Presbytery of Carlisle

February 8, 2025 Presbytery Meeting Highlights 

In-person at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church or Online via Zoom

The Presbytery of Carlisle gathered at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church and online via Zoom the morning of February 8. For those who were unable to attend, the highlights are summarized below.

After opening with a call to worship and hymn, TE Kent Carter distributed eight gift certificates for Hearts and Minds Bookstore in Dallastown, PA. (Byron Borger of Hearts and Minds was a workshop presenter and had set up a mini bookstore in the gathering space.) Then people were dismissed to their workshops. Those with a recording available are indicated with underlined text: 

When the community regathered to continue the business portion of the meeting, we began with the work of the Nominating Committee, electing several people to serve the Presbytery: TE Dale Williams as Synod Commissioner; RE Debby Madden to Coordinating Council; RE David Colestock to Nominating Committee; and TE Kevin Long to Nominating Committee. TE Christian Neubaum, Nominating Committee Chair, indicated we are still looking to fill vacancies in the Commission on Ministry, Permanent Judicial Commission, and Nominating Committee. He then led us through an exercise to identify potential Ruling Elder candidates to serve on Presbytery Committees and Commissions. 

The new Presbytery Purpose and Values Statement was approved as was the Partnership Covenant with the Presbytery of Honduras. TE Tony Lorenz and RE Kathy Wells reported on their recent trip to Honduras with a commitment to stay connected to our Honduran colleagues after our Mission Co-Worker, Dori Hjalmarson, ends her work there at the end of March. Dori’s position has been eliminated as part of the national reorganization of Global Missions. We are grateful for Dori’s collegiality and good work over the years and pray her next chapter of ministry is likewise fulfilling and fruitful. 

Coleen Reamer, Clerk of Session for Great Conewago Presbyterian Church, offered a Memorial Moment for the Rev. Donald Mitchell, who entered the Church Triumphant December 21, 2024. 

The assembly then turned their attention to the proposed amendments to the Book of Order. These amendments come from the work of the 226th General Assembly which met in Salt Lake City in July 2024. All but 24-A, 24-B, and 24-C were approved as part of a consent agenda. Then amendments 24-A, -B, and –C were debated and voted on. The full results are listed below: 

These results have been reported to the Interim Unified Agency, which is the temporary name for the combined Presbyterian Mission Agency and Office of General Assembly.  

We then re-gathered in an attitude of worship, confessing our sins and receiving the Word of God through Outgoing Moderator Roz Presby. Moderator Janice Tiedeck and Vice Moderator Gary Hollinger were installed. We celebrated the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper together, remembering with love and gratitude the Ruling Elders who are now with God in the eternal realm. Moderator Janice Tiedeck then dismissed us to a delicious lunch provided by our friends at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church.