Synod of Lakes and Prairies

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1 Synod of Lakes and Prairies C l i f f D r i v e E a g a n, M N O c t o b e r 1 2, Fall Meeting - Synod of Lakes and Prairies - Mount Olivet Conference and Retreat Center - Farmington, Minnesota - Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2018 The Synod Meeting Summary is an unofficial report of synod actions published shortly after each meeting of the Synod of Lakes of Prairies. Comments regarding the publication or requests for copies should be addressed to dsweep@ lakesand prairies.org. DeYoung advises synod of the necessity to become less white to be multicultural Addressing a necessity in the transformation of dominant spaces into beloved community, the Rev. Dr. Curtiss DeYoung put it simply: If you want to be multicultural, you have to feel less white. DeYoung offered the sermon during the Synod of Lakes and Prairies worship service that opened its fall meeting at Mt. Olivet Conference and Retreat Center and he followed the service with a presentation during the meeting s educational time. While DeYoung s directive to feel less white might sound simple, it s not easy to attain. And it s a real problem for churches and church organizations, he said. DeYoung, who has studied multicultural and multiracial churches that originated as white churches, found that Curtiss DeYoung people of color in those congregations say [the churches] are still like white churches [with] a multicolor kind of hue. He said, That s one of the challenges if we don t have people at the design table to speak to the need for diverse perspectives in the way the church or organization needs to function. DeYoung has been the CEO of the Minnesota Council of Churches for a little more than a year. He s in the process helping the organization restructure to match its own vision. We have to build new structures, new ways of operating with 2042 in mind. We need to begin to think about what we need to look like and begin to do the work to rebuild our structures, DeYoung said. In the year 2042 ethnic and racial minorities will comprise a majority of the U.S. population, according to Census Bureau projections. Americans who identify themselves as Hispanic, black, Asian, American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander will together outnumber non- Hispanic whites. See Becoming Beloved Community on Page 6. 1

2 Mary Kes, 40-year synod staff member, will retire in November Mary Kes, who has served the Synod of Lakes and Prairies for 40 years, is retiring in November and the synod feted her with a reception before the synod s fall meeting opened. Mary Kes, left, acknowledges those who attended the reception. Elona Street-Stewart looks on. When it comes to Mary s service at the synod, synod executive Elona Street-Stewart succinctly summarized Mary s commitment to her myriad of tasks: Work? Sure. Let s do it. Now there is a new opportunity for Mary, Street-Stewart said. And I hope it is absolutely enjoyable. Her retirement will definitely be enjoyable for her six grandchildren. Grandson Paul Taaffe told Mary he was glad she was retiring because then you have more time to spend with us. Mary s son Kevin Taaffe said, She really has the needs of others the thoughts and prayers for others in her heart. And then he said, Mom, we love you and best of luck. Deb DeMeester, the synod s director of leadership development, appreciated Mary s help when she joined the synod staff a few years ago. DeMeester said she was happy with the personal companionship along the way as I was figuring it out. Pam Prouty, the synod s stated clerk, said of Mary, She s just so welcoming and remembering all those things that we often forget. Mary provided the following thank-you note for this issue: A sincere thank you for the outpouring of love and appreciation I felt during the reception and dinner at the synod meeting. Thank you, too, for your gifts and contributions and all the remembrances that were shared. I have enjoyed, very much, being a part of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies for these past 40 years. I have worked alongside and for some extraordinary people and have had countless opportunities I would never have dreamed of elsewhere. I will miss the synod and being a part of the daily adventures at the office, but I am also excited for whatever God has in store for me next. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the memories that I have to look back on even after I am gone from the staff. Over the years I have shared my favorite Irish blessing with colleagues who were leaving, so it seems fitting to share it one last time with all of you who have been a large part of my life for such a long time: May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. PCC supports Iowa mental health initiative, issues grants Using the synod s Emerging Mission Fund, the Program Coordinating Committee granted $3,500 to support a mental health initiative among Iowa presbyteries that s sponsoring presentations and workshops at four locations across the state. The events are designed for church staff, members and leadership, and will provide a toolbox of responses and resources for addressing mental health in congregations and communities. The PCC provided a $1,225 Leadership Development Grant to Karen Lange of the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys to attend the upcoming Mid Council Financial Network Conference. The committee also issued grants of $900 each to the Olivet Neighborhood Mission of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for its food pantry, and to Echo Hill Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids for its wooden-toy mission. The committee established guidelines for its Leadership Development Grant that will be posted soon on the synod s website. The annual deadlines for the grants are April and Sept

3 ERC approves collegiate ministry, Hillcrest grantss The synod s Ecclesiastical Relations Committee, when it met last week, approved two grants totaling $38,100, and acknowledged its task force s approval of two mini-grants totaling $5,400. Hillcrest Family Services of Dubuque, Iowa, which is in covenant with the synod, will receive $25,000 to support its chaplaincy program. Hillcrest is a family services organization, serving a diverse population in need of residential and community-based care. Hillcrest s chaplaincy program works with both children and adults. The committee granted $13,100 to support the campus ministry work at the University of Dubuque. The funds will provide support for three new courses that will be offered by the university, an internship for communications, and enhancement to the campus ministry s Faith Week program. The Rev. Jim Gunn, university chaplain, wrote, I hope the synod can take as much joy as we have had in what has transpired in the past and can be accomplished in the future. Smaller grants, approved by the committee s task force, included $3,000 to First Presbyterian Church in St. Cloud, Minnesota, to support a growing campus ministry program at St. Cloud University, and $2,400 to United Christian Ministries in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to support a Bible Basics class. Synod elects, installs Davis, Oglesby to moderator, vice moderator posts Synod commissioners elected and installed the Rev. Dan Davis, a teaching elder from the Presbytery of Central Nebraska, to the synod s moderator position, and Angela Oglesby, a ruling elder from the Presbytery of Milwaukee, to the synod s vice moderator post. The action took place when the synod met last week. Davis is pastor of Westminster United Presbyterian Church in Minden, Nebraska, and serves on the synod s Program Coordinating Committee. Before coming to Nebraska, Davis served churches in Montana, Kansas and Missouri. Raised in Kansas Dan Davis and Angela Oglesby City, Davis earned his undergraduate degree at Kansas State University and received his Master of Divinity degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. He was ordained in Oglesby, who serves on the session of the Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, has served on the synod s Ecclesiastical Relations Committee since In her presbytery, Oglesby is a member of the Great Commission Task Force, which focuses on new worshiping communities. She has previously served as moderator of the presbytery s Nominating Committee. Oglesby grew up in Christ Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee when it was led by the late Rev. Ernest Glenn, a longtime commissioner to the synod. She was first ordained a ruling elder at age 16. Away from service in the church, Oglesby is a claims specialist with the Social Security Administration. Membership continues to decline across synod Membership within the Synod of Lakes and Prairies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) continued to decline through At the end of the year membership totaled 100,646, down from 105,557 at the end of On a percentage basis, the loss represented a decline of 4.65 percent. From 2015 through 2016, membership declined 4.6 percent. The number of churches in the synod fell to 780 at the end of 2017, down from the 788 reported at the end of

4 Synod School 2019 addresses Cultural Civility After wrapping up a successful Synod School in July, the Synod School Committee has plans for 2019 well underway. Synod School, the midsummer ministry of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, drew more than 600 people this summer to Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. Next summer s edition runs July The convocation speaker in 2019 will be Dr. Deirdre Dede Johnston, professor of communication at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. She conducts research in the area of global communication and cross-cultural happiness. The theme for Synod School 2019 is Cultivating Civility. The worship leader will be the Rev. Shawna Bowman, associate director of field education and experiential education at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. She is also an artist, and pastor of Friendship Presbyterian Church in Chicago. More than 77 classes are on next summer s Synod School schedule. A story about last summer s event can be found at story/lakes-and-prairies-synodschool-draws-more-than-600/. Updates are routinely posted on the synod s website at SynodSchool. John McKay, top, commissioner from Minnesota Valleys, and Angela Oglesby, commissioner from Milwaukee, work in their respective small groups. Synod s online in more than 1 place Small groups discuss the vision, future of synod Synod commissioners gathered in small groups at the recent synod meeting to discuss the synod s purpose and mission. What kind of community are we? What kind of community do we become, recognizing that we could be communities of faith, communities of hope, communities of love and communities of witness? Boy, wouldn t we be relevant to the six states and 16 presbyteries where we re located, said Elona Street-Stewart, synod executive, leading into the small-group discussions. She added, I want you to be able to consider being in a more inclusive, diverse world, and making sure that these boundaries that we have are boundaries that can be removed. I want you to think of our synod as a synod of 16 presbyteries with no walls. The discussions centered on a proposed a statement of purpose and mission that evolved from the work of a strategic planning group and synod staff. The statement reads, In partnership with our presbyteries, the Synod of Lakes and Prairies covenants to coordinate and support Presbyterian mission strategy within the synod, and to support and equip presbyteries as they promote the vitality of their congregations as communities of faith, hope, love and witness. You can find the Synod of Lakes and Prairies online at You can also find the synod on Facebook by going to Facebook.com and search for Synod of Lakes and Prairies. And if you tweet, the synod You can read the synod s tweets at Questions? Feel free to contact Duane Sweep, director of communications, at dsweep@lakesandprairies.org. 4

5 Commissioners recognized for service The Synod of Lakes and Prairies, during its final session of the fall meeting, recognized departing commissioners who were completing their terms. Those who received certificates in recognition of their service were (left to right) Sue Kimball, moderator of Presbyterian Women in the Synod; Al Jergenson, Minnesota Valleys; Gregg Miller, Missouri River Valley; and Marshall Brown, Prospect Hill. Those completing their terms on the synod, but not present, were Barry Boyer, Northern Waters, and Peg Knobloch, John Knox. Synod approves $1.45 million 2019 budget The Synod of Lakes and Prairies adopted a 2019 budget of $1.45 million, a budget slightly less than the $1.47 million budget of The budget includes $533,563 for ministries in partnership, and ecumenical and institutional ministries. The ministries in partnership portion includes $354,496 for council partnerships, including $221,430 in comprehensive presbytery support or more than $14,700 for each of 15 presbyteries and $16,737 for Dakota Presbytery. The council partnerships area also includes $6,000 for disaster or emergency assistance grants, $6,000 for emergency shared assistance grants, and $3,000 for presbytery staff training. Also under ministries in partnership is a block for leadership development totaling just over $118,000, including $45,000 for Synod School, $20,000 for the Leadership Summit, $20,000 to support emerging mission, $17,000 for racial ethnic ministries, and a $10,000 line for leadership development. The synod also budgeted $162,000 for ecumenical and institutional ministries. That area includes $63,600 for ministry in higher education, $45,000 for ecumenical and institutional ministries, $25,000 for ministry development centers most of that, $23,000, going to LeaderWise, $10,000 each to media centers in Iowa and Minnesota, and $7,500 to Clearwater Forest, a camp and conference center partly owned by the synod. The synod s budget also includes a separate line for communications totaling $7,700. The synod has voted to hold per capita steady at $5.40 for Per capita had increased by 10 cents in The per capita apportionment is based on the funds needed for the synod to carry out its essential ecclesiastical work. Kimball reports on grand showcase of PW national event Describing the event as the grand showcase of Presbyterian Women, Sue Kimball, moderator of Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, presented details of the national gathering that took place in August in Louisville, Kentucky. The synod s Presbyterian Women were hosts to a luncheon at the event, drawing 94 women to the program, and noted the synodwide gathering that is coming up June at the Gateway Inn in Ames, Iowa. At the national gathering Presbyterian Women reported the distribution of more than $32,000 in gift cards to a variety of ministries. The organization also noted it had awarded, from 2015 to 2018, nearly $1.3 million in Thank Offering grants and more than $1.1 million in Birthday Offering grants. Kimball s complete report will be available soon on the synod s website at PresbyterianWomenintheSynod. 5

6 Synod issues first Hendrickson Scholar award to Gina Meester Regina Lynn Gina Meester has been named as the initial Hendrickson Scholar by the Synod of Lakes of Prairies as administrators of the Hendrickson Scholarship Fund. Meester is in her third year of a five-year program of studies at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary where she will earn a Master of Divinity degree and a master s degree in marriage and family therapy. The Hendrickson Scholarship Fund is an educational assistance program designed to assist residents of Nebraska in their preparation for service in the Presbyterian Church Gina Meester (U.S.A.). The award, which is renewable up to five years, is made possible through a gift from the estate of Carol Hendrickson and her husband, Bruce Hendrickson. The Hendricksons were active in the First Presbyterian Church of Holdrege, Nebraska, as well as in the synod and wider church. The Hendrickson Scholar receives a $3,500 award. According to Carol Hendrickson s obituary, she lived her life caring for others, both individually and in community settings. Even while teaching in the public schools and at Central Community College of Nebraska, she participated in community groups as well as University of Nebraska organizations. Bruce Hendrickson is also a civic leader. Honored in 2017 with the Outstanding Philanthropist Award by the Nebraska chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, he has been addressing community needs in Phelps County for many years. Quoted in the Kearney (Nebraska) Hub in 2017, Bruce Hendrickson said, If something comes up, we will get involved. A community or a person never stands still. You are either moving forward or moving backward. Ensuring the development of excellent pastors for the future of the church is one of his passions. Today, Meester serves as student body stated clerk and has made several practical mission study classes traveling to Cuba and Spain. She served in Africa in PC (USA) s Young Adult Volunteer program, and has been an active participant in Synod School and at the national church level. The daughter of the Rev. Ray and Ramona Meester, she grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, where her father served as pastor of Heritage Presbyterian Church. Becoming beloved community (continued from Page 1) DeYoung pulled out a standard, white, business-size envelope his substitute, he said, for a PowerPoint presentation. The envelope represented white-model organization. Everyone fits into this envelope, he said, but it remains white as long as the dominant culture remains white. Then he retrieved a large, brown, manila envelope from the podium. It s a lot bigger; there s more room, he said. Because it s bringing everyone in, it s lost its whiteness. It won t just happen without work. DeYoung posits that effective change must take place at an organization s governing board level. You want people at the table creating the new structure, and the people at the table need to look like That s the first thing. He said, I ve seen too many situations where a white organization decided to change and hires a person of color or a woman in the executive position to obtain the transformation, but they didn t set up any support to make that person be successful. When that happens, transformation isn t successful. Most organizations will have a traditional board of directors or leadership structure that needs to stay in place at least for the present. However, organizations that want to plan for the future can develop a program and vision board that s extremely diverse. That s what he s doing at the Minnesota Council of Church. The program and vision board that s being developed will assist the existing leadership as it moves forward. So you ve got kind of two processes that are going to intersect, he said. Restructuring also includes leadership development and empowerment. What is the role of white people in all of this? DeYoung asked, and then answered We can t leave the conversation. We are still a part of the transformation. It s part of the reason he put the white envelope inside the large, manila envelope. We don t have to lose what we ve learned, DeYoung said. We don t want to throw it away, but there s so much more that needs to be added. When the time comes, he said, We need to step aside so that a person of color can step in. 6