“…I hold you in my heart, for all of you are my partners in God’s grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight… (Philippians 1:7,9)
My children will tell you I have a slight addiction to Post-it notes. That’s not exactly true. I can stop buying them anytime I want–I just haven’t found a reason to stop. Besides, the trait seems to have been passed to our granddaughters, which is an even better reason to keep buying those tantalizing canary-colored stickies.
I learned that one of the inventors of Post-it Notes was 3M chemist Art Fry, who just happens to be a Presbyterian. “I don’t know whether it was a dull sermon of a divine inspiration,” recounts Fry. Fry was a member of the choir at North Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, when he became annoyed that his bookmarks kept falling out of his hymnal during choir practice. Then he remembered that a 3M colleague was working on a low-residue adhesive. Suddenly, the world changed.
So perhaps it was predestined that I would run across this statement on the Post-it brand’s website recently:
There’s a reason people rarely work entirely alone. At Post-it® Brand, we believe that when we collaborate with other people, we can share ideas, get inspired, and get rid of what doesn’t work – and it seems so much easier than when we’re all on our own. Not only that, but sometimes, mutual passion can help create truly revolutionary work. We never know when the partnerships we form will spark ideas that go on to change the world.
Partnerships are vital. They provide bonds of mutuality, support, prayer, and insight. These bonds are even more essential in a world of fewer church members and pastors. In 
2003, the 215th General Assembly of the PCUSA highlighted the importance of partnerships in our denomination:
“We believe we are called to mission through the discipline of partnership,” the policy declared, adding that “the practice of partnership guides our whole connectional church.” Partnership is embedded in our Presbyterian DNA.
In Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery, we have experienced times of great partnership, as Rev. Carol DeVaughan reminded us in her sermon at the May 2026 Presbytery Gathering. Yet the challenges of our culture, differences in geography, and scores of other concerns have endangered partnerships in our Presbytery. That can’t continue, and I’m asking for your help.
Last fall, I shared with you that the Commission on Ministry had committed itself to addressing the leadership needs of our smaller and rural congregations. A task force was formed to listen to the needs of churches that struggle to find pastoral leaders. Lots of ideas have emerged, and while there is obviously no single solution, we are committed to learning what new thing God is doing in our midst.
One project COM has undertaken is reorganizing itself to become a better partners to congregations and pastors. In May, COM approved a plan that divides the Presbytery into six regions for COM purposes. Each region will be assigned three partners from COM who will be assigned to improve connections between our congregations and COM.
COM has also committed to holding gatherings in each of the six regions on a regular basis. We envision these as times for sharing information, offering training, hearing concerns, as well as worship and fellowship.
It’s worth noting that years ago, COM had a somewhat similar structure, which had proved helpful. But times have changed, and today there are fewer churches, members, and pastors. The needs, however, have only increased.
This is where we need your help. Improving communication, training, and pastoral care will require partnerships. We’ll need elders willing to serve on COM and help in organizing regional meetings. This is not the Presbytery coming to tell you, “We’re from the Presbytery, and we’re here to help you.” This is Christ’s body, working together.
Take a look at how the Book of Order speaks about our connectional church:
“The mutual interconnection of the church through its councils is a sign of the unity of the church. Congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), while possessing all the gifts necessary to be the church, are nonetheless not sufficient in themselves to be the church. Rather, they are called to share with others, both within and beyond the congregation, the task of bearing witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in the world. This call to bear witness is the work of all believers. The particular responsibility of the councils of the church is to nurture, guide, and govern those who witness as part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), to the end that such witness strengthens the whole church and gives glory to God.” (G-3.01)
That might be worth printing on a Post-it Note. We’ll have more to share during the August Presbytery gathering. In the meantime, please know that COM wants to be helpful, and that your church and ministry are always in our prayers.
Rev. Dr. Chris Keating
Moderator of Giddings Lovejoy Presbytery Commission on Ministry
Pastor at Woodlawn Chapel Presbyterian Church
Chaplain, St. Louis County Police Department, West County Precinct (7th)
