Presbytery of Philadelphia Meeting Minutes January 21, 2020 Wayne
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PRESBYTERY OF PHILADELPHIA MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 21, 2020 The Presbytery of Philadelphia held its Stated Meeting at the Wayne Presbyterian Church, in Wayne, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 1:03 P.M. Prior to the call to order of the meeting, the Presbytery took part in fellowship and lunch, as well as three Pre-Presbytery meetings, focused on the Presbyterian Historical Society, Conversations on the Border, and the updated Child Protection Policy. The Presbytery was called to order at 1:03 P.M. and convened with prayer by the Moderator, the Reverend Randy Barge (Olney, First). Moderator Barge called upon the Reverend Casey Thompson (Wayne) who welcomed and shared arrangements with the Presbytery. Reverend Thompson spoke of 150th Anniversary of the church’s founding and some of the activities that will take place throughout the year. Reverend Thompson also thanked the many Wayne volunteers. At the conclusion of Reverend Thompson’s welcome, Moderator Barge called upon the Stated Clerk, the Reverend Kevin Porter (Presbytery of Philadelphia, Stated Clerk), for his report. From the Stated Clerk Reverend Porter submitted the following: • Introduced the Docket for approval. The docket was approved by the body as amended to provide for time of greetings from the denomination’s Co-Moderator, Elder Vilmaria Cintron-Olivieri • Introduced the Consent Agenda (Attachment A) for approval. The Presbytery approved the consent agenda as presented • Introduced the new temporary clerk, Alex Evangelista, who will be working alongside Elder Julia Hill (Yeadon) who continues in this role • Introduced 4 Corresponding Members: Elder Vilmarie Cintron-Olivieri (Co-Moderator of the 223rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA), Reverend Bill Teng (Peace River), Reverend Cheni Khonje (West Jersey) and Reverend Chandler Stokes (Lake Michigan) and called for a motion to seat them. Upon motion and proper second the Presbytery voted to seat the members as Corresponding Members. Moderator Barge then called for any new Minister Members of the Presbytery to introduce themselves who stood to be recognize by the body: • 5 New Minister Members were introduced including Reverends: Leigh DeVries (Bryn Mawr), Dr. Kang-Yup Na (Westminster College), Matthew Arlyck (Chaplain), Aaron Twitchell (Abington), and John Wilkinson (Chestnut Hill). Moderator Barge subsequently called upon any Elder Commissioners and Minister Members attending for the first time to stand and introduce themselves to the body: • 7 New Elder Commissioners introduced themselves WAYNE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WAYNE, PA PRESBYTERY OF PHILADELPHIA MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 21, 2020 Moderator Barge then called upon Executive Presbyter the Reverend Ruth Faith Santana-Grace (Executive Presbyter, Presbytery of Philadelphia) to introduce Elder Vilmarie Cintron-Olivieri, Co-Moderator of the 223rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA. • Elder Cintron-Olivieri brough greetings from the General Assembly and spoke to the many challenges and opportunities of being the Co-Moderator along with the joys that come with meeting so many faithful Presbyterians during the year. • Moderator Barge presented Moderator Cintron-Olivieri with a wooden Presbyterian Cross as a gift from the Presbytery. From the Leadership Collegium (Attachment L) Moderator Barge shared the following actions taken by the Collegium with the body: • Approved the November 19, 2019 Minutes of the Presbytery. • Approved the following names to serve on the Committee on Nominations in the Class 2021: Rev. Jade King Bass (Member at Large), and for the Class of 2022 Elder Bob Kenworthy (Wallingford) and Lloyd Higgins (Oxford) • Placed in nomination for the class of 2021: Reverend Jade King Bass (Member at Large) and for the class of 2022: Elder Bob Kenworthy (Wallingford) and Elder Lloyd Higgins (Oxford) to serve on the Committee on Nomination. The Moderator called for nominations from the floor and, hearing none, nominations were closed and the Presbytery vote yes to elect: Reverend Jade King Bass (Member at Large) Class of 2021 and for the Class of 2022: Elder Bob Kenworthy (Wallingford) and Elder Lloyd Higgins (Oxford) to the Committee on Nominations. • Gave a report on behalf of the team from the Collegium. At this time Moderator Barge called upon Elder Megan Acedo (Beacon) to give the Committee on Representation Report, highlights were: • Noted that the role of representation is about making room at the table, not just about numbers, but how diversity can be a blessing to the greater church • Meeting with Nominating Committee, collaborating together to seek individuals to serve the Presbytery on its committees and commissions • Developing strategic goals to increase diversity across the Presbytery At the conclusion of the report, Moderator Barge called upon Reverend Kris Schondelmeyer (Deep Run) to introduce the Presbytery’s Child and Youth Protection Policy. Reverend Schondelmeyer spoke to the Child Protection Policy and made a motion, on behalf of the Collegium, to approve the policy as presented. Following a call for discussion and seeing none, Moderator Barge called for the vote. The body, with one exception, voted yes to approve the policy with one addition. Following the Collegium report, Moderator Barge called upon Vice-Moderator Elder Vijay Aggarwal (Wayne) to assume the chair. WAYNE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WAYNE, PA PRESBYTERY OF PHILADELPHIA MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 21, 2020 Vice-Moderator Aggarwal called on Reverend Ken Ross (Member at Large) from the Commission on Preparation for Ministry and Membership, as well as Reverend Samantha Hudson (Glading Memorial) from the Commission on Ministry for their report. From the Commission on Preparation for Ministry and Membership (Attachment P) Reverend Hudson outlined the role of the Commission and information regarding the call as Designated Pastor of the Holy Trinity Bethlehem Church for which the candidate is being examined. Reverend Ross called upon Mr. Gregory Terry for examination by the Presbytery for Ordination. Mr. Terry then shared with the body a brief history of his background and then read his Statement of Faith. Following a time of questions and responses, a motion to arrest the examination was received, duly seconded and approved. Mr. Terry was then excused from the meeting and the Presbytery, having received a motion and proper second to sustain the examination of Gregory Terry for ordination, and then voted in the affirmative. Following the vote, Mr. Terry was welcomed back into the meeting space with applause. Reverend Ross then called upon all members of his family, congregation and the Commission on Preparation for Ministry and Membership for Mr. Terry and prayed over him. At the conclusion of the Commission on Preparation for Ministry and Membership Report, the Presbytery transitioned into worship. The Presbytery at Worship The worship service began with installation of Elder Vijay Aggarwal and the Reverend Ashley Rossi (Carmel) as Moderator and Vice-Moderator respectively. Worship was a service of remembrance of our baptism and the baptism of Jesus, with the message from Matthew 3:13-17 by Elder Vilmarie Cintron-Olivieri whose sermon title was “Called in Baptism”. The Lord’s Table was presided over by the Reverend Casey Thompson, the Reverend Anna Grant-Borden (Mt. Airy) and Elder Vilmarie Cintron-Olivieri. During worship a moment was offered to remember those Saints of the Presbytery who had passed to the church Triumphant in the year 2019. The financial offering of $1,543.50 was collected and dedicated to the Earthquake Relief Efforts in Puerto Rico. At the conclusion of worship, Moderator Aggrawal assumed the chair and called upon the Reverend Santana-Grace (Presbytery of Philadelphia) to give her Executive Presbyter report: WAYNE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WAYNE, PA PRESBYTERY OF PHILADELPHIA MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 21, 2020 From the Executive Presbyter • Reverend Santana-Grace spoke to the Presbytery’s selection for the Vital Congregations Initiative, noting that nine churches have been accepted into the initiative and more churches can avail themselves. Facilitators are: Reverends Carla Jones-Brown (Arch Street) and Ryan Balsan (Ambler, First) • Introduced Reverend Chandler Stokes as the interim business manager, replacing Steven King who is stepping down • Honored Reverend Greg Klimovitz, our Associate Presbyter with a video and gift of appreciation on the five-year anniversary of his service with the Presbytery At the conclusion of her report, Reverend Santana-Grace called upon Reverend Klimovitz and began the Dream Tank for Ministry Possibilities presentations. Members of the Commission on Resources and Creative Ministries served as a panel for the presenters from Church on the Mall Presbyterian Church, Swarthmore Presbyterian Church and West Kensington Ministries. Following the presentations, the Presbytery voted and chose the West Kensington Ministries as the ‘winner’ and awarded them $3,000 towards their work. Each of the churches who participated also received $1,000 grants toward their work. With the conclusion of the presentations, and there being no new business and with the time being 4:55P.M. on motion by the Moderator with proper second, the body approved the motion to adjourn the meeting. The next stated meeting of the Presbytery to be held on Saturday, April 18, 2020 at place, at a time to be determined. NEXT MEETINGS The next Stated Meeting of Presbytery will be Saturday, April 18, 2020 at a place and time to be determined 2020 Stated