WINTER STATED MEETING HIGHLIGHTS |
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Winter Stated Meeting
February 5, 2022 via Zoom
Edd Norris, Acting Moderator
by: Alexandra (Sandra) Hedrick, Stated Clerk
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The Presbytery of St. Augustine held its Winter Stated Meeting on Saturday, February 5, 2022, via the Zoom platform. Over 125 persons attended, including visitors.
Hunter Camp, Pastor of Memorial Presbyterian Church, preached the morning message, “Imagine Newness.” Through the prophet Isaiah, God says: “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19). Beginning with a personal reflection about letting go of items stored in his attic that held strong memories, Dr. Camp encouraged us to “Stop looking back, stop judging the present by the past… If you’re looking backward, you may miss that God is making a way through the present wilderness. If you’re thirsting for yesterday, you may miss the water that God’s providing right now.” He urged us to open the eyes of our hearts, and to see what God is doing in each of our ministry contexts, including different ways of being and doing church. The last words of the message posed a question: “do we have the courage to look for this new way?”
During worship, we remembered and thanked God for the service of 77 teaching and ruling elders of our presbytery who died in 2021. Later in the meeting, Jeff Welch (Dunnellon) led a time of memorial remembrance for minister member John (Jack) Allyn, who passed away since our last stated meeting.
We invite you to continue filling the “offering baskets” for Mutual Mission by online giving accessed here. As of yesterday, nearly $600 had been received!
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The first order of business after worship was to welcome and hear from Jessica Means (Riverside), a new candidate for ministry attending Dubuque Theological Seminary. We also met four new minister members: Beverly Dempsey (Interim Pastor - Highlands United), Priscilla Durkin (Area Relationship Coordinator - Presbytery), and Ann and Larry Graham-Johnson (Honorably Retired).
In the next segment of the meeting, the presbytery affirmed three focus areas for ministry during the second year of our strategic plan: vital congregations, youth, and Matthew 25. Presbytery-wide conversations will be held on each of these areas in February and March, with more details coming soon via email. If you are not on our email list, click here now to subscribe.
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The presbytery voted to approve the 2022 Presbytery Operating Budget, which is supported primarily by the “unified giving” pledges of our congregations. We also approved several policy recommendations:
- In our Operations Manual, an increase from two to three for the number of Coordinating Council members serving on the New and Emerging Ministries Committee
- An amendment to the “Candidate’s Fund” policy that gives the Call Commission authority to provide scholarship assistance to individuals in preparation for ministry to serve as a commissioned ruling elders (the fund is now known as the “Preparation for Ministry Support Fund) (consent agenda)
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A policy describing the process for seeking restoration to ordained ministry when a minister member has been removed through judicial process (read here, as amended)
- An amendment to the policy describing the process for examination of candidates and teaching elders (consent agenda)
The Call Commission shared in the consent agenda that its guidelines for minimum compensation of a Sunday pulpit supply preacher have been increased to $150 for one service (up from $125) and $225 for two services (up from $200), plus round trip mileage.
In other business, the presbytery approved a motion giving authority to the Presbytery Trustees to sell the property of the Middleburg Presbyterian Church, which held its last worship service in 2021.
The presbytery also heard from two special guests, Sy Hughes, Mission Engagement Advisor of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, and Steve Young, the Executive Director of Living Waters for the World.
Near the conclusion of the meeting, the presbytery installed our new Moderator, Jerie Lukefahr (First Fernandina Beach), who will serve through the 2023 Winter Stated Meeting. As past Moderator, Joe Albright will serve as the Chair of the Coordinating Council for a one-year term.
The new Moderator-Elect of the Presbytery of St. Augustine is Susan Rose, who serves as a parish associate at Memorial and in a validated ministry with Diakonos Solutions, a non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring women in ministry. Several other individuals were elected to begin or continue service in other volunteer roles that support our ministry as we serve our Lord Jesus Christ. If you would like to find out more about serving on a presbytery team or commission, click here for an “application to serve” or reach out to Patti Phillips, Chair of the Volunteer Management Committee, at pat.phillips466@gmail.com, who would be glad to tell you more about how you may share your gifts with the body of Christ known as the Presbytery of St. Augustine.
Last but not least, we thank Edd Norris, past Moderator and Chair of the Coordinating Council, who stepped in to moderate the meeting for Moderator Joe Albright, who was unable to attend.
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The Lord's Supper was celebrated in closing worship with Deb Henning (First Crescent City) officiating. Roman Testroet (Music Director - Geneva), who provided all of the music for our meeting, led us as we sang the final hymn.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 1:00 p.m., with a charge and prayer by Moderator Jerie Lukefahr. The Spring Stated Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 3, at Montgomery Presbyterian Center.
Rev. Alexandra (Sandra) Hedrick
Stated Clerk - Presbytery of St. Augustine
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