Busywork in the Midst of Summer

Even though many of us are taking vacations in these months of summer, I wanted to give some updates on the work of the Presbytery that is ongoing at this time of year. 

On the first week of July, your General Assembly Commissioners, MWS John Arnold (First – Rogers) and RE Willie Morris (Hopewell – Morrilton) along with Young Adult Advisory Delegate Christian Kasten (Trinity – Little Rock), and General Presbyter Stewart Smith attended the 226^th meeting of the General Assembly in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I think they would all concur that it was a wonderful experience and one of the highlights for us was that Christian Kasten had the honor of delivering the closing prayer on the last evening of business. He did a remarkable job and all of the presbytery should be proud!!

This week, our Middle School age youth are at the Montreat Middle School Conference (July 17-21) being held at Maryville College in Maryville, TN. Special thanks go to First Presbyterian Church of Springdale for the use of their van for transportation and to chaperones Jared Brown (Trinity Presbyterian – Little Rock) and Emily Hanson (First Presbyterian Conway). 

Next week, our High School age youth will be attending the Montreat Youth Conference at the Montreat Conference Center in North Carolina. Special thanks go to the University of the Ozarks and driver MWS Jeremy Wilhelmi for the use of their bus for transportation. Thanks go to chaperones Sarah Leer (Presbytery staff), Jared Brown (Trinity Presbyterian – Little Rock), Katie Flood (First – Bentonville) and Grace Blazer (First – Bentonville).  

The Transitional General Presbyter Search Committee has been hard at work this summer and interviews with potential candidates are taking place this week.  Please keep members of this committee in your prayers as they continue this important work for us. Members are Katie Flood (Candidate for Ministry – First Bentonville), MWS Chip Hatcher (Westminster – Hot Springs), RE Julie Gillaspy (First – Conway) and RE David Stricklin (Westover Hills – Little Rock).  

And the Strategic Leadership Planning Team has been diligently working on various aspects of our future together with the Leadership Team of Ministry Architects.  I encourage you to be present at the October meeting of Presbytery as several exciting initiatives will be shared with the presbytery.  Please keep members of this team in your prayers as they continue working on very important tasks for the presbytery.  Members of the team are: MWS Jocelyn Wildwright (Ferncliff Staff and Chaplain), RE Ted Belden (First United – Fayetteville), MWS Alisa Secrest (Second – Little Rock), RE Gail Murdoch (Memorial – Atkins), RE Beth Bradshaw (Wynne), RE Jeff Roper (First – Hot Springs). 

As we move toward August, we will be communicating further about the coming transition in the General Presbyter role and begin rolling out information from the Strategic Planning Team so that you will have information before our next presbytery meeting in October. 

In the meantime, it continues to be an honor to be partnered with you in ministry in this beautiful part of God’s creation.  Happy travels to those who continue to vacation and take time away during these weeks of summer!!!

                                                                                                              Stewart