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SpringMeeting-SynodofLakesandPrairies-MountOlivetConferenceandRetreatCenter-Farmington,Minnesota-May1-3,2016.
Synod of Lakes and Prairies
TheSynodMeetingSummaryisanunof'icialreportofsynodactionspublishedshortlyaftereachmeetingoftheSynodofLakesofPrairies.Commentsregardingthepublica-tionorre-questsforcopiesshouldbeaddressedtodsweep@lakesandprairies.org.
2 1 1 5 C l i f f D r i v e E a g a n , M N 5 5 1 2 2 6 5 1 . 3 5 7 . 1 1 4 0
Find synod info online Youcan'indtheSynodofLakesandPrairiesonlineatlakesandprairies.organdyoucanalso'indthesynodonFacebook.IfyouuseTwitter,pleasefollow@lakesprairies.
M a y 1 1 , 2 0 1 6
FernCloud
Synod installs 3 leaders during spring meeting FernM.Cloud,arulingelderfromthePresbyteryofDakota,andGregBraatz,arulingelderfromWinnebagoPresbytery,wereinstalledasmoderatorandvicemoderatorwhentheSynodofLakesandPrairiesmetMay1-3nearFarmington,Minn.
ThesynodalsoinstalledtheRev.PamProuty,ateachingelderfromthePresbyteryofMinnesotaValleys,asitsstatedclerk.
CloudisamemberoftheSisseton-WahpetonDakotaOyateandagreat-greatgranddaughterofTaOyateDuta,betterknownasChiefLittleCrowoftheDakotapeople.
ShehasservedasacommissionedrulingelderatPejuhutaziziDakotaPresbyterianChurch,UpperSiouxCommunity,inGraniteFalls,Minn.,sinceMarch2004.
Braatz,a30-yearmemberofmemorialPresbyterianChurchinAppleton,Wis.,servesonWinnebagoPresbytery’spermanentjudicialcommission.
Braatzretiredlastyearafterspending29yearswithKimberly-ClarkCorp.invariousmarketingandsales-supportroles.HecurrentlyservesparttimewithMemorialPresbyterianasacommissionedrulingelderforspiritualformationandoutreach.
Prouty,whoalsoservesasthestatedclerkforthePresbyteryofMinnesotaValleys,beganservingasthesynod’sstatedclerkJan.1,followingherelectionlastfall.
Proutybrings15yearsofpastandcurrentexperienceasastatedclerk,isamemberofthenationalAssociationofStatedClerks,andhasservedasaGeneralAssemblycommitteeparliamentarianforthe2012and2014Assemblies.
GregBraatz
PamProuty
2
SDOP issues $15,000 grant to Bountiful Gardens
TheSelfDevelopmentofPeopleCommitteeoftheSynodofLakesandPrairiesawardeda$15,000granttoanorthMinneapolisproject.
ThegrantsupportsTheBountifulGardens,acommunitygardenthatcreatesfreshproduceforconsumptionandsaleablecosmeticproductsforacooperativeofwomen.
TheSDOPcommitteeispreparingtoparticipateinarecerti'icationtrainingsessionthissummer.Certi'icationisathree-yearcyclethatauthorizesSDOPcommitteestoreceive,reviewandapprovefundingtocommunitygroups.ThesynodcommitteehasinvitedSDOPcommitteesfromthepresbyteriesofNorthernWaters,MinnesotaValleysandTwinCitiesAreatoparticipateintherecerti'icationtraining.
Synod PW gathers in Sioux Falls this summer TheGatheringofPresbyterianWomenintheSynodofLakesandPrairiestakesplaceJune15-18inSiouxFalls,S.D.
Forthosewhohaven’treceivedaregistrationbooklet—whichcontainsallthenecessaryregistrationinformation—itisavailableonthesynod’swebsite.
Commissioners introduced to new synod employees Twonewsynodemployeeswereintroducedtocommissionersduringthespringmeeting—DebDeMeesterandAlexDeVeyra.
DeMeester,introducedastheactingdirectorofleadershipdevelopment,waslatervotedtobecomethefull-timedirectorofleadershipdevelopmentwhenthesynod’spersonnelcommitteemadethatrecommendation.
DeMeester,ateachingelder,servedmanyyearsasassociateexecutivepresbyterforleadershipdevelopmentforthePresbyteryoftheTwinCitiesAreaandhasledagraduateleadershipprogramattheUniversityofSt.ThomasinSt.Paul,Minn.
Shebeganherpart-timeservicewiththesynodinFebruaryandwillbeginservinginafull-timecapacitynolaterthanJune15.
DeVeyra,whobeganservingFeb.1asthesynod’sdirectorof'inancialservices.,bringsextensiveaccountingexperiencetotheposition.HemostrecentlyworkedattheHubertH.HumphreyJobCorpsCenterinSt.Paul,andhehasalsoworkedforBoeserInc.ofMinneapolis,aprivatecorporationinthemanufacturingsector.
DebDeMeester
AlexDeVeyra
Synod issues $3,000 grant to ‘Faith and Friends’ program at St. Cloud church Actingonarecommendationofthesynod’sEcclesiasticalRelationsCommittee,commissionersapproveda$3,000grantforFirstPresbyterianChurchinSt.Cloud,Minn.,thatwillfundaUKirkprojectatSt.CloudStateUniversity.
Inapplyingforthegrant,FirstPresbyteriannotedthechurch“seekstotransformitsFaithandFriendscollegeoutreachprogram…intoasigni'icantUKirkprogram.”
UKirkistherevisionedcollegiateministriesprogramofthePresbyterianMissionAgencyofthePresbyterianChurch(U.S.A.).
Lindh tells of Pres Homes’ mission, growth DanLindh,presidentandCEOofPresbyterianHomesandServicesofRoseville,Minn.,lookedbackon60yearsofhistorywhenheaddressedthesynodduringitsspringmeetingMay2.
LindhsaidPresHomesservednearly26,000olderadultsduring2015—morethan13,000“underroof”—andplansto“doubleinscopeandreachofservices”inthenext15years.
PresHomesisincovenantwiththeSynodofLakesandPrairies.
3
Synod budgets more than $270,000 to presbytery support
TheSynodofLakesandPrairiescommittedmorethan$270,000inits2017
budgetforComprehensivePresbyterySupport,andslatedanadditional
$23,165tosupportthemissionandministryofDakotaPresbytery.
ThebudgetforComprehensivePresbyterySupportissplitevenlyamong15
ofthepresbyteriesthatmakeupthesynod.Eachisbudgetedat$18,225.
Thesynod’ssupportbudgetforDakotaPresbyteryisdifferentbecauseithas
beendeclining15percentannuallybasedonanactionbythesynodin2009.
For2017thebudgetforDakotaPresbyterysupportis$23,165.
Thesynod’sProgramCoordinationCommittee,whichannuallydevelopsthe
synod’sbudget,notedinitsreport,“Ourconversationscenteredaround
beingintentionalaboutwhatwearedoingandhowwearespendingour
money,andnotjustcontinuingpastpractices.”
Synod raises per capita by 5 cents TheSynodofLakesandPrairiesapproveda5-centincreaseinits2017percapitaapportionment.Theincreasewillraisethesynod’sshareofpercapitato$5.30.
Thepercapitaapportionmentisbasedonthefundsneededtocarryout“essentialecclesiastical”workandchurchmembershipwithinthesynod.
Decliningmembershipacrossthesynodcontributedtotheneedtoincreasepercapita.The2017percapitaamountsoughtfromeachpresbyterywillbeapportionedbasedonthetotalmembershipasofDec.31,2015.
Finance Committee notes grants, loans TheSynodofLakesandPrairiesaf'irmedtheworkofitsFinanceCommitteeregardingloansandgrants,andapprovedmodi'icationstoseveralloanterms.Thesynodapproved…
• agrantof$4,750tothePresbyteryofMissouriRiverValleyforapresbytery-wideprojecttitled“ChurchVitalityProgram.”
• anemergencyassistancegrantof$3,888.88fortheKoreanPresbyterianChurchofOmaha,Neb.
• asix-monthmoratoriumonloanpaymentsforPresbyterianChurchoftheMasterinCoonRapids,Minn.,andalsoapprovedareductionintheinterestrateto3.8percent
• asynodloanof$125,000forDiscoveryPresbyterianChurchinOmaha.Theloanwillbeamortizedover20yearsat3.8percentinterestforthe'irst10years.
• aone-yearmoratoriumonloanpaymentsforPresbyterianChurchoftheApostlesinBurnsville,Minn.
• anadditiontothesynodloanofFirstPresbyterianChurchofDePere,Wis.,intheamountof$50,000,amortizedoversevenyearsat3.8percentinterest.
• anextensiontoa30-yearterm,froma20-yearterm,onthesynod’sloanforFirstPresbyterianChurchofChippewaFalls,Wis.
Racial-Ethnic Ministry Committee issues scholarships, provides tribal college grants TheSynodofLakesandPrairiesthroughitsCommitteeonRacial-EthnicMinistryissued$17,500instudentscholarshipslastfall.
Scholarshipssupported10students,representingsevencollegesanduniversities.
Threeseminarieswererepresentedamongthescholarshiprecipients.
Eligiblescholarshiprecipientsmustberacialethnicstudentswhosepermanentresidenceiswithintheboundsofthesynod,activemembersinacongregationofthePresbyterianChurch(U.S.A.),enrolledatleasthalf-timeandingoodacademicstanding,makingprogresstowardadegree,andabletodemonstrate'inancialneed.
Inaddition,thecommitteeissued$200grantstoeachof10tribalcolleges:FondduLacTribalandCommunityCollegeofCloquet,Minn.;FortPeckCommunityCollegeofPoplar,Mont.;CankdeskaCikanaCommunityCollegeofFortTotten,N.D.;NebraskaIndianCommunityCollegeofMacy,Neb.;OglalaLakotaCollegeofKyle,S.D.;SinteGleskaUniversityofMission,S.D.;Sisseton-WahpetonCommunityCollegeofSisseton,S.D.,TurtleMountainCommunityCollegeofBelcourt,N.D.;WhiteEarthTribalandCommunityCollegeofMahnomen,Minn.,;andLacCourteOreillesCommunity
4
CREM approves up to $10,000 for immigrant network training
Thesynod’sCommitteeonRacialEthnicMinistrywillpartnerwiththenationalPresbyterianChurch(U.S.A.)Of'iceofImmigrantIssuestobehoststoaneventforimmigrantnetworktraining.
Thetrainingwillprovide
Presbyterianswhoare
workingonorinterestedin
immigrationadvocacythe
opportunitytobuild
connectionstostrengthena
denomination-widenetwork.
SlatedSept.8-10inSt.Cloud,
Minn.,theconferencewill
followtheguidelinesofthe
nationalof'icetoinvite
workshopleaders,agency
advocatesandplanners.
TheCommitteeonRacial
EthnicMinistryhasapproved
upto$10,000tosupportthe
conference.The'inancial
supportwillbeaddedto
$1,600pledgedfromthe
nationalof'ice.
Supportfromthenationalof'icewillcoveraportionofexpenses,toolsforcoalitionbuilding,presentersandsomestaffsupport.
Street-Stewart reports on policy review, upcoming General Assembly SynodExecutiveElonaStreet-StewartquotedfromGalations6whenshepresentedherwide-reachingreporttotheSynodofLakesandPrairiesatitsspringmeeting.
Galations6:9-10states,inpart,“Solet’snotallowourselvestogetfatigueddoinggood.Attherighttimewewillharvestagoodcropifwedon’tgiveup,orquit.Rightnow,therefore,everytimewegetthechance,letusworkforthebene'itofall,startingwiththepeopleclosesttousinthecommunityoffaith.”
“Workingtogethercanbehardwork,”shesaid.Andherreportnoted,“Ourlargesynodprovidesserviceandsupportforministryaroundtheregionandbeyond.Thereviewofthesynod’spoliciesandproceduresre'lectsasigni'icantefforttocombinepolity,talent,values,energyandvisioninagrouphomeworkassignment.”
Eachsynodcommitteehasbeenassignedspeci'icpoliciesandprocedurestoreviewandrewriteasnecessary,andStreet-Stewart’sreportadvisedsynodcommissioners,“Thecleareryoucanbeabouttheissues,expectations,assumptionsandeffectivenessofthetext,themorecomprehensivetherevisionprocesswillbeforboththereaderandpractitioner.”
Allcommitteesparticipatingintheprocessareexpectedtohavetheirrevisionsandrewritescompletedbythefallmeeting.
Street-StewartalsoreportedonthesynodsresponsetoGeneralAssembly’scalltoreducethenumberofsynodsacrossthedenomination,attachingthe“all-synod'inalreport”totheAssembly.
Thatreportnotes,“Aftercarefulandfaithfulconsiderationandresearch,thesynods…concludedthatlargerstructureswillhavelittle,ifany,positiveimpactonmission,ministryandpartnershipbetweenpresbyteries.Itwasalsodeterminedthatthesheerenormityofsuchexpansivesynodboundariesasthosebeingproposedwouldnotfacilitatetheworkofmid-councils,andwouldfurtherrestrictandlimittheinvolvementandvoiceofracialandethnicPresbyteriansworkingwiththecurrentsynodstructure.
“Itthereforeisrecommendedthatnochangesbemadetosynodboundariesatthistime.”
AnexecutivesummaryofindividualsynodresponsestotheGeneralAssemblynotesintheLakesandPrairiessection,“Twocommonareasofministryinwhichthesynodscouldbestrongandeffectiveworkingtogetherarestrengtheningsmallandruralchurchministryandengaginginissuesofracism,oppression,[and]disenfranchisementofracialethniccommunities.”
ThosetwoareasofministryandmissionarealsoelementsofacovenantamongthesynodsofLakesandPrairies,LincolnTrailsandMid-America.Thethreesynodsapprovedthatcovenantlastfall.
ElonaStreet-Stewart