Register for the Summer Stated Meeting of Presbytery

The Presbytery's Summer Stated Meeting will be on Thursday, August 15th at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church with registration beginning at 9:00 AM. If you are planning on attending, please register below no later than this Friday, August 9th.

Presbytery Registration (No later than Friday, August 9th)

https://forms.gle/dhyYfuSbx5CFyon58

Packet Link

Ministers and Commissioners, please download and read the presbytery packet before the meeting. Click the following link for the packet: August Presbytery packet

Presbytery meeting Zoom link

For the day of Presbytery, August 15th beginning at 9:00 AM (see link below) The actual meeting will begin at 9:30 AM. (As you enter, you will start in the “waiting room.” Please be patient – you’ll be brought into the main room as soon as possible.)

 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86917788018?pwd=qcuNBFRxlfn4qYBAzkwYwgOeOJAnIn.1

Meeting ID: 869 1778 8018

Passcode: 572305

Welcome to our New Neighbors

PHFC adds Director to oversee new Caminos Program - The Presbyterian Home for Children has added a key leader to the team who will usher in our new Caminos program that helps ensure unaccompanied immigrant minors coming to Alabama are being placed in safe surroundings and receiving necessary services.

Ending of the 2024 Pentecost Can-paign

This year's Pentecost Can-paign ended Sunday, July 28. Please bring your gifts of food and money to your church's collection point this Sunday.

Also, for the churches, please send to the Presbytery office the amount of food and money your church has collected, and which hunger program your church sends its collection. We need this information at Presbytery in order to make a report at the August 15 meeting.



Thanks to all the people and churches that help the hungry. Glory be to God.

Come and spend time at Living River- hiking, swimming, canoeing, fishing, or hanging out! All are welcome, so please invite friends and family! Lifeguards, life jackets, (some) fishing poles, and canoes provided as well as staff to help guide fishing and canoeing if needed. Please bring your own food and water bottles and whatever change of clothes, sunscreen, towels, picnic blankets, hammocks, and camp chairs you or your group might need. The day will be "come and go" with a greeter at the front office building to point you in the right direction and sign you in. We hope to see you August 10th at Living River!

Matthew 25 Devotional Series

Our Matthew 25 churches are engaging this mission focus in a variety of creative ways including a three part devotional series shared with his congregation (First, Wetumpka) by the Rev. Jonathan Yarboro. We are pleased to share it with you as part of your own creative processes. See the link below.

Matthew 25 Devotional Series

Southminster Presbyterian Church Foundation Grant Applications

The Southminster Presbyterian Church Foundation for Ministry is accepting 2025 grant applications. The application can be found on the church’s website:

https://southminsterpcusa.org/foundation. The completed application can be emailed to

foundation@southminsterpcusa.org or mailed to The Southminster Presbyterian Church

Foundation for Ministry, 1124 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35216. The application must be received by the Foundation, either by mail or email, by September 1, 2024. Please note that the application must specify an exact purpose for which the funds will be utilized.

Healthy Boundaries Training

All ministers and ruling elders are required to participate in Healthy Boundary Training for the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley. Below is a link to a Jotform Registration Form. This registration form contains registration information as well as the link to the video (which is password protected) and the password. The video takes you to another link for you to watch the content.  

After watching, It is very important to return to the Jotform, acknowledge your completion and SUBMIT the form. This will ensure the stated clerk receives notice that you have completed the training.  

Thank you for participating in the required Healthy Boundaries training. Your comments on both the process and the content are welcome. Please reply to our Stated Clerk if you have any questions and/or wish to share your comments.

Registration and link to Healthy Boundary Training for the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley

Pre-Order your 2024-2025 Planning Calendar Now

The Presbytery has pre-ordered 200 of the 2024-2025 Presbyterian Planning Calendars. If you or your church would like to reserve one or more please email Tammy. The cost per calendar is $11.00.

The Impact of Churches’

Hunger Action Programs in this Presbytery

We are compiling a list of this Presbytery’s churches’ activities in combating hunger. We are wondering what your church is doing to combat hunger, such as: donating to food pantries, operating food pantries, rescuing edible foods, giving food from members’ gardens, participating in the Cents-Ability and Pentecost Can-paign programs, volunteering at food banks, etc.

Our churches are acting to help the hungry and food insecure. Let’s see what everyone is doing. Perhaps we can get ideas from each other on combating hunger.

Please send your church’s information to Ralls Coston, Mission Coordinator, rcoston@pslpcusa.org., phone 205-617-0216. Thank you for all you are doing.

Presbyterian Home for Children Thrift Store Donations

is Now being picked up by the King's Home

Bring your usable furniture, furnishings, items and gently used clothing, etc. to the King's Home donation center in the parking lot of Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church. Donations will be accepted every third Friday of the month from 9:00 AM - Noon.

The Home has a second donation drop off location at Southminster Presbyterian in the church parking lot. Donations will be accepted only on the first Saturday of every month from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.

Look for the box truck onsite for your donation drop off.

Concerned about Gun Violence?

Join Presbyterian Peace Fellowship for the James Atwood

Institute for Congregational Courage:

Aug 22-25, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Join us for four days of hands-on continuing education for clergy and lay leaders. Including:



• Educational, pastoral and action skills taught by leading gun violence prevention activists 
• Keynote speech by Father John Dear, Catholic biblical scholar and activist
• Develop a path for your congregation to join in the Presbyterian Decade to End Gun Violence 

We’ll build skills, courage and community for gun violence prevention mission for the local church.

First Presbyterian Church - Alexander City is seeking pulpit supply until they can fill their pastoral vacancy. Their worship services are on Sundays at 11:00 for one hour. If you are interested, please call the church office at (256) 329-0524.

Hearts and Minds Prepared for Worship

You are invited to this leadership event being sponsored by The Center for Excellence in Christian Education, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and the Presbytery of Charlotte. This fully online event is designed for folks who are involved in worship leadership whether that be clergy, worship committees, or educators.

I'm sure many of you remember Sarah Dianne Jones who grew up in Sheppards and Lapsley--she is now the Program Associate for the Center and would love to have some PSL folks join this event!

The website for the event is here: https://na.eventscloud.com/website/71005/.

Registration is now open.

Prayer Concerns

Chuck Kukal - Recent hospital stay

Family of Coleen Duke, former Presbytery Administrator

and wife of the late Rev. Mickey Duke

Presbytery Tech Person Needed

The Presbytery is looking for a Tech person to help with our quarterly Presbytery meetings. (This includes four eight hour meetings per year plus be available for four 2 hour planning meetings quarterly) Must have knowledge of Zoom, including issues with sound and video. Must be available to set up equipment to start each meeting and monitor Zoom participants. Compensation is negotiable. If you or someone you know may be interested please contact Tammy Strickland at tstrickland@pslpcusa.org.

Dallas County Long Term Recovery Group

This Presbytery has been involved with the Dallas County LTRG (Long Term Recovery Group) for the past year. The LTRG is working on Selma’s recovery from the January 2023 tornado which destroyed or damaged so much of Selma and Dallas County. So far, the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley has distributed over $31,000 to six cases in Selma. This money has been used to replace beds, tables, washing machines, dryers and roofing for the six different families impacted by the tornado. The funds for these cases came from contributions from the Presbyterian Disaster Fund, Independent Presbyterian Church, Southminster Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian-Wetumpka and Oakmont Chapel Presbyterian Church. Thank you to all the donors.

There is still plenty to do in Dallas County/Selma’s recovery. Other organizations, such as United Way, Mennonite Disaster Services, Lutheran Disaster Services, Gospel Tabernacle Church, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, and the Edmundite Missions of the Catholic Church are some of the workers/contributors to Selma’s recovery.

 This Presbytery can continue to help by providing funds to the Presbytery’s Perry/Dallas County Fund. Both churches and individuals may contribute to this fund. And, as the United Methodist case managers provide the cases, we can continue to help.

Please be sure to check out the job openings around our Presbytery at the bottom of this page.

Newsletters, Bulletins, News

• Presbyterian Historical Society
• The Wonderful Work of Older Adult Ministry
• Presbyterian Outlook - The Love of Being in Community
• I am the bread of life

PRESBYTERY OPERATING FINANCES June 2024 YTD