Sunspots
Sunspots are highlights of the many ministries and missions happening on the surface of the Sun – That is, the Synod of the Sun. A region of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with ALOT of dynamic and hopeful ministry happening in the name of Jesus Christ. We are Presbyterians in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Sunspots can be anything from small congregational ministries, regional networks to international missions. They are caused by the interactions with the Holy Spirit. Like the cap on a soda bottle: shake it up, and you can generate a big eruption! Sunspots occur over the 11 presbyteries in the synod with intense Holy Spirit activity, and when that energy is released, solar flares and big impact can erupt from Sunspots. We pray that you will find inspiration, resources, community and connection in the Sun.
Episodes
92 episodes
Synod Youth Workshop
In this episode of Sunspots, Mary Megan Schnittger, Director of Youth Ministry at Northwoods Presbyterian Church In Houston and Travis Dunmire, 2026 Synod Youth Workshop Planning Team member, share their experiences with Synod Youth Workshop, t...
CLEAR, part 2
What does it look like to “love your neighbors” in the immigrant community here in our Synod? Listen in as Kristy Rodgers visits with community organizers, Sandra Avalos Araiza and Angee Andrade, as well as Rev. George Mason and Commissioned Pa...
CLEAR
Ministry for our immigrant neighbors is happening in North Texas and you can help! Listen in for an invitation from Armel Crocker to join an ongoing interfaith effort at the Dallas ICE facility, and keep your eyes open for a broader conversatio...
Take Courage
Libby Janes views her role as SPDR Director as a call to ministry. When she preaches, she hopes to meet people where they are, hold communities' experiences of grief with gentleness, and point to the presence of God with us, through every momen...
Introducing Libby
On this episode of Sunspots, we talk with Libby Janes, the new Director of the Synod Partnership for Disaster Recovery. We find out about her deep roots in the Presbyterian Church, her background in social work and ministry, and her ex...
Town Square Collaborative
On this episode of Sunspots, Kathy Lee Cornell interview Rev. Philip Blackburn about his work with the Town Square Collaborative, a program at the University of the Ozarks that supports rural congregations, pastors, and communities.
Welcoming the Stranger: Immigration, Synod of the Sun, and You – Conversation with Marta Pumroy and Kristy Rodgers
Episode 5 of 5 in the Welcoming the Stranger seriesImmigration affects ALL of us: our individual and communal histories, as well as our current realities. Scripture is clear on our responsibilities to welcom...
Welcoming the Stranger: Immigration, Synod of the Sun, and You - Interview with Allison Mundy
Episode 4 of 5 in the Welcoming the Stranger seriesAs a student at Lyon College, Allison Mundy went to El Paso for a Border Encounter as part of the Synod’s Imagine event in 2019. A few years later, as she p...
Welcoming the Stranger: Immigration, Synod of the Sun, and You - Interview with Presbytery Executives
Episode 3 of 5 in the Welcoming the Stranger seriesThe largest part of the US-Mexico border (1254 miles) lies in the state of Texas. In this episode, Rev. Tim Blodgett, Rev. Lynne Hargrove, and Rev. Charlie ...
Welcoming the Stranger: Immigration, Synod of the Sun, and You - Interview with Lynn Hargrove
Episode 2 of 5 in the Welcoming the Stranger seriesAs a young girl, Lynn Hargrove grew up in El Paso, Texas, long before she became the general presbyter for The Presbytery of New Covenant. Listen in o...
Welcoming the Stranger: Immigration, Synod of the Sun, and You - Interview with John Nelson
Episode 1 of 5 in the Welcoming the Stranger seriesTres Rios Border Foundation partner liaison, John Nelsen, shares the history behind border ministry in the El Paso/Juarez region. In this conversation with ...
Emotional Spiritual Care - Texas Hill Country Flooding
Emotional Spiritual Care - Texas Hill Country Flooding with Kathy Riley and John CheekSPDR continues to coordinate with and support all those involved with the Texas Hill Country Flooding relief efforts. Leaders from Mission Presb...
FPC/Kerrville Flooding Response Update
FPC/Kerrville Flooding Response Update with Jasiel Hernandez GarciaSPDR continues to coordinate with and support all those involved with the Texas Hill Country Flooding relief efforts. Leaders from Mission Presbytery, First Presby...
Mission Presbytery Hill Country Flooding Update
Hill Country Flooding Update with Kathy Lee-Cornell, Bobby Musengwa, Laurie Palmer, and Kathy RileySPDR continues to coordinate with and support all those involved with the Texas Hill Country Flooding relief efforts. Leaders from ...
Hello Tammy!
On this episode of Sunspots, we meet Tammy Stepka. Tammy is known by the folks at Grace Presbytery as the Office & Ministry Coordinator. In the Synod of the Sun we are getting to know Tammy as our new Interim Administrative Assistant. Tammy...
A Return to Solar Under the Sun
On this episode of Sunspots, we talk with Elizabeth Brinegar, Teaching Elder from the Presbytery of Arkansas and the returning Director of Operations for Solar Under the Sun.Elizabeth is a familiar face in the Synod, having served six years...
Developing Tomorrow's Leaders Today
On this episode of Sunspots, we talk with Lisa Almon, Co-Moderator of the Hispanic Mission Ministry Network and hear about the Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today workshops. Lisa talks about how there was a need for training Commissioned Pastor...
An American Girl who became Dutch by Way of Spain
On this episode of Sunspots, we talk with Lindsay Freeman-McCarthy, Communications Contractor for the Synod. Lindsay is a 12th generation Presbyterian and daughter to two Presbyterian ministers. She’s an ordained Presbyterian Deacon and Ruling ...
Bartlesville Immigration Bible Study
On this episode of Sunspots, we talk with Kristy Rodgers, who is a Commissioned Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Bartlesville Director of Family Ministry. Moderator 2022 and Coordinating Team Chair 2023. Also with us is Rev. Jennifer Gran...
Souperbowl of Caring SMACKDOWN!
On today’s episode, we have a conversation with Neil McKown, Director of Student Ministry at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX and the self-appointed Commissioner for the Souperbowl of Caring Smackdown in Mission Presbyter...
Tres Rios Safety and Crisis Response
Today's episode features two Ruling Elders from Tres Rios Presbytery. If you are not familiar with Tres Rios Presbytery, it is a group of congregations and ministries located in the westernmost portion of Texas, and it’s known as Tres Rios beca...
Hurricane Preparedness Webinar
This is a recording of a Hurricane Preparedness Webinar and Table Top exercise that the Synod hosted on July 11, 2024, just four days after Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the coast of Texas. Earlier this year, many forecasters predicted that ...
Disaster Partnership Conversations - Arkansas Tornado Recovery: One Year Later (Part 3 of a 3-Part Podcast Series)
Our latest Sunspot’s Disaster Partnership Conversation podcast features a three-part series, highlighting the tornado recovery efforts across the Presbytery of Arkansas. On March 31, 2023, a high-end EF3 tornado hit Central Arkansas, damaging a...
Disaster Partnership Conversations - Arkansas Tornado Recovery: One Year Later (Part 2 of a 3-Part Podcast Series)
Our latest Sunspot’s Disaster Partnership Conversation podcast features a three-part series, highlighting the tornado recovery efforts across the Presbytery of Arkansas. On March 31, 2023, a high-end EF3 tornado hit Central Arkansas, damaging a...
Disaster Partnership Conversations - Arkansas Tornado Recovery: One Year Later (Part 1 of a 3-Part Podcast Series)
Our latest Sunspot’s Disaster Partnership Conversation podcast features a three-part series, highlighting the tornado recovery efforts across the Presbytery of Arkansas. On March 31, 2023, a high-end EF3 tornado hit Central Arkansas, damaging a...