[Members] Fwd: Synod Connections - Week of Sept 17, 2007

Tue Sep 18 20:29:08 PDT 2007

 Gerry Franklin
Office Administrator
New Creation Presbyterian Church
O Fallon, Illinois
618-624-6860

-----Original Message-----
From: Kerry Lancaster <kerrysl at synodma.org>
To: Mary Sue Thomas <maryst at synodma.org>
Sent: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:39 am
Subject: Synod Connections - Week of Sept 17, 2007

SYNOD CONNECTION

Staying in touch with the wider church and its mission in the
world

SEPTEMBER 18, 2007

(For questions, comments, to submit items for Synod Connections,  or to reply to this newsletter, contact Mary Sue Thomas, editor, at maryst at synodma.org)

ST PAUL SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
 TOWN AND COUNTRY
CONSULTATION

Are you interested in food?  Are you interested in how Jesus ate?  Have
we got a conference for you!  Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City is sponsoring
“How Would Jesus Eat?  Food as a Gospel Resource for the Church” on
October 8-10, 2007.  The central intention of the planners is to explore the
Gospels to identify Jesus’ eating practices and how we might model our
evangelism and mission activities around his example.  CEU credit is
available.  Contact Shannon.jung at spst.edu
or Audrey Williams, at awilliams at spst.edu 
or call 816-245-4862.

WE FOSTER FOSTER PARENTS

Have you ever thought about being a FOSTER PARENT but didn’t want
to go it alone?  Presbyterian Children’s Services will help you learn all
you need to know and support you throughout the process.  Hundreds of children
in the Mid-America Synod are desperately in need of loving, caring foster
parents.  To find out if you might be a good candidate for foster parents,
contact Presbyterian Children’s Services at 1-800-383-8147.  (Note:  this
might be an excellent piece to use in your church bulletin, newsletter or other
publications).    

CALLING ALL ADVOCATES!

Consider joining our ministry of advocacy!  Become a part of a network
of Presbyterians committed to advocacy for women’s full inclusiveness and
equity in all areas of life and work in the church and society.  Please send
your contact information to the Rev. Molly Casteel, Associate for Women’s
Advocacy, at mcasteel at ctr.pcusa.org
or toll free at 888-728-7228, ext. 5403.  

HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESBYTERIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (PDA) RESPONSES

Financial gifts to support these responses can be made through your
local Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation.  Please be sure to reference
the Disaster Response (DR) giving account number.  

-         
Indonesia  (DR000146) – PDA’s local
partners in Indonesia, is
already responding to the earthquakes that have struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra.  PDA, its partners in
Indonesia, and fellow members of Action by Churches Together (ACT) are
continuing to respond to the 2004 earthquake and tsunami that killed an
estimated 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them Sumatra’s
Aceh province.  

-         
Hurricane Humberto – The first hurricane to hit
the US in two years, came
ashore on south Texas and Louisiana September 13, 2007, with heavy
rains and 85 mph winds.  The hurricane impacted areas still recovering from the
damages of Hurricane Rita 2 years ago.  PDA is still responding to needs
related to Hurricane Rita. PDA has been in contact with New Covenant Presbytery
to offer assistance.  

-         
United States Midwest Recovery  (DR000015) – PDA
continues to respond to extensive flooding throughout the Central
 United States.  From March through the present, PDA has provided
$245,000 in One Great Hour of Sharing and designated funds to 20 different
presbyteries that have been affected by storms and flooding.  In addition, 27
members of the PDA National Response Team have worked with the affected
presbyteries, serving as resources, providing assistance in the relief and
recovery efforts, and representing the care and concern of the whole church.  

2008 PRESBYTERY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE PROGRAM – February 17-21,
2008

The Institute will include Dr. John Kaiser, the head of a Baptist
denomination in Canada
as keynoter and  interactive workshops.  Dr. Kaiser will help presbyteries
think through ways of developing accountability for congregational leaders AND
presbytery leaders.  By focusing on congregational support systems, disciplined
commitment to change, and intentional strategies for renewal, presbyteries will
develop an action plan of hope and possibility for congregations incapacitated
by inertia.  For more details, contact Gerry Tyer, 813-868-4800 or email gtyer at pbty.com   

SYNOD MAILBAG

In light of the higher costs for postage and the greater use of
electronic communication, the Synod of Mid-America will no longer publish the
quarterly Synod Mailbag.  The Presbyterianews
and the Synod Connection will be the avenues that will be used to publish
information about upcoming events,  news in the Synod, Presbytery, local church
and the wider church.  The Presbyterianews
is published monthly with a deadline of the 10th each month.  The
Synod Connections is published weekly, normally on Monday.  If you have
information that you would like to include in either of these publications
please contact Mary Sue Thomas for
the Synod Connections or Glenda Self, editor of Presbyterianews.

SYNOD OF MID-AMERICA WEBSITE

Have you browsed through the Synod website lately? 
Did you know that the following are included on the website:

        Synod Calendar

        Committees of Synod and those serving on the
committees 

        Events

                        PETM (Pastoral Enrichment
Transitions in Ministry)

                        Interim Ministry Training
information

                        Senior High Summit – February 8-10, 2008

        Congregations of Synod – listed by
Presbytery

        Missions of Synod

        Synod Budget

        Photo Album - pictures of Kaw Prairie Community Church
– Shawnee, KS

                                 Pictures of Summer
Synod Meeting – August 10, 2007

        Presbyterianews

        Synod Priorities    Ministry Partners 

                        Links to Presbytery websites

        Campus Ministry

                        Sites of ministry

        Synod Receiving Agency

                        Detailed information
pertaining to

        Resources

                        Helpful contact information
and links to possible resources

Visit www.synodma.org
and to see any of the above. 

________________________________________________________________________
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