The Presbytery of John Knox
Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Known for their “get ’er done” attitude, members of First Presbyterian Church in Cambria, Wisconsin, are quick to roll up their sleeves and help. Along with others from the Presbytery of John Knox, they’ve sent teams to the Gulf Coast to work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). After floodwaters destroyed communities along the Mississippi, Cambria’s youth assembled clean-up buckets, and a contingent of workers took them to the devastated area — and stayed to help. The Cambria congregation responded to an appeal for warm clothes by a pastor whose Iowa community faced an unprecedented influx of immigrants. In ten days, eight congregations gathered a truck full of clothes and supplies and drove it to Iowa.
This rural Wisconsin village has a canning factory on each end of town. To handle the harvest, the community almost doubles in the summer. During those months a Spanish-speaking congregation gathers on Sunday afternoon. The town’s ethanol plant has deeply divided residents and thus challenged the church to worship and serve as one body. Studies and worship focusing on healing and forgiveness offer opportunities for dialogue in the community.
In preparation for the 150th anniversary of First Presbyterian in Cambria the congregation decided to remodel the fellowship hall. Characteristically doing most of the work themselves, men and women, young and old, farmers and factory workers came together to pull down the ceiling and tear out the paneling and the flooring. Now they look forward to celebrating all year in the newly restored Heritage Hall.
The presbytery’s 61 churches have 10,218 members. The University of Dubuque and University of Dubuque Theological Seminary are within its bounds.
Presbytery Staff
Rev. Ken Meunier, executive presbyter
Judy Crotsenberg, presbytery administrator
Elder Alyson Janke, stated clerk
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Andrew Gamble, BOP
Rev. David Gambrell, GAMC
Savior God, what a privilege it is to be your hands and feet in this world. Give us eyes to see where we may come alongside and serve. Strengthen those engulfed by disaster. Empower us by your Spirit to freely minister in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Ps. 92, 149 and Ps. 23, 114
Exod. 13:17—14:4
2 Cor. 4:16—5:10; Mark 12:18–27
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