Sparks From The Flint June-July 2016

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2016 The Family is Meeting! --reflections by Deb Bibler

Expectation is the mother of all possibilities. In other words, when we lower our expectations -- assuming that whatever is difficult or uncertain may be defined only as difficult and uncertain -- we limit our learning and our life together. However, when we raise our expectations -- trusting that God will rework the difficulties we face -- we become messengers of unbidden miracles. We give voice to the restorative nature of the Holy Spirit among us and beyond us. And so with that framework in mind, I want to reflect with you about our General Assembly which will begin meeting in Portland, Oregon from June 18-25. Whatever the outcomes of General Assembly may be, there will be items that delight us and items that depress us. We can choose to keep our expectations low, keeping our heads down and hold our breath, succumbing to a stifling culture of fear ...

Quick Links

Flint River Presbytery FRP Resource Center Presbyterian's Today Join FRP Sparks list CTS Center (Life-Long Learning Events) PCUSA Giving Catalogue Stop Hunger Now In This Issue The Presbyterian Outlook...General Assembly Bulletin Inserts

Overseas Learning

Stop Hunger Now

Concerns & Celebrations

A "Spark-Ling" Exchange

June & July 2016 Calendar

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Or we can lift our fists in rage and spew our discontent, succumbing to a diminished culture of division ... OR we can choose a more difficult and deliberate way: we can raise our expectations and trust with the unreserved foolishness of a disciple of Jesus Christ that God will have his way with us! So as we prepare for the 'Family Gathering", here's a few pointers: *Don't Google "General Assembly" (GA)! The issues before every GA are complex and often convoluted. The media is looking for a splash on the ratings, not a step toward the Kingdom. *Pray ardently. Our prayers need not be focused on outcomes as much as for the eyes of our hearts to be opened to the Spirit of God at work among us. God will take care of the rest. *Be aware of resources available to all of us. You can go to www.pc-biz.org to follow GA actions. In addition, The Presbyterian Outlook provides the most even-handed reporting of GA along with a myriad of opinions to remind us how to disagree wisely and well. (Reading The Layman alone will not be a helpful source of information or a life-giving spiritual discipline.) *Talk to people you trust. Know that you will hear from your commissioners Jarred Hammet, Liz Allison, and Christopher Gilstrap during our October presbytery meeting. *Believe that when we stand together, refusing to divide over issues, we become remarkable witnesses to the way of Jesus. As our denomination undergoes labor pains to birth something new, and as we, as Flint River Presbyterians, continue to

Parish Paper

create ripple after ripple of change with our vital ministries, may we trust God to lead us to green pastures of possibility and still waters of promise. May we expect that the very best is yet to come. And we may indeed expect that the very best is yet to come, not because we will be marching in lock-step uniformity, but because we will be kneeling in humble unity in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit..... In Christ's Hope, Deb P.S. There will be 2 special edition Sparks throughout the summer: one edition will provide pictures and reflections from our most recent presbytery meeting on June 11th, and one which will provide pictures and reflections from General Assembly. The Blaze will soon be coming as well, featuring Beth Salem in Columbus. Please share these publications on your bulletin boards and in your meetings! Thank you.

The Presbyterian Outlook General Assembly Bulletin Inserts

Order now and download immediately. Post-GA bulletin inserts (available June 25) will help you share balanced, non-anxious news coming out of GA with your congregation. Pre-order now. Bulletin inserts come in regular and large print. Post-GA inserts will also be available in Korean on June 29 (at no extra charge). Click here for all of the Outlook's GA222 content (so far!)

The 222nd General Assembly will be making important decisions about the future of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). How will we be structured? What will be our shared vision? Please be in prayer!

Another Opportunity for Overseas Learning

PRESBYTERY-SPONSORED TRIP TO SCOTLAND organized by TRE Jane Shelton at the request of our presbytery staff

A nine-day trip to Scotland, with highlights including St. Giles Cathedral, the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Mile, the birthplace and childhood home of John Knox, St. Andrews Castle and St. Andrew's Cathedral, St. John's Presbyterian Church, St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, Stirling Castle, and Iona, is being planned for Spring 2017. A complete itinerary along with costs and deadlines can be viewed in the link below.

An initial deposit of $250 should be sent to Flint River Presbytery by July 31. Be sure to include "Scotland Trip initial deposit" on the memo line.

Scotland Guided Tour

STOP HUNGER NOW -- World Communion Sunday on October 2nd A link to this poster can be found above in the QUICK LINKS and hard copies of this poster can be picked up at the presbytery office whenever you are in the area!

Thank you JoAnna Williams of First (Columbus) for creating this beautiful publicity!

WE are CONNECTED ONE to ANOTHER: CONCERNS and CELEBRATIONS around our CHURCH LEADERS

Reformation Project Update ...

You hear about the Reformation Project often!

This is a a presbytery project where pastors willingly and intentionally participate in a process involving both spiritual discernment and pragmatic tools to learn and

grow in deeper faithfulness to the service of God.

Here's our "Fresh Start" class, which has been newly constituted in 2017. Group leaders are Dr. Leanne Simmons and Dr. Glenn Gilstrap,

both graduates of the program. Current participants are (from left to right front row): Leanne Simmons, AJ Mealor of First

(Moultrie), Anghaarad Teague-Dees of Trinity (Valdosta), and Marilyn Tucker-Marek of Forsyth and UKirk Campus Ministry in Macon. Sommer Bower of First (Americus) is

pictured in back next to Glenn.

The purpose of the Reformation Project is to engage, encourage, equip, and empower church leaders as they participate in a sustained process of spiritual formation, self-awareness, and adaptive leadership so that congregations may more faithfully and

effectively proclaim the gospel, make disciples of Jesus Christ, and engage with their local community, so that the Kingdom of Heaven may be discovered in vibrant new ways!

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Pentecost Sunday at Trinity (Valdosta)

Sharing the joy of the Spirit of God!

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Please note: a celebration of Mission Haven's 65th anniversary will be held on August 14 at Carver Heights (Columbus). All NW congregations (and beyond!) are invited to attend. Contact Rosa Steward if you have questions or would like more information.

To keep more frequently abreast of our sisters and brothers in Jesus Christ,

go to "Prayer Concerns"

a quick link on our FRP website at www.flintriverpresbytery.org.

A "SPARK-LING" EXCHANGE

Have stuff at your church you don't need? Need stuff for your church that you don't have?

There are all kinds of gently used items that might be of interest to sister congregations. If you would like to submit an offer or make a request, please submit the information by using the form below. You can fill it out online and it will go directly to June.

Here's to being wise and faithful stewards of the gifts we have received!

A number of items from the Bare Bulb Coffee House are currently being stored in our presbytery's shed. If you can use any of these children's toys/furniture, which includes a play kitchen, as well as comfortable (adult) chairs, please contact June Denney at (229) 435-9726, extension 22.

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St. Andrews (Macon) has the following to give away: *a set of green paraments

*a full set of green, red, white and purple choir stoles (for the entire liturgical season) Please contact Dr. Kyra Osmus for further information.

The ice machine at the presbytery office recently died after 8 years of faithful service.

If any congregation has an unused ice machine which you would be willing to sell or give away

OR if you know of someone who is particularly gifted in the repair of compressors, please contact June at the office! Thank you.

Exchange Form

June & July 2016 Calendar

**Registration for our Communication/Stewardship Workshop in Albany and Columbus are due to June at the office by Monday, June 20th.

*Committees need to be aware that budget requests for 2017 are due by August 18,

2016

JUNE

12 - 18 Montreat 18 - 25 General Assembly 27-30 Deb Bibler on vacation

JULY 4 OFFICE CLOSED - Independence Day 5 - 8 June Denney on vacation 14 10:00 am Committee on Ministry COM 18 - 24 Triennium (traveling days 18th and 24th)

21 11:00 am Administrative Ministry Team 11:00 am Church Relations Minsitry Team 1:00 pm Advisory Board 23 Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team meets @ Covenant 28 2:00 pm Finance Committee Meets @ Americus 27 - 31 June Denney - Administrative Personnel Association (APA) Regional Conference continuing education

Looking ahead....August through December, 2016 Calendar

Print this out and save a full list of known FRP events throughout 2016

*All events are held at the presbytery office unless otherwise noted*.

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Parish Paper June Parish Paper July Parish Paper

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1. Permission to provide copies to our staff and to the congregations within our Presbytery in any of the following ways: E-mail, Postal, newspaper, newsletter, meetings, training events, and our Web site. 2. Permission is granted for each congregation within our Presbytery to (a) photocopy or electronically distribute for local use as many copies as it needs, (b) post them on its Web site, and (c) quote sentences and paragraphs. Congregations within our Presbytery do NOT have permission (a) to delete the copyright notice, (b) to re-write, paraphrase, or change the wording of sentences and paragraphs, or (c) to give ANY THIRD PARTY--other than our staff and members--permission to photocopy or reprint (in any quantity, no matter how small, whether for free distribution or for sale).

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