Presbytery Meeting Highlights – November 17, 2009

Highlights of the Stated Meeting of Cherokee Presbytery
10:00 a.m., Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Southminster Presbyterian Church, Marietta, GA
(Full minutes will be posted soon)

Cherokee Presbytery came together on November 17 for its last stated meeting of 2009 – a year of transition to a new model, a change in presbytery leadership, a new ministry manual, and a cleaner, leaner budget; a year of decreasing incomes, increasing unemployment and rising waters that caused painful hardships in our communities. It was a year when faith became more important and we recognized even more the need for God in our lives. It was a year to be thankful. With all this in mind, prayer and worship were important parts of the day.

Moderator Gary Pichon called us to order as we began with two wonderful hymns…and sang like we meant it. Jerry Black was at the organ.

There were 52 elder commissioners, 42 minister commissioners, and 26 visitors present for a total attendance of 120. Those who came early had opportunity to walk or see the portable, canvas Labyrinth which was on loan from Presbyterian Village. For some of us it was a first-time experience and a new way to seek God’s presence.

Part of the worship time was spent experiencing Lectio Divina. Pete Paulsen and Mary Powell led us as we meditated on Scripture from Isaiah 40. (Lectio: a way of praying with Scripture that calls one to study, ponder, listen and, finally, pray and even sing and rejoice from God’s Word, within the soul. Lectio is typically practiced daily for one continuous hour. A selection from the Holy Scriptures is chosen ahead of time, often as a daily progression through a particular book of the Bible.)

An offering of $950.50 was received for Christian Aid Mission Partnership (C.A.M.P) in Austell, where in addition to the recent economic conditions, many have lost everything from flooding.

Presbytery recessed for one hour at 11:00 a.m. and was served a delicious lunch provided by Southminster and Calvary PC members. After we re-convened we celebrated with and for those that shared their joys. We prayed with and for those that brought their concerns.

We accepted our table assignments with some seriousness and some humor and reported back what we would do if given the task of re-writing The Book of Order. Then we looked at the file version of the Cherokee Presbytery Vision and Values under the light of our “re-written Book of Order.” Hopefully this will help us understand the PCUSA Form of Government (FOG) report before General Assembly.

Reports of Committees, Commissions and Teams were received as information. The Stated Clerk’s Report included an omnibus motion with fourteen actions. The Mission Coordinator’s Report (same person, different hat) reminded us of the need to continue to be mission-minded and support those causes that are depending on us: Campus Ministries, Cherokee Retreat Center, and New Church Development.

We said goodbye to Rev. Ken McKenzie, who has served as Minister of Westminster PC in Rome, GA for the past nine years. Ken has accepted a call to be the Executive Presbyter of Savannah Presbytery in Brunswick, GA and will begin his work there on January 1, 2010. Savannah Presbytery has 43 congregations. Ken will continue his ministry as Synod Coordinator for the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program.

We granted minister member Rev. Pem Cooley the status of Honorably Retired effective January 1, 2010. Pem recently served several congregations as an “Intentionally Interim Minister.”

We approved receiving gifts for a matching fund to help the Jack Foley family secure a grant from the Board of Pensions to purchase a handicap accessible van to transport his daughter, Rebecca. Checks can be sent to the presbytery office or to the Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, where Jack is the pastor.
The report of the Nominating Committee included the election of 27 people to leadership positions in the presbytery. Elder Velma Tilley (Cartersville First) was elected Moderator Elect of Presbytery (2011) as Rev. Mark Weaver steps up to serve as 2010 Moderator. Elder Gary Pichon (Grace NCD) will move from Moderator of Presbytery to Moderator of the Coordinating Team (2010).

We elected presbytery Commissioners to the 219th General Assembly, which will be in Minneapolis on July 3, 2010. Rev. Mickey Shealy and Rev. Ken Terrell will be our Minister Commissioners, and David Miller (Parkway) and Velma Tilley (Cartersville First) will be our Elder Commissioners. Rev. Maryellen Hittel will be the Alternate Minister Commissioner. Our Young Advisory Delegate will be Andrew Boyd, a member of Heritage PC, student at Georgia Tech and active member of Westminster Christian Fellowship (our Ga Tech Campus Ministry). The Alternate YAD will be Sarah Niemeir, a member at Heritage PC and student at Berry College. Moderator Gary Pichon led us in a time of commissioning for those willing to give their time and talent to serving on the various teams, committees and commissions of our presbytery.

Treasurer Greg Moore reviewed the year-to-date finance reports. A preliminary, asking budget in the amount of $413,300 was presented as information by the Ministry Support Team. The projected actual for 2009 is $501,114. After pledges from congregations are received, a revised 2010 budget proposal will be presented.

The meeting was ended at 1:25 p.m. and closed with prayer. The next meeting will be on Saturday, January 23, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Cartersville, GA. Registration and fellowship will begin at 9:00 a.m. Other dates are: March 22, May 24, July 23, September 27, and November 15, 2010.