Council moderator Jeff Cover (TE, Central, Lafayette) and guest facilitator Dave Crittenden (TE, HR Ohio Valley) led Council through its intense two-day retreat this week founded upon work of the Joshua Journey teams and the Geneva Center Transition Team to prepare recommendations to transform how we - across the congregations and staff - work together to accomplish the work of presbytery with and for our congregations.  Throughout each day those present engaged in prayer, singing, worship, the Word, confession and commitment, time for silence - and humor led by vice moderator David Smook (TE, HR) and Jan Sandos (RE, Rossville).  Council was reminded of the reports in Acts 15 of the early church and its continuing actions to share the Gospel of Christ in spite of differences, and closed by sharing communion around the Council table and celebrating the outcome of 23 people working in collaboration:

• Affirmed the mission statement adopted by the Assembly as the touchstone for all decisions
• Nourished by the living waters of Jesus Christ, we awaken, enliven and enhance worshiping communities to courageously extend their branches and bear new fruit in the Spirit.
•  Flexible docket prepared by leaders including Assembly moderator Jill Kitowski (RE, La Porte) included summary of reports from congregations concerning their members, worship attendance, pastoral leadership, and finances as well as per capita contributions, mission giving and reserves for the presbytery and its connectional work (Alan Griffin, SMT and Eric Herzog, consultant).
• Reviewed work of first and second Joshua Journey teams and recommendations of team charged with refining recommendations for structure and implementation, and engaged in conversation with Kevin Bowers (TE, Bethany), Sue Babovec (TE, Peabody), Jim Dougans (CRE, Rensselaer) and Sara Dingman (TE, Synod of Lincoln Trails) to reach unanimous recommendation to Assembly in September for staffing and vision for refining and implementing presbytery focus on congregational vitality, pastoral leadership and missional discipleship through a highly collaborative structure.
• Two-person leadership team, each with a designated contract for three years at ¾ time (.75), subject to annual review.
• One will work to cast vision and enhance connections among congregations through presbytery; one will fulfill responsibilities of Stated Clerk and administrative leadership.
• Together they will facilitate the presbytery's development of its new structure with the goal of implementing with 18 months.
• Together and individually, their focus will be to awaken, enliven and enhance our worshiping communities.
• Ideally one will be a ruling elder, the other a teaching elder.
• The visioning/connecting leader will be recruited first and assist in identifying the other candidate.  The current Stated Clerk is willing and could serve in a bridging role to new leaders if asked.
• Presbytery office will transition to one, small office sufficient to hold essential files in secure storage and a new concept for office staff.  Financial consultant will work remotely.
• Recognizing that these are challenging transitions, we commit ourselves as a presbytery to a collaborative study and building trust as we live into the vision God has for us.  We commit ourselves to pray for one another and the process.
• Assigned teams to prepare job descriptions and recruit search teams for the two-person leadership team and support staff for presentation a week in advance to September Assembly, as well as a "move team" concerning office changes to meet goal to implement space, remote work and support staff within 2-4 months.  Budgets and timelines were set.
• Took formal action:
• Concur with recommendation from AC for Calvary to Assembly to recognize the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterian (ECO) as a Reformed body, governed by a polity consistent with PC(USA), and of sufficient permanence to which congregations of Presbytery of Wabash Valley may be dismissed.
• Considered in depth a recommendation presented by Judy Friend (RE, Peru) from COM to fund a designated pastor half time for three years to do regional ministry development in partnership with a specific congregation whom that pastor would also serve half time; declined to approve as premature.
• Charged the new ministry development and transformation teams together to develop a strategy and systematic process to discern potential and viability for new church development and encourage congregational vitality through creative ministry models.
• Retain Paul Kortepeter and his team from Taft law firm of Indianapolis to advise Council on legal matters concerning implementation of the Assembly decision to spin off Geneva Center into a separate 501c3 corporation.
• Consensus in support of goal for SMT to prepare a balanced budget for fiscal year 2015-16; Council will consider by conference call prior presentation to September Assembly.
• Affirmed recommendation of Geneva Center Transition Team to move toward transferring all assets and liabilities of Geneva Center operations and the presbytery's camp and conference facilities to a new non-profit corporation (GC, Inc.) subject to legal review and recommendations for revisions to its Indiana corporation application, draft bylaws, draft partnership between Presbytery of Wabash Valley and Geneva Center, Inc. in keeping with its vision in its draft business plan.
• Goal is to have draft documents after legal review for Assembly input in September, action by Council in October, and to present for Assembly approval at its November meeting, to take effect January 1, 2016.
• GCTT will finalize job description and search team for its transitional executive leader for Council to approve and fund until GC, Inc. is in place, estimated to be less than $35,000.
• Council expressed deep gratitude to John Ritchie (TE, Huntington), Jim Hubbard (RE, Valparaiso) and Jim Rasp (RE, Elkhart) who attended Council on Tuesday for GCTT's extensive work.

--Linda Long, Stated Clerk