BIENNIAL REPORT 2018–2019 Dear Friends, We are grateful for the opportunity to share with you the work of the Synod of the Northeast as it unfolded in 2018 and 2019. Since migrating to our biennial operating structure—meeting in even years and gathering for our Come to the Table event in odd years—we felt it important to include the full life of We are called to provide the Synod in our report for this two-year period. What we could not have known was that in and among all the shifting sands and changing realities of our normal life together as a Synod, that we would be issuing this report in the midst of a global pandemic. unencumbered spaces Still, we see that God has been preparing us, and the Holy Spirit has been leading us in ways that can only be described as prophetic over these past two years. Calling us to examine ourselves in light of Matthew 25, and placing in us the sense of urgency on behalf of communities in crisis, God has certainly turned for the Holy Spirit our hearts in a direction that will serve us in this time of unparalleled challenges. Even as the epicenter of the pandemic has fallen within our bounds, so too do we feel centered in to move among us, God’s unwavering love and presence. We hope you will see in this report, the many ways in which the Synod of the Northeast seeks to share that love and presence across our region as we live into our calling, breathing new life into “for such a time as this.” us and strengthening us In Christ, to work for the realm and reign of God. Jacinth Hanson Harold M. Delhagen Synod Moderator Synod Leader The Synod of the Northeast is the regional community of Presbyterians in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, CONTENTS worshiping in and witnessing to these states in 22 presbyteries with over 1,130 gospel communities. GATHERING TOGETHER Synod Assembly 2018 3 Come to the Table 2019 6 NURTURING INNOVATION Innovation Funding 11 Synod-wide Networks 19 Work and Life of the Synod 21 STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES Presbyteries 25 Partnerships 33 Initiatives 35 Robert Washington Scholars 37 Campus Ministries 39 Total Given in 2018-19 41 Leadership & Staff 42 Gathering Together Reuniéndonos Juntos MOVING OUR MINISTRY FORWARD OUR MINISTRY MOVING 다같이 모이기 Moving our Ministry Forward 1 2 SYNOD ASSEMBLY 2018 With 64 commissioners, 10 young adult + Forming the first cohort of Robert “Some situations assembly delegates (YAADs), stated clerks, Washington Scholars, Rev. Mario Bolivar, The 2018 Assembly focused on observers and leaders from 21 presbyteries in Rev. Hyon Kim, and Rev. Terri Ofori have the urgent need for the Church cannot be avoided, we attendance, the Reverend Diane Givens Moffett, completed their program; the next class has to respond to the central Executive Director of the Presbyterian Mission been welcomed into the process. (More on issues of our time: racism, must act, and make Agency opened the Assembly with worship, the Scholars on page 37 of this report) polarization, the ravaging using the Esther text to frame her sermon. + Expanding the work of the Committee on of our planet, and the needs a choice: whether to Rev. Moffett spoke words that seem pointedly Representation, auditing the diversity of of the most vulnerable who stay silent in a time of prophetic today as this bi-annual report is our work as a synod. feel the impact of all of these released during a time when the world is in the + Shifting the emphasis from governance to most acutely. The Assembly horror... or to answer midst of a global pandemic. mission. planning team aptly chose as + Working to lower the draw on our it’s theme the text from Esther: the call and serve God In response, the Emerging Leaders of the Synod endowment funds, as much as 10% prepared a “Confession For Such a Time as annually. But continue to fund innovation and the people.” This,” which became an integral part of the and mission. For Such a worship, work, and business of the Assembly. + Learning and growth in anti-racism The Reverend Harold Delhagen, Synod Leader, awareness extending into the presbyteries Time as This — Rev Diane Givens Moffett in his report to the assembly, emphasized + Improving communications within the the ways in which the Synod has reshaped its synod. structure and placed mission at the heart of its + New Diversity Working Group to identify the work rather than governance. This assembly myriad of peoples living within the bounds marked the five-year milestone since the of the synod and create paths for deeper adoption of The New Way Forward. Describing engagement. the journey from “serving the institution” + Emerging Leaders’ Group nurtures those to serving one another as God’s people in entering ministry. the context of the Presbyterian Church, Rev. + Supporting our immigrant neighbors through Delhagen shared the insight that has inspired support of immigration reform and advocacy. the work of reshaping and restructuring the + Large initiative for partnerships and Synod of the Northeast: rebuilding in Puerto Rico. “It became clear that we were not simply called to wander from the former things of the MISSIONAL WORK OF THE ASSEMBLY institutional church. Our destination is to join with all humanity on the path to becoming this Commissioners, YAADS and leadership were Beloved Community. Our way toward this calls called upon to gather in small groups to upon some of the best of our tradition and our consider ways to shape the work of the Synod unfettered imagination.” in its missional purpose, giving particular attention to the role of Emerging Leaders and Rev. Delhagen went on to describe some of the to the tenets expressed in the confession that foundational work that has happened in the they prepared. Each group reported back to the realization of the Synod’s reframed mission, the assembly with connections and ideas for their New Way Forward, including: individual presbyteries and ministry contexts. 3 4 BUSINESS OF THE ASSEMBLY This would include clergy spouses; church members who are employees; young adults The Synod of the Northeast, in order to give at college who are geographically closer to voice and vote to its young adult participants, their presbytery or synod than they are to conducts its business by adjourning from their local church; leaders of new worshipping the full body to a committee of the whole for communities or immigrant fellowships; the purpose of discussion and voting. The mission workers; or a person elected to serve committee of the whole is then adjourned and as a clerk of session when the session has no the assembly reconvenes to ratify the work of vacancies. This idea is not new. The 204th the committee. General Assembly (1992) encouraged a study of a number of reforms to ordained service. The In this way, the following business was report that was issued included this idea. discussed and taken to vote and ratification during the 2018 Assembly: The Synod Mission and Ministries Commission is committed to bringing this overture + Elect the Synod Moderator, Synod Leader, forward again to General Assembly because Stated Clerk and Treasurer. they believe that in the 21st century the + Ratify the Synod Mission and Ministries Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) needs to find ways Commission approval of a synod per capita to include people at decision-making tables rate of $4.10 per year for 2019 and 2020. who have historically been left out. + Ratify the Mission and Ministries Commission’s approval of the proposed The second overture, On Establishing a General 2019 and 2020 budget. Assembly Administrative Commission on + Change Synod standing rule SR2.100 and Mid-Councils, will provide a mechanism for raise the maximum age for a Young Adult the General Assembly to approve mid-council Advisory Delegate to 23 years. business between its meetings in 2020 and + Elect the Permanent Judicial Commission 2022. This is particularly important to New class of 2024. Jersey presbyteries that are considering the + Commend the “Confession for Such a Time possibility of creating four presbyteries where as This” to the presbyteries for study and there are now seven. We know that there are engagement. other presbyteries also considering a variety of changes. Rather than having to wait until the 225th General Assembly in 2022, this overture OVERTURES TO would enable these changes to be brought to 224TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY a GA commission for approval at any time that the work has been completed. The Synod has sent two overtures to General Assembly for consideration at its June meeting. The first, On Amending G-2.0301 to Allow Congregations to Elect Members as Ruling Elders for Service to the Larger Church, would enable many people who are currently shut out of being able to serve on session the ability to still become a ruling elder for specific service. 5 6 COME TO THE TABLE 2019 For Such a Time as This: Crisis, Change, Opportunity “Our prayer and hope is that while we listen to what The third convening of Come to the Table—the the Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis, along with Synod’s bi-annual gathering around mission workshop leaders and Synod leadership invited and ministry—took place on November participants into experiences of reflection God is doing in your lives, 8-9, 2019 at Stony Point Center. Over 120 and repentance for the institutional sinfulness participants came together from across the 22 that affects those who are lifted up in the presbyteries of the Synod. Participants were Matthew 25 text that is the centerpiece of the in our communities, and called upon to: Presbyterian Mission Agency’s initiative of the same name.