Category Archives: PC(USA)

Self-Development of People in Alabama

By Dan Stephens

Youth on the Move and Youth Making a Difference project participants. Photo courtesy of Open Door Resource Center.

Over the past several years, the Self-Development of People Committee of Sheppards and Lapsley has been cultivating long-term relationships with community partners throughout Central Alabama. Through the efforts of past-chairperson Jessie N. Williams, our SDOP Committee has connected with the Open Door Resource Center in Furman, Alabama. Furman is located in one of the poorest counties in the United States, but through the efforts of community leaders such as Doris Smith, children and teenagers are able to develop their leadership skills, improve their academic performance, and develop broad life-skills. SDOP has helped fund the Youth on the Move and Youth Making a Difference programs at the Open Door Resource Center for several years, and has been pleased to see the programs expand to include collaborations with Tuskegee University and other community groups.

Sheppards and Lapsley’s SDOP Committee has also helped fund the “Daddy’s Little Girls” project, in connection with the Community Action Association of Alabama. The program, organized by Ken King with support from Lukata Mjumbe, developed Fatherhood Committees of socioeconomically oppressed fathers in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham to help develop stronger relationships among fathers and daughters. The fathers gathered to share their own wisdom with one another, and also learned new skills and perspectives from trained workshop leaders. The fathers even learned how to help style their daughters’ hair as a means of bridging the relationship gaps that can develop between fathers and daughters. The program includes employed, under-employed, unemployed, homeless, single, married, custodial, and non-custodial fathers.

The SDOP Committee of Sheppards and Lapsley rejoices to see how the spirit of God is empowering people to strengthen their communities in creative and meaningful ways!

This article is re-posted from the PC(USA) web site. To read more about Self-Development of People, go to http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/sdop/.

Great Rivers Endorses 2nd Candidate for Moderator

Presbyterian News Service
by Bethany Furkin

LOUISVILLE – The Rev. Susan Davis Krummel, executive/general presbyter and stated clerk of the Presbytery of Great Rivers, has been endorsed by that presbytery to stand for moderator of the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

She joins the Rev. Neal Presa of Elizabeth Presbytery as candidates for the denomination’s top elected office.

The assembly will be held June 30-July 7, 2012 in Pittsburgh.

“Since she became our General Presbyter, the Reverend Sue Davis Krummel has guided our Presbytery with a clear voice and a steady hand. She will do the same for the General Assembly when she is elected its next Moderator,” said Elder Gary Davis, moderator of the presbytery’s nominating committee, in a press release.

Before coming to the presbytery in 2003, Krummel served for 24 years in pastoral roles at congregations ranging from 30 to 1,300 members. She has served as a pastor, co-pastor, interim pastor, temporary supply pastor, associate pastor, interim associate pastor and co-associate pastor for youth.

Krummel has also served as moderator and stated clerk for the Presbytery of East Iowa and as moderator of the General Assembly Nominating Committee. She has taught polity at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and for the Commissioned Ruling Elder training for the Synod of Lincoln Trails. Krummel has also served as the moderator of a General Assembly commissioner committee and as a committee assistant.

A graduate of the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in Speech/Communications and of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Krummel has also taken courses at the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center. She holds a certificate in executive leadership from McCormick Theological Seminary.

Krummel and her husband have two daughters and four grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and ballroom dancing.

Read the story online

Presbyterian World Mission – Oct 2011

Meet mission workers Jeff and Christi Boyd

Thanks in part to the work of Presbyterian mission co-worker Jeff Boyd, about 30 school buildings in Central Africa have been constructed that serve more than 9,000 children annually. Meanwhile, his wife, Christi, has helped develop 41 grain banks in the arid North of Cameroon.

While their roles are different, Jeff and Christi share a common commitment to working alongside African partners in ministries of empowerment.

Watch Jeff as he talks about Presbyterians’ collective commitment to mission and expresses his thanks to the church. Jeff serves as the PC(USA)’s regional liaison in Central Africa. He and Christi, facilitator for the Presbyterian Hunger Program’s Joining Hands initiative in Cameroon, have been mission co-workers in Africa for more than two decades.

Make a gift to support Jeff and Christi and other mission coworkers in the world

Come Explore the Recent Changes to the Book of Order

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

Blessings to you all as the “hiatus” of summer passes and we move into a new program year for so many congregations. This summer, as always, finds our congregations quite busy with seasonal concerns and programs.

As the focus moves, however, there are concerns and responses that need attention. Some of these focus on issues which followed the adoption of the amendments to the constitution of our denomination which formally implemented changes on July 10.

Two items were among the important items which suggest special interest.

Amendment 10-A was passed. There are both implementation concerns and implications for church life that are wrapped in this issue.
A new Form of Government was approved. There are significant implementation issues at every level of the church. Some are pressing and some others may follow less demandingly.

We have arranged four area meetings to explore the implications of these recent changes to the Book of Order, especially as they affect local congregations. We invite pastors, moderators and clerks of session, session members, and other interested members of congregations in our presbytery. The dates and locations of the gatherings are:

Tuesday, September 13: 6:30-9:00pm (Eastern Time)
Unity Presbyterian Church
1207 Springhill Drive, Terre Haute

Thursday, September 15: 6:30-9:00pm (Eastern Time)
St John Presbyterian Church
1307 E Elm Street, New Albany

Tuesday, September 27: 6:30-9:00pm (Central Time)
United Presbyterian Church
130 E State Street, Princeton

Thursday, September 29: 6:30-9:00pm (Eastern Time)
Fairlawn Presbyterian Church
2611 Fairlawn Drive, Columbus

Each gathering will begin at 6:30 pm local time, and will conclude officially no later than 9:00. We will provide a light meal at each meeting. While reservations are not required, they will be helpful as we plan for the meal. Please email Rhonda Seymour, with the number of persons attending, as well as the location you plan to attend.

We hope to see you soon!

Grace and peace,
Susan McGhee, Presbyter for Common Life
Lawrence Jackman, Stated Clerk

Seeking Justice in Peru

PC(USA) mission worker Jed Koball’s service with the Joining Hands program in Peru takes him to La Oroya, one of the 10 most polluted cities in the world. A study showed that 97 percent of the city’s children have lead poisoning, a condition that can reduce a child’s intelligence and stunt physical growth. Watch Jed talk about the children of La Oroya and the work he’s doing with Peruvian partners and U.S. Presbyterians to bring justice to this community. Married in 2010, Jed is accompanied in service by his wife, Jenny.

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. (Amos 5:24)

Please support the work of Jed Koball and other Presbyterian mission workers.

New Form of Government: Approved

For a printable copy of this document, click here.

Trinity Presbytery became the 87th presbytery to approve the amendment.

Louisville—While the Office of the General Assembly awaits official tallies, it appears that a majority of the 173 presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have approved a new Form of Government.

At its meeting on Tuesday, June 7, 2011, Trinity Presbytery became the 87th presbytery to approve an amendment that will replace the current 18-chapter Form of Government with a new version that is six chapters in length. The Form of Government is one section of the Book of Order, which is part of the PC(USA) Constitution.

Along with the new Form of Government will be a new section of the Book of Order entitled “Principles of Presbyterian Polity,” which contains a large majority of the content of the first four chapters of the current Form of Government.

The proposed new Form of Government (FOG) was approved by the 219th General Assembly (2010) of the PC(USA). Two years earlier, a proposed revision had been presented to the 218th General Assembly (2008) by the FOG Task Force. That assembly reconstituted the task force and asked it to present a revised version to the 219th GA based on the feedback received at the 218th GA.

This is the first full revision of the Form of Government since the Presbyterian Church in the United States and the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America reunited to form the PC(USA). The current Form of Government had been amended over 300 times since reunion in 1983.

The new Form of Government will take effect July 10, 2011, one year after the adjournment of last summer’s assembly. It is anticipated that the transition from the current to the new FOG will take time.

In response to the vote, denominational leaders issued a letter to all congregations of the PC(USA). In it, they write, “While the new Form of Government will help the PC(USA) to be a faithful and responsive church in the 21st century, it also has a dimension of bringing us back to a truly constitutional document that contains broad governing and theological principles and emphasizes function over structure.”

The letter continues, “Many Presbyterians will see nothing suddenly or dramatically different with a new Form of Government. Worship services will go on as usual, and congregations will continue to teach the faith, serve their communities, reach out to those in need, and work to further God’s realm on earth. However, what will be different is that congregations, presbyteries, and synods will have the opportunity to tailor mission and ministry to fit their own particular contexts and challenges.”

Resources and guides about the new FOG, including “Frequently Asked Questions,” are available at http://oga.pcusa.org/formofgovernment.

The full text of the churchwide letter:

To congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

While it is not official until the Office of the General Assembly receives notification from presbyteries that have voted, it appears that, as of June 7, 2011, the proposed new Form of Government (FOG) has been approved by a majority of our 173 presbyteries.

The new FOG will replace the current version within the Book of Order of the church’s Constitution on July 10, 2011, one year after the adjournment of the 219th General Assembly (2010). The print edition of the new Book of Order will be available by late July.

The new Form of Government at its core

A new section, Foundations of Presbyterian Polity, which contains the vast majority of the first four chapters of the current FOG, will also be added to the beginning of the Book of Order. Within it are these words:

In the power of the Spirit, Jesus Christ draws worshiping communities and individual believers into the sovereign activity of the triune God at all times and places. As the Church seeks reform and fresh direction, it looks to Jesus Christ who goes ahead of us and calls us to follow him. (F-1.0401)

The foundational message of the saving love of God through Jesus Christ is timeless. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (13:8). And yet, when the Spirit has moved the church to respond to “the sovereign activity of the triune God,” the church has, in turn, worked to reshape itself to do so effectively.

While the new Form of Government will help the PC(USA) to be a faithful and responsive church in the 21st century, it also has a dimension of bringing us back to a truly constitutional document that contains broad governing and theological principles and emphasizes function over structure.

What will change?

Many Presbyterians will see nothing suddenly or dramatically different with a new Form of Government. Worship services will go on as usual, and congregations will continue to teach the faith, serve their communities, reach out to those in need, and work to further God’s realm on earth. However, what will be different is that congregations, presbyteries, and synods will have the opportunity to tailor mission and ministry to fit their own particular contexts and challenges.

The new FOG will also usher in changes in terminology. For example, ministers of the Word and Sacrament will be known as teaching elders, partnering in ministry with ruling elders who serve on the congregation’s council (session).

It is a season of much change in the church, and change is often accompanied by anxiety. Making the transition from the current Form of Government to the new one will take time, patience, and grace. We will all be living gradually into these new dimensions of the church’s governance. We commend to you the resources and guides at http://oga.pcusa.org/formofgovernment for assistance, including the “Frequently Asked Questions” document that accompanies this letter. Further resources will be made available over the course of the summer to help with this transition.

The best resources through this transition, however, will be each other. A new Form of Government puts all of us on the same page, as it were. Through conversation, cooperation, and collaboration, we will discover the most effective ways to move forward into this new and exciting chapter of the life of the church.

In the end, as affirmed in the Confession of 1967, “The church … orders its life as an institution with a constitution, government, officers, finances, and administrative rules. These are instruments of mission, not ends in themselves” (9.40). The mission remains the same: to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed, and to work for the reconciliation of the world. With God’s help, may this new Form of Government enable us to be ever more faithful to that mission.

In Christ,

Cindy Bolbach
Moderator of the 219th General Assembly (2010)

Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly

Linda Valentine
Executive Director, General Assembly Mission Council

Landon Whitsitt
Vice Moderator of the 219th General Assembly (2010)

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Helpful Resources:
Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.pcusa.org/media/uploads/oga/pdf/faqnfog.pdf
Churchwide Letter: http://www.pcusa.org/news/2011/6/7/churchwide-letter-concerning-new-form-government/

+ On May 18, in preparation for a possible affirmative vote by a majority of the presbyteries, Lawrence Jackman, POV Stated Clerk, sent the following communication to moderators and clerks of session in the presbytery, concerning the need for congregations to establish a quorum for congregational meetings:

To All Clerks and Moderators of Session:

The proposal to create a new Form of Government for our church is still being voted. There are 30 presbyteries yet to vote. The unofficial count is that 12 of those need to vote in the affirmative for the change to happen. This is not at all a foregone conclusion as to outcome. It may or may not pass.

If it does pass, we have some very immediate needs. Some of those are on a presbytery level. Some are very specifically on a congregational basis. I write today about a single one of those which could generate real headaches if not addressed.

The most critical issue has to do with the definition of a quorum. The current Book of Order has an answer to that question, but if that book goes away, we are left with an impossible answer for many.

Currently, the quorum is 10% of the membership, but not less than 2(two) members. The congregation may set a higher number, but that would be the minimum. That is pretty easy to live with.

The new Form of Government does not include anything about a quorum. That means the definition falls to Roberts Rules of Order. That answer is a majority of the membership is a quorum. This is often a difficult goal to reach.

Actions which need to happen immediately are as follows:

1. Check to see if your congregation (or any you moderate) has a defined quorum.
Ask yourself and your session if this is a realistic number.
2. If the Roberts Rule of “a majority” or your current definition is unrealistic prepare
to change it. Set a congregational meeting that can set a realistic quorum.
3. Accomplish this before July 10.

The “Catch 22” is that after July 10 (if the amendment passes) it will take a majority of the congregation to set a quorum of any size.

Below is a sample motion to set at the minimum which now exists. I will continue to be in touch as the vote continues on this issue. I will also contact you to follow up. If you would let me know how it stands in your congregations, it will help in follow up.

Possible motion: The (blank) Presbyterian Church of the Presbytery of Ohio Valley, establishes a rule for congregational meetings and corporate meetings which stipulates that 10% of the membership must be present for such a meeting. No meeting shall be conducted with less than 3 members regardless of membership. Meetings of the session and other entities within the church must have 50 percent of the membership present in order to conduct business.

The session of each congregation must also establish a quorum for its own meetings and other groups which it may constitute.

Possible motion: The session of (blank) Presbyterian Church of the Presbytery of Ohio Valley establishes a quorum rule which directs that all the session’s business must be conducted with a quorum of at least 50% of the membership.

Again, sisters and brothers, the numbers need to be realistic for your congregation.

Please, let me know when you have determined whether there is a current quorum which meets the requirements. If not, please let me know when you can address this issue.

Thanks to each of you for your work and labors.

Rev. Lawrence Jackman
Stated Clerk

PC(USA) World Mission for June

Mission Connections Live!

Presbyterian World Mission co-workers available to speak at presbyteries this fall.

The host presbytery will be responsible for developing a full schedule, for providing room and board for the mission speaker, and for transporting the mission speaker from place to place within the presbytery. Presbyterian World Mission will be responsible for the cost of transportation from presbytery to presbytery.

You can choose any of these sessions to host a speaker. The first and second sessions are longer and the third session is shorter.

First session: September 24 – September 29 (6 days)

(travel day: Friday, September 23)

Second session: October 1 – October 5 (5 days)

(travel day: Friday, September 30)

Third Session: October 7 – October 8 or 9 (3 days)

(travel day: Thursday, October 6, Sunday, October 9, late in the day, or Monday, October 10, early in the day)

We will try to schedule mission speakers to speak in clusters of neighboring presbyteries, so it may not be possible to respond to requests for a particular mission co-worker. If you would like to coordinate with an adjacent presbytery, please feel free to submit a proposal for either a shared session or for two sessions back-to-back. We will give preference to hosts that invite a speaker to talk at a presbytery meeting, to hosts that can promise a full schedule, and to hosts that promise to include churches that do not currently support a mission co-worker.

Mission co-worker speaker list:

Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson, Peru
Marta Bennett, Kenya
Nancy Collins, East Africa
Brenda Harcourt, Kenya
Jane Holslag, Lithuania
Pix Mahler, Haiti
Nancy McGaughey, Sudan
Burkhard Paetzold, Germany
Doug and Liz Searles, Poland
Dan Turk, Madagascar
Mark Adams and Miriam Escobar, Mexican border

Two of our mission co-worker speakers will be accompanied by international church partners with the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program:

Dave Thomas, with Brenda Trinidad Espitia, Mexico
Karla Koll, with Juana Herlinda Yac Salanic, Guatemala

To sign up to host a mission speaker for your presbytery, or for more information, please contact Carol Somplatsky-Jarman, at 888-728-7228, ext. 5826, or carol.somplatsky-jarman@pcusa.org Please give Carol your first choice of dates, as well as your first three choices of mission speakers, as well as special circumstances such as presbytery meetings, presbytery partnerships, or proposals for the joint hosting of a mission speaker.

Big Tent: Word Mission Matters!

Hopefully, you’ve heard by now that Big Tent will be in Indianapolis this summer. Please register now and make your travel plans for the World Mission Matters partner conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, June 30-July 2, 2011.

World Mission Matters is one of nine partner conferences at Big Tent — a chance to connect with other Presbyterians from across the church, share ideas and dreams for spreading the love of Jesus Christ as we connect for service in his name. World Mission Matters isn’t just another conference to attend — it’s the beginning of a movement!

On Saturday, July 2, at 10 a.m., my colleague and I will lead a workshop entitled, “Talents and Treasure: Funding Mission Co-workers.” We will talk with you about trends and challenges in mission support, why generating support for mission co-workers is one of the top priorities of Presbyterian World Mission and the relationship between successful funding and sharing engaging stories as part of mission interpretation.

Download a World Mission Matters Conference flier
See the World Mission Matters partner conference schedule
Download a complete Big Tent schedule
Register for the Big Tent

We hope to see you there!

Wanted: Your Minutes for Mission!

Have you created a particularly creative or touching minute for mission about a PC(USA) World Mission co-worker? We’d love to see it, and maybe to share it with other congregations that also share in the support of that co-worker. A written script would be great, and a video would be even better! If you’d like to share a minute for mission, please let me know.

E-Newsletter: Mission Yearbook Tips

Want to be alerted about ways in which the Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study can enrich your ministry? Find tips and suggestions on how you and your congregation can stay connected to mission with the Mission Yearbook. We’d love to add your name to our free subscription list to receive one e-newsletter a month. You can sign up today at http://gamc.pcusa.org/subscriptions/lists/mission-yearbook-tips/

New short video: Roger Dermody reflects on a trip to Sudan

Share Roger’s informal reflections following a recent trip to visit our mission co-workers in Sudan by following this link: http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/global/changin-lives-sudan/

Presbyterians Do Mission in Partnership

For a good reminder of how Presbyterian World Mission hold tightly to the idea of supporting and empowering the church that Jesus Christ calls into place in particular cultures around the world, please read and study the text of this document, available at http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/global/mission-partnership/

Thank you for reading our newsletter and helping us share the Good News of what God is doing among us, through us and with us.

Chris H. Roseland
Church Support Associate
Communications and Funds Development

3928 Laurel Oak Lane
Lexington, KY 40514
Phone: (859) 224-8118
Mobile: (502) 439-4930
chris.roseland@pcusa.org