Welcome to John Calvin ​Presbytery!
​​Joyful, holy community of Christian believers, diverse yet united. 
Committed to serving Christ in the church and in the world.
Prepared by God through the Holy Spirit for mission and ministry​

     As of December 31, 2020 John Calvin Presbytery consists of 2,573 members of the body of Christ serving 6 counties in Southeast Kansas and 27 counties in Southwest Missouri through 46 congregations. We extend from Iola and Parsons, Kansas, to Rolla and West Plains, Missouri.  Our site has been designed to meet the needs of the members and staff in our congregations. We now have a virtual office and are available to be in communities around the presbytery on a regular basis. If you would like to meet with us on one of those days, just give us a call and we will arrange a meeting. 
     However, if you are looking for a new church, upcoming events, and more information about us, this site is designed for you in mind, as well to help you locate a church that meets your needs.
     We invite you to explore this site often, and return to see new and exciting things happening throughout the JCP.

John Calvin Presbytery has arranged for online giving through the Presbyterian Foundation.  Click on the "Give Now" button below to be taken to our donation page.  To give you'll need to make a profile first and enter your bank account information.  The web page takes you through the steps. 
You may also give by sending a check to our NEW ADDRESS:  
​John Calvin Presbytery, P. O. Box 1394, Ozark, MO 65721-1394

Equipping the Saints  Saturday, October 23 via Zoom
8:30 - 12:30
Plan now for leaders in your congregation to attend!
Plenary: 
Everyday Christianity: The Practice of Daily Prayer with David Gambrell
Workshops:
Vital Congregations Initiative led by Chris Miller
Racial Justice, led by Jennifer Dawson
Training Ruling Elders to do Pastoral Care, led by Julie Mercer

Since the expense will be minimal, Mission and Nurture is suggesting donations to be made
to the summer youth ministry program fund for 2022, likely to be Triennium. 

CLERKS’ MEETINGS – Review of Minutes and Rolls & Registers

CLERKS, PLEASE REGISTER for the meeting of your choice:

In-Person Meetings:
West Plains—Sunday, October 24 @ 2 p.m.--First Presbyterian Church (112 Aid Avenue)
Joplin—Saturday, October 30 @ 10 a.m.--First Presbyterian Church (509 S. Pearl)
 
Digital Meeting:
By Zoom—Monday evening, October 25, 7 p.m.
(Peer review work must be done ahead; we will do training and discuss review results during this Zoom meeting.)

Clerk of Session Handbook

Stated Presbytery Meetings for 2021

January 19, 2020 / Called Meeting of JCP - Zoom-videoconference 
February 27, 2021 / Zoom-videoconference / Host: Trinity Presbyterian PCUSA, 1900 E. Barataria, Springfield, Missouri
May 20, 2021 / Zoom-videoconference / Host: First Presbyterian, 1700 Broadway, Parsons, Kansas
August 3, 2021 / Zoom-videoconference / Host: First Presbyterian, 302 E. Madison, Iola, Kansas
November 6, 2021 beginning at 9 a.m. / Host: First Presbyterian, 215 N. High, Neosho, Missouri

“History: It’s Not Just the Past!”  First Presbyterian Church Neosho, Missouri and pastor, Reverend Will Lee, hosts our meeting by Zoom.
The author of “Canoeing the Mountains… The Reverend Dr. Tod Bolsinger-brings a message for our times. 
​We’ll examine a pastor, dissolve a church and learn about our records from David Staniunas of the Presbyterian Historical Society.

NEWS FROM PRESBYTERY MEETING

The following is the closing prayer
shared by the Reverend Christine Iannucilli....
Gracious God:
Out of your abundant love you continue to bless us.  We are blessed to be able to meet and to do your work-even if the meeting is virtual. Your will is done as we work together to serve you and discern your will for good in doing the right thing.
We pray for the health of our nation. Heal us.
We pray for the health of our communities. Heal us.
We pray for the health of our churches. Heal us.
We pray for the health of our families. Heal us.
We pray for doctors, nurses, patients and their families. So many afflicted by covid-exhausted-grief stricken: broken in body and in spirit. Heal us.  And as we go forth ,we pray to serve you with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength: and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Amen.

  “Transitional Project” -- John Calvin Thinking Outside the Box! 
            A subcommittee of COM, working with Pastoral Presbyter Malinda Spencer, is creating an innovative program to help churches work through their interim tasks—even during a pandemic--in preparation for calling a new minister or moving forward in whatever way God is calling them. The “Transitional Project” Committee (comprised of Reina Daleske, St. Andrew at Kimberling City; Kent Hollingsworth, HR; Susan Leonard, Trinity-Springfield; and Dennis Winzenried, HR) presented its ideas at the called Presbytery meeting Tuesday.  
            Presbytery voted to amend the 2021 Budget to provide $20,000 to fund the Transitional Project by hiring a quarter-time Ruling Elder, Greg Emery, to lead the work, which will begin virtually due to COVID-19. Although churches that participate directly in the program will contribute financially, the Presbytery will provide the lion’s share of the funding. Stay tuned for more details to come! 

     On behalf of the Anti-Racism Subcommittee Jennifer Dawson shared a bit of inspiration that encompasses what we see our work being. It comes from Steven Charleston's book Ladder to the Light. Steven is a member of the Choctaw Nation and is an Episcopalian leader. The following is from his chapter on the Rung of Community. The ladder to the light is made up of rungs. The first is the rung of faith, then blessing, and hope. from page 85
     "As Long As It Takes. We are here for the long haul, we veterans of the sacred struggle. We may be a little dirty and a little tired and a little outnumbered by the powers against which we contend. But we are not giving up, running away, or seeking to surrender. We are here for a cause we will not abandon, for people we will not abandon. The hungry and the homeless, the refugee and the immigrant, the poor and the forgotten, the innocent and the vulnerable-we make this stand for them, and we will not betray their hopes. We are here for the earth, for the life of creation, and for the future of our children, and we are not going anywhere until justice is secure. We are here for as long as it takes."
     It feels like we are engaged in a struggle against something we can't quite hold onto. The lived reality of our siblings is difficult to see from our vantage point. The work we have to do is laborious in that we can't just hold a rally and change the world. So, we go slowly and we do not give up hope. We whittle away at our own ignorance and hardness of heart. We just keep working even when it seems to be frustratingly slow work and we do it simply because we love all our siblings. All of them. 
      We are preparing a class on having difficult conversations to be presented at Equipping the Saints. We are also working other ways to do this work.

​Please use these videos to understand
Shared Mission and Per Capita Giving

Per Capita Apportionment for the year 2021 is $38.50 per member. 
The break down is.....
General Assembly $ 8.98
Synod of Mid-America $ 2.90
​John Calvin Presbytery $ 26.62
The 2021 Per Capita for ecclesiastical expenses is based upon the membership of your church as reported to General Assembly on December 31, 2019. ​

PRESBYTERY MINIMUMS 

​MINIMUM TERMS OF CALL FOR 2021
All salary minimums for 2021 apply equally to Teaching Elders and Commissioned Ruling Elders.  
The minimum full-time salary for 2021 is $ 43,750.00
Part-time salary minimums for 2021 should be calculated as a percentage of the full-time salary minimum.
For example: 
1/4 time = $ 10,937.50 
1/3 time = $ 14,583.33 
1/2 time = $ 21,875.00 
3/4 time = $ 32,812.50
The minimum Continuing Education allowance is $1,500 for both full-time and part-time calls of each church and each person.  
Pulpit supply minimums for 2021 are: 
$ 125.00 plus mileage at the current IRS rate for one service   
$ 160.00 plus mileage at the current IRS rate for two services (on the same day) 
$   60.00 plus mileage at the current IRS rate for moderating a Session or Congregational meeting.  

  
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