Our presbytery family

► You're invited to a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Presbytery office building at Dogwood Acres, to be held Thursday, January 26, gathering at Dogwood Acres' Pole Barn at 11 a.m. CST/noon EST. If planning to attend, please RSVP by Tuesday, January 24, by emailing mwillis@presbyteryofflorida.com or calling 850-535-2335. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be rescheduled.

► REMINDER to clerks of session: A makeup reading of session minutes is scheduled for Saturday, January 28, at 11 a.m. CST/noon EST at the Presbytery office. If you have NOT had your minutes for 2019, 2020, 2021 reviewed, you must attend this session (or send someone with the records for you.) 
IMPORTANT:  READ THIS -->
What to do to prepare for the review:

1. Print and complete the session record review form for each year to be read: 2021  2020  2019
2. Bring WITH YOU the minutes book and the roll book (or listing if you don't use the Roll book). 
3. You should also have a copy of the coverage page of your insurance.  

Completing the review form(s) prior to the meeting makes the review go very quickly. Completing the form during the review process takes about an hour per year of minutes to do!
Please inform Stated Clerk Jeannie Dixon by email (StatedClerk@PresbyteryOfFlorida.com) or phone (850-591-6284) if you are attending or sending someone else.

► First Presbyterian Church of Marianna's youth groups are challenging other Jackson County youth groups to a friendly Souper Bowl of Caring challenge to see who can collect the most cans/dollars to tackle hunger in their area. Each youth group can choose to support any of the food pantries in the county, including First, Marianna's. After groups submit their total to the national organization, they can enter them in the comments for the challenge Facebook post on February 12, the day of the Super Bowl. 

► Navarre Presbyterian Church invite you to join in celebrating their 26th anniversary Sunday, February 12, with worship at 10:30 a.m. CST, followed by food and fellowship.

► Sunday, January 22, is the registration deadline for Trinity (Pensacola) Presbyterian Women's "Ignite and Inspire"-themed Women's Retreat January 28 – 29 at Gulf Shores Park Lodge, Gulf Shores, Alabama. The retreat will be led by Lisa Allen, of Proverbs 31 Ministries, and is a weekend to increase your confidence, identify your calling, and connect you in meaningful community.  Click here for an event invitation. Click here for event details, including a schedule, room reservation rates and instructions, and more. Click here for a registration form. In addition to registering by mail, you can register in the church narthex before and after Sunday worship and in the church office during the week. 
 
► Gulf Beach Presbyterian, of Panama City Beach's 31st annual Church and Arts Concert Series will feature musician and vocalist Janelle Frost this Sunday, January 22, at 7 p.m. CST. Click here for an event flier with the remaining series lineup and other details. Concert proceeds benefit Beach Care Services, a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides emergency assistance to Panama City-area residents.

► Dogwood Youth Conference Friday – Sunday, February 3–5, is a winter retreat bound to set faith on fire! Led by college students at UKirk Tallahassee, middle and high school youth will be invited to consider the Matthew 25 scripture and how it impacts our lives. In-between the keynote addresses, worship, small group discussions and artistic renderings will be bonfires, s’mores, field games and hikes. 
Find details at https://www.dogwoodacres.org/events/.  
And ... save the dates for Disciplefest 2023, to be held at Dogwood Acres Friday and Saturday, March 3 – 4. Registration will open soon! 

More news you can use

► The annual statistical reporting portal closes on Thursday, February 16 at midnight EST. Presbytery Stated Clerk Jeannie Dixon will conduct a second reporting workshop via Zoom Thursday, February 2, at 6 p.m. CST/7 p.m. EST. Registration will be required; click here for registration, and a link for joining the workshop will be emailed near the workshop date to the email address you provide upon registration. Or you can view a recording of the statistical reporting workshop Jeannie led on December 5. This report does require session approval, so those submitting statistics should be mindful of your January and February session meeting dates. Download the reporting workbook: English  Spanish  Korean

► Presbyterians for Earth Care will present a free webinar, "Older Adults and Climate Change", Tuesday, January 24, at 6:30 p.m. CST/7:30 p.m. EST. The webinar will start with a four-minute PBS-TV video presentation,“A Brief But Spectacular Take on Climate Action”,  followed by live talks by well-known environmental leaders in the Church – Rev. Dr. Patricia Tull, Rev. Dr. Jim Antal, Dr. Dan Terpstra, and Rev. Bruce Gillette – followed by a time for questions and answers. Find more info and register at https://presbyearthcare.org/older-adults-climate-change/

► Registration is underway for the Synod of South Atlantic Association of Smaller Congregations' 2023 Annual Conference, with the theme "Crossing Bridges", to be held Thursday – Sunday, March 2 – 5, at Epworth by the Sea, St. Simons Island, GA. Find event details and registration at https://www.presbyasc.org/

► Did you know that the Board of Pensions has expanded access to the Assistance Program? As of January 1, retired members and surviving spouses now may be eligible for Adoption Assistance and Transition-to-College Assistance. Adoption Assistance helps pay for a portion of adoption-related expenses, and Transition-to-College Assistance helps eligible families of post-high school students with ancillary expenses, such as a computer or dorm furnishings.
   The Board offers 11 different types of grants. See if you qualify for a grant through the Assistance Program.

► PC(USA) Deputy General Counsel April Davenport shares a new resource designed to address federal group exemption issues related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Group Ruling issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which confers 501(c)(3), federal tax-exempt status to included organizations. Additionally and as a reminder, all included bodies should have their own Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued to the body by the IRS. Contact information for questions is included in the resource.

Pray for one another

- January 22 – 1st Presbyterian Church of Destin
- January 29 – Bethel Presbyterian Church, DeFuniak Springs

- The Presbytery's Committee on New Congregational Development (CNCD) January 24, Racial Justice Subcommittee, meeting January 25, and Coordinating and Planning Commission (CPC), meeting January 26

- Participants, leaders and staff at this weekend's "Pause" retreat at Dogwood Acres