Rivers for fellowship.
This is the first of these gatherings. There will be one in each region (Bloomington/Normal, Springfield, Quad Cities, and Galesburg) coming up.
Hope to see you in Peoria on the 31st!
Ann Schwartz
Lead Presbyter
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Register Now for November 11th Presbytery Assembly!
Join us from 10:00-2:00 for our presbytery meeting. At this assembly we'll approve new leadership for 2024 or celebrate Spirit Sightings in our churches. This is a hybrid meeting, so you can join in via Zoom or in person at Faith United Presbyterian Church in Monmouth.
All attendees must register ahead of time at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMscu-qqjktGtViRBjoCqUpLWexzR71AQix
Please register by October 30th to ensure the correct number of meals are available.
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Register for our Specially-Called Presbytery Assembly on November 18th!
Our November Assembly is scheduled for the same time as the PC(USA)'s Moderator Training. Since Moderator-Elect Rev. Frosty Krummel can't be in two places at once, the installation service for Presbytery Moderator and Moderator-Elect will be at 9am on Saturday, November 18th. Join us for a brief all-online service celebrating our 2024 leaders' commitment to service within the presbytery.
Please register for this specially-called presbytery meeting here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAudu6gpzsiE9WFhKlxFzIIy94i3ZGFA6dw
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General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations Urges Presbyterians to Pray for Peace
Click here to read the article.
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Oasis Grants for Pastors
The Synod of Lincoln Trails announces Oasis grants for pastors. These grants are to be used for something that will restore your soul and regenerate your spirit. Oasis grants offer an opportunity for respite in the wilderness, so ask yourself: what would spark joy in your life this season? Any pastors in active ministry (Ministers of Word and Sacrament, Commissioned Ruling Elders, chaplains, those in validated ministries), either full-time or part-time, are eligible and encouraged to apply by November 15. The grants of up to $1,500 are to be used for activities and purchases that will support wholeness and wellbeing (and not for continuing education or sabbatical funds). Take an art class, buy that bike they’ve been longing for, or get away and do something fun for a couple days. Access the Oasis grant application here: https://lincolntrails.org/oasis-a-stop-in-the-wilderness/
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Clerk's Corner
Thank you, amazing clerks, for all of your wonderful diligence in completing your Session Record Reviews! If you haven’t had the opportunity to complete your reviews, please contact me via email if possible.

During our training sessions, we had a lot of great information, questions, and situations arise that we were able to discuss. A couple of the things that many clerks found helpful to know is the importance of knowing what additional information needs to be put in your minutes. Your session minutes are a permanent record. Therefore, it is important to put items such as your certificate of state incorporation, annual statistical reports, insurance policy certificates, and other items in your permanent minutes. They can be included in your clerk’s report.
Items to consider voting on the first meeting of the year:
Session Clerk: the term for your session clerk is a determinable (and agreed upon) amount of time. The Session elects their own clerk.
Treasurer: like the clerk, the treasurer is also elected for a determinable amount of time and is elected by the Session, not the congregation.
The Session is responsible for authorizing the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Many churches find it helpful to set their communion schedule at the first meeting of the year. You need to specify dates.
Session Quorum: The Book of Order no longer specifies what the quorum is to be for a session. The Session is supposed to determine what its own quorum will be. This means, the quorum can’t be stated in the bylaws because that is something decided upon by the congregation. The Session should declare what the quorum will be for each year. (The minimum is 3 active session members plus a moderator)
Congregational meeting quorum: At the same time the Book of Order changed about Session Quorums, congregational meeting quorums also changed. The bylaws should state what your congregational meeting quorum should be. You can keep it at the standard 10% it used to be, but you don’t have to.

Next newsletter will discuss electronic voting!! Stay tuned!
Rev. Elissa Bailey
Presbytery of Great Rivers Stated Clerk
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Congratulations
Lorna Blackford, a candidate for ministry who is under the care of the Presbytery of Great Rivers and Faith United Presbyterian Church in Monmouth, passed her four ordination exams last month! She is one step (four steps?!) closer to becoming a Minister of Word and Sacrament. Lorna is studying at University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.
Pastor Penny Frame, CLP, who serves the Lewistown church, has been elected Moderator-Elect of the Synod of Lincoln Trails.
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Welcome to Great Rivers Presbytery
Rev. Peter Galbraith will be installed as pastor of Grace Church, Rock Island, on October 29.
Peter was born and raised for the first nine years of life in the beautiful plains of central Illinois, in the city of Peoria. As he grew up, he lived in a number of places, including Texas, South Carolina, and Ohio.
He discerned a call to pastoral ministry during his college years, though meaningful relationships with his Presbyterian minister and Christian Educator of his church impacted him long before that. Following his siblings, Peter became a summer camp counselor, though for him it was at Geneva Hills, a Presbyterian Camp in the Appalachian hills. He then served as a Young Adult Volunteer through the PC(USA) Mission Agency, working at a local YMCA in Guildford, England.
Prior to his ordination, Peter taught English as a second language for three years in Vietnam, serving another two years learning the Vietnamese language. He also served as a hospital chaplain at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, California. Peter has a BA from Miami University of Ohio, and both an MA in Cross-Cultural Studies and MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary.

In his free time, Peter loves a good match of tennis (and, more recently, pickle ball), good film and television, (slowly) learning guitar, quality time with his daughter, Lily Anne, and staying connected with family and friends near and far. He’s looking forward to reconnecting with his Illinois roots, and ministering with you all in the Presbytery of Great Rivers.
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Prayers of the Presbytery
Ever-loving God, we are confident that you are with us every step of the way as we walk with the Spirit. Give us the courage to hear our answers to the questions you already know. May our response be to your glory. Amen.
Prayer from the Mission Yearbook of Prayer
We pray today for:
- Rev. William Mitchell, pastor of Federated Church, Carlinville
- Bobbie Furr, spouse of Rev. Wayne Furr, College Avenue Presbyterian Church, Aledo
- Terry Moore, RE, Sugar Tree Grove Church, and spouse of CLP Pam Moore
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Church Leadership Connection (CLC)
We continue to receive regular updates from CLC Staff about the transition to the current CLC system (sometimes called CLC.2). While we have put some of the basic forms on the COM portion of the PGR website for you, please go right to oga.pcusa.org/section/mid-council-ministries/clc/ for all the most up to date CLC resources. Guides and videos continue to be developed and added on a routine basis there. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at greatriverscom@gmail.com or to the CLC Staff with questions. We are glad to support churches and pastors with this major transition.
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New Terms of Call and Temporary Contract Forms on Website
The two forms for 2024, for called and installed pastors and Temporary relationships (Temporary and Stated Supply, CPs and Transitional Pastors) are on the Presbytery website. Please look for FORMS, then choose COM Forms. They are at the top of the page. Please note that the Book of Order change about paid Family Leave went into effect on 7/9/2023. All called and installed ministers receive this leave effective that date. Any questions? Please email greatriverscom@gmail.com
The Ministry Partners for each congregation are also found on the same page, at the top right. Due to the resignation of Joel Jackle-Hugh, please contact either Rev. Ann Schwartz (aschwartz@greatriverspby.org) or Laura Reason (greatriverscom@gmail.com) if he was your ministry partner. Thank you!
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From Your Finance Team
Churches,
We now have 49 of our 85 churches who have paid their 2023 Per Capita dues in full. Thank you to all those who have paid!
Always remember to submit a fully completed remittance form with any check you send to the presbytery. We've still been receiving checks with no remittance form. The completed form helps ensure that we apply your payment as you intend.
If sending from your bank online, you can email your remittance form to smcgrath@greatriverspby.org.
2024 Per Capita will be $37.25, an increase of $1. The annual Per Capita mailing was sent to the mailing address we have for your church. Packets were mailed to the attention of your clerk of session. Please watch for this. If for some reason you don't receive it, please let us know.
We’ve already had 3 churches pay their 2024 per capita in full. Thank you to Clayton, Divernon, & Reynolds – Hamlet Perryton!
Looking ahead as we race towards the fiscal end of 2023 -Hold on it’s coming fast 😲 Please be sure to cut & mail your check to PGR by Thurs 12/21/2023. The PGR offices will be closed beginning Fri 12/22/23 thru Mon 1/1/24. Mail received during this will be credited to 2023 giving. Anything received afterwards will show on your 2024 statements -- However, it can be applied against 2023 remaining balances
Thanks,
Sabrina McGrath - Bookkeeper
Bill Strawbridge - Treasurer
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Please click on the blocks below to follow the links: | |
Information for Retired Pastors from the Board of Pensions | |
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Supporting Ministers’ Wholeness
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ministers need the opportunity to step away from the demands of ministry and practice self-care so that they might experience the flourishing of life. That’s why the Board of Pensions provides programs that cultivate wholeness and nurture ministries, like Clergy Wellness Support.
This grant is offered to ministers in partnership with programs that address vocational, spiritual, mental, and physical wellness.
The Board of Pensions has approved the following programs for the grant: · Center for Pastoral Excellence – Clergy Renewal Programs · Horizon Hope Counseling · LeaderWise · MoSeGol · Pilgrim House · The Clergy Program – Davidson Centre for the Professions · The Kineo Center.
Ministers may also submit for consideration programs they would like to attend that are not included on this list. Proposed programs must address vocational, spiritual, mental, and/or physical wellness. Grants are up to $5,000, for program and travel fees, once every six years.
To qualify, you must be a PC(USA) minister enrolled in Pastor’s Participation or Minister’s Choice; and have an effective salary that does not exceed $80,000 (excluding manse value).
To apply: · Complete the Clergy Wellness Support application. · Email the application and required documentation to memberservices@pensions.org for review and decision.
· Eligible ministers may apply for support between sabbaticals.
· Call the Board of Pensions with questions at 800-773-7752 (800-PRESPLAN).
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Advent and Christmas Resources for Pastors and Worship Committees
Advent 4 and Christmas Eve are both on Sunday this year, and Christmas 1 is New Year’s Eve. The Rev. Brad Munroe, Pastor to the Presbytery, Grand Canyon and de Cristo presbyteries, has crafted two liturgies that can be adapted by pastors trying to scramble to write multiple sermons and liturgies in a compressed time. Click on the image below to read the liturgies.
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Webinar Resources for Church Safety and Security
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships held a webinar, Protecting Places of Worship: Fall Religious Observance Security Briefing, on August 29, 2023.
You can watch or share the video recording which educates on the Six Steps to Enhance Security Against Targeted Violence, in addition to sharing practical tools to help strengthen the safety and security of places of worship and community spaces. Other links for helpful publications are listed below. Use them with your Sessions and worship committees.
WEBINAR RESOURCES:
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Help ASG Help Councils and Congregations
A message from the Administrative Services Group
The Administrative Services Group (ASG) is creating a webpage with resources for congregations and councils to help them create or update their child/youth protection policies, which are required by the Book of Order (G-3.0106). ASG is looking for policies of PC(USA) congregations and councils to include on the webpage as samples. If your council and any of your congregations are willing to allow ASG to post your child/youth protection policies to share with those who need to create or update their policy, please email them (or a link to them) to General Counsel Mike Kirk. Thank you for your support of this important project.
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Who is Nelson Dean Jay?
Nelson Dean Jay grew up in the First Presbyterian Church of Elmwood, graduated from Knox College and spent 25 years in Paris heading up that city’s branch of JP Morgan after the end of WW I. He was friends with Charles Lindbergh and Marie Curie and socialized with Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel and many others. Never heard of him? Me neither, until I met a member of the Washington Presbyterian Church, also an Elmwood native. Karl Taylor has co-authored a biography of Nelson Dean Jay, a labor of love many years in the making. WPC hosted a presentation and book signing last night and the Elmwood church is hosting a similar event tomorrow. If you want to know more about this biography or are interested in hosting a book signing at your church, please shoot me an email and I’ll connect you with Karl’s coauthor.
Laura Reason
revlaura1911@hotmail.com
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Grants from your Visioning Team
Grant applications are open now! Check out our Mission page (http://www.greatriverspby.org/mission.html) for information about the Visioning grant to support programming and projects in churches and partner organizations, as well as grants for sabbatical assistance and funding while clergy are on paid family leave. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and the Visioning Team is ready to answer your questions. Contact us at PGRVisioning@greatriverspby.org to learn more!
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Presbytery of Great Rivers Virtual Office
Virtual Office Assistant Crystal Goforth 309-683-6980 Email: office@greatriverspby.org
Crystal works remotely from South Carolina (Eastern Time) and is available until 4 pm CST Monday thru Wednesday and Friday, and 1:45 pm EST on Thursdays. Please leave her a message & she will return your call.
Bookkeeper Sabrina McGrath 309-683-6981 Email: smcgrath@greatriverspby.org
Sabrina works from Peoria IL.
Her regular schedule is Tues & Thurs between 8am-3pm (Central Time)
Lead Presbyter Ann Schwartz 309-683-6983 Email: aschwartz@greatriverspby.org
Ann's Sabbath Day is Friday.
Stated Clerk Elissa Bailey 309-371-2511 Email: pastorebailey@gmail.com
My regular office hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am - 3 pm.(Central Time) If you have an emergency, please call or text me at 309-371-2511.
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Get Connected!
Be sure to encourage your congregations, sessions, and even your church newsletter editorial staff and volunteers to be sure to sign up for our presbytery newsletter and follow our Facebook page so you don't miss out on what is going on in our community of churches!
Have you liked our "Presbytery of Great Rivers" Facebook page?
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