PRESBYTERY OF HUDSON RIVER
Presbytery Meeting
March 22, 2011
Presbytery Convened
The Presbytery of Hudson River met in stated meeting on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at First Presbyterian Church of Goshen, Goshen, New York, and was convened at 9:30 AM with a Call to Gather and Prayer. Moderator Angela Maddalone declared that a quorum was present.
Note: “MSA” = moved, seconded, approved.
Call to Gather the Presbyters for God’s Business Angela Maddalone
Voting on the Docket
#9-language change in the Consent Agenda: to receive Laurie A. MacNeill from Newark Presbytery as a Member at Large, effective March 4, 2011 when the way be clear. MSA
Vote on the Docket and Consent Agenda. (Attachments I & II)
Introduction of New Elders
The Moderator welcomed Elders who were attending as first time commissioners.
Seating of Corresponding Members
Jerry Wondra (Reformed Church of America), and Rev. Laurie A. MacNeill (Newark).
Welcome from First Presbyterian Church of Goshen David Kingsley
David Kingsley welcomed Presbytery to Goshen Presbyterian Church, Goshen, NY.
Minutes Readers
David Mason and Sandi Scopteuolo (Union, Newburgh) are the minutes readers of this meeting.
Budget, Finance and Property Charles Barton
A Per Capita Apportionment Report (Attachment III) was presented and discussed. Charles asked that presbyters make copies to distribute to all leadership in the churches. The Presbytery of Hudson River pays the full amount even if it does not receive all payments. The 2011 per capita amount is $28.00 per person.
The unpaid per capita list includes years 2005-2010. (Attachment IV) That total is just under $67,000, which was not available for mission within the bounds of our presbytery.
There have been received mission pledges from 31 churches and the hope is to get more responses by April 1st. Still waiting to hear from 56 churches.
Mission Giving and Per Capita Reports are attached. (Attachment V)
Nominations Sue Godshall
Moved, with no nominations from floor, elected:
Rev. Winfield Peacock Committee on Representation 2013
Rev. Theodore Miller Committee on Representation 2013
Rev. Kathryn Rivera Torea Congregational Change Ministries 2013
CLP David Frost Congregational Change Ministries 2011
Resignations
MSA the following resignation:
Rev. Rachel Thompson Personnel Committee 2011
Committee on Preparation for Ministry Judy Wason
Amy Harbo has been removed from the process. She has decided to seek ordination in UCC.
Stated Clerk (Attachment VI) Harriet Sandmeier
Correction in my report: the number of Presbytery members lost last year is 1,428 with a total membership of 13,731 at year-end. The Presbytery Statistical Report for 2010 a letter from Gradye Parsons, the Proposed Amendments to the Constitution votes, the Stated Clerk’s Supplemental Report, the List of Supply Preachers, and the HRP Calendar are also included in (Attachment VI).
Sunday, March 27, 2011, from 2-4 PM at the Stony Point Center there will be New Clerks Training.
The Annual Clerks of Session day will be June 26, 2011, from 2-4 PM at Stony Point Center. Rolls and Registers will be examined along with session records for 2010.
The Clerk reported the receipt of a communication from the Assistant Stated Clerk of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of the Presbytery of the East, dated February 16, 2011 to inform that the First Presbyterian Church of Westtown, NY, was received by the Presbytery of the East on February 4, 2011 at their stated meeting. Harriet communicated that it was a little premature since we haven’t officially dismissed the Westtown church yet. She informed the EPC that she would notify when the dismissal is complete.
The Board of Chaplaincy Certification has asked for the endorsement of our Presbytery for Rev. Immanuel Jung Bae (who works at Catholic health services of St. Francis Hospital) and Rev. David Wentroble (who works at Nyack Hospital). MSA
Harriet read the following statement: On April 2, 2009 the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Northeast rendered a decision following hearing on appeal by the Prosecuting Committee of disciplinary case SNE 08-04: Hudson River Presbytery vs. one of its minister members. That decision was reported and spread upon the minutes of the Presbytery at its next stated meeting, May 19, 2009.
Pursuant to the synod PJC decision remanding four charges back to the Presbytery for trial, the Presbytery also abided by the direction of the synod PJC in appointing a new Prosecuting Committee. That committee concluded its work and filed three amended charges on May 28, 2010.
Trial was held on two of the charges on October 19 and 20, 2010. As the third trial was scheduled to be held all parties indicated interest in mediation toward possible settlement of all matters. That mediation took place on January 13 and 14, 2011. The outcome of the mediation was a proposed settlement agreement, signed and dated by all parties on January 14, 2011.
The Permanent Judicial Commission of the Presbytery of Hudson River convened with a quorum on February 14, 2011, and rendered a decision accepting the settlement proposal. As Stated Clerk I attest that this chronology and the settlement agreement have been sent by certified mail to the Stated Clerk of the Synod of the Northeast to be shared with the Synod Permanent Judicial Commission.
Pursuant to D-10.0202h(3), as Stated Clerk, it is now my responsibility to identify the accused, read the charges, and read the settlement agreement.
The charges and the settlement agreement were then read. (Attachment VII)
Congregational Change Ministry Jeff Farley
The General Assembly Mission Council is using three different models of discernment in their Adaptive Change Model. They are currently working with several congregations in the Albany Presbytery. This model is especially good to use after a pastoral change in conjunction with the Mission Statement.
General Presbyter (Attachment VIII) Susan Andrews
Susan raised up:
o Tweet Timmons who passed away surrounded by her family.
o Jed Koball, our mission worker in Peru, who was with a group of youth who were attacked while painting a mural on a building.
o David Kingsley celebrated the life of his mother as she was laid to rest.
Walter Bruggemann and others have lifted up the biblical story of Exile as a metaphor for the current state of the church-a metaphor for the honest truth about the role of the church in contemporary American culture. We are an anxious remnant trying to figure out how to sing the Lord’s song in the wilderness. Congregations need to come to understand our current reality.
Researchers analyzed the general qualities of those congregations who are surviving-and even thriving- in today’s complex culture. Healthy congregations are realistic and they refuse to wallow in the nostalgia of the past. And they express this realism in four distinct ways:
1) Healthy congregations are realistic about the amount of pastoral time they can afford.
2) Thriving congregations realize that their buildings are tools for mission-rather than sanctuaries for security.
3) Thriving congregations that survive economic crisis are those who understand themselves as sent- the focus of church is really outside the walls instead of inside the walls.
4) Undergirding all of this missional thinking is courage and faith. Healthy congregations in the wilderness of 2011 are willing to take huge risks for the kingdom of God.
In the midst of the Exile-when God’s people were sorely tempted to assimilate with the pagan culture of Babylonia-Isaiah spoke words of hope and vision and life-calling them to continued faithfulness and assuring them of God’s dependable promise:
Behold, I am about to do a new thing. Do you not perceive it? I will make a
way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
In this, the 50th year of our life together as the Presbytery of Hudson River, I call us into the birthing room-a people in the wilderness of exile who are being called back to new life by our utterly gracious and dependable God.
May it be so!
50th Anniversary Planning Team Bill Crawford
Our Jubilee year came to a conclusion and now we celebrate our 50th year in progress.
This will be a glorious year marking these moments:
May 12th – an evening of celebration at Dutchess Manor, with Dinner, Dancing, Music, Entertainment and More!
July 15th – An Anniversary Year Cruise on the Hudson River, departing Haverstraw, sailing to Yonkers and returning to Haverstraw.
There is also a booklet being put together including all churches. The special Jubilee tree that has been traveling through the Presbytery linking all our churches and their dates of establishment continues on its journey.
Vision 20/20
The goal is not success as much as learning, and each proposal is committed to serve as a learning model for other congregations and for the Presbytery. Last year five proposals were accepted and funded.
Lenore Lelah from South Church in Dobbs Ferry shared a video concerning their Roots and Wings sustainable living project. She said, “we have planted a garden in front of the church and as we work there we engage others from the community who are passing by.” South also has workshops titled “Sustainable Suburbia”.
Worship- “A Service of Prayer and Meditation in the Tradition of the Community at Taizé”. (Attachment IX)
Blessing for the meal.
Lunch- 12:15 PM
Reconvene- 1:30 PM
Committee on Ministry David Harkness & Scott Ramsey
#13 in the Consent Agenda for this meeting you will find a list of folks that have been approved to serve communion in 2011. All have received Eucharist training and are certified as per G-11.0103z. Two additions to the list are Wilomena Setran and Florence Armstrong.
Introduction of ministers in new positions:
o Laurie A. McNeill- member at large
o Jeff Geary (White Plains)
o Jacob Bolton (Hugenot Pelham)
They all spoke about one point of their Statements of Faith and one thing in the presbytery or their church about which they are most excited.
Motion to approve the Committee on Ministry report. MSA
Announcement: There will be Boundary Training Workshops (Attachment X) on May 9, 2011 (Stony Point Center) or June 2, 2011, (Holmes) titled “A sacred Trust: Boundary Issues for Clergy and Spiritual Leaders.”
Commission for Little Britian Church
Pursuant to Book of Order 11.0103s, the Committee on Ministry recommends the formation of an Administrative Commission; its charge being to assume original jurisdiction, including fiduciary responsibility, of Little Britian Church at Rock Tavern to determine the congregation’s viability and future to report its findings to Presbytery by its September 2011 meeting.
Motion to appoint the following to the Administrative Commission: Rev. David Kingsley-Chair, Elder Carla Lesh (Kingston), Elder Jean Kaiser (Peekskill), Elder George Hankins (Goshen), Rev. Deke Spierling (HR), Rev. Ariel Verdesi, Rev. Jeff Farley. MSA
The Mediation Team Bruce Baker
We are here to serve you in a plethora of ways. Healthy Congregation Workshops are one of the ways we help with friction within the churches.
Scott Ramsey is our witness today to tell about his experience with the Mediation Team.
The people in his church who were upset were listened to and conflict resolution training occurred. After a series of meetings, where feelings were shared in an atmosphere of trust, people involved were better able to deal with the issues.
Report of the Ridgebury Administrative Commission Deke Spierling
The Administrative Commission for Ridgebury is currently working with an attorney from one of our congregations, who is serving pro bono. Our purpose is to clarify for our friends at Ridgebury that the Ridgebury Church'sproperty does--in light of PC(USA) polity and the decision of the Appellate Court--in fact, belong to the Presbytery of Hudson River. Once we have accomplished this purpose, we are prepared to offer appropriate terms of lease to the Ridgebury congregation, should they feel called to continue their ministry in that location, as well as terms of reimbursement for the presbytery's legal expenses.
Report of the Westtown Administrative Commission Steve Huston
At its December 10, 2010 Stated Meeting, Hudson River Presbytery (HRP) approved the recommendation of the Westtown Administrative Commission (AC), acting to release the Westtown congregation (Westtown) to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, with its real property and assets upon the fulfillment of several conditions.
1. Westtown shall remit to HRP the amount of $8,260, representing five years of per capita at the rate of $26.51 at a membership of 59 members.
Westtown has remitted $8,260 to HRP.
2. These funds shall be designated, by Westtown and approved by HRP, for an outreach program/project that will have a direct impact on the residents of the Westtown community.
3. The AC moves the approval of the following mission program(s) which Westtown intends to support into the future. MSA; one-no 2-abstensions
A. Food Pantry
1) Westtown has set up a food pantry for the residents of the Town of Minisink.
2) The pantry is open 10am-noon, the third Saturday of every month.
3) Clients are asked, in their first visit, to provide contact information (name, address, phone number), as well as the number of members in household.
4) Subsequently, clients will be asked their name so that records may be kept.
5) Upon entering, clients will register and will receive a number. As the number is called, clients will be given food, as well as assistance in carrying food to their car, if necessary.
6) One box of groceries- having been filled with staples of pasta, soup, tuna, peanut butter, vegetables, etc.- will be given for a family of four (two boxes to be given for larger families). Tracts and church information will be included in each box.
7) Coffee and tea will be available for the clients as they wait.
8) Staffing needs: greeter, registrar, and two or three people to distribute food.
9) Advertising: on church sign and flyers posted in local establishments.
10) Funding: to be raised through donations from area churches, private donations, and fundraisers.
B. Good News Nursery School Tuition Funds
1) The Westtown Church oversees the Good News Nursery School as a community outreach.
2) The program year is September through June, according to the local school district schedule.
3) In these tough economic times, some students might have to withdraw due to parents losing their jobs or experiencing unexpected expenses.