Presbytery Digest
A summary of actions and information from the meetings of Pittsburgh Presbytery

February 16, 2017
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Opened with a service of worship with the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, preaching, and the Rev. Nikki Porter, Minister of Music at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, leading music as part of the celebration of Black History month. An offering of $2,009.25 was received for equal distribution to the Lazarus Fund and the Hunger Fund.  This amount will be matched by the Pittsburgh Presbyterian Foundation. 

Installation of Moderators:
Outgoing Moderator, the Rev. Jay Lewis, installed the Rev. Heather Schoenewolf as Moderator, the Rev. Trent Hancock as Senior Vice Moderator (North Branch), Ruling Elder Dan Beckstrom as Vice Moderator for the South Branch, Ruling Elder Hill Jordan as Vice Moderator for the East Branch, and Ruling Elder Cathy Nelson as Vice Moderator for the West Branch of the Presbytery.

Resolution of Thanks to the Outgoing Moderator:
Stated Clerk Carla Campbell presented a resolution of thanks to the outgoing Moderator of the Presbytery, the Rev. Jay Lewis, Esq. for his dedication and service to Pittsburgh Presbytery. 

From the Executive Committee for information/action:

• The Executive Committee approved for signature a revised Covenant of Agreement for the new Crestfield Corporation and received a draft of the by-laws for the new corporation
• Elected Ruling Elder Chris Martin (East Liberty Presbyterian Church) as Treasurer of the Presbytery for 2017
• Elected the following subcommittee chairs for calendar year 2017: Revs. Jodi Flack and Melany Hamilton as Co-Chairs of the Ecclesiastical Committee, Ruling Elder Chris Martin as Chair of Finance Committee, Ruling Elder Dan Beckstrom as Chair of Property Committee, and Ruling Elder Barbara Prevost as Chair of Personnel Committee
• Approved the following as the Presbytery Minutes Reading Committee for 2017: Teaching Elders Eric Dennis, Trent Hancock, Heather Schoenewolf and Sheldon Sorge, and Ruling Elders Carla Campbell and Cathy Nelson
• Authorized all ministry teams, commissions, committees, task forces of the presbytery and related organizations, camps and conference centers affiliated with the presbytery to celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper at meetings and events during 2017
•  Approved the celebrations of the Lord’s Supper by the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary within the bounds of Pittsburgh Presbytery for 2017
• Recommended approval of a waiver of the six-year limitation on terms for two elders of the Deer Creek United Presbyterian Church; approved
• Recommended approval of a request from the Central Presbyterian Church of Tarentum to encumber their building in the amount of $70,000 provided they meet specified conditions in order to install a sprinkler system to comply with codes, in order to enter into an agreement with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit to operate a Head Start pre-school program for a period of time no less than three years; approved
• Recommended receiving and filing for audit the presbytery financial statements for the months of October and November 2016; approved.
• Received a report from the Stated Clerk Nominating Committee indicating a unanimous recommendation for election of current Stated Clerk Carla Campbell to a new five-year term at the May Presbytery meeting according to Presbytery Manual

From the Stated Clerk:

• Announced the formation of an Investigative Committee in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Manual of Pittsburgh Presbytery
• Received a complaint and request for stay in a remedial action against a session of a congregation of Pittsburgh Presbytery in January 2017; referred to the Permanent Judicial Commission
• Gave a brief update of the work of the Administrative Commission for the former First United Presbyterian Church of Braddock seeking the disposal of the property
• Announced the listing of Permanent Judicial Commission members whose term in office as expired within the last six years as required
• Presented the Session Minutes Roll/Register Review Dates for 2017:

Saturday, April 8, from 9-11:30 AM at Linway United Presbyterian Church
Saturday, April 22, from 9-11:30 AM at Hampton United Presbyterian ChurchSaturday, May 6, from 9-11:30 AM at Bethel Presbyterian Church, Bethel Park
Saturday, May 20, from 9-11:30 AM at Wallace Memorial Presbyterian Church
Saturday, June 3, from 9-11:30 AM at the Pittsburgh Presbytery Center
Overall Make-Up Session:
Saturday, September 9, from 9-11:30 AM at the Pittsburgh Presbytery Center

• Invited congregations to consider hosting a meeting of the presbytery in 2018
• Presented a plan for addressing Teaching and Ruling Elder Parity at presbytery meetings; adopted
• Recommended the following Ecclesiastical Administrative Commission minutes be approved and Commission members dismissed with thanks: to ordain Jason Freyer, Matthew Fricker, Benjamin Schneider, and Gavin Walton, and to install the Rev. Scott Hill; approved

From Commission on Preparation for Ministry:

• Reported Katherine Davoli, a member of Sixth Presbyterian Church, was examined and approved to be enrolled as an Inquirer
• Presbytery sustained Candidate Kendra Buckwalter Smith in her Oral Parts of Trial for Ordination
• Reported the withdrawal of Jake Horner from the care process of Pittsburgh Presbytery
• Reported a Session visit with the Sixth Presbyterian Church
• Reported an annual consultation with Candidates Laura Bentley, Annamarie Groenenboom and Jeffrey Nine, and heard a sermon from Candidate Ron Schermerhorn
• Reported permission had been given to circulate his/her Personal Information Form to Annamarie Groenenboom and Ron Schermerhorn

From the General Minister including:

• The Rev. Dr. Sheldon Sorge, General Minister gave a brief report on the State of the Presbytery
• The Rev. Dr. Don Dawson was invited to introduce the Rev. Dr. Hunter Farrell to bring greetings from the Great Commission Ministry Team and the World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary 
• The Rev. Ellie Johns-Kelley gave a brief report on the work of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Foundation and its availability to assist congregations.
• The Rev. Dr. Douglas Portz gave a brief report on the Board of Pensions and scheduled educational seminars being planned
• The Rev. Dr. Sorge announced the death of former staff member Lana Dumrauf in December who had served the presbytery for over 42 years
• The Rev. Dr. Sorge invited the Rev. Betty Angelini and Mr. Paul Humphreys to share a brief account of their future plans as they prepare to leave Crestfield Camp & Conference Center to take new calls, and led the presbytery in a prayer of blessing on their way forward
• The Rev. Dr. Sorge announced the Rev. Dr. Bruce Byers will be serving Crestfield Camp & Conference Center as Temporary Executive Administrator and registrar Ms. Marla Kemmler will take on additional duties to serve as Interim Program Director

From the Commission on Ministry:

Announced the following:

• The Rev. Catherine Purves was named Pastor Emeritus for Bellevue United Presbyterian Church effective December 2, 2016
• The completion of the contract between the Hebron Presbyterian Church and the Rev. Cinda Isler effective January 31, 2017, and Oakdale United Presbyterian Church and the Rev. Robin Humphreys effective February 28, 2017
• The Rev. Darrell Knopp will be serving as part-time pastor at Emlenton Presbyterian Church, Lake Erie Presbytery effective January 1, 2017
• The Rev. Betty Angelini will be leaving Crestfield Camp & Conference Center effective February 20, 2017 to join Living River Camp and Conference Center in Birmingham, Alabama 
• The request of the Rev. Dr. Wayne Peck for honorable retirement effective March 12, 2017; approved

Approved the Appointment of the following Moderators:

• The Rev. David K. Wood as Moderator of the Glenshaw Valley Presbyterian Church effective February 1, 2017
• The Rev. Laura Strauss as Moderator of the Hebron Presbyterian Church effective February 1, 2017
• The Rev. Dr. Bob Downs as Moderator of the Clinton United Presbyterian Church effective April 24 – August 4, 2017
• The Rev. Dr. Billy Younger as Moderator of Oakdale United Presbyterian Church effective March 1, 2017 
• The Rev. Steve Werth as Moderator of the Community House Presbyterian Church effective March 13, 2017
• The Rev. Dr. Roger Fischer as Moderator of the United Presbyterian Church of Buena Vista effective December 12, 2016
• The Rev. Rebecca DePoe as Moderator of Liberty Presbyterian Church effective February 1, 2017
• The Rev. John Yohe as Moderator of the Chartiers Valley United Presbyterian Church effective January 1, 2017

Approved the following Temporary Pastoral Contracts:

• The request of the Glenshaw Valley Presbyterian Church for the services of the Rev. David K. Wood as Interim Pastor effective February 1, 2017 for a period of one year
• The request of the Bethany Presbyterian Church for the services of the the Rev. Melany Hamilton as Interim Associate Pastor effective January 1, 2017 for a period of one year
• The request of the Lincoln Place Presbyterian Church for the services of the Revs. Judith Slater, Joshua Fisher and James Davidson as Temporary Pastors effective November 1, 2016, for a period of one year
• The request of the Carnegie Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Tom Moore as Temporary Pastor for one year effective January 1, 2017
• The request of the Central Presbyterian Church, Tarentum, to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Robert Dayton as Temporary Pastor for one year effective January 1, 2017
• The request of the Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Ronald Peters as Theologian in Residence for six months effective January 23, 2017
• The request of the United Presbyterian Church of Ingram to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Aaron Teter as Temporary Pastor for one year effective January 1, 2017
• The request of the Mosaic Community Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Saleem Ghubril as Temporary Pastor for one year effective January 1, 2017
• The request of the Homestead United Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Sharon Stewart as Temporary Pastor for four months effective September 1, 2016
• The request of the Homestead United Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Sharon Stewart as Temporary Pastor for one year effective January 1, 2017
• The request of the Homestead United Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Joshua Fisher as Temporary Pastor for four months effective September 1, 2016
• The request of the Homestead United Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Joshua Fisher as Temporary Pastor for one year effective January 1, 2017
• The request of the Mt. Pisgah Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Tom Ribar as Temporary Pastor for one year effective January 1, 2017
• The request of the Verona United Presbyterian Church to renew the contract for the services of the Rev. Brian Diebold as Temporary Pastor for one year effective January 1, 2017

 Approved Request to Close a Position:

• The request of the Lincoln Place Presbyterian Church to close the position of Pastor effective October 31, 2016

Granted Member-at-Large Status to the following:

• The Rev. Cinda Isler effective February 1, 2017
• The Rev. Robin Humphreys effective March 2, 2017

Accepted the following Letters of Reception:

• The Rev. David K. Wood from Wabash Valley Presbytery effective February 1, 2017
• The Rev. Karen Rohrer from Philadelphia Presbytery effective February 16, 2017
• The Rev. Owen Lewis Clark, HR, from Western New York Presbytery effective February 16, 2017
• The Rev. Dan Turis from Classis of Queens, Reformed Church of America, effective March 5, 2017
• The Rev. Andy Greenhow from Philadelphia Presbytery effective February 16, 2017

Approved the Administrative Commission to Install:

• The Rev. Tara Thompson as Associate Pastor of the Southminster Presbyterian Church on March 26, 2017

Approved the following Validated Ministries:

• The Rev. Karen Rohrer serving as Director of the Church Planting Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
• Kendra Buckwalter Smith serving as Worship Coordinator at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

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