On today’s episode, we have a conversation with the Rev. Mitchell Miller, who was unanimously elected at the Spring 2024 Stated Meeting as the new Synod Leader/Stated Clerk of Synod of the Sun.

Interviewing Mitch is Rev. Elizabeth Brinegar, who served on the Search Committee and Rev. Steve Shive, our current Bridge Interim Synod Leader and Stated Clerk.

March 2024 Issue of Synod Newsletter, introducing Mitch: https://conta.cc/3PfqIEd

Today’s episode is all about volunteering and disaster recovery. Kathy joined a mission trip with a group of Presbyterians from Iowa as they as they work on storm damaged homes in Eastern Oklahoma. For this podcast, Kathy spoke with the group leader, the Rev. Tim Maxa, who is the pastor of two congregations who has been leading teams of youth and adults on these trips for over 30 years.

The synod has recently updated the SPDR section of the website to highlight our volunteer work partners in each of our four states. There is no shortage of opportunities within and beyond our Synod.

https://www.synodsun.org/spdr-about-us

On this episode of Sunspots, we continue the series of Living in Liminal Space but expanding it from the church setting to a global context. Bridge Interim Synod Leader/Stated Clerk Steve Shive welcomes his twin brother Ronald Shive to the conversation. Ron is a Retired Presbyterian Minister and Owner of Spiritus Mundi Travel.

Ron has been engaged with Israel/Palestine issue for the past 20 years in the PC(USA) and active in leading groups to the region. After delivering a report to the 2010 General Assembly as the chair of a Middle East Study Committee, Ron continues to be involved in the study of that region.

You can find the documentation referenced in this Liminal Space episode HERE: https://www.synodsun.org/post/resources-from-the-israel-palestine-sunspots-episode-with-ron-shive

You can also read Steve Shive's article about his recent visit to Israel/Palestine HERE: https://www.synodsun.org/post/crying-all-the-way

You can watch the video of this conversation on our YouTube channel or listen to the audio on our Sunspots podcast.