PRESBYTERY OF HUDSON RIVER Presbytery Meeting December 6, 2016
The Presbytery of Hudson River met in stated meeting on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, at Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church, Lagrangeville, New York, 12540, and was convened at 10:00AM with prayer.
Note: “MSA” = moved, seconded, approved. TE = Teaching Elder; RE = Ruling Elder. PHR website: www.hudrivpres.org with a link to Hudson Happenings.
Call to Gather the Presbyters for God’s Business Moderator Leslie Mardenborough
Declaration of a Quorum Moderator Leslie Mardenborough Moderator Leslie Mardenborough declared a quorum was present.
Voting on the Docket Motion: to vote on Docket and Consent Agenda, (Attachments I & II). MSA
The AA/EEO guidelines were followed during the search process for all of the Teaching Elders and CLPs listed in the Commission on Ministry report.
Introduction of New Ruling Elder Commissioners The Moderator welcomed Ruling Elders who were attending as first time commissioners.
Seating of Corresponding Members Motion: to seat Jane Ann Groom (UCC) for the duration of her time as Interim with All Souls Parish (Port Chester). MSA
Minutes Readers TE David Mason and RE Deb Pfau (All Souls Parish) are the minutes readers for this meeting.
Welcome from Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church Paul Lent Paul Lent welcomed presbytery to Freedom Plains Church.
Worship (Attachment III) Gavin Meek preached. The offering was dedicated to the Christmas Joy Offering and totaled $970.00.
Community Conversation Peter Surgenor Peter introduced the members of the Transition Team and started the discussion about the proposed Design for Mission and Ministry. (Attachment IV) Members from the Transition Team offered situations or “what ifs” as a way to discuss the New Design and how it will work.
Jonah So spoke about ”What is presbytery for?” This new structure will support congregations and partnerships in their advocacy work and create opportunities for conversing with other congregations to form partnerships. Debra Bronkema talked about how congregations can work together on important subjects and, under the new structure, submit grants to the Grants Council or go to the Council to advocate for help in making this happen.
The Transition Team talked about not delegating to staff and difficulties with funding.
Peter Surgenor talked about 2002 and how PHR moved to a flat system for decision- making by eliminating the Council. For some committees it worked and others it didn’t.
Laurie Ferguson spoke of learning and training for church leaders, and becoming a more structure.
Gaye Hartwig talked about how COM and CPM should pass on the information from their committees to ministry teams and council.
Questions were talked about and answered.
12:17 PM Blessing for the Meal. At lunchtime, members of HRP who were recently at the protest to support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe from the Dakota Access Pipeline shared their experiences with those who sat at their table.
Reconvened at 1:10 PM.
60 Second Announcements
Legacy Team Janis Upeslacis The latest grant recipient was the Holmes Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center, Holmes, NY, to help renovate the Nunemaker facility and was in the amount of $50,000. The total grant will be $100.000.
Please let us know if you are interested in applying for a grant and wish to attend the instructional workshop on grant writing.
Budget, Finance & Property John Miller The Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference will be on September 25-27, 2017, in St. Pete Beach, FL. To register and for more information go to: www.stewardshipkaleidoscope.org. There are 5 scholarships available from the Stewardship Team.
Per Capita and Mission Giving statements are attached. (Attachment V)
The 2017 Budget was presented for a first reading. (Attachment VI)
Transition Team (see Attachment IV) Deborah Bronkema Deborah opened the debate on the proposed Design for Mission and Ministry.
1) Motion: by the Transition Team to adopt the proposed Design for Mission and Ministry. This motion puts in action the development of revised bylaws and development of an operations manual for HRP and the empowerment of Committee on Representation and Nominations to nominate persons for election to service in this design, both to be presented to the Presbytery at the next stated meeting. Discussion ensued. 2) Motion: to postpone this vote to the January 31, 2017 meeting. Hand Vote: 56-no, 36-yes. Motion denied. 3) Amendment to Motion #1: to include the Stated Clerk to be named to the council as a non-voting member. Discussion ensued. Hand Vote:36-no, 50-yes. MSA Paper ballots were requested for the vote on Motion 1. Vote on Motion #1 as amended: paper ballot-20-no, yes-81. MSA 4) Motion: by the Transition Team to renew the agreement between the Rev. Gavin D. Meek as Interim General Presbyter for another year beginning January 1, 2017 with the Terms of Call remaining the same until the adoption of the 2017 budget where there is a 2% increase for all staff and with the position description being appropriately revised by the Transition Team and Personnel Committee given the outcome of the action on the new design for mission and ministry. MSA
Mediation Team Martin McGeachy Our Mediation Team is trained in helping with conflict and bringing Jesus into your mediations. Please call us to help. On February 4, 2017, from 9AM-4:30PM, at Stony Point, the team is offering a workshop in conflict transformation skills and peacemaking skills for all TEs and REs. It will be repeated on April 1, 2017, at Holmes Presbyterian Camps and Conference Center.
Moderator-Elect Peter Surgenor assumed the chair.
Faith and Order Robert Trawick Debate and vote on the following proposed Book of Order changes: 16-C Ordered Ministry Titles, MSA 16-E Certified Service Requirements, MSA 16-F The Ministry of Members, MSA 16-G Access to the Lord’s Table, MSA 16-H Revised Directory for Worship, MSA http://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/oga/pdf/2016_proposed_boa.pdf
Stated Clerk’s Report (Attachment VII) Susan De George The minutes of the September 27, 2016 stated meeting of the Presbytery, were read by Teaching Elder Richard Spierling and Ruling Elder Gordon Braudaway. (Yorktown) They recommend approval with one correction: Bebb Stone was elected to the Personnel Committee, not the Permanent Judicial Commission.
The Statistical Reports must be entered by February 6, 2017. Child Safety Policy and Misconduct Policy for each congregation must be approved by session and sent to the presbytery office by the end of 2016. Names for the 2016 Necrology Report are to be submitted by January 24th. A mailing will come out in early January explaining how to do this. May 7, 2017 will be Clerk of Session Day. For more information on these topics see the attached report.
Freida Thompson, retiring clerk from the Smithtown Presbyterian Church after 30 years of service, was honored. Applause! Ordination Anniversaries were celebrated.
Commission on Ministry Jeffery Farley & Charles Low The Member at Large Policy, approved by COM, is attached. (Attachment VIII) Jane Ann Groom was reintroduced as she moves to be the Interim Pastor at All Souls Parish in Port Chester.
Interim General Presbyter’s Report Gavin Meek Gavin spoke about Officer Training that he will be conducting. There is more information in the attached report. (Attachment IX) The Transition Team was gratefully thanked for their work so far!
Committee on Representation and Nominations David Mason The Committee on Representation and Nominations recommends the following: MSA the following resignations: RESIGN None
MSA the following elections and moved with no nominations from the floor, elected: Budget, Finance and Property/Trustees: RE Scott Roper, 2017 CRE Thomas Buchanan, 2019 Committee on Preparation for Ministry: TE Patricia Calahan, 2017 TE Jeffrey Geary, 2017 CRE Harriet Sandmeier, 2017 RE David Burpee, 2018 RE Gaye Hartwig, 2018 TE Elizabeth Smith-Bartlett, 2018 TE Heather Finck, 2019 CRE David Frost, 2019 CRE Connie Knapp, 2019 Committee on Representations and Nominations: RE Shirley Mann, 2019 Grants Committee: TE J Edward Lewis, 2017 RE Robert Meade, 2017 TE Cathryn Surgenor, 2018 RE Janis Upeslacis, 2018 RE Michelle Torosian, 2019 TE David Kingsley, 2019 Personnel Committee: RE Janice Anderson, 2019
MSA the following leadership elections for 2017 and moved with no nominations from the floor, elected: TE John Miller, Budget, Finance and Property/Trustees TE Jeffery Farley and Charles Low, Co-Chairs of Commission on Ministry RE Heather Benedict, Committee on Representation and Nominations RE Robert Trawick, Faith and Order Committee TE Cathrine Surgenor, Grants Committee TE Laurie Ferguson, Personnel Committee
New Business None
Attendance Proclamation
71 Teaching Elders and CREs 34 Ruling Elder Commissioners 20 Visitors, officers & staff 125 TOTAL
Motion: to adjourn after Celebration of the Lord’s Supper. MSA
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper Charles Low The Lord’s Supper was celebrated. The commissioning of those who will participate in the Women’s March in Washington DC, on January 21, 2017, was held.
With no further business before the body, the meeting was adjourned with prayer at 3:30PM. The next stated meeting will convene on Tuesday, January 31, 2017, at the Stony Point Center, 17 Cricketown Road, Stony Point NY, 10980, at 10:00 AM, with registration at 9:30 AM.
______Teaching Elder Susan De George Ruling Elder Wendy Spierling Stated Clerk Journal Clerk