Oct. 9, 2025

Thank you for your past volunteer and financial support of the Presbytery of Western NC. The purpose of this letter is to seek your congregation’s 2026 support for your Presbytery. Please read on, at least the first 2 pages of this letter, and hopefully the attachments, too!  

What does the Presbytery of Western NC need from YOU? Remember, EACH AND EVERYONE OF US IS THE PRESBYTERY! The Presbytery can’t fulfill its mission without your support and participation. The Presbytery is a volunteer led and run organization, not a staff run organization. However, the staff is a critically important part of the implementation, just like your own congregation’s staff. The Presbytery needs enthusiastic, energetic individuals with ideas and a passion for the various ministries and teams of the Presbytery. 

Please take a look at the summary of each of the ministry teams described in the attachments. Pray about how you and your congregation can be a part of the fulfillment of these ministries. Along with the joy and satisfaction of participation in the mission and ministry of the Presbytery is the opportunity to expand your community of faith by getting to engage and fellowship with members of other congregations with like passions while being the hands and feet of Jesus. 

The Presbytery also needs your financial support. The Presbytery has the same needs as your congregation; staff, facilities, equipment, office supplies, resources for mission and ministry. As you’ve seen your own congregations funding needs increasing, so has the Presbytery. The Presbytery does not have a congregation that it can approach for a stewardship event. The Presbytery depends on the generosity of its member congregations. Take a look at the attachments with this letter to see how your generosity is being used to share the Gospel and further the kingdom of God. Your financial support is critical. Please consider how your congregation can participate in the funding of the Presbytery. And where possible, please consider how you can increase your past giving to the Presbytery.

Peace and joy!

Melvin Meares

Treasurer for the Presbytery of Western NC

Tell me about the Presbytery of Western NC

I suspect that many members of our congregations don’t have a good understanding of the Presbytery of Western NC, its purpose and function, and our congregation’s relationship with the Presbytery. What follows is a high-level summary of the Presbytery. Please consider sharing this letter and the attachments with your congregation.

If you’re interested in a deeper dive, included are 2 attachments that summarize the breath and work of the Presbytery of Western NC. The 2-page attachment (Activities of the Presbytery of Western NC) is a very condensed summary of what your Presbytery is doing. The 3-page attachment (The Ministries and Teams of the Presbytery of Western NC) summarizes the Ministry teams of your Presbytery.  I think you’ll find them an encouraging view of the impact that you, with your Presbytery, are having in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Who is the Presbytery of Western NC?  It is the 12,559 members of the 88 congregations. It’s the 176 volunteers. It’s the 124 active Pastors. It’s the 145 retired Pastors. It’s the 27 Commissioned Pastors. It’s the 17 Certified Christian Educators. It’s the 3 full-time Presbytery staff and the 9 part time staff. It is YOU! Yes, it’s you, it’s us, it’s not them or they; it is YOU! No one is excluded.

What is the Presbytery of Western NC?  It is the 88 Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations; small, medium and large; within the geographic bounds (also called “neighborhoods”) of the Presbytery.

Where is the Presbytery of Western NC? It is in western NC and geographically includes the 23 counties, more than 9,427 square miles, with Gaston, Lincoln, Catawba, Caldwell and Avery counties on the eastern edge and extending South, West and North to the North Carolina border with South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. 

What is the mission of the Presbytery of Western NC? The mission is threefold using the acronym SEE: SEE, we are the body of Christ. By God’s Spirit, The Churches, Pastors, Elders, Deacons and Congregation Members of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina Are the Body of Christ. We Covenant to …

• Strengthen Congregations
• Equip Disciples
• Engage in Mission

How is the Presbytery of Western NC organized? It is organized into 5 ministries with multiple specially focused teams within each ministry (see The Ministries and Teams of the Presbytery of Western NC):

• Coordinating Ministry (5 teams)
• Supporting Leadership Ministry (6 teams)
• Strengthening Congregations Ministry (4 teams)
• Equipping Disciples Ministry (5 teams)
• Engaging in Mission Ministry (6 teams)

There are also several independent Affiliating Organizations within the bounds of the Presbytery (see The Ministries and Teams of the Presbytery of Western NC):

• Presbyterian Women
• Camp Grier
• UKirk Campus Ministry at Western Carolina University

What does the Presbytery of Western NC do? That’s a much bigger question to answer and I encourage you to read all the attachments included with this letter to get a sense of how God is working through the ministry and mission of the Presbytery of Western NC.