Below are listings for resources and events helpful for you and your congregation:
This is from United Seminary in New Brighton:
Subject: Creating Significant Worship in Times of Change and Challenge – A Call to Congregations United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (UTS) is now accepting applications from churches in the Twin Cities metropolitan area to participate in a project designed to help congregations evaluate and enrich their worship. The project, “Creating Significant Worship in Times of Change and Challenge,” is underwritten by a Worship Renewal Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship with funds provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. Those congregations interested in applying can download an application and learn more about this opportunity at www.unitedseminary.edu/ce/vitalworship.asp. Application deadline is July 22, 2008. The project will select five area congregations to participate in this exciting interactive worship-enriching experience. Each congregation will send a team of worship planners to form a cluster group. The cluster group will meet with UTS faculty and resource persons to explore a wide variety of ways each congregation can enliven its worship life through theological reflection, dialogue, and engagement with the arts. In addition UTS resource persons will visit the congregations to help assess congregational interests, resources, and possibilities. All of this will be funded by the project.Continue reading "United Seminary offering Worship Resources" »
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Observe Access Sunday
The inclusive church values and empowers all of its members for mutual ministry. Use the tools in the Access Sunday resource packet to help your congregation become intentional in its welcome and inclusion of people with disabilities. You may also use the worship suggestions to plan a special Access Awareness service.
You can also visit the PTCA Disability Concerns Taskfoce page to find additional resources (such as a congregational audit) for your congregation to become more inclusive of persons with disabilities.
 If the logo for Access Sunday seems familiar, that's because it incorporates artwork done by Kirsten Berry, co-chair of the PTCA Committee on Ministry and a member at Hope Presbyterian in Richfield. Congratulations, Kirsten! |
The Parish Paper, a monthly publication that used to be included in the old weekly mailings, is now available for download at the PTCA website. The Parish Paper offers ideas and insights for active congregations. Edited by Herb Miller, Lyle Schaller and Cynthia Woolever, this journal is available to all Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area church members and clergy to use within their ministry. You are invited to include items from The Parish Paper in your newsletters and on your website or webpage. You may also reprint items and send to others through email or the U.S. mail.
The Disabilities Concerns Task Force has updated information on their webpage to help congregations become barrier-free in all aspects of that phrase. Go here for more information.
Following the call to be a Minister of Word and Sacrament is a wonderful experience, but in many cases, it carries a big price tag. Many young pastors leave seminary and enter their first calls with large student loans to pay off.
There are several scholarships available to help lower the cost of theological education. To find out more, please go to the Committee on Preparation for Ministry page.
In response to requests from some of the PTCA churches, the Committee on Ministry has compiled and printed a guide containing different types of congregational mission studies.
The guide contains introductory information about mission studies in general and has detailed studies from three other presbyteries. These studies were developed by those presbyteries to shorten the mission study process and to be conducted within a relatively short period of time.
The guide is available on the PTCA website (ptcaweb.org) and the link to the guide is located on the COM page in the box entitled “Resources for Ministers and Sessions.” It is for any session, minister or congregation, who would like to review or use it.
The Presbytery office has extra copies of the 2008 Mission Yearbook and Children's Mission Yearbook available for $5 each. If you are interested, please contact Office Manager Risa Anderson at 612-871-7281 or via email at office@ptcaweb.org.
Access Sunday, celebrated June 22, calls Presbyterians to celebrate the inclusion, full participation and gifts of persons with disabilities. The 2008 theme of pastoral care challenges the church to recognize and treasure the gifts and talents of people of all abilities.
