The next agenda item involved a report by the Nominating Committee, whose co-chairs are Cleda Locey and Frank Colladay. Their nominations for various positions were all approved.

 

The Report of the Bills and Overtures Committee, whose term of office was February 2012 through May 21 2013, followed. This group had responsibility for presenting Proposed Constitutional Amendments for a vote. The committee consisted of Glenn Doak, Roscoe McMillan, Debbie Osterhoudt, and Harry Revell. Preparation for vote consisted of printed materials and presentations at the February stated meeting and in mission communities.

 

The group offered an omnibus motion in which all proposed changes would be accepted except Part 1, 12-1 "Heidelberg Catechism" and Part 2, 12-B "Gifts and Qualifications", which were pulled out for discussion. All proposed changes passed except Part 2, 12-B "Gifts and Qualifications." The result of the voting of our 173 presbyteries may be accessed from the PC(USA)'s website home page at www.pcusa.org.

  

                                           

The report of the Committee on Ministry team, whose co-chairs are Glen Kohlhagen and Monty Nelson, followed. Matthew A. Rich, a member of Coastal Carolina Presbytery, was examined for a call as Pastor of the Reid Memorial Church, effective June 23, 2013. Following approval of his examination, his Terms of Call and Installation Commission were approved.

 

A second SPECIAL ORDER arrived for lunch and fellowship time. Obviously, this is more than just a time to eat. It also is a time for interaction and relational feeding.

  

                                           

When we gathered after lunch, David Powers led the prayers of the people, and the early afternoon brought forth a unique event - the retirement recognition of our long time General Presbyter, Ken Meeks. This worship experience involved hymns, readings, prayers but also Acknowledgement of Service by Edie Covert, Words from Moderator Janet Williams, and Declaration of Retirement by Stated Clerk Joe Berry. The message from all was, "Ken we appreciate you and wish you and Jane the very best!"

Ken and Jane Meeks, Janet Williams, and Edie Covert

 

Lauren Van Wicklen

Following words from two Institutional Representatives, Robert Hay of the Presbyterian Foundation, and Clark Simmons of the Board of Pensions, there occurred the Report of the Preparation for Ministry Team. Matt Henderson and Joyce Rife are co-chairs. Inquirer Lauren Van Wicklen, a member of Covenant Church of Athens, was examined and approved to move to Candidacy, and Joyce Rife gave an update regarding readers for ordination exams.

  

                                           

The Report of Presbytery's Coordinating Team (formerly "Council") followed. Melvin Lowry, the moderator, presented:

• A continuation of "Getting to Know Your Presbytery Staff" with Ken speaking about Kathy Gunter, Office Manager and Bookkeeper, and Edie Covert, Associate Presbyter (and soon-to-be Acting General Presbyter/Treasurer).
• Melvin Lowry then surprised Ken by presenting him with some retirement gifts to help him with his plan for creating a community garden in North Carolina.
• An Update from the Search Committee for a Transitional General Presbyter. Committee members include: Travis Adams, Cheryl Barnes, Glenn Newsome, Ruth O'Dell, and Otis Smith. September 1, 2013 is the preferred starting date for the person to whom they shall be led.
• Budget and Finance Action Team's (BFAT) chair is Maurice Gregory. Action taken involved approving a revised 2013 Presbytery Budget in the amount of $466,554.00. This change more fully supports anticipated salary adjustments for Edie Covert's service as Acting General Presbyter until such time as a Transitional General Presbyter is called, as well as adjustments in the budget for expenses related to the search and new position.
• Action related to the Joint Commission for New Church Development involved Presbytery's dissolution of the relationship with this commission, effective May 21, 2013, and creation of a ministry team to foster new church development/worshiping communities.
• Elected Fred DiMaio and Louie Boyd to serve on presbytery's Nominating Committee.

  

                                           

The next docket item was a report by Gloria Burns, chair of the Leadership Development Ministry Team. Gloria called attention to our August Leadership Event. On behalf of Jubilee Adult Ministries (JAM), Beecher Mathes had a special drawing for an afghan made by the Knitters & Knotters of Covenant Church of Athens. Gloria shared additional information about the upcoming Montreat Youth Conference and other summertime opportunities.

 

Consequently, because the Acting Chair of the Congregational Development Ministry Team, Alice Wood, had been called away by a pastoral emergency, Edie Covert updated the presbytery on the recent 4 Ws of Mission gathering at Friendship Presbyterian Church on April 27. She invited all persons with additional suggestions for global mission initiatives to share their thoughts with the Global Missions Action Team.

 

Otis Smith

Otis Smith, president of the Northeast Georgia Presbyterian Black Caucus, then spoke. His focus was to ask presbytery to encourage U.S. Senators and Representatives to pass a 2013 multi-year Farm Bill. Presbytery voted to encourage churches to contact their elected representatives in support of this bill.

 

Attention was called to the written reports from Bernice Rogers, Moderator of Presbyterian Women, and a report from the Spiritual Formation and Discernment Ministry Team. Then, the Resolutions Committee, comprised of Boone Clayton (Teaching Elder, First Elberton), and Sue Paulin (Ruling Elder, Eatonton) profoundly thanked the Madison Church for their obvious hospitality.

  

                                           

As a warm and fitting conclusion to this meeting, we received a sermon from our retiring General Presbyter, Ken Meeks. Ken's scripture was Mark 12:28-34. His text was: "The Lord our God is one; you shall love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength . . . and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Early in his presentation, Ken noted that there would be a test at the conclusion of his remarks.

Ken indicated that loving God involves our whole being, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. He shared his experience at the Shalem Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, where he had first discovered that an important dimension to loving God is to get in touch with one's desire for God. Ken then commented upon, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. " In illustration of this point he cited a presentation by former General Assembly Moderator Joan Gray at the Creating Common Ground Conference several years ago. She said:

"As pastors, we all know people who are easy to love. Those who drop cookies by the church office, those who tell  us to go home when we have a cold, my dear friend who was on her deathbed when I was leaving on vacation, and when I visited with her before leaving, made me swear not to return for her funeral. However, we also know those people who are hard to love. Those who have a snide comment at every session meeting, those who withhold their pledge because they are unhappy with a sermon we preached, etc. Some people seem impossible to love. However, Jesus' command is "to love one another." It is not optional. It is not a suggestion."

Ken then reflected that as he was getting started in Northeast Georgia Presbytery, he asked wherever he visited, "What do you think my most important job is as General Presbyter"? He then referenced the "test" he mentioned earlier in his sermon. This "test" was to again answer, "What is the answer to my most important job"? The answer to this question is the same for every pastor, ruling elder and church member. It is, ". . . TO BE IN A GROWING RELATIONSHIP TO GOD IN JESUS CHRIST!" The worship experience ended with the singing of Here I Am, Lord with Blest Be the Tie that Binds.

Adjournment was shortly after 4:00 p.m.*

*Note: presbytery voted to send disaster relief funds to Oklahoma in the light of recent tornados. Gifts should be earmarked and sent to the presbytery office.

 

  

                                           

Next Meeting: Eighty-second Stated meeting of Northeast Georgia Presbytery is Saturday, October 26, 2013, at the Mountain Presbyterian Church in Blairsville, GA. The theme is yet to be chosen. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and Call to Order at 9:30 a.m.

  

                                           

Photos by Mari Turner

Text by Joe Berry