You’ll find that note penciled on July 8-9 of my calendar. If it sounds intriguing, it was, but not for the reasons you might think!

Six-Pack was a gathering of folks in Eau Claire from six presbyteries in our Synod (Winnebago, Milwaukee, John Knox, Northern Waters, Minnesota Valleys, Twin Cities) who wanted to talk about the future of presbyteries. Using small groups and thought-provoking questions, we spent our time together building relationships, learning about the challenges facing presbyteries, and engaging each other around those issues.

From these conversations I learned that we are challenged by geography, technology, a rapidly changing culture, the Book of Order, and differing views on what purpose presbyteries should serve. I also learned that we value our connectional strucutre, the wisdom of long-time members, the energy of younger members, our Book of Order, and the gifts that presbytery staffs bring to their ministry.

We plan to continue our conversation and to be open to whatever new thing the Holy Spirit may be doing among us. The challenges confront us and we don’t have answers. Yet, I left Six-Pack feeling hopeful for the future.

If you have any thoughts or questions, please feel free to share them here, or with those of us who attended from Winnebago Presbytery: Barbara Jordanger, Sarah Moore-Nokes, Lucy Rupe, or me — Cyndy Little.

EPs (executive presbyters), moderators (of presbyteries and presbytery councils), elders, and other representatives of presbyteries, synods and the GAC (General Assembly Council) met in Albuquerque last week to begin to talk about what the Presbyterian Church (USA) stucture and purpose might look like in the future. Gil Rendle, consultant at the Alban Institute, led us in thinking about new ways to learn and connect with one another and how we might create communities of practice. Our communites of practice will create a space for us to explore, examine, question and discern with others in similar contexts. Over 5 sessions we considered the following:

1. a fresh look at our changing environment and what our context of ministry is likely to look like in the future

2. exploring the kind of leadership we need or desire from middle governing bodies

3. addressing how much conformity we expect and how much flexibility we can tolerate

4. conversation about the shape and core values of middle governing bodies

5. conversation leading to changes in the Book of Order

6. a sense of what needs to happen for PC(USA) to become a covenant community in which visionary leadership can occur

What are your thoughts? If you are in a congregation, what do you need from a MGB? What purpose does a MGB serve in your ministry context