Council (moderators of commissions, teams and committees plus at-large members) met as a commission with thirteen present on October 28th to confer and take the following actions on behalf of the Assembly:

• Prayed and shared Scripture together.
• Approved Jeff Cover (Central, Lafayette) as liaison to General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations.
• Celebrated the work of the recently elected Nominating Committee and its long slate of nominees for presbytery leadership to be presented to the November Assembly.
• Approved for recommendation to Assembly maintaining Presbytery portion of contributions from congregations at $27.95 recognizing that this amount results in a projected deficit budget as presently approved. Synod opted to remain the same at $3.81 and GA announced a .05 increase bringing their 2015 total to $7.07 for an overall total of $38.83 per active member ("per capita") for 2015.
• Approved a recommendation from Stewardship Ministry Team that Presbytery open dialogue with Synod and General Assembly concerning financial burden on presbyteries that results from requirement to submit full per capita payments based upon total presbytery membership provided through statistical reporting when not all churches and their members provide per capita payments to presbytery.
• Approved for recommendation to the Assembly the proposed 2015 budget for Geneva Center projecting a $38,687 deficit.
• Received and recommend to Assembly the accountant's review for 2012 and 2013 affirming restatement of 2012 and its finding of no modifications for 2013.
• Received financial statement for Presbytery showing 20% lag in budgeted income resulting in first quarter deficit, and addition of $100,000 from Synod set aside for transformation funding.
• Received third-quarter financial report for Geneva Center with income exceeding budget expectations, and less-than-anticipated deficit of $5,634 plus draw down of $22,676 from capital reserves for lift station repairs, well pump replacement and ongoing renovations and remodeling.
• Approved recommendation of Property Committee for requests from Oxford and Geetingsville sessions to use funds from proposed sale of manse for ministry and church maintenance, and welcomed appointment of realtor Steve Eldridge, First, Elkhart, as member of committee.
• Affirmed email approval of PILP loan application and approved formal guaranty for First, Lebanon.
• Received report of Gathering of Session Clerks and review of records for 2013, as well as 2013 compiled statistical report for Presbytery.
• Received and discussed reports of General Presbyter, Stated Clerk and three administrative commissions working with congregations.
• Approved appointment of Reconciliation Team for First, Kouts under our Policy for Conversations, and a task force to review and recommend changes to our discernment policy to ensure it is timely and effective. Also directed Stated Clerk to consult with other presbyteries concerning pastoral leadership of discerning congregations.
• Upon request by COM, approved appointment of a Council task force to study possibility of assisting with child care during presbytery activities and to review and propose updates to Safe Child Policy prepared ten years ago; and recommends to Assembly the adoption of COM proposed policy for appointing session moderators.
• Approved direction to the COM and CPM to jointly refine policy and report to the next stated meeting of the Council on how they are working to implement the consensus of the Council that candidates should not start serving before examination for ordination at the Presbytery Assembly and that if needed that a meeting of the Assembly should be called for the purpose of examining a candidate for ordination
• Granted authority to Personnel Committee to review office-staffing needs during the Christmas session and announce days of office closings; also approved presbytery payment of family portion of Board of Pensions dues for staff.
• Updated planning for Assembly gathering on November 18th at Geneva Center.
• Closed with celebration of signs of hope in Presbytery of Wabash Valley and prayer:
  • Ordination and/or installations of three new pastors in November.
  • Preparation of shared Bible study for 2015.
  • Grant money available for new worshiping communities under the 1001 Worshiping Communities program of PC(USA) and for congregational transformation work under grant from Synod of Lincoln Trails.
  • Emerging organizational changes in congregations, presbyteries, synods and Office of General Assembly and Presbyterian Mission Agency.
  • Creative ideas for congregational outreach into communities during the Christmas season.
  • Potential inspirational speakers for Assembly gatherings.
  • Council's next scheduled meeting is December 9, 2014.

                                                   - Linda Long, Stated Clerk

Resource Grants Information Luncheon

******

The importance of the local church

An interview with Loren Mead