Presbyterian Mission Agency lakes and prairies synod school Archives

Do Santa Claus, the American flag and other symbols belong in our churches?

Posted August 23rd, 2023

The Rev. Jimmie Hawkins warned Synod School attendees that his message “might be a challenging. My wife says I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.”

A wily serpent and God in three persons lay out the Genesis story of sin and banishment during Synod School

Posted August 23rd, 2023

“Hey,” a middle school improv class member playing the serpent in the Genesis 3 account told the Garden of Eden’s first female inhabitant during Synod School worship, “I see you’re interested in that tree over there.”

The Rev. Jimmie Hawkins gives Synod School attendees a primer on what Presbyterians don’t believe

Posted August 23rd, 2023

The Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, the PC(USA)’s advocacy director, recently told the Synod School gathered at Buena Vista University what Presbyterians believe.

Poignant Synod School band offering reminds worshipers God makes beautiful things out of dust and out of us

Posted August 23rd, 2023

Closing with “Beautiful Things” by the artist Michael Gungor as performed by Synod School musicians, a recent worship service held in Schaller Memorial Chapel at Buena Vista University explored how Creation came about and what an act that occurred 4.5 billion years ago means for us today.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s advocacy director talks up religious freedom during Synod School’s initial convocation

Posted August 23rd, 2023

As the keynoter for the 69th Annual Synod School at Buena Vista University, it was the job of the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins to remind the more than 500 people gathered what Presbyterians believe.

Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Storm Lake, Iowa, throws out an enormous welcome mat

Posted August 22nd, 2023

Members and friends of Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Storm Lake, Iowa, recently supersized the church’s welcome mat, welcoming scores of visitors attending the Synod School put on annually by the Synod of Lakes and Prairies even as they prepared further hospitality to some of the 29,000 people who were bicycling into town as part of RAGBRAI, the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa.

‘The starter car was already going around the track’

Posted May 17th, 2019

Synod of Lakes and Prairies is home to 16 presbyteries and nearly 800 churches, all of them in the upper Midwest. One of its presbyteries, Dakota Presbytery, is considered non-geographical but is the oldest presbytery west of the Mississippi River.

Lakes and Prairies Synod School draws more than 600

Posted December 7th, 2018

Marking its 65th year, this year’s iteration of Synod School, the midsummer ministry of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, drew more than 600 for a week of worship, classes, fun and fellowship on the campus of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.