Presbytery of Cayuga-SyracuseStated meeting – October 28, 2014

First Presbyterian Church, Auburn, NYPage 1 of 2

MINUTES OF

THE PRESBYTERY OF CAYUGA-SYRACUSE

(pending approval at the May 16, 2015 Stated Meeting)

The Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse held a Stated Meeting on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at the First Presbyterian Church of Auburn, New York. The meeting was called to order at 5:02 p.m. by the Moderator, teaching elder Stuart Hayes, who opened with prayer. The Presbytery was welcomed by the host pastor, teaching elder Eileen Winter. The Rev. Winter spoke about the mission of the congregation that is being lived out through the many ministries taking place in the Case Mansion next door to the church.

When asked by the Moderator, the Stated Clerk, teaching elder Steve Plank, confirmed that a quorum was present. The docket for the meeting was approved as presented, with the addition of one item under New Business, which is a report from one of our Synod commissioners. New teaching elder members of the Presbytery were introduced: Mario Bolivar (Associate Pastor, Skaneateles), Lorrie Cooney (Pastor, New Hope), and Dwain Lee (Interim Pastor, Auburn Westminster). First-time ruling elder commissioners were introduced.

The minutes of the May 17, 2014 Stated Meeting and the July 22, 2014 Special Meeting of the Presbytery were approved as submitted.

The Stated Clerk/Communicator presented his report as follows:

  1. All correspondence received on behalf of the Presbytery has been assigned, referred, or answered.
  2. A request was received from teaching elder member Craig Lindsey, requesting that the Leadership Team call a special Presbytery meeting sometime in the Spring of 2015 for the purpose of reviewing and discussing the Presbytery’s responsibilities regarding the mortgage for Vanderkamp. This request was referred to the Moderator and to the Leadership Team.
  3. I occasionally am asked to write an interpretation about Church law and/or Constitutional issues that arise. I wrote one such interpretation on July 11, 2014 regarding questions about whether ruling elders could ever be authorized to celebrate Communion and/or Baptism. What I wrote was that, under the responsibility and power of the presbytery to “provide that the Sacraments may be rightly administered and received,” the presbytery’s responsibilities include “authorizing and training specific ruling elders to administer or preside at the Lord’s Supper when it deems it necessary to meet the needs for the administration of the Sacrament…” G-3.0301b. The Committee on Ministry authorized me to provide such training to a small group of ruling elders at First United Church of East Syracuse.
  4. The minutes of the Presbytery were submitted for review to the Synod of the Northeast at the gathering of Stated Clerks within the Synod on May 21-22, 2014, meeting at Stony Point. The minutes for 2012 and 2013 were approved with the following exceptions:
  5. The call for the special Presbytery meeting held on December 5, 2012 was not recorded.
  6. There was no report of the review of Session records.
  7. There was no report of the Committee on Representation.
  8. There was no report of a financial review having been done.
  9. There was no list of categories of teaching elders’ membership.
  10. There was no roster of previous members of the Permanent Judicial Commission.
  11. There was no statement that pastoral nominating committees conformed to following AAEEO guidelines.
  12. There were no minutes of the meetings of the Administrative Commission for First Presbyterian Church United in Syracuse.
  13. The 2013 General Assembly statistical report for our Presbytery was completed, having been compiled from information submitted by the clerks of sessions of our congregations. (This report is attached as Appendix A to these minutes.)

The report of the Stated Clerk/Communicator was approved.

The Presbytery then moved to a time of worship. Various cooperative ministries of congregations in the Presbytery were highlighted. The Sacrament of Communion was celebrated. After worship, the Presbytery recessed for supper.

The Presbytery reconvened at 7:10 p.m. A report on the 221st meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which met from June 14-21, 2014 in Detroit, was given by ruling elder commissioner Jill Fandrich (Auburn Westminster), teaching elder commissioner Tracie Martin, and young adult advisory delegate Becky Wind (Isaiah’s Table).

The Presbytery heard an update on the life and ministry of Isaiah’s Table in Syracuse, one of our Church’s 1001 New Worshiping Communities. The report was given by Maggie Carter and Tim Fay.

The Committee on Preparation for Ministry presented Rebecca Chaffee, an Inquirer under our care, to be examined to move from Inquirer to Candidate under our care. It was moved and seconded that Rebecca Chaffee be received as a Candidate under care of our Presbytery. Ms. Chaffee presented a statement about her Faith Journey and Sense of Call:

I was born into a military family and raised in various cities in the US, as well as 3 ½ years in a small English village. Family life revolved around regular worship in Baptist and Christian and Missionary Alliance churches. In high school I was active in youth group, school prayer band, and Young Life. My high school aptitude tests came back with “Pastor” as the first result, but my denomination did not ordain women.

I earned my BA in English at the C&MA seminary and liberal arts college in Nyack, New York. While there, I eventually settled at Grace Episcopal Church where I sang in the choir. As a young adult I continued to explore faith through my own prayer and reading, but my profession as a “road warrior” for a Manhattan-based business meeting production company left little time for formal church involvement. I did notice, though, that I became something of a chaplain among my “spiritual but not religious” colleagues.

In the early 90s I joined First Presbyterian Church in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where I sang in the choir, served as youth leader, and was ordained an elder. In 2002, my current husband, Scott, and I moved to Syracuse and joined First Presbyterian Church United. After our son, Conrad, was born we transferred to Pebble Hill, where I served in the nursery, education, and children’s music program before answering the call in 2009 as interim and then full-time Program Director for Education and Family Ministries.

I enrolled in Northeastern Seminary in fall 2012 for a Master of Divinity in Spiritual Formation. My work with children, my seminary work, and my own spiritual journey have confirmed my call to transform religious education into the spiritual formation of children, youth, and whole congregations. The pastoral care and spiritual formation of children and young people is vital to the future of our denomination and our faith. My own spiritual growth has led me to recognize more clearly than ever that my sense of vocation and calling is nota personal goal or an interest: It is a direct response to God’s grace working within my life.

Ms. Chaffee then answered questions from presbyters. It was then moved, second, and approved to arrest the examination. Ms. Chaffee was excused from the room. After discussion, the motion to receive Rebecca Chaffee as a Candidate under care of our Presbytery was approved. Ms. Chaffee was welcomed back into the room, and a prayer was offered.

Teaching elder Pete Shidemantle presented the written report of the Leadership Team:

Since the May 17, 2014 Stated Meeting of the Presbytery, the Leadership Team has held meetings on July 1, August 26, and September 23, 2014.

Actions taken on behalf of the Presbytery on July 1, 2014:

A-1Granted permission to teaching elder Dan McCollister to labor outside the bounds of the Presbytery so that he might serve in a temporary supply relationship with the First Presbyterian Church, Ithaca, NY.

A-2Authorized the Stated Clerk to approve routine requests for ministers to labor within or outside the bounds of our Presbytery, and to report any such approvals at the meeting of COM that follows such authorizations.

A-3Called a special meeting of the Presbytery for the following purposes:

  1. To temporarily suspend Standing Rule 6.32 so that a candidate for ordination may be considered at this special meeting; and
  2. To examine Ms. Lorrie Cooney for ordination as a teaching elder, and to approve her call to serve New Hope Presbyterian Church in Parish, NY.

A-4Approved teaching elder Tracie Martin to take Level 1 Interim/Transition training at Montreat.

A-5Appointed teaching elder Earl Arnold as moderator of the session of the Morrisville church.

A-6Approved the sale of the property of the former Calvary Church in Auburn

  • The contract to sell the property to the Western New York Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church of Auburn, NY is dated May 20, 2014.
  • The property is located at 90 Franklin Street, City of Auburn, Cayuga County, State of New York, and identified as Tax Map parcel number 116.31-2-17.
  • The purchase price is $12,000.00.

A-7Approved the sale of a piece of property belonging to the Marcellus Church. The Felon House was purchased some time ago as a buffer between the church and other properties and was never used as part of the church’s ministry. The Marcellus Session has approved the sale.

  • The contract specifies the sale of the property to Rim Cox and Svetlana Sheveleva for $83,000. The property is located at 3 E. Main Street, in the Village of Marcellus, County of Onondaga, State of New York, being a part of lot 15, identified by Tax Map # 314001-004-000-0001-019-000-0000. The closing will be on or about September 6, 2014.

A-8Approved the contract between the Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn and the Rev. Duane Lee for his ministry as their Interim Pastor, beginning August 20, 2014, with the following terms:

Cash Salary $ 37,000

Housing Allowance $ 20,000

Effective Salary $ 57,000

Travel $ 1,000

Cont. Ed./Prof. Exp. $ 3,000

2 weeks of Study Leave

4 weeks of Vacation

Participation in the pension and major medical plan of the Board of Pensions.

The agreement may be modified or extended for periods of up to six months at the request of Session and Minister, and with the concurrence of COM. Any party to the agreement may terminate the contract with 30 days written notice.

COM attests that the search committee complied with AAEEO guidelines.

Actions taken on behalf of the Presbytery on August 26, 2014:

A-9Approved the Memorandum of Understanding between Isaiah’s Table and the F&P Work Group as to the division of the proceeds of the final figures from the sale of the First Presbyterian Church United property. Isaiah’s Table and the Presbytery both will realize approximately $400,000 of net proceeds. Isaiah’s table will receive the interest on the proceeds that are invested with the Presbyterian Foundation.

A-10Confirmed an earlier email vote to elect an Administrative Commission to ordain and install Ms. Lorrie Cooney as a teaching elder and the Designated Pastor of the New Hope Presbyterian Church, Parish. The service will take place on Sunday, August 24, 2014, at 3:00 p.m. at the Parish church. Members of the Commission are:

The Moderator, teaching elder Stuart Hayes, or his designee

Teaching elders: Sarah McTyre and Steve Plank

Ruling elders: Nancy Wind (Isaiah’s Table), Nancy Byrne (Pebble Hill), and David Sperling (New Hope)

Corresponding members: teaching elders Anne and Charles Myers (Carlisle Presbytery)

Permission was granted to celebrate Communion at this service.

A-11Granted “relief of conscience” to the First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango, which was requested by their Session. This pertains to an objection they raised, as a matter of conscience, to the payment of abortion procedures by the Medical Plan.

A-12Elected an Administrative Commission to ordain and install Mr. Mario Bolivar as a teaching elder and the Associate Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Skaneateles. The service will take place on Thursday, September 18, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. at the Skaneateles church. Members of the Commission are:

The Moderator, teaching elder Stuart Hayes, or his designee

Teaching elders: Craig Lindsey and Shawn Reyburn

Ruling elders: Neil Rotach (King Ferry), Gail Banks (Amboy Belle Isle), Claudia Lambdin (Skaneateles)

Permission was granted to celebrate Communion at this service.

A-13Dismissed with thanks the Administrative Commission that ordained and installed teaching elder Lorrie Cooney at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Parish, NY.

A-14Granted a request from Westminster Manor in Auburn for $2,500 from the Benevolent Care Fund of the Presbytery.

A-15Approved the terms of dissolution of the pastoral relationship between teaching elder Saunda Thomas and the Session of the Morrisville Community Church, effective May 31, 2014.

A-16Approved the retirement of teaching elder Steve Thomas effective Sept. 30, 2014, and approved the dissolution of the pastoral relationship between Mr. Thomas and the Cazenovia congregation on that date.

Actions taken on behalf of the Presbytery on September 23, 2014:

A-17Elected the following people to serve on the Isaiah’s Table Task Force: Howard Rose (chairperson), Tim Fay, Dave Graham, and Deb Thomas.

A-18Voted to receive teaching elder Jane Dasher as a member of the Presbytery. The Rev. Dasher is a chaplain at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse. (This action is to correct an oversight; Ms. Dasher should have been received as a member of our Presbytery some two years ago, but this action and its reporting to the General Assembly never took place.)

A-19Voted to receive teaching elder Paul Doriani as a member of the Presbytery. The Rev. Doriani has been serving as the Interim Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Chittenango.

A-20Approved the retirement of teaching elder Bill Grossman, effective Sept. 30, 2014, and approved the dissolution of the pastoral relationship between Mr. Grossman and the Marcellus congregation on that date.

A-21Approved the retirement of the Rev. David Nethercott, effective April 30, 2015.

A-22Appointed teaching elder Deb Thomas as moderator of the Cazenovia Session.

A-23Appointed teaching elder Jerry Platz as moderator of the Marcellus Session (if he is willing to accept that appointment).

A-24Approved the sale of the manse at King Ferry, as follows:

  • The congregation approved the sale of the manse, pending Presbytery approval, on October 20, 2013.
  • A purchase offer and sale contract was signed and executed on August 11, 2014.
  • The sales price is $85,000.
  • The manse is sold to Alyssa Gunderson and Jodi Gunderson of King Ferry, NY
  • The church retains title and ownership over the portion of the driveway on the premises that serves the Church building, and the buyers are granted a deeded easement to use the driveway.
  • The buyers grant the church a deeded Right of First Refusal whenever the buyers decide to sell the property in the future.
  • The property is located in the Town of Genoa, County of Cayuga, State of New York, identified as Tax Map No. 226.04.-1-29.

A-25Extended the promissory note with First Presbyterian Church, Auburn, for six months, as provided for in the original agreement.

A-26Dismissed with thanks the Administrative Commission that ordained and installed teaching elder Mario Bolivar at First Presbyterian Church in Skaneateles, NY.

Teaching elder Fred Marty (Park Central Church) was presented to the Presbytery. Fred served as the Presbytery’s attorney for some 40 years. Fred shared some of his memories with the Presbytery, after which he was presented with a certificate of appreciation for his long years of service. The Presbytery expressed its gratitude with a long round of applause.

Pete Shidemantle presented a paper that outlined a process for how people might express disagreement with a decision of the Leadership Team, since there are only two Presbytery meetings per year and thus a limited window for timely redress of disagreements. (Include the specific recommendations made for the minutes.) It was moved that Presbytery concur with the Leadership Team in the process that they provided for us. The motion was seconded. After discussion, the process was adopted as a policy of the Presbytery. (This policy is attached as Appendix B to these minutes.)

Pete Shidemantle asked teaching elder Sarah McTyre, chairperson of the Human Relations Work Group of the Leadership Team to present a report:

The presbytery approved the Employment Agreement for Steve Plank as Stated Clerk/Communicator in September 2013 and allotted $2,400 for travel expenses and $2,400 for professional expenses for 2014. Given that this was a brand new position, these figures were a “best guess” for the first year.

The Human Resources Work Group has conducted an annual performance review for Steve Plank and has recommended (in consultation with Steve) that these figures remain the same for the 2015 budget.

However, it has been determined that Steve’s professional and travel expenses for 2014 will exceed the amounts approved by the presbytery due to unusual denominational meeting costs. The Human Resources Work Group moves that the presbytery allow additional expenditures for travel and professional expenses up to a total of $700 through the end of 2014.

The Moderator noted that since this comes from a Work Group of the Presbytery the motion does not require a second. After discussion, the motion was approved.

Pete Shidemantle asked ruling elder Gordie Howard to present the report of the Finance and Property Work Group. Gordie presented a brief update of the current state of the Presbytery’s finances. He then presented the proposed 2015 Presbytery budget, at which time he moved its approval. (The budget is attached as Appendix C to these minutes.) During discussion, the following amendment was made and seconded: “That the per capita be allowed to remain at $20.00 for 2015, and that the Leadership Team be requested to find the deficit.” After considerable discussion, the motion failed (division of the house resulted in a counted vote of 17-22). After further discussion, the motion passed. Ruling elder Roger Martin and ruling elder Tracie Martin rose to ask that they be listed in the minutes as registering a dissent to this action. The Stated Clerk/Communicator mentioned that this is a proper request as defined in our Book of Order (G-3.0105a).