The next Assembly will take place at 10:00am Eastern time on Saturday, 6/2/2012, at First Presbyterian Church in Evansville, IN.
Registration will begin at 9:00am.
Reports for the Packet must be submitted via email by noon on Monday, May 21st to Stephanie Worden.
The packet, driving directions, and the minutes from the March meeting will be available for download from the assembly webpage after 4:00pm (EST) on Thursday, May 24th.
Coming to the meeting? Let us know by registering!
Presbytery of Ohio Valley
“What Happened at Assembly on March 8?”
Post Tornado Meeting
The Presbytery met for the first meeting after the tornadoes impacted so many of our people and communities. The clerk was simply marking people from those towns and counties as excused. He was thinking that they were far too busy. He needed to go back and mark quite a few of them as PRESENT. The call of being Christ’s community brought many to the meeting. Folk from impacted towns and counties joined those filled with concern for sisters and brothers from other areas who were filled with concern. This was a well very attended and warm spirited meeting.
Commissioning of Disaster Response Coordinators
Mike and Jean Beaver had been on the job since “tornado Friday”. They were commissioned as the coordinators for this response effort. One of the very first questions that must be asked in a disaster is, “Who is going to be in charge?” Jean and Mike Beaver answered the call and that response was blessed by an Assembly as they were commissioned them to this task.
Overture Concurrence Votes
The whole Overture process is complex at best. What happens is that a presbytery initiates an action, often in response to a session of one of its congregations. That action “goes up” to GA as an Overture. At the General Assembly these Overtures are processed through committees and reported to the floor of GA. They are then voted “yes or no”. If the Overture involves constitutional change, it is then sent back to all presbyteries for ratification or rejection.
The presbytery was asked by two different sessions to concur/agree with Overtures from two other presbyteries. Neither of these overtures involves constitutional change.
One overture directs internal GA agencies to implement an action of a prior assembly to assure appropriate response to persons with disability.
A second overture is a call to unity around the various viewpoints on matters of ordination, marriage, etc. The overture acknowledges the sincere opinion and motivation of various views and asks that we respect and value each other. This overture is a call to unity in our diverse positions.
The presbytery voted to concur with both overtures. We will be allowed to name Advocates to speak in favor of these initiatives at the GA meeting in Pittsburgh this summer.
Protocols on Pastoral Services
The presbytery approved a new standing rule which would describe a mechanism for a minister in temporary pastoral service to become the installed pastor of that same congregation. The changed Form of Government allows for this change, but the presbytery needed a way for such requests to be processed.
Presbytery also accepted an administrative process to approve some non continuing pastoral services across the boundaries of our presbytery and others.
Sharing and Welcoming our Future
In recent months the committees and commissions of the presbytery have spent time considering and sharing answers to a simple question. That question is, “What sort of Presbyterian Church would you want to be a member of?”
The Assembly spent time in small groups asking that question and listening to others as they answer. The answers are generally powerful, often produce the same themes, and are almost always something that can be accomplished.
Reports and Worship
The assembly received and acted on reports from committees and commissions. The worship included a sermon offered by Scott Hill and Communion celebrated by Susan McGhee.
Larry Jackman
Stated Clerk
Presbytery of Ohio Valley
The next Assembly will take place at 10:00am Eastern time on Thursday, 3/8/2012, at First Presbyterian Church in Martinsville, IN.
Registration will begin at 9:00am.
Reports for the Packet must be submitted via email by noon on Monday, February 27th to Stephanie Worden.
The packet, driving directions, and the minutes from the December meeting will be available for download from the assembly webpage after 4:00pm (EST) on Thursday, March 1st.
Coming to the meeting? Let us know by registering!
Worship—As always, our Assembly was a worship event. Susan McGhee was our preacher for the day. Susan’s sermon focused on “singing and dancing” our way into the future. The Lord’s Supper was celebrated by Alan Finnan and Cheryl Thorne.
Recognition of New Covenant Church’s Ministry—There has been an Administrative Commission in place for several months charged with assisting in the dissolution of the Monroe City/New Covenant Church. A frequent story in the close of a congregation is that in the last decade the church has a total focus internally and abandons external mission.
The celebration of New Covenant’s ministry is that for the last decade the congregation has become external mission completely. The congregation is a thing of the past, but the ministry to the community through the Lord’s Warehouse continues. That program meets the basic needs of the community and moves into the future as a community ministry.
Sexual Misconduct Policy – The Presbytery adopted a new policy on Sexual Ethics and Boundaries. This policy marks change in several areas. Importantly, the policy is focused on the presbytery and is not written for congregations. Every session is charged, through the current Book of Order to develop its own policy. Assistance is available to help congregations do this important work. An addition to the policy are provisions for training and orientation.
Lay Pastor Committee becomes the POV Academy Committee—This is much more than a change of name. In the past the mission of the committee has been to train people to be Commissioned Lay Pastors. That last name has also changed. However, the new committee is now focused on a much larger goal of providing training and education to all people in the presbytery.
Nomination and Election of Officers and Leadership for the Presbytery—We elected members of committees and officers for 2012. Commissioned Ruling ElderMike Beaver was installed as Moderator and Rev. Scott Hill was installed as Vice Moderator for next year.
End of Year Reporting Changes—It was reported that General Assembly Statistical Reporting is going to be completely “online” this year. It is important to note that there is no need to have the contents of these reports approved before they are submitted to the General Assembly.
The next Assembly will take place at 1:00pm Eastern time on Thursday, December 1st, at Mitchell Presbyterian Church in Mitchell, IN.
Registration will begin at 12:00pm.
Reports for the Packet must be submitted via email by noon on Monday, November 21st to Stephanie Worden.
The packet, driving directions, and the minutes from the September meeting will be available for download from the assembly webpage after 4:00pm (EST) on Wednesday, November 23th.
The Presbytery of Ohio Valley enjoyed the hospitality of Fairlawn Presbyterian Church in Columbus and its pastor, Anne C.S. Marshall.
The standard items of business were conducted in the context of worship with Rev. Gary Scroggins preaching in the morning and Rev. Norrie Erickson as the celebrant of the Sacrament of Communion in the afternoon. Gary’s sermon related observations and experience from his recent trip to the tornado torn town of Joplin Missouri.
A Stewardship Interpretation was presented which focused the entire body on the work and mission of our church. The impact of giving on both the giver and the church’s mission was emphasized. It was pointed out that the contributions and financial commitment of churches is greatly local. Two of every three dollars for mission and per capita are spent on a presbytery level.
The Committee on Preparation for Ministry reported with a recommendation for an Inquirer, Sarah VanderZee to become a Candidate for ordination. Preparation for ministry is a two tier process. During Inquiry the person simply explores and examines the goal and the sense of call. This is done with the CPM and others in their lives. At the point of Candidacy, the decision is made that the sense of call is real and tested. Both the Candidate and the Presbytery formally commit themselves to the goal of ordination.
Regional geographic groupings were discussed and voted upon. The Cluster concept was suggested as something for both continuation and refinement. The proposed refinement is to move to 4 regions instead of 6 clusters. This is for the purpose of more even distribution of human resources in each grouping and also to make the groupings easier to support with staff and other resources. Following small group discussion this matter was approved. Some changes in committee structure were made to implement the change in groupings.
Committee on Ministry brought Aaron Flucke to the Assembly for examination for ordination. Aaron is our very own candidate who will be ordained to the call of the Lexington Church. Aaron’s examination was sustained and he was approved. This means that an ordination will be October 9 at 3:00 pm at Lexington.
A title change for Susan McGhee was proposed by the personnel committee. The term Presbyter for Common Life was replaced. The title now is the Executive Presbyter in keeping with language more common across the denomination.
2012 Budget for the Presbytery was presented by the Trustees and approved. The presbytery approved the recommendation that no change in per capita be included in budget projections.
Area Meetings to Interpret Changes in the Book of Order are being held. The changes in the Ordination Standards and in the Form of Government are the subject matter. Two meetings have already happened. Two more are scheduled: Princeton United on September 27 at 6:30 local time and September 29, Fairlawn in Columbus also at 6:30 p.m
The next Assembly will take place at 10:00am Eastern time on Saturday, September 10th, at the Fairlawn Presbyterian Church in Columbus, IN. Registration will begin at 9:00am (EST).
If the commissioner for your church will be different than the commissioner who attended the June assembly, please inform the POV office, either by phone (866.344.7853) or email.
Reports to be included in the Packet must be submitted via email by noon on Monday, August 29th, to Stephanie Worden.