Clerk's Corner
At the May meeting of Savannah Presbytery, we acted on all 33 proposed amendments to the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (USA), voting in favor of all of them. And while our votes were dutifully recorded with the office of the denomination’s Stated Clerk, the reality is that all the amendments had already passed by the time we actually voted!

Before we jump into what these changes mean to our churches, I think a short polity lesson is in order. In our Book of Order, when you see the word “shall,” it means it is required; when you see the word “should,” it means it is encouraged but not required. For instance, G-3.0205 states that “The Session shall elect a Treasurer…and supervise his or her work…” But “Congregations should elect persons of wisdom of maturity of faith…” to serve as Ruling Elders, according to G-2.0301. In others words, Sessions must elect and supervise a Treasurer, but a congregation is only encouraged to elect spiritually mature folks to serve as Elders.
With this in mind, some of the significant changes to our Book of Order are requirements. 

  • Ministers, Christian Educators, Commissioned Ruling Elders, Inquirers and Candidates for ministry shall complete boundary training that address both sexual misconduct and child sexual abuse prevention every three years. Savannah Presbytery just completed a training session for child sexual abuse prevention, and another one is scheduled for August 22nd for those who were unable to attend. Be watching for more details.
  • All councils (that includes Sessions) shall adopt and implement the following policies (G-3.0106b): Sexual Misconduct; Children and Youth Protection; Harassment; Antiracism. The requirement for the first two policies has been in place for a while, while the last two are new. We all need to be working on these policies, and if you find some good resources, please share them with me and I will help share them with others.
  • Terms of call for a minister shall include provision for a minimum of 12 weeks paid family medical leave (G-2.0804). We have already heard that this requirement has raised financial concerns for several of our congregations; the Committee on Ministry is looking at some financial aid resources to help address those concerns; stay tuned for more information. 

There are other changes that, while important, may not have the same impact as others. These include:

  • Allowing the use of technology (Zoom, Teams, etc.) to conduct meetings. Congregations should adopt rules to govern such meetings (G-1.0501).
  • A new “Church Discipline” selection has now replaced the old “Rules of Discipline” in our Book of Order. May we to be on our best behavior so that we don’t need to use this section!

While there are other minor changes, I believe I have touched on the more significant ones and what they mean to our shared ministry in Savannah Presbytery. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Blessings!
Andy Meeker
Interim Stated Clerk
"Point-of-Contact"
We are seeking a “Point-of-Contact” person in each congregation who will commit to intentionally sharing information and opportunities from the presbytery with their membership.

A Point-of- Contact person is encouraged to:
  • Gather once with other Point-of-Contacts to learn their responsibilities as a group.
  • Be on the lookout for emails from SP and respond that they were received.
  • Oversee the sharing of the information and opportunities at their church via:
  1. Communications with Pastor & Sessions
  2. Church’s newsletters, bulletin boards, emails
  3. Announcements during worship
  4. Social Media Posts
  5. Communications with Youth Directors, small groups, Circles, Sunday School Classes.
  • Report back to Savannah Presbytery’s Communication Coordinator, Jaclyn Beeler, what methods were employed, and any feedback collected from their church members.

Churches, please submit your "Point-of-Contact" to
Jaclyn Beeler by August 1st.
Summer Camp Update
Savannah Presbytery Summer Camp was a BLAST with 41 campers from Altama, Butler Memorial, First Savannah, First St. Marys, First Statesboro, Richmond Hill, Saint Simons, Second Brunswick, Skidaway Community, and Wilmington Island churches!

Check out the photos and save the dates for NEXT YEAR:

June 8-12 2024

The Jean Breitenhirt Scholarship Fund helped offset camp cost for 17 campers at a scholarship total of $2,550.00. If you would like to support camp and help replenish this fund, donations can be made at the button below or make checks payable to Savannah Presbytery, earmarked for Breitenhirt Fund, and mailed to 450 N. Cromwell Rd, Savannah, GA, 31410.
Don’t miss out! Day Trip #1:
Deadline is August 3rd
Come join us Saturday, September 9th, as we spend the day engaged in learning and fellowship in District I of Savannah Presbytery. We will meet at First Presbyterian Savannah at 9 AM (520 Washington Ave, 31405). Led by Christen Clougherty & Heather DuCloux of The Nobis Project, we will tour the Owens Thomas House & Slave Quarters, the King-Tisdell Cottage, engage in reflection activities on our experience and share a meal.

Registration is open now for participants 13-years-of-age and older and will close on August 3rd. Please use the following promotional poster and video to share these opportunities with your membership.

Partial scholarships and some overnight accommodations are available for those in need so that cost and distance will not prohibit participation. To learn more about all Day Trip opportunities or to register visit: Pilgrimage Day Trips - Savannah Presbytery
UKirk Georgia Southern
If your congregations are sending students to Statesboro, Georgia we'd love to welcome them and become their church home away from home (or conveniently available pastoral care as needed ). We're hosting a cookout on August 11 where new students can connect with one another and current Georgia Southern students and ministry staff.

RSVP or refer students by emailing susan@fpcstatesboro.org.

Help us build the faithful bridge from congregation to campus; help your college students find their spiritual home!
Our Ongoing Journey Toward Justice:
Our next Holy Conversation
The Racial Justice Ministry Team will be hosting its second Holy Conversation on Thursday, November 2ndfrom 6:30-8 PM. We invite individuals, small groups, Sunday school classes, Presbyterian Women Circles, Youth Groups, and entire congregations to gather to watch the Disney movie Encanto by Tuesday, October 31st. Next, REGISTER FOR OUR ZOOM CONVERSATION at the button below. We will unpack the movie’s themes and how we might apply what we learn to our lives and ministries! Come join us!
Personnel Committee
The Personnel Committee and the Leadership Staffing Support Group are currently reviewing our Presbytery’s Leadership Model and want to remind you of the announcement made at the Spring Presbytery Meeting in May 2023 requesting that persons interested in the positions of Director of Administration/Associate Stated Clerk or Stated Clerk contact Doty Dunn, Personnel Committee Chair, at dotydunn@bulloch.net.

Please submit a copy of your vitae with your email. The deadline for submitting inquiries is August 1, 2023.
Iglesia Latina
Wilmington Island Presbyterian collected a Love Offering for sibling congregation Iglesia Latina in Swainsboro which was matched by their Mission Committee. A group drove to Iglesia on Saturday, June 17th to present the offering in person and were blessed with a warm family welcome and a delicious lunch from Pastor Ozeas and his congregation!
Women in Vocational Ministry
Are you ready for a day of rest and renewal before the end of the summer? 

Join us for Sabbath by the Pool at the home of Synod Executive Valerie Young on July 31st. It is a drop-in event, between 11-4, in Jacksonville, FL. Lunch, snacks and drinks will be provided. 

We are considering reserving a hotel block close to Valerie's home to allow women from throughout the Synod to attend. Travel grants may also be available.

Please register by Wednesday 7/25.
The address will be sent by email on Friday, July 28th. 
Where can I find the information I need on Savannah Presbytery?
You can find our Organizational Chart, info on Darkness to Light Training and the latest Covid updates on our website.
Follow Savannah Presbytery from your personal and/or
your church’s social media!
Need help connecting your church?
Contact Communications Coordinator, Jaclyn Beeler at jbeeler@savannahpresbytery.org
Don't keep it to yourself, share with your friends!