What does the synod do? The synod’s narrative budget
To help sessions and presbyteries get a better grasp of the ministry and mission of the synod, the synod’s narrative budget – in the form of a letter – can be found here.

219th General Assembly resources are available online

There are a variety of resources online with questions and answers about the actions of the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that took place in July in Minneapolis. The resources include downloadable items, “Assembly in Brief” and frequently asked questions. All can be found at the Assembly website.

For those who might want to see more from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s General Assembly, there are day-by-day photographs of the Assembly covering July 2-9.

PC(USA) retirees plan to meet in Twin Cities
The Association of Retired Ministers, their Spouses or Survivors will conduct its 14th annual convention Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 9-12, at the Ramada Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., with worship, workshops and excursions. There will also be time for connecting and reconnecting with friends. The registration fee before Aug. 17 is $125 plus a $20 membership fee for those who are not members. After Aug. 17, the registration fee is $175. The ARMSS newsletter includes the registration form (on page 9). Additional information is available from Ginny Nyhuis at gnyhuis@verizon.net or Ellen Davis at edavis11@neb.rr.com.

Synod School 2010 sets record attendance

Synod School 2010, with 627 participants, set a record attendance for the weeklong event at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.

The educational and spiritual enrichment experience is a one-of-a-kind event in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and draws participants from across the Synod of Lakes and Prairies and throughout the United States.

With more than 65 courses that run the gamut from serious to fun and uplifting to entertaining, the week also features daily thoughtful and insightful convocation presentations,  inspirational worship, music, movies and games for children of all ages.

Rodger Nishioka, Benton family associate professor of Christian education at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Ga., led morning convocations during Synod School based on “Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace.” His very popular lectures touched on multiple aspects of Presbyterianism and grace. Power Point presentations – including PDF versions – can be found below.

Monday’s Convocation in Power Point or PDF.

Tuesday’s Convocation in Power Point or PDF.

Wednesday’s Convocation in Power Point or PDF.

Thursday’s Convocation in Power Point or PDF.

Friday’s Convocation in Power Point or PDF.

Synod’s Facebook group membership goes past 190             
The Synod of Lakes and Prairies is a group on Facebook and membership has reached more than 190. If you have an interest in the synod, you may want to consider joining the group. If you aren’t a member of Facebook, you will have to join first.