Blog Post by Elder Jim Cook Member of our Presbytery and Past Interim Presbytery Leader “This is serious, Jim. You’ve probably got 6 months to 2 years if you’re lucky.” I am not the first person to be diagnosed with cancer. I am not the first person to be given a devastating prognosis. However, this was the first time that…
Blog Post by Julie Nicolai Member of the Presbytery History Work Group and Dismantling Racism & White Privilege I try to put Covid-19 and the past year into a constructive framework – make a positive out of a negative; learn from our mistakes; lots of time to think, etc. Strangely, looking back on the 2020 holiday season, although I was…
St. Luke’s Hospital COVID-19 Vaccine Brings Hope Post by St. Luke’s Hospital with an introduction by Emily Rosencrans, M.Div., MFT, BCC St. Luke’s Network Director of Pastoral Care Introduction: Greetings to my clergy colleagues! St. Luke’s Hospital has a unique relationship with the Episcopal and Presbyterian judicatories here because we were given birth through the Church’s mission and vision to…
Blog Post by Rev. Bob Jensen Bridge Presbytery Leader In a Garden, Some People See the Flowers. My dad loved the beauty of flowers. In his retirement, he spent his time mainly caring for flowers he found “dumpster-diving” out behind the local grocery store. He would bring home those cast-off flowers and nurse them to health. And though he was…
Blog Post by Rev. Steve Matthews Pastor of First Presbyterian Church – Ste. Genevieve, Missouri Moderator of New Worshiping Communities Commission When I joined the Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery as a newly installed pastor in 2016, one of my first experiences was being approached by Barbara Willock and being asked if I would be willing to serve on a presbytery committee or…
Blog Post by by Julie Gvillo, Commissioned Pastor A Place of Grace One of my favorite things about the Glory to God hymnal is the lectionary index in the back of Volume II. I refer to it every single week as I work with scriptures, not just to plan worship when preparing for pulpit supply, but also for spiritual practice.…
Blog Post by Rev. Alexandra Lysdahl First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, Illinois “If we build it, they will come.” That was something I heard growing up in the church. Sometimes it was said with sadness as large church buildings sat mostly empty, struggling with shrinking membership. Sometimes with disdain, as if the secret to ministry had been found and of…
Blog Post by Rev. Joy Myers, Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Way to go Clerks of Session!!! We have the highest participation in the reporting of statistics since I have been Stated Clerk! This is an annual task for those who accept the role of Clerk…keeping track of who was added or who died or transferred membership either…
Blog Post by Harriet Hall, Moderator of the Nicaragua Community Partnership and member Webster Groves Presbyterian Church In her presentation for the last Presbytery gathering, Rev. Dr. Damayanthi Niles highlighted the use of language and how it shapes our thoughts and actions. Presbyterians are no longer officially called “missionaries”. We strive to “do mission” now as “co-workers” and in partnership.…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Julia Allen Berger Aberdeen Heights Senior Living Two years ago, I departed hospital chaplaincy after 30+ years to work at a senior residential community in Kirkwood. I can only speak anecdotally now about what front-line hospital chaplains have experienced during the past year. A colleague named Rachelle recently posted on a site for chaplains: “Yesterday,…